The FastDay Forum

Hi guys
hope someone can help, I've hit a plateau now for four weeks and losing the will power! I started the 5:2 three months ago and did lose a stone, but unfortunately put 3 pounds back on after my hol. I would like to lose two stone eventually but have been at this plateau for a month now! I fast on a Monday and Wednesday or Thursday. I exercise at least three times a week (sometimes four) which is a mixture of gym, swimming and yoga. I generally eat healthy on my non-fasting days so I just can't figure out where I'm going wrong. I wondered if I should stop the fasting for a couple of weeks or stop the exercise to see what happens
Any advice?!
I'm 5ft 7 and was 13st 6 when I started, would like to get to 11 stone but it's looking like an impossible task now!
thanks

If you stop fasting it would be surprising if you didn't gain weight. The exercise is good for health. but has no effect on weight loss if you're not extremely fit.

You can experiment in all kinds of ways, quitting the protocol is of course one of them.

You probably don't eat as healthy as you think, most people underestimate how much they eat.

Hi Gynd - I'm sure someone will be along in a minute, but I think they would say, post more info about your stats ie BMI, height,how long you've been doing, what you've been eating, have you been eating to your TDEE etc etc

Also I see you are a new member (welcome you've come to the best place for 5:2!) what I would do is have a good look around the forum, FAQs, newbies section etc, as there is a lot of info to be gleaned from doing that ... There's also quite a bit on how exercise affects 5:2

Good luck and hope this helps. Keep us updated with how you get on, and if you don't find the answers you need, ask away again...

Hi Gynd and Welcome
My own personal case when I thought I'd hit the plateau few weeks back
Was to do my next 3 fastdays (I'm doing 4:3) well I did those fasts as if they were my very first ones as in eating to my TDEE with no treats on the 3 days I found that my little treats had become more often.
Result I lost weight
On my fastdays I only eat evening meal because when I eat lunch/snack I actually become more hungry then its difficult to stick to the 500 cals
Also a couple of days each week after a fastday I skip breakfast the next morning that gives us a longer fasting session and good for fatburning and the health benefits
My weight loss has been phenomenal and I'm sure the longer fasts have been the reason for this is any of this doable for you ? or even just trying 4:3 for a couple of weeks to kickstart the weightloss for you.
Good Luck. Sue.

When we stop losing weight for more than a month it is time to look at both side of the equation. Or you lower the calories in, or you raise the calories out.

Calories in, you say you eat healthy, but healthy can still be too much calories. Human are notorious for under reporting the calories they consume. So I would buy a food scale and use any calories calculator site to have a good idea of how many calories you eat.

Calories out. As we get lighter and fitter, we get a diminishing calorie burn doing the same exercise, it is particularly tru for cardio. The answer is to up the intensity or the length. Thar being said, you can't out train a bad diet.

Good luck

I too reached a plateau and read this forum. I used one of Sue Q's tips. I'm doing 5:2 and have a couple more kgs to lose. I skipped breakfast after my fast days and started losing weight again. It's great to have these forums to get advice and keep motivation up. Thanks Sue Q and everyone else who contributes.