The FastDay Forum

Hi everyone!

I have been doing 5:2 for 5 weeks now; today is my 11th fast day and so far I've lost.... 1lb.

Obviously, this way of eating is about more than just weight - there are other, unseen health benefits, which I hope are happening, but with no movement on the scales, it's getting harder to believe that 5:2 is for me.

On fast days I stick to 500 calories, taken as milk in tea & coffee through the day, then a single 360 calorie meal in the early evening.

On feed days I eat normally, and I have tried to honestly examine whether that's too much, but I don't think so. It's certainly not crackers. I have also tried to up my activity levels.

If anyone has any tips to help or point out where I'm going wrong, I'd be really grateful for them!

Cheers
Fruch

[carorees]

Hi Fruch and welcome to the forum!

We'd love to help you try to work out why you're not seeing any weight loss but wink need a bit more information.

First, have you worked out your TDEE? This is your total daily energy expenditure. There's a link in the FAQ (link below) to some calculators for TDEE. Can you work out yours and let us know?

Second, do you have any reason why your weight loss might be expected to be slow? For example, thyroid disease, a history of dieting, recent weight loss?

Third, have you measured your waist? Do you know if it has changed?

Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this!

Thanks Caroline!

TDEE is 2045, and there's no reason I'm aware of why weight loss should be slow. I did lose about 2 stone with Weight Watchers about 10 years ago, and it came off pretty quickly & steadily.
Will try measuring my waist and watching that, thank you. I know 1lb is better than nothing, but over 5 weeks it seems a bit pants!

[carorees]

Have you got a lot or little to lose? If a lot, the TDEE calculator may have miscalculated your body fat%. If a little, well it's always harder to lose the last few lbs.

There is a link in the essential links thread (in resources) to a way of calculating body fat by measuring. Then there is a better TDEE calculator we can use.

A lot. Nearly 4 stone. We have body fat scales, which apparently aren't all that accurate, but they say around 44% body fat. Urgh. I'll have a look through the links, thank you.

[carorees]

Ok, use this one: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Choose the advanced option and use the Katch-McCardle formula that includes body fat %

Cheers. That comes up with 1953 for maintenance or 1562 for fat loss.

[carorees]

Hmm, well theoretically you should be losing weight. I think you will have to count feast day calories for, say a week. I'm sure you aren't over eating but it would be useful to know how many calories you are eating in a week. I think, unless you do see some weight loss we will have to assume that the calculators are not correct in your case and to take your actual average calorie intake over the week as being your TDEE.

In the meantime, have a look at my post about weight loss stalling/plateaus in the nerdy stuff section. While you're there also read the thread on weight regain after dieting. You may recognise some features that apply to you.

Last comment, for now, is that underactive thyroid is more common that people (and GPs) realize. It could be your thyroid is not quite up to scratch. Have a read of the thread on IF and thyroid as well!

Don't despair, I'm sure we can sort it out but it may take time.

Happy reading and counting!

Hello fruch,
I feel I slimming down since I started to stick to 2000cal on normal days otherwise I would eat over about 300cal ish then I don't lose weight. Good luck!

It doesn't seem to be working for me either!! I've been doing this for around 5 weeks and have lost a measly lb which comes and goes over the week!! i always stick to 500 cals on fast days with an evening meal of soup and bread. I don't over eat on the other days averaging at around 1700 cals. I do ALOT of exercise- burn off around 1000 cals 6 days a week-I never eat back the exercise calories though. I enjoy exercise and never needed it in order to maintain/ lose weight until the last couple of years. I have a good BMI (20) but would like to lose afew lbs as the weight is slowly creeping on despite all the exercise and not over eating.

BMR is 1394

TDEE is 2414

I am wondering if I'm not eating enough but am terribly scared of gaining weight. Can anyone shed some light on this problem please, it's making me too miserable. !!!!

[carorees]

I suggest you read my posts about weight regain after weight loss and the one about weight stalls (in the nerdy stuff section).

It is possible that eating more on feed days would help. If you are afraid of gaining weight you could try adding another fast day as well as increasing feed day calories. You really ought to be losing according to your figures. There is some thought that the higher cals on feed days prevent your metabolism from slowing, which occurs as you life weight or on low calorie diets. If you increased feed day cals to around 2000 and did three fast days at 500 you would have the same weekly intake as on 1700 for 5 days plus 2@500.

Worth a try?

Thanks. I have had a look at those and done a lot more reading this afternoon. It would seem that I am not even eating enough to reach my BMR. It's 6.30 and I'm still 700+ cals away. I really need to get used to eating more. It's starting to make sense, I think my body is in some sort of famine/starvation mode. Thanks v much for your suggestions !

Thanks Carorees & Pashcaline. I was hoping that the answer wouldn't be to cut back in the 5 feed days but it looks like it may have to be.

Sarah, I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as the others here, but it really does sound as if you're not eating enough and your body is trying to cling on to the weight it has. Could the pounds 'creeping on' be muscle rather than fat?