The FastDay Forum

1200 is around the resting metabolic rate reported for thyroid patients in a few studies. +20% takes you to 1440 cals/day if sedentary most of the time.

Thanks for your info . I was not aware of that. Meaning that at my highest intake for feed day will be 1440 - wow I eat more .

Someone had a really good link on why people who come off low calorie diets will initially gain weight before losing again but I can't find it.

I will be happy to see that, if you or somebody else can find that link. I would be happy for any information I can get

[carorees]

I saw on another thread that you have thyroid problems. I'm afraid this means your metabolic rate is very low. I think the best results for people with under active thyroid are obtained by having big variations in calories on different days, so maybe try something like 400 x 3, 2100 x 2, 1500 x 2, this will give you an average of around 1200 per day. Try this for a month and see where you are. I think you should probably not gain weight on this, especially if you keep carbohydrates down. The high calorie days will help to boost your metabolism a bit.

Thanks Caro. I have been thinking the same thought about changing my calorie-intake on the feed days. I think it could help boost my metabolism. I don't know if 1200 cal. is low enough, but I will give it a try.

I think 1200 should be OK as per PhilT's post about hypothyroid energy needs. I think you have to walk a very narrow line between slowing your metabolism further by going too low on calories and eating too much and so putting on weight. I am hoping that the two high calorie days I am suggesting will counteract the effect of the low calorie days and perhaps stimulate your metabolism slightly.

Thanks a lot Caro - it seems to be very difficult for me to find the right intake of calorie to see some weightloss. Maybe if I calculate like this:

3x400 + 2x1500 + 2x1200 = 6600 per week and 942 a day
OR
2x400 + 2x1200 + 3x1500 =7700 per week and 1100 a day

??

[carorees]

I would aim for an average of 1200 that I suggested because if you go too low you just slow your thyroid more than it is already!

So, if you want to have two days @ 400 cal I would suggest:
2 x 400 + 2 x 1200 + 2 x 1600 + 1 x 2000 = 8400/week = 1200/day

I really think a good high calorie day is needed to keep your metabolic rate up!

Stressing about the situation doesn't help so don't worry about being exactly right each day! If you use the calorie counter from fat secret or my fitness pal (links to their website in the FAQ plus they both have smartphone apps) it will give you your average intake so you would just aim for 2 low calorie days, 1 high calorie day and 4 in the middle!

I think there was some good advice from others with thyroid problems in the thyroid thread that I saw you had already posted on!

Good luck!

I would aim for an average of 1200 that I suggested because if you go too low you just slow your thyroid more than it is already!

So, if you want to have two days @ 400 cal I would suggest:
2 x 400 + 2 x 1200 + 2 x 1600 + 1 x 2000 = 8400/week = 1200/day

I really think a good high calorie day is needed to keep your metabolic rate up!

Stressing about the situation doesn't help so don't worry about being exactly right each day! If you use the calorie counter from fat secret or my fitness pal (links to their website in the FAQ plus they both have smartphone apps) it will give you your average intake so you would just aim for 2 low calorie days, 1 high calorie day and 4 in the middle!

I think there was some good advice from others with thyroid problems in the thyroid thread that I saw you had already posted on!

Good luck!

Thank you so much for all your patient with me . It is all very confusing, because I have this thyroid problem, but I will try to stick with your calculation and see what happens.

Thanks again so much. I am very grateful for all the help I get here

I have an underactive thyroid aswell and find that when I start a diet the first couple of weeks are ok then any weight loss just halts... I am hoping the fasting/eating will trick my body... see what happens as today is my 1st fast day good luck

I have an underactive thyroid aswell and find that when I start a diet the first couple of weeks are ok then any weight loss just halts... I am hoping the fasting/eating will trick my body... see what happens as today is my 1st fast day good luck

I think my problem is, that before I started this last friday, I was on low restricted diet with only about 1000-1100 cal. so my thought is that I have been on another diet for a long time already. I guess now my body has to adjust to 5:2.

Wishing you Good luck too!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... You were all right . This morning I put myself on the scale. I HAVE LOST 1,3 KILO since last Saturday. I am so happy. Thank you so much everybody for your support and good advices. .

Pia

So what did you end up doing in the end? Did you up calories a few days per week, or decrease calories on your fast day?

I am in a simialr position, switched from vlc diet to this, so interested to hear what you did!

I switched for similar reasons - restricting every day was tough, and I just know that it was lowering my metabolism...my hope is that the calories on non-fast days helps to speed up my metabolism.

So what did you end up doing in the end? Did you up calories a few days per week, or decrease calories on your fast day?

I am in a simialr position, switched from vlc diet to this, so interested to hear what you did!

I switched for similar reasons - restricting every day was tough, and I just know that it was lowering my metabolism...my hope is that the calories on non-fast days helps to speed up my metabolism.

Hi Lucy.

On my fast-days I am very strict not eating more than 400 calories, but on my feast-days I have tried to make different calorie-intake.. one day maybe 1600, then, 1400, 1800 like that.. I did put in average 1200 per day for all week meaning 8400 for whole week and then I took away the 2 fast-days of 800 cals. together and use the rest for 5 days but different intake every feast-day. Hope you understand what I mean, if not feel free to ask again . I like to keep an eye on what I am eating, even on my feast-days but a lot of people are not and they just eat what they want, just not overeating, so it is up to you what YOU like.

Like you I was so tired of my diet before , very strict calorie, the same everyday 1100 cal for 2-3 month,and the last couple of weeks, nothing happened.
So I changed to this 5:2 diet, and I am happy, that I did. The forum here is fantastic, and people here have been so supporting with a lot of good advices .

Pia