The FastDay Forum

Hi Everyone

I'm knew to the forum so please forgive me if this question has already been asked / covered.

I have been on the 5:2 for 10 days. I have had three fast days in that time and stuck to a 500 cal intake. On my 'feast' days I eat no more than 1700 cals. I have also started exercising including walking and aerobics classes 3 times a week.

So why haven't I lost any weight yet? I understand its early days but you hear / read so many accounts of people loosing weight within the first few days. I am also taking weekly photos to see if I can notice any change, and nothing so far.

So what am I doing wrong?

I am 140lbs / 10st and would like to loose at least 10lbs.

[Moogie]

Hi! Welcome to the forum. Could you perhaps let us know your bmi or height? Weight alone isn't always enough to go on. I would think if you only have 10lbs to lose you are probably already in or around the healthy bmi range, which can make loss a bit slower.
Also, if you've been exercising you may be converting fat to muscle, which weighs more! There's also the possibility your retaining water while your muscles repair. Do you have access to body analyser scales to check your fat and water percentage?

Don't forget to measure as this can be a better indicator than the scales - and be sure when you do weigh to do it at the same time of day under similar circumstances as body weight can fluctuate naturally.

Hi Moogie

I am 5'8. I don't have access to body analyser scales, where can I get my hands on these?

Do I seem to be doing the right thing anyway do you think?

[Moogie]

Whereabouts in the world are you? If you're a fellow Brit there are some reasonable ones at Argos made by salter for about twenty quid. Otherwise maybe Amazon?

Your bmi is around 21 so towards the lower end of the healthy range - I expect you'll just find the loss is slower for you since you're not overweight. Sounds like you're doing everything right (is your TDEE really only 1700 when you exercise that much?) So keep at it and in time you'll get results. The average loss is around 1lb a week but some lose slower and some faster. You're less than 2 weeks in so its hard to tell at this early stage when your body is adjusting and was already a healthy weight.

I know I am not a fast loser in any circumstances. With 5:2 it would be good if there were much clearer guidelines and menus for days when one is NOT fasting. I think this could affect people. Especially women with lower calorie needs. There is talk of eating anything, but surely that isn't QUITE true. LizaB

[Tracieknits]

Welcome to the forums, LizaB.

The guideline is that you eat your Total Daily Energy Expenditure on normal days when one is not fasting. There are several online calculators for this, the the amount depends on your age, gender, height, weight and activity level. So your TDEE this month might not be exactly your TDEE next month.

Hope this helps!