The FastDay Forum

I have now been doing this for 6 weeks (fell of the wagon for 2wks and put on 4lbs of 6lbs i had lost). On Saturday morning weighed in at 13st 5 3.4lbs - the lowest i have been on 5:2 and in quite some time. Monday morning back to 13st 8lbs. Feel like nothing is happening and i am kind of stuck fluctuating between these two weights- desperate to get down into the 12's and feel like im getting somewhere as i dont at the moment.

I dont know what i am doing wrong. I love hearing how ppl are having great weight losses but i want it too!!

Thanks
Victoria

Hi Victoria, I know the feeling ,I have been having much the same experience. I have been doing 4:3 pretty rigidly and it seemed that not much was happening.This morning I got on the scales and I had lost 3 lbs since I last weighed which was several weeks ago.I have been loosing slowly it seems at just over 1 lb per week (average) so around 7lbs since January 26th (five weeks).That isnt very impressive but this is more than I have managed on other diets.
What I have been doing is to hang out as long as I can before eating ,mostly mid afternoon ,I think the longer you fast the more likely you are to get into fat burning mode.It seemed hard at first but I am doing that every day (not eating until mid afternoon) but i allow myself as much food as I want at the evening meal on non fast days.It does seem as though that approach has kick started progress.I wont weigh again now for some time,possibly weeks.
I was delighted when I got on the scales this morning as I was beginning to think that this was another WOE which wasnt going to work for me.
Barbara

Personally I think you are weighing yourself too often.
It's very easy to do,and I became stressed jumping on the scales every morning.
My scales are buried in my messy wardrobe, and are only coming out once a month, and I am feeling much more relaxed about things now.
There are many posts about the disadvantages of weighing too often.
I go now, like many on the forum, on how my clothes feel.
It is also a good idea to take measurements.
There is also a discussion about the reasons our weight naturally fluctuates.
Good luck.

1lb a week seems to be the average weight loss. This is a good healthy amount.

[Moogie]

Hi Victoria tell us a bit more aobut how you do your fasts please and we'll try to help a bit more. ie, do you do '1 sleep' or '2 sleep' fasts? How do you split your cals? Roughly how much do you eat on a feed day?

It also looks as if you're weighing in a bit too often, your weight will vary every day for various reasons (with the fluctuation being higher the more you weigh) so it's best to weigh just once a week at the same time of day to get a better picture of your progress. Remember also that your monthly cycle will play a role in what you see on the scales (I never lose on 'that' week). Don't forget to measure your waist too, you may lose inches instead.

I'm having the same problem, this morning I actually cried. This is me on my 4th week, I've done 7 fasts. I stayed the same wk1, lost 3.5lbs wk 2, I weighed myself on Monday morning which was the end of wk 3 and I'm 0.5lbs heavier than I was when I started. I feel the last 3 weeks have been worthless. I so want this to work.

I fast Mondays and Thursdays. I stop eating about 7-8pm Sunday night and manage till about 1pm Monday then have boiled eggs if really hungry or a cuppa soup if peckish. I keep cals aside for 2 cups of tea with milk and normally have fish and veg or homemade soup about 7pm then I don't eat again until about 10am tue. So my fasting hours are sufficient enough. I don't overeat on feast days but I have what I fancy, we tend to eat healthy as a family anyway. My waist is the same, my water % is the same as is my high body fat %. I'm seeing nothing and its heartbreaking. If anyone can help me too please. Xx

I am no expert on this and can't really help anyone as so far I haven't had much progress either, but would just like to say keep at it, I know sometimes the scales disappoint us when we have tried so hard but don't get too down about it try and remember all the other benefits from this diet too, try to keep positive and give it a little more time, good luck.

[Moogie]

BettyB4, please don't feel sad! I don't want to sound rude, but looking at your BMI it seems you probably have a several stones to lose (I've lost over 2.5 stone in almost 7 months, starting BMI around 32). When you've got a bit more to lose, the naturual variations in your weight can mask the effect of the weight loss on your scales. Please consider measuring yourself (not just waist, try hips, thighs, arms etc) instead of weighing so often, maybe just weigh in once a month and I'm sure you'll notice the downward trend. It's early days yet! Your body is still adjusting. It sounds as if you are doing everything right, so just be patient and you'll see.

If you're still struggling in a few weeks perhaps it would be a good idea to keep track of what you eat on your food days, just to get an idea of whether you are under or overeating generally - either of which could have a detrimental effect on your weight loss.

Also, please try cutting out any 'low fat', 'diet' or 'light' products from your feed days. Real, natural fats are better for us and more easily processed by the body. Have a look in the Resources forum at 'The Men Who Made Us Fat', it's a real eye opener and may help to you re-assess some of the foods you eat. I for one have switched to real butter instead of spread, full fat mayo, full fat dairy (aside from milk, as that hasn't had bad things added to replace the fat!). You might not believe it but you can lose weight by swapping fake fats for wholesome natural ones!

Hi moogie i am just wondering about what you have just said and want to know what will happen if you under eat on your feed days, my husband often says I don't eat enough but I think I must do otherwise I would loose weight, am I wrong about that, I tend to eat around 1500 cals on a feed day which include lots of low fat and light options and haven't really lost any weight since starting this about a month ago.

[Moogie]

If you don't eat enough it is believed that the body resists losing weight by trying to store fat, thinking it is starving. 1500 doesn't sound too bad, although it depends on what size you are I suppose! Have a look on the 5:2 FAQ for information about TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and see what your daily requirements are based on your age, height, weight and activity level. That figure is what should be considered more or less your normal food intake. Then on your fasting days you should have 25% of that.

Of course, if you don't have much to lose then the loss would be slower in any case and that may explain why you've not lost much.

I am10 stone and 5ft 6 so I am at a healthy weight but would like to loose half a stone really so I know it is going to be slow, hope to get there in the end.

*Shouts*...."BETTY,stop that crying and put the darn scales away for a month" !
If you look at my BMI you will see I also have alot to lose. I eat to between 1800 and 2000 on my feast days (actually quite difficult when also trying to get more fruit and veg in my diet) and 500-600 on fast days.
Experiment of fast days to see what seems easier for you. I start my fast early morning but do drink tea with s/milk as well as lots of water, then I can have a decent meal in the evening. I tried several ways of spliting the cals but decided I like this one best.
So, remember we are all here for each other, and good luck

[Tracieknits]

My weight loss seems to be in fits and spurts. I seem to go a week or two with no change in my weight at all, and then *boom!* a few pounds are gone.

I'm definitely noticing a significant difference in the way my clothes fit. The top I am wearing right now I've just realized is definitely too big and has a rather immodest gap right now! LOL

The way it was explained to me a while ago, is that when you weigh as much as I weigh, the acceptable margin of error on a home scale is more than enough to mask a week or two of weight loss. My home scales give rather dramatically different readings depending on exactly where in the bathroom they are placed. Seriously, move them a centimeter and the weight might change by 2 pounds! So I kind of give up.

I do know that I feel great on this diet, and at the very least that's something. But I've noticed I have more energy, my clothes fit a lot differently and I think I look slimmer in the mirror.

BettyB4, please don't feel sad! I don't want to sound rude, but looking at your BMI it seems you probably have a several stones to lose (I've lost over 2.5 stone in almost 7 months, starting BMI around 32). When you've got a bit more to lose, the naturual variations in your weight can mask the effect of the weight loss on your scales. Please consider measuring yourself (not just waist, try hips, thighs, arms etc) instead of weighing so often, maybe just weigh in once a month and I'm sure you'll notice the downward trend. It's early days yet! Your body is still adjusting. It sounds as if you are doing everything right, so just be patient and you'll see.

If you're still struggling in a few weeks perhaps it would be a good idea to keep track of what you eat on your food days, just to get an idea of whether you are under or overeating generally - either of which could have a detrimental effect on your weight loss.

Also, please try cutting out any 'low fat', 'diet' or 'light' products from your feed days. Real, natural fats are better for us and more easily processed by the body. Have a look in the Resources forum at 'The Men Who Made Us Fat', it's a real eye opener and may help to you re-assess some of the foods you eat. I for one have switched to real butter instead of spread, full fat mayo, full fat dairy (aside from milk, as that hasn't had bad things added to replace the fat!). You might not believe it but you can lose weight by swapping fake fats for wholesome natural ones!

Yeah I have about 4.5 stone to lose. You get so caught up in people having these great loses and i wonder why it's not doing anything for me? Am I just destined to be a fatty? I'm sticking with it though, not giving up just yet. Ill have a look at the forum. Thanks.

Thanks Bee, yeah prob about the same. I'm just gutted I'm heavier now than when I started lol! I think I'm going to have to try and resort to monthly weigh ins, just petrified of going backwards.

I tend to not eat until about 1pm on a fast, normally eggs or a cuppa soup, as little as possible so I can have a decent meal with the family.

I just hope in the long run "something" happens. Beyond desperate. X

I know how u feel, I want this to work so badly as i think it is something i can stick to long term!

I usually have an apply at about 11am on a fast day, cuppa soup at 1 o'clock then a weight watchers meal for my dinner at 6.30pm and that is me! I dont know why i am not seeing the same great effects as everyone else!

Victoria x