The FastDay Forum

Hi all - so a month into this I feel slimmer and have lost 2 kilos BUT they came off in first 2 weeks and since then have had no loss....I have a funny feeling it could be because on my non-fast days I eat too much! When I read the book I translated eating what you want on non-fast days as being a pink ticket! So I find I eat puddings which I wouldn't normally do, I drink a few extra glasses of wine etc. so have I got it wrong? Should I be eating more carefully on non-fast days? I definately feel slimmer and am going to gym 2/3 times a week and remain positive but feel convinced that perhaps I haven't quite got the formula right. A little help and encouragement would be gratefully received....Thanks

[Moogie]

Hi & welcome!

If you've increased your 'normal' food intake on your feed days compared with what you used to eat before starting 5:2 then you may well find this is part of the reason you have not lost any more weight, as you don't have enough of a calorie deficit over the week.

However, there are other factors to consider. We don't know your weight, bmi or what you need to lose, and if you don't have much to lose it won't come off so quickly in general.

2kg is around 4lbs, and that in the space of 4 weeks is in line with the average of 1lb a week. Bear in mind that in the first week you will have lost more water weight than fat. Then in the following weeks you regain some of the water but also lose some fat, so the weight may well stay the same or even go back up a little as the water/fat balances loss balances out.

If you're going to the gym you may also be converting fat to muscle, which weighs more.

Personally I'd say stick with what you're doing for a couple more weeks and see what happens on the scales, as well as your measurements (which can sometimes go down even though your weight doesn't, especially if you're converting fat to muscle.

If you don't lose anything in the next couple of weeks, or indeed if the numbers start going up, then it's time to assess how much you should be eating on your feed days.

Remember, on feed days it's not 'eat as much as you like', it's 'eat whatever you like' as in no foods are off limits. It's not an open invitation to binge day in day out

Hi, I also lost a lot on my first week but I think a lot of that was water. I lost 7 lbs the first week, 3 lbs second week and 2 lbs last week. I have also been overindulging on non fast days but this week I'm going to try cutting down on carbs. Keep going! Lots of people don't loose for a couple of weeks then loose a lot. Don't know why. Even if you only loose 1 lb per week it's still 4 lbs a month. Slow but sustainable. It also benefits your health so much. Good luck!

Hi there,

I'm having the same problem. I lost 6lb in the first fortnight (and I never lose weight quickly normally) but for the last two weeks I've stayed exactly the same. I mean, I'm glad it's not gone up...but down would be nice!

Thing is, I am eating less on my feed days than normal. I'm not "dieting" on them, there's still some chocolate cake or pasta involved, but I know I'm not eating too badly. I'm not bingeing and I'm actually eating less than I used to on a "normal" day...

I'm sticking with it, and thanks Moogie and Irene, your advice and experience has helped, but it's hard to stay motivated isn't it, when you don't see any difference?

I hope we can both start to drop again soon!

Thank you so much for the encouragement and Moogie as you say, I think I need to be patient.... I guess I just wanted to make sure I was on right track! I used to follow a low fat diet so its WIERD being able to eat greek yoghurt and things I love, and I find I am not paranoid anymore about what I eat, which is SO refreshing! I'm not rushing out and eating chips, but I am perhaps having an extra glass of wine or odd lump of cheese which before would have been a NO NO, so it is nice to be free! I also find that the fasting gets easier as the days go by....so I will definately stick with it! The belt is feeling loser so I am remaining focused! Thanks for the support and BeccaB - lets keep motivated! Here's to a slim summer ahead!!

I had exactly the same thing, lost 2kgs the first week, nothing for the next fortnight. Then the weight started coming off regularly and I lost a stone pretty quickly. Stick with it, don't be disheartened. I've never found a diet so easy (or cheap!)

Thanks Franglaise....I see you live in France - I do too...and normally I have to resist the Cheese and the Croissants..... but now would allow a sunday treat perhaps! How do you eat on non-fast days? Do you cut things out and try and be sensible or do you eat baguette and cheese for lunch? I still find it hard to allow myself those things and as I approach lunchtime I am thinking salad (as usual) or delicious baguette sarnie!! Thanks for encouragement! And I agree with you, the Atkins cost me a fortune!!

I think at first you go through a stage of almost testing the diet as you can't believe it and probably consume more calories than normal but you get over that and eat a bit more sensible, well most of the time ha ha

Hi I am new to the forum and the diet,fasted 2 days now wed last week and monday this week was a bit difficult the first day but by evening wasn't hungry at all.. what surprised me the most was that I wasn't hungry next morning really thought I would wake up in the middle of the night and have breakfast lol but didn't eat till past midday.

tuesday I found it easier.. on both days made soup with frozen peppers and tinned tomatoes some water and stock cube and had a large green salad with boiled egg counted the calories and worked out at just under 500 cals.. I have tried every diet on the planet so here's hoping, it was my doctor that asked if I had tried this and told me to google it, I am trying to lose weight before I have a hip operation,I am going to weigh myself evey month I think rather than weekly.. also haven't felt like stuffing my face full of rubbish on days I can eat... so far so good early days I know

How do you eat on non-fast days? Do you cut things out and try and be sensible or do you eat baguette and cheese for lunch? I still find it hard to allow myself those things and as I approach lunchtime I am thinking salad (as usual) or delicious baguette sarnie!! Thanks for encouragement! And I agree with you, the Atkins cost me a fortune!!

Hi Melting
On non fast days when I'm working in Rennes I either have a small baguette with a piece of fruit (like those 1,70€ ones from Brioche Dorée, I can't manage a full size one!) or I have a resto 'formule' lunch with friends, usually main course and dessert. If I have a formule lunch I eat a salad in the evening. At the weekend we often have a roast on a Sunday, but French style (my OH is French) so with one veg or salad and a glass of wine, and then a selection of patisserie from the bakery to make a homemade café gourmand (my favourite dessert) for me, OH and my kids.
I never eat a really big meal in the evening now, quiche and salad is my favourite and fortunately my OH eats at midday so he likes eating 'lite' in the evening too.
Good luck - I know if is hard to resist the lovely French food sometimes!

Thanks for that!!
Well done for getting to goal!!! Not too many easter eggs for you I hope