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This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 13 May 2014, 21:40
by Sam I am
I first tried 5:2 last year with great success. I had the usual early wobbles of overheating on feed days but soon I settled deepen to regular losses of 2 lbs per fast day which in turn led to eating correctly on feed days and I was sustaining a regular 2-3lb loss per week. Perfect.
Unfortunately, a couple of holidays and Christmas led me to put most of it back on but my body would still respond to fast days in a positive way with excellent losses.
But.....
I have returned to 5:2 in the last 2 months - in the knowledge of what I know fop rom before and it is a totally different story. I am literally not budging a single pound.
I am making very good choices on feed days - keeping to my TDEE and not drinking alcohol, yet still I am not losing a single pound.
I did the whole " no alcohol for January" without making any other changes and didn't lose a pound on that ( that wasn't the idea but I expected it to be a welcome by-product of my abstention)
It's as if my body simply does not respond to this WOE in anything like the same way now but I cannot for the life of me fathom why.
I need some sort of kick start to 're-set my system so I can begin again with a 'clean slate'

I know I have the resolve and determination..... All I need now is a body that will respond to a method that I KNOW can work....

Any bright ideas please.... I can't see for looking.

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 13 May 2014, 21:56
by CandiceMarie
Wow Sam you did so well last time..i can see why youre so perplexed and unhappy this time.
Only thing i can think off the top of my head is,are you sure youre eating the correct amount of yr TDEE? Perhaps its lower now than before,if youve kept off some of the weight youve lost? Are you doing less exercise than you used to? Could you have a blood test to check yr thyroid hasnt become underactive?
I agree you need some sort of kickstart..so frustrating to feel youre being " good" but not getting results..hope somebody more knowledgeable than me can come along and help xx

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 13 May 2014, 22:21
by Auriga
All I can suggest Sam is try 4:3 or ADF. It sounds like your body might just need a kick start.

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 13 May 2014, 23:27
by cblasz
Nothing is ever as easy as the first time you do it! Also, there's been some research to suggest that weight gained back is harder to lose. Also, you may need to check your TDEE.

I did WW years ago and lost 47 lbs. in a year. I've never been able to lose that much again. I thought this diet would shake things and it has a bit, but not as fast as I would like. I think Auriga's suggestion is a good one, also maybe cut back on carbs. Are you also tracking your calories?

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 14 May 2014, 00:04
by clairemarie
Your situation is identical to mine. Since I got back on 52 my weight loss has been torturous. I spent the winter in hibernation mode namely eating and lolling around. This week I have started a one hour walk per day in hopes that it will get me back into fat loss. Maybe your not consuming enough protein. Perhaps not enough calories on feast days... I wish I knew the answer to this perplexing situation but for me it's trial and error right now.

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 14 May 2014, 02:07
by lovemyparrot
I really think this is true, that it's never as easy the second time around. It seems to have been a known fact with Atkins - I found I lost fairly easily at first on Atkins, then let it all go .... and back again on the "induction" phase and it never worked as well - it seemed to happen with so many people and perhaps its the same with 5:2 (or any other weight-loss method) ??? I was going to ask this question myself as, since Christmas, I have not lost a single pound - have fasted fairly regularly and, thankfully, have not gained BUT ......

just what can we do now ?????

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 14 May 2014, 06:34
by Sam I am
Thanks for all the comments and advice. I'm staying away from sugar and really going for protein and good carbs/fats. Sooooooooo ridiculous. I weigh more at the mo than after a heavy weekend of beer and food, food, food'
Gonna try til the end of the week being really good on feed days, then I may have a sugar laden day to wake up my metabolism.

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 15 May 2014, 11:56
by Sarahg
Me too,think we need a tent for those of us who did this last year,then regained and are struggling now.i have been trying to do a fasting window for the past three weeks ,did try a few fast days but have only lost half a kilo in almost a month.
Fasted today so let's see what tomorrow brings.
Just wanted to say know how it feels.

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 15 May 2014, 12:05
by carieoates
There is such a tent, I think it's the "scenic route tent". Is that right @Debs. But you can also there is the venting tent when you want a shout out.

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 15 May 2014, 12:10
by Debs
Yep, some of us in the same boat, having lost and then going up and down within the same weight range without ever going downwards. Maybe our bodies have become so used to gaining and losing they have become extraordinarily stubborn?

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 15 May 2014, 12:56
by Sarahg
Yeah I have a very stubborn body.i thought I would be nice to it and accept a slightly higher target weight but no,it wants an even higher target weight

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 15 May 2014, 13:59
by Winsome
It has been a similar story for me since re-starting this year. Changing to ADF with some weeks ending up 4:3 has helped I believe.

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 15 May 2014, 14:26
by Ballerina
I agree that doing something twice is never as successful as the first attempt. Atkins just melted the weight of me, a pound EVERY day, WOW! Then I let it all slide and it never worked again for me. It was the same with 36 hour liquid fasts, first one dropped 7 pounds but that has never happened again, not that I want it to, but although I enjoy my 36 hour fasts I almost never lose weight with them but then again I do them for the other benefits of IF. I think the moral of all this is, try not to lose your motivation because the climb back up the hill you just slid down effortlessly is torturous.

Ballerina x :heart:

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 15 May 2014, 15:56
by carorees
I expect that one reason why returning to dieting after falling off the wagon is because when we lose weight our body slows the metabolism slightly to compensate, then when we stop dieting and regain the weight our body does not increase the metabolism again for a long long time. Thus our TDEE after regaining the lost weight is lower than it was before we lost it. So on re-starting you have to assume your TDEE is lower and so you'll need to cut calories more than the first time around.

There are probably lots of other reasons too, including those behind why we fell off the wagon in the first place.

However, there is some thought that having a slower metabolism might lead to us living longer so rather than being upset one thing to do is to find a way of creating a new normal which involves fewer calories. Easier said than done, I know!

Re: This doesn't make sense

PostPosted: 16 May 2014, 00:06
by Sarahg
Thanks carorees,I have dieted most of my adult life so probably have a very slow metabolism
I eat very little usually,anyway and seldom eat unhealthy food
Sometimes I get so frustrated when people say they can't stop eating cake etc so can't lose weight.I don't ever eat cake.sweets ,cream,etc
Anyway I should be in the venting tent so will head over there now.