The FastDay Forum

Im not losing weight, I feel good, and ive decided to hide the scales and keep going and see how it goes after a month. Fasted on Mon, Tue, went over 2000 cal , Wed fast, thinking of doing another Fast on Friday, but Thurs ( tommorow? ) should I count calories ? eat what I like? Help, I really want to succeed on thiw WOE. MFP says I should have 1200 cal , any advice please???

I can only speak for myself - others may disagree, but this works for ME:
500 cals on fast days and up to the limit set by MFP on other 5 days - currently just under 1400 cals a day.
I'm losing just over a lb per week. Since Jan, 20lbs gone.

I don't even attempt to calorie count on non-fasting days. For me this diet is great because I ONLY have to think about it 2 days a week. If I tried to fast 2 days AND restrict 5 days I think I'd soon be bored and miserable and quit.

I'm losing approx 1lb - 2lbs a week, but probably boosted with doing exercise as well.

Go with "what you like" not "as much as you like".

If you want to count calories, make sure you don't double count so work out your calories over the week instead of per day to end up eating enough on feed days.

[carorees]

If you set mfp to maintenance then that should be about right for feed days. Don't set it for weight loss ass it should be only the two fast days that are restricted below TDEE by any great extent. 1200 seems pretty low to me but it depends on your height, weight, age and activity level. I'd double check on some other websites (google calculate TDEE our use the links in the FAQ).

Does MFP have a TDEE calculator?

So far, the lowest TDEE I had was from Free Dieting.

I thought the whole idea of this plan was so that you didn't have to count calories - otherwise it's the same as every other diet PLUS you fast for 2 days - no joy or longevity in that!

Hide the scales! I haven't actually lost much weight (about 2kg in 6 or 7 weeks) BUT I've lost 7 or 8 cm around my waist, my clothes are all falling off me, and friends keep commenting on how good I'm looking. I've hidden my scales away, although think I might actually have to hide them better, because I hauled them out again this morning.

I want to lose another 11kg, so it's hard watching the scales not move, but as long as I keep losing cm and looking fitter, I figure that this is working. Like a lot of others, a reason I can do 5:2 is so I DON"T have to think about food on non-fast days. I want it to be a lifestyle, not a diet, so don't want to obsess over the weight loss. But it's hard, when I have this "lose 11kg" goal in my head.

I thought the whole idea of this plan was so that you didn't have to count calories - otherwise it's the same as every other diet PLUS you fast for 2 days - no joy or longevity in that!

If you eat sensibly on the non-fast days then you don't have to count calories. But since many people don't eat sensibly or don't know what sensibly is or think that sensibly is one pizza for lunch and one roasted chicken for dinner and two pieces of cake as a snack, some just need/want to count calories.
If you are eating sensibly, then you are fine.

Besides, it's different to count calories and stop at 1200 than counting calories and stop at 1400, 1600 or 200 for some people...
Not to mention that you can go out one day, eat 3000 calories and just balance them up on the next day. Which diet allows you to do that???

Does MFP have a TDEE calculator?

Yes, you dial in a required weight loss rate / maintenance / gain and it gives you a calorie target subject to a 1200 minimum.

Typically women enter themselves as sedentary and wanting to lose 2 lbs/week and hit the 1200 minimum. Even at 1 lb/week quite a few hit the minimum.

Personally I think we should have a TDEE tool on here, rather than leaving people roaming the web and collecting a variety of responses.

Personally I think we should have a TDEE tool on here, rather than leaving people roaming the web and collecting a variety of responses.

I second that Phil - would it be a lot of hassle to organise I wonder?

Yes, this isn't a diet. It's a life style. I agree with these comments. I'm going to restrict caleries on 2 days a week. The rest of the time I'm planning to relax about food, eat what I want and enjoy food. I do agree with Michael Pollan when he said: eat as much junk food as you like, as long as you make it yourself. My understanding is that one of the effects of fasting is that it makes you feel satisfied with less food.

Could someone inform me as to the meaning of mfp? It doesn't seem to be in the very useful Wiki. Thanks in advance, josie50

[carorees]

Personally I think we should have a TDEE tool on here, rather than leaving people roaming the web and collecting a variety of responses.

I second that Phil - would it be a lot of hassle to organise I wonder?

Phil, you've been investigating the different formulas, perhaps you and Moogie could organise one?

I wonder if we could include in it though a correction factor for thyroid issues, fibromyalgia or previous dieting? Or if not a correction factor a disclaimer pointing out that it will be inaccurate if you have certain conditions?

Could someone inform me as to the meaning of mfp? It doesn't seem to be in the very useful Wiki. Thanks in advance, josie50

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