The FastDay Forum

So my first week of fasting, back in mid-march, seemed pretty promising. I was sitting at around 75kgs before starting. By the 3rd (non consecutive) fast day I had dropped to around 74.2, and I was still there a few days later when I started my next fasting day...

So Easter Sunday... I was invited to friends for an evening dinner etc so I decided the best thing was to fast up until dinner and then just not worry too much about what I ate/drank at dinner. At least not having breakfast and dinner would minimise the damage of such an occasion I figured.
So it started with some crackers and cheese (no extreme face-stuffing!), and half a bottle of red wine.
All good...
So we made some pretty bad sangria, and as taste-tester I drank too much! But that was fine.
Dinner was a roast shoulder of meat with gravy and some salad. I actually wasn't that hungry and didn't eat much at dinner... Mostly liquid diet! I didn't plan for it to happen, but that's the way thing were going so I went with it.

So anyway, calorically... I'd say about 1800-2000 total...

But I ended up with my head in a bucket when I got home later... So I don't know how that works calorie wise.

Anyway, next day, I weighed in and was expecting to be at 74.something... I was at 75.5kgs... And I've stayed there since! I've done a couple of fast days since, but ended up eating more later in the night as I was working very late so probably 1200-1500 calories both times... Still, overall, I should be averaging below maintenance!

I thought that sudden gain must have just been water retention from abusing my body with wine, but water weight shouldn't take this long to come off.

So kind of frustrated to now be above where I started!

Hi there Bracketcreeper, I think 5:2 is more of a healthy lifestyle thing with incidental weight loss which can be very slow. ...I suppose you have measured your waist? I have been doing it really properly since Jan 1st and only just lost 2lbs but 3" - sometimes 4" - has gone from my waist so I know for definite it's working.

Totally understand your frustration...sometimes it takes awhile to really "get" that this is a WAY OF LIFE, for life! Not a temporary deprivation to get you skinny ASAP so you can get back to your "real life." To reap the benefits of 5.2--which include weight loss, along with other health benefits--you must know that this is now how you live. And not everyone gets down to a low 20's BMI on this WOL, at least not on "regular" 5.2. I'm one who's lost ~32lbs (still 25lbs from goal), and bounce around +-2-3lbs up and down. Thus far, I've been unwilling to add more restrictions; I really do view this as my WOL, and am afraid if I add too many restrictions it will become unlivable for me and I'll stop. Can't say what'll happen in the future, but as I'm approaching my second fastiversary in late April, I'm happy I've kept off the weight I've lost. As most of you have experienced, that's the hard part; losing is relatively easy, it's the keeping off part that's challenging. As I say, Why lose weight you can't keep off?

Specific to your situation, weight can bounce up and down a bit due to myriad reasons...and sometimes no apparent reason at all. It's not all the numbers; they are/can be important (calories etc), but our bodies can be crafty about holding on to what we don't want. If you live your life, don't sweat every calorie on normal days, and "fast" well, you should find your best self.

Many here promote carb restriction. Not saying I don't agree it works; I did Atkins and the Zone, and they work--if you can stand it! I am unwilling to get on that bandwagon, I just don't care enough about being skinny to give up bread and the like forever. And I think if I gave it up for awhile, then went back, I'd just regain. So why do it ? Also, am afraid of giving up this WOL if I pile on too many onerous restrictions; that's my pattern in the past: Do something, it works for awhile; then hear about the new shiny toy (diet) and add that; get frustrated and hungry and chuck it all. Sound familiar?

You really have to try to stick with the 500 calories on fast days. Your TDEE is based on the fact that you are fasting 2 days a week. If you aren't, then you should be eating less the other days. So, 1200-1500 is not a fast day at all. Try to get in a week with 2 good fast days and hopefully the scale will move!

You really have to try to stick with the 500 calories on fast days. Your TDEE is based on the fact that you are fasting 2 days a week. If you aren't, then you should be eating less the other days. So, 1200-1500 is not a fast day at all. Try to get in a week with 2 good fast days and hopefully the scale will move!

Well, based on my weight and height and activity, maintenance is around 2050 calories per day. My point is that I'm still fairly certain I'm around maintenance... and I certainly haven't managed to eat 7000calories above maintenance... which is what I would have to have done to pack on 1 Kg!|

Btw, does it matter that it was after midnight that I ate the extra calories on the fast days?

Well, that number can often be a little off. How active did you put yourself as? You might want to lower that. Also, sometimes our bodies take time to catch up with us, so you might see a change next week. As others have said, you need to look at things over time, not just one week.
Unfortunately, the whole weight loss process is not as straightforward as it seems like it should be! I do think it's different for men then women. But I've gone to 16:8, which in addition to cutting calories, is supposed to force my body to burn more fat, but I have definitely struggled to lose weight. But if I ate as many calories as I'm supposed to be able to I would definitely gain weight. You just have to keep at it. But again, try to have a good strict fast and see how it goes!

I would say stick with it. Try to nail your fast days. Don't just weigh; take measurements as well. The fast-feast nature of 5:2 means that your weight rollercoasters a lot more than most diets.

[carieoates]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/28026 ... t-burning/

Hi there it has been written about often that even though you've not eaten many cals if you drink alcohol your body will burn this first therefore leaving other cals to be converted to glycogen and then ultimately stored in the liver. This may be why your weight fluctuated so much. It's a learning curve which is very steep at times figuring out what our limits are and how that Chinese takeaway and beer has temporarily affected our bodies ability to continue fat burning.

Hi bracket!if its any consolation, i dudnt lose anything for the first five weeks of fasting!
Like @cblasz said,can take the body time to catch up,we just have to keep at it
I love all that @ferretgal said here!
So Much good info in this thread,thanks to all
Bracket,hope it helps. Keep the faith,we understand,we all struggle at times..sometimes it goes smoothly,sometimes its a bumpy ride xx

[carorees]

Totally understand your frustration...sometimes it takes awhile to really "get" that this is a WAY OF LIFE, for life! Not a temporary deprivation to get you skinny ASAP so you can get back to your "real life." To reap the benefits of 5.2--which include weight loss, along with other health benefits--you must know that this is now how you live. And not everyone gets down to a low 20's BMI on this WOL, at least not on "regular" 5.2. I'm one who's lost ~32lbs (still 25lbs from goal), and bounce around +-2-3lbs up and down. Thus far, I've been unwilling to add more restrictions; I really do view this as my WOL, and am afraid if I add too many restrictions it will become unlivable for me and I'll stop. Can't say what'll happen in the future, but as I'm approaching my second fastiversary in late April, I'm happy I've kept off the weight I've lost. As most of you have experienced, that's the hard part; losing is relatively easy, it's the keeping off part that's challenging. As I say, Why lose weight you can't keep off?

Specific to your situation, weight can bounce up and down a bit due to myriad reasons...and sometimes no apparent reason at all. It's not all the numbers; they are/can be important (calories etc), but our bodies can be crafty about holding on to what we don't want. If you live your life, don't sweat every calorie on normal days, and "fast" well, you should find your best self.

Many here promote carb restriction. Not saying I don't agree it works; I did Atkins and the Zone, and they work--if you can stand it! I am unwilling to get on that bandwagon, I just don't care enough about being skinny to give up bread and the like forever. And I think if I gave it up for awhile, then went back, I'd just regain. So why do it ? Also, am afraid of giving up this WOL if I pile on too many onerous restrictions; that's my pattern in the past: Do something, it works for awhile; then hear about the new shiny toy (diet) and add that; get frustrated and hungry and chuck it all. Sound familiar?

This!

Well Tuesday was a fast day. I was right on, or slight under the 600 cals. Tuesday I was absolutely run off my feet until about 3:30pm with only time for a latte on the run for breakfast. Ended up having to work straight through lunch redoing a presentation.
And then went a bit crazy come afternoon tea as I was ready to fall over with exhaustion. The rest of the day wasn't great either, as my hunger never turned off all night. I probably ended up over my proper intake calorically. Today, however, after a good sleep, was under maintenance. They probably roughly balance out.

So I know that my appetite is insanely sensitive to sleep deprivation. Like literally anything less that 8 hours and I am RAVENOUS all day.

Also, for me, with a good sleep, fasting is really not difficult. It's only once I actually start eating food that I then have problems stopping.

Anyway, I'll keep trying!

That's the reason why I only have soups on my fast days, except yesterday but that didn't work out really as well as I thought it would, as soon as I chew something, I am doomed.I lost 40 something kilos and am maintaining below my goal for 2 and a half years now so it can work, you just have to find YOUR way.

Also, be careful with the alcohol intake you have during your non fast days. Alcohol is empty calories and they do count. Big time. To give you some examples, a bottle of red wine contain 650 cal and a shot of bourbon contain 97 cal. That may explain why you put on weight during the weekend. And when it comes to the head in the bucket, your body was in a fasting mode so the alcohol intake must have been a shock, much more than if you have ate a lot. Just my 2 cents.