The FastDay Forum

After eating a bit too much this weekend (but even then I was still under 2000 calories on Saturday), I was really strict the past couple of days and was way under my calorie count (about 1500 on Monday and just over 400 yesterday) and did lots of exercise. I got on the scales today for my 4th official weigh-in and have put 2lbs back on of the 5lbs I lost in the first week.

My body just does not seem to be getting on with this. I have to hope that it's just water retention from exercising and from being due on, but it's very disheartening. I've measured as well and there's no inch loss, just stayed the same. Now I'm not even on track for the lb a week weight loss.

Feeling very blah. Starting to dread Wednesday weigh-ins. If I haven't lost weight by next week I think I might have to reconsider this WOE. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong!

I didnt lose last week but did this week.
I know its so dissapointing but dont give up, keep at it and give your body chance to adjust to the new diet.
Being due on will have a huge impact on your weight... do give up just yet!!
xx

Beth, I feel your pain. Am just about the same. I have now done 10 fasts and have only lost 3-4 pounds. I do my days together as I find that suits best ans really suffered om Monday yet this morning...no loss. Boo.

Will keep at it though. We have a similar BMI. Maybe it really is harder if you don't have much to lose. My mum who is 73 has lost nearly a stone now.

Lets keep the faith a bit longer!

5lbs was a LOT to lose in the first week and a lot of that will have been water. If you are doing a lot of exercise that can mean that you put on weight as muscle weighs heavier than fat. Overall you have still lost 3lbs in the month which is only just under the average for 5:2, so please don't be disappointed. I lost nothing for a couple of weeks after the first week's loss and then the weight came off weekly. Don't give up yet!

[janeg]

Hang in there! How much are you wanting to lose? I think you're BMI is within the normal range , so it's going to be much tougher. Also if you are exercising loads, fat goes, muscle builds and muscle weighs more than fat. This isn't a magic wand and the initial big loss has to balance out or else it's not going to be sustainable ( I lose less than half a pound a week, but know it'll stay off)
Keep doing what you're doing, give it a wee bit longer, than maybe look at changing strategy.

Hi Beth,

Don't panic, you are doing much better than I did at the start. There are so many spectacular success stories on here, which is great, but if you are one of those for whom the journey is slower and a little bit more challenging then it is hard not to feel like a failure.

I have lost 2 st and now find it hard to gain, in fact I am having to be pro-active in not losing any more weight but that does not mean that I had an easy journey, just the opposite. Although I found the fasting relatively easy and still would, the slowness of the weight loss made it quite depressing at times.

Don't give up, you will get there, just not as fast as some others but, YOU WILL GET THERE, honest, trust me I'm a slim person, now!

Ballerina x

Hi Beth, don't give up! After a few weeks of losing and gaining and staying the same I decided to give up weighing weekly and now only weight monthly - I think this helps you focus on the overall loss and not look at each small movement on the scales. Good luck!

Hi Beth

Please don't indulge and hang in there. Hormones have a big influence (sad but true), and all the exercise will make your body hold onto water and glycogen. Give it 7 days and you'll loose all that and more!
Would love to hear how you went in a week's time!

Wow, thank you everyone! I've been sitting here feeling very sorry for myself so I'm glad I checked the forum again, haha.

@eleriroberts
I'm hoping it's just being due on! It is very disappointing, though, so thank you for the kind words.

@LisaT
Maybe it is harder! I just remember reading that Mimi Spencer only had about a stone to lose and she did it just fine. Very frustrating. Beginning to wonder if it's possible to 'want it too much'? But yes, I will keep the faith with you! I'll give it another couple of weigh-ins and re-evaluate, maybe...

@Franglaise
I won't give up Thank you for your kind words. I know it was a lot to lose but I just can't understand how I lost all that water weight in the first week and stopped feeling bloated and now I'm still fasting like I did then but not feeling half as good? Gah! Fingers crossed it's just time of the month stuff.

@janeg
I'm wanting to lose just over a stone overall. I was so chuffed when I lost the first week as 10lbs sounded much more manageable than 15lbs! I completely understand the weight coming off slowly to stay off, but it's the coming back on that's depressing! I'll wait a little longer, though. Thank you for your encouragement.

@Ballerina
Haha thank you for the advice and encouragement! Good to hear your success story too I think I'm just confused because I usually lose weight very easily (and put it back on very easily). I suppose I'll just have to hope that, like you, the slow loss will mean it'll be harder to gain back in the long run.

@rachelb1968
I have been reconsidering my weekly weigh-ins. Problem is, I can't decide between monthly and daily weighs! I used to get very depressed with daily weigh-ins but I did read about tracking the trend line. Perhaps if I got a little more scientific about it I wouldn't get so depressed? I'm very impatient so waiting a month to see if there would be any results scares me a little!

@UN2NET
Thank you for your kind words! I will keep it in mind. I'm really hoping it's just hormones and water because I can't make sense of it otherwise. I'll be sure to post in a week with my results, fingers crossed they'll be good!

Hi I have just done my 5 th fast yesterday and I have now lost 5lbs , unbelievable if you ask me ?! Had copious amounts of wine at the weekend and even a mcd on Monday !!

I was also really disappointed last week but vowed to keep it up after reading stuff on here and getting some words of encouragement .

Keep at it and I bet u will lose by Friday

Good luck
Oh n by the way when u think about it 3lb is a big loss x

Oh Beth - where to begin? If you'll permit me to say this I feel a certain kinship with you - we seem to have started this WOE at just about the same time. I'm actually on my second go-round - I tried it late last year and in three months I ended up with a net loss of only one pound. So I know the frustration you're feeling! Why I started it again now is a mystery (don't they say insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result?), but this time around I am now looking at an over 8lb loss for my first 4 weeks.

My thoughts, for what they're worth - I really do believe that the less you have to lose the longer it will take. I frankly think Mimi Spencer is an aberration (just in the area of weight loss on 5:2, that is all!). When I did this last year my BMI was about what yours is now and the weight was stubbornly sticking (and in the 3 months after I stopped I gained almost a stone!). All of the weight I have just lost is weight I had only recently gained.

My thoughts, for what they're worth - you're doing everything right - you're creating a calorie deficit. The weight HAS to come off sometime. It may be holding onto it for as long as it can but it has to come off eventually. It's all well and good to say that when the body goes into starvation mode it holds onto as much fat as it can and that slows weight loss. But what is never said after that is that if you really do keep at creating the calorie deficit the weight will drop. It's a gruesome and extreme analogy, and in no way am I advocating this approach to weight loss, but if the body continued to hold onto the weight how could anorexics get as thin as they do? Or hunger strikers?

Hang in there. You will, very soon, show a drop so great you will celebrate for weeks - maybe at the same time as I am moaning I have gained I am absolutely certain. Good luck.

@Jubby1968
You're very lucky! I thought I'd be able to carry on enjoying wine and everything but I'm not sure I can anymore. Not for a few months at least. I'm glad to hear you stuck with it and got results!

@mummybunny2005
I'm glad to hear your second go is going much better! And yes, kinship is a good thing, I don't feel quite so alone I think I thought this was going to be a lot easier than it has been. I am back to calorie cutting/counting and depriving myself and to be honest it's not what I signed up for. Very grumpy about that.

I'm trying to stay positive, and like you say it has to come off at some point. Perhaps I'm being too impatient as I did have a slightly more foodie week last week. I will hang in there and be sure to let you know how I fare in the next two weeks. Hopefully the exercise and calorie cutting will start having an effect at some point! Thank you for your words of encouragement.

Hi beth. This may be just a coincidence, but i noticed on another thread that you've just started the 30 day shred. I started 5:2 in february and was losing steadily week on week. Since i started the shred 3 weeks ago my weight loss as totally frozen. BUT... Finally an inch has come off my waist during the 'weight stable' period. I am looking noticeably less flabby and more toned. I was wondering if (even in this short a time!) we may have substituted fat for muscle?? Have you noticed that you're looking slimmer or any inch loss instead?

Hi Beth

I haven't lost a huge amount of weight, about 5lbs since January. However, I have lost inches, especially around my middle - I have gone down a bra size and 2 trouser sizes so I would say measure yourself rather than weigh - especially as your BMI is already good.

Hi Beth, I'm new to this, but we have the same BMI, which is in the normal area. That means we are going to have a harder time losing weight. Your initial 5 lbs was mostly water and maybe just a little fat. Over time, though, the research shows intermittent fasting does result in less fat. It's just going to take us a lot longer, I think. One way to speed it up though, is to check your TDEE. I did mine here and it's less than 1600 calories a day (for feast days). That means my fast days should be less than 400 calories. So, be careful with the feasting (or, add another fast day?).
To lose a lb a week, you need a 3500 calorie deficit (out - in) for the week, but if you are eating over your TDEE, then you won't meet that. And the less you weigh, the lower your TDEE.
Exercise increases TDEE but a good hour of hard exercise (several miles running, biking, dancing, etc) is really only going to be maybe 400 calories. So still under 2000. For us, this is the only downside of this diet!
In any case, hang in there, and the exercise will really help with building muscle.
By the way, muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat - that is, they both weigh a pound! Fat takes up more volume though (muscle is leaner), so that's why people can lose inches but not lose pounds.
Good luck! I did my first fast day yesterday, and no weight loss today. Will see how it goes after my second fast day! (I weigh myself every day because I'm a statistician and the more data points the better. Not great for self-esteem though!)