The FastDay Forum

No idea. FitBit calculates it based on no. of daily steps or other logged exercise, logged weight (which also counts body fat and calculates BMI), plus logged food.

The calorie-logging apps use logged weight/BMI/body fat plus age/height etc to tell you how many cals you should eat. I don't log my exercise in those as I have the FitBit and can't be bothered to duplicate every single bit of data across all the apps.

My BMI is not far off yours Vildekhaya. I don't have a recent body fat measurement but I had one in April of 42%. Based on this my TDEE came out at around 1640 cals using Katch-McCardle (sedentary lifestyle although I do about 7500 steps per day).

It has taken me 7 months to lose 10 lbs.

Like you, I don't eat rubbish and didn't do before 5:2 so I would expect you would lose at a similar rate to me.

Hi Vildekhaya Please don't give up just yet try another month or so because I always gave up at the stage you're at now and I always Gave Up and believe me this is the result. A very old retired woman who was Morbidly Obese trying to fight the flab ridiculous. I was desperate for this to work as I felt it was my last chance. I tried to stick to my calorie allowance and quickly realised that you can't eat anything you want on my non fastdays, this mistake can clearly be seen on my tracker my as my 1st week I just crept in with a ''dubious'' 2lb loss I reread the book and found this forum and suddenly found the very big KEY and this was My experience no criticism at all. I Was overeating on my 4 feed days
From the start I've done 4:3 simply because I've a shed load of weight to lose should probably be 9 St but I'm going for 7st. But as you can see week 2 and beyond I lost more + more so that motivation carried me on the next week , my head was in the right place at the right time because I now know I will get there with this amazing. Miracle Diet this is so not a diet and believe me I've done them all, I will never look back on finding this WOL
and truly believe it has probably saved my life certainly lengthened it.
18 weeks later 2 stone lost
3 sizes down on clothing
I'm now down from M/obese to obese
Still a very long wat to go but I know I will get there next year, because I'm very determined to make it, I do cheat I do drink I do eat chips(tonight
I do have a chocky treat regular. Well life is for living !!!
But I do Now stick to my allowance on my 3 fasting days and I make healthier choice at meal times, I've always hated all vegetables yyuukkk
But I now fill up with these every day veg and salads I've told myself that its only for 1year ( 52 weeks ) what's that in a lifetime NOTHING
Well not to you, my lifetime was wasted doing crap diets.
My point being you don't want to be fighting this M/obese battle when you reach the age I am now. Good luck to you and I hope this works as well for you as it has+is for me, I do realize its not for everyone but it is the flexibility of this WOL that makes it work. Sue

I'm not planning on giving up and I honestly didn't expect to get miracle results but it is frustrating after 3 weeks to see no overall change, especially when I see so many others posting how much they've lost in their own first 3 weeks.

I was actually a good healthy weight until 5 years ago, at around 62kg. Then I had to deal with some massive personal upheavals. Among other things I ended up moving 4 times in 2 years, and haven't had a gym nearby since - I used to go 3-4 times a week, but as I'm not allowed to drive getting to one further away isn't an option. And in the first two years of all that upheaval I also comfort ate, and my weight shot up. And then after that I had a major medication crisis and had to change my epilepsy drug - a very long and slow process with no guarantee of a better outcome at the end. Fortunately that has gone well and I also have had a permanent roof over my head for the last 20 months. As part of getting back on track I took up running 18 months ago but then I sustained a major foot injury 4 months in and I'm still being treated for it. So as you can all see, it's been a rough ride the last few years. I was actually 85kg a year ago, but managed to lose 5kg without even trying - a week abroad with a lot of hiking and it just fell off, despite me eating and drinking my way round where I was staying. Another couple of months after I got back and it plateaued at 78kg. Which is where 5:2 comes in. I know it's not an easy fix but I just want to see a little progress - need buoying up after everything else I've had to deal with.

I didn't lose much for the first few weeks, if you eat pretty well, there's less of a change so you don't just drop weight.

I used to say to my OH how frustrated I was and he basically ran all the maths for me and told me eventually it would work and it has. It just takes time and patience. Now the weight drops off me but it took until I was fat-adapted for that to happen and also the initial losses were masked by my natural weight fluctuations.

For the first few weeks I didn't lose any weight BUT I did lose inches ie my clothes felt bigger on me - have you noticed any difference around your waist or hips? I also found that by eating more protein and vegetables and cutting down the carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) I was getting better value for my calories and I didn't feel so bloated and lethargic. Then the weight began to go down. We're all different and what works for one person may not suit another, but I think a minimum of four weeks doing the two fasts per week and watching how much you eat on the other days should kick start the weight loss.

I deleted as missed some of the posts above just repeating

[color=#800080]I am exactly the same Vildekhaya,( i started the 1st August and I am fastidious about the 500 cal fast days,(Plus never any feast days above 1,700) albeit I have decided not to go on the scales, until I have done at least a month.I don't seem to have altered one jot
However, I do believe there was...just maybe..... a cheeky little inch lost from my (Ahem, poor excuse of) a waist.BUT, was I breathing in slightly?????
I don't think that there was any malice in the said post, neither. I think that was just a genuine suggestion for you.
However, please keep us posted and I shall inform you of my (ha ha )loss, when I get on the scales on Sunday (after a feast day,.... naturally)
Keep up the good work...and remember, this diet never professes to be a 'quick result' thingy (Sadly [/color

[janeg]

Tape measures, ladies . It is your friend. Measure everywhere and then some more, do it in millimetres, write it down, add it up. Lovely figures. And so much more inspiring than the scales, friendlier too

Oops missed 2 pages of posts before writing that, so deleted.

My thyroid is fine.I said so above.

Yeesh Vildekhaya - For someone getting so much advice and consideration you are sure grumpy. I normally try to be helpful with these things but you leave me expecting to get my head bitten off.

On a personal note I found that until I cut out carbs completely on my fasting day I didnt lose weight. I only have food at about 7.30pm and its usually a piece of fish and a green salad with no dressing. This is less than 500kcal obviously but it works for me.

If I were you I would say goodbye to the chicken couscous, just on fast days, and see if that helps. Like someone else mentioned different people react differently to carb intake. I LOVE carbs but I have found that reducing them is the only way that I personally lose weight.

P.S I also love alcohol but remember 3 glasses of wine at the pub is 750kcal!!

I love alcohol too especially wine but as you just mentioned it is so high in calories.
I know it's not as satisfying but do try to have clear spirits instead when you can, a vodka lime and soda is just under 70 cals and a gin with slimline tonic is just over 70 (I think).
A small glass of wine is at least 125cals.

Just looked at this with all the advice on here. i didn't lose much weight wise for the first few weeks, but did lose inches. Only in the last 6 weeks have I lost more and consistently. One of the best approaches is to forget all about the stats, fitbits etec etc and just relax into it! You seem to be getting very worked up to me, and that won't help matters. All the people on here (what is it? 40 plus posts) are willing to help, if only you'll let them. Do vent, and moan, and the people on here will respond ... Howver I have yet to see any criticism. Remember everyone here is in the same boat, and do know how hard it is, however easily they seem to be losing weight. Only you can decide how to proceed, but I would look carefully through the advice here, and consider it all seriously and try some, rather than seemingly batting it away. I'm sorry in advance if you consider this critical. Good luck anyway, and do keep at it. And relax!