The FastDay Forum

Hi UmmB
I totally agree with you on your reasons for opting for 5:2 - I once tried counting calories every day and gave up after a week or so as it was far too much hassle! 5:2 seems to be so much better all round, but like you there are some weeks when I seem to go backwards on weight alone. In fact in 9 weeks I've only lost around 3½lbs total weight, but I've lost about 6lbs of fat, at least 1" off my waist, and I feel so much better. Does your gym offer body composition measurements? mine does and it's very interesting comparing readings, and is the reason I know how much fat I've lost.
Don't give up, I really believe there are more benefits to this in the long run.

This thead is a great motivator, thanks Carorees

Help - I'm about to give up because I've read all these posts and I understand that your weight can show as heavier than it is but my body shape hasn't changed at all since I started in February, in fact my jeans are tighter around my waist. I feel I must be doing something wrong, but I'm being really good on fast days. First of all I lost weight but now I feel like I'm putting it on. I really want this to work, because I understand the science, but I'm feeling really despondent today.

Judeyejames - how much more than your TDEE are you eating on your non fast days?

I'm having about 2000 calories, unless I go out to eat at a restaurant, but I thought you could have more or less what you liked on non-fast days.

[carorees]

Yes you can eat what you want but not necessarily as much as you want. To lose weight you still need to eat fewer calories than you burn. The best way to work out what "eating normally" is for you is to work out your TDEE (total daily energy requirement). There are links to calculators in the FAQ and in most threads asking about slow weight loss. The different calculators give different answers because they use different mathematical formulas but they give a rough idea. If your TDEE comes out below 2000, you'll have to be a little more restrained on feed days and/or increase exercise. Also, bear in mind that your TDEE decreases as you lose weight because you have less body to maintain, so you need to recalculate now and then.

To put the TDEE and calories in to some sort of perspective - let's say that you just sneak over the TDEE by a mere 50 calories - very easily done as that's just the odd biscuit or so.
And let's just assume that you creep over by this very small amount every day - just 50 cal's more, every day, for a year - that's 18,250 calories, or OVER 5lb, nearly half a stone - for just creeping over by 50 cals a day.

If you are stepping over the TDEE by 250 cals a day (I guess the equivalent of around 2 slices of buttered toast) then that would equate to getting on for 2 Stones in additional weight per annum.

...makes you think....

Thanks for those answers. I'll be more aware of what I'm eating on non fast days.

I have been on the diet for two months now and just joined the forum. Having done really well and lost 4lbs the first week then a steady 2lbs I was chuffed to bits. Then I maintained weight and appeared to put 2lbs on which was baffling. Having read your explanation it all makes sense as I can see a difference to my body shape. Thank you, I look forward to more useful info.

The fact is that you obviously can't just eat what you want on non-"fasting" days (especially when the "fast" days aren't even proper "fast" days anyway).

If you were so gluttonous (and I include myself in this) beforehand that the deficit afforded by restricting 2 days to 500 kcals for women and 600 for men still means that over a week you intake more than that needed to maintain a normal weight, then obviously you will still either fail to lose weight or may indeed put it on under this regime.

The method depends on the deficit the two days create in a week being more than the excess calories you were previous consuming to maintain a healthy weight. If you previously were consuming calories in excess of this, then you will need to increase your number of fast days until your calorific intake over a week is less than that required by your body to maintain a normal weight.

It's not rocket science - just simple maths.

The alternative is to fast for 2days and eat within or up to your thee for the rest of the week . It is what most of us do and also simple maths

UmmB, I must agree with you. I don't want to fuss over calorie counting. I understand that weight loss can slow down, and am grateful for a little loss each week, which I think is healthy although not exciting. My husband and I have slowed up terribly, and I have got to about 1/2 lb a week, if that. I need to add we are both doing 3 fast days a week since 4th Jan and I am afraid to do less. my hubby has lost 2st 2 lbs and I have lost 1st 2 lbs., but we have reached a terrible slow up. We are motivated but worried.

[carorees]

I've just been reading up on thyroid function and low calorie diets. I found a paper which reported that the effect of eating below TDEE on thyroid function (as your thyroid controls your metabolism a reduction in thyroid function will slow your metabolism). They found that eating at 80% of TDEE had no/little effect on thyroid but eating at only 50% of TDEE had a big effect and this showed weight loss. So, to keep losing weight you need to walk that tightrope between overeating and undereating. So you should consider that it's just possible you've gone too low on calories overall. If you stick to 4:3 you need to eat well on the non-fast days.

Here's a link to a summary of the study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15347841

Just checking in now in Week 5, after my earlier panic in Week 2 (see earlier post in this forum!), to say that you were all quite right: I am starting to see real results, and the scales are only a part of it. My shape and measurements have visibly changed, I am less hungry on both fast and non-fast days, and most importantly, I feel like my whole relationship with food (which had been very negative and destructive since early childhood) is starting to change for the better. So it's all good. Thanks for your support, and good luck to us all!!

I gained 1,5 kilo in 4 days. I try to not panic yet since my "official" weigh in is in two days and I'm doing 4:3 this week but I'm slightly disappointed.
I'm thinking that perhaps after losing the weight I will gain in Easter I should stick to 5:2 with eating sensibly on 5 days no matter how much I'll want to do 4:3, reduce calories etc. I just know that with Easter in front of me I'll feel better if I know that I'm being careful of what I eat so I'm giving in my urge to be more strict.