The FastDay Forum

Ok, I've weighed in after my first week on the 5:2 plan, and have been good the whole time, watched, calculated what I ate on Fast days (both days well under the 500cals)and eaten normally on free days - and scales say I've gained 700g - first diet EVER I have gained in the first week - what to do?

Be patient and continue.
Make sure that your "eating normally" is around your TDEE.
Weigh again, it could just be a bad case of water retention.

Have a read of the FAQs too. On my Kindle so harder to go find links. Lots about this in there...

[Tracieknits]

TML is correct, that's exactly what I would suggest.

Plus home scales are notoriously inconsistent. I've about given up on mine. Just last week, I got on them and it said I had lost 10 pounds. Then I rechecked 15 minutes later because I didn't believe it, and it said I had lost 0.2 pounds. Sigh.

Be patient and continue.
Make sure that your "eating normally" is around your TDEE.
Weigh again, it could just be a bad case of water retention.

Sorry I'm new to this forum, just joined - very helpful but I'm a bit confused with some of the abbreviations used? What is TDEE please? X

Keep the 10 pounds verdict, LOL!

[janeg]

Welshsupergirl, TDEE is total daily energy expenditure- the amount of calories needed to maintain weight. Going below this should result in weight loss. Check out FAQ section for better info and the resources section for a calculator to work your own out.

Don't be disappointed, persevere. I have been at this for 9 weeks now and treat it as a way of eating rather than a diet. I weigh myself most mornings and the weekly fluctuations are quite staggering, so timing is everything as it confidence in your scales, the key thing is that the long term movement is downwards, in my case averaging around 0.7kg per week. Well on my way to my target weight which will be achieved well before my next trip to Sydney and Canberra to visit my children and grandchildren in December.

I've not been at it for long, and am so far more impressed with the loss in inches rather than pounds.

I think there's some advice at thefastdiet.co.uk for if you aren't losing much weight, as well as the wealth of info here.

[carorees]

First off, there are big changes in your body's water content during the first weeks, so you are likely to be losing fat but gaining water. Measure yourself because water weighs more than fat so you will be slimmer even if the scales don't show a weight change. Second, give it at least 6 weeks before deciding if you need to tweak the diet. Third, check out the FAQ!

Welshsupergirl, TDEE is total daily energy expenditure- the amount of calories needed to maintain weight. Going below this should result in weight loss. Check out FAQ section for better info and the resources section for a calculator to work your own out.

Ok I will check FAQ now, thanks very much x

I second what others says. I've been doing this for 7 weeks and 'only' lost 4 pounds and most of that was at the start BUT I have lost loads of inches - about 2 inches off my tum so far, plus more elsewhere as I now look a bit slimmer - and gone down a dress size.

I'm sorry, I missed your question regarding TDEE.
I calculated mine in various websites and I found this one to be the most realistic:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I'll stick with it

This forum is great! I'm very grateful for the advice with regards to TDEE - I was never really sure if I was eating enough or too much on my non fast days so I tended to stick to 2000 roughly. After using the calculator it showed for weight loss I should aim for 1880 cals - 2000 was too much even for maintenance so now I kinda get where I was going wrong. I no longer feel disheartened - and my motivation is back up there! Thanks again all :0) xx