The FastDay Forum

This is my 7th month on this diet. I started for my health but can't deny I also wanted to lose weight.

I have now lost about 16 pounds. Not a huge amount but dropped a good dress size and look and feel a million times better.

At first I dropped steadily at about 1lb a week then about 1/2lb a week. But now I find that the pattern is to stick around a plateau going up and down by a pound or two (I now weigh every day) for about 4-6 weeks then drop about 3 lbs. It has happened 3 times now. Each time I think I have stuck but keep doing the same thing, and eventually it drops again. I have heard other people saying something similar and since I have been doing this for so long I wanted to add my experience.

I just want to encourage everyone to stick with it. If this is to be a way of life, and not a fad where you pile the weight back on, you need to find a way to sustain this. So, I have never gone to 4:3, I have rarely missed a week (although occasionally could only do 6:1 due to social commitments). I have just plodded on, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays and eating 'normally' the rest of the time (not calorie counting). I exercise twice a week but did that before starting this.

Sometimes when my weight has stuck I feel a bit slimmer but think I must be imagining it as I have not lost weight. Often this is just before the scales drop again. Strange.

That is comforting. I really only lost in the first 6 -8 weeks and since then I have lost gone down in measurements but stayed static on the weight. I think things are just starting to creep down again but I am focussed on maintaining while winter sets in.

Oh thank you so much! I keep on losing and gaining the same 3 pounds for the past 4 weeks or so...

If this is to be a way of life, and not a fad where you pile the weight back on, you need to find a way to sustain this.

This is so true! It is so important to keep in mind that this isn't like any other weight-loss plan and the more slowly it comes off the more likely it is to remain off. It's hard when you want to just bank your loss and move on, and find the scale has gone up, but thanks so much for the pep talk and reassurance that even if the scale does go up once in a while, if you really do stick with it you will ultimately see the results you want. I am particularly heartened by your saying you never panicked and switched to 4:3 - just kept on doing what you were doing.

So pleased to have read your post because even though I am following 5:2 for the health benefits it would be a bonus to lose a few pounds. I'm still in the early stages (week 5) and even though I feel more energetic and most clothes are no longer as tight, I don't feel as if I have lost any weight! Slowly but surely, that's the way to go!

Hello All, just like you I have also found that my weight loss varies a great deal and in the past month I have only lost 1lb! However all my clothes are too big and even though I have only lost 8lbs in 4 months I have gone down a dress size. This must be the slowest way to lose weight but for me it's easy to stick with and though I have reached my goal I think I will stick with it or do 6.1 for the foreseeable future.

I am so glad that I don't own any scales. I used to weigh myself every day and get upset if I'd put on a pound or 2. I go by how my jeans and trousers fit. Every 6-8 weeks I get weighed at the gym when they do a fitness assessment. I am gaining muscle strength, more flexible in pilates classes and can do more in body balance classes. These I feel are better indicators of how well I am doing than any scales I have ever been on. My waist and hips are smaller and I've had to get better fitting jeans. My mood is so much better too, more positive and I am getting out and doing more. I fast on Mon & Wed and if I'm away for a weekend I do a Tue & Thurs.

If I had no scales, clothing companies would need to event a new size. XXXLLL!!!

Just wanted to agree with what Soonaddsup said, particularly about the sensation of feeling slimmer but not seeing the weight loss on the scales for a few days. I've only been doing this since late Feb but that pattern is familiar.

Exactly what happens to me! Take a look at my progress chart and you'll see weight staying the same for about 3 weeks, then it drops, then it does that again!

I do actually weigh daily but the less often weighings have that pattern.

Have you considered letting others see your progress chart? I love looking at others - maybe I'm just nosey!!

If I had no scales, clothing companies would need to event a new size. XXXLLL!!!

Me too! I weigh every day and the pound or two (or three) doesn't bother me. It goes up, it goes down. It's when it goes up and stays up that I know I need to crack down on myself. Seeing a number is motivating for me, how my clothes fit just doesn't always do the trick for my brain.

Clothes are good when you're losing but if you;re gaining and you don't know much it can be disastrous!

So great to see your post Soonaddsup. I am four months in but have not really lost anything for about the past 6 weeks (so hopefully due a 3 lb drop then . As others have said, clothes fit better even though the scales haven't moved much. Am looking at this as a long term project now and still keeping the faith!

I've found this to be very true too Soonaddsup. I began at the end of February and have lost almost half a stone to date. It's been slow going and I have stuck for a few weeks now BUT today 2 people at work have commented that I'm looking slimmer and I've noticed this week that my trousers are getting baggy on the legs and bum area. So something is changing.
I feel so much better and love not having to calorie count all the time (never been good at that).
Keep to the plan and let's all tumble off the plateau together!