No weight lost since starting

This topic contains 4 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by Merryme 6 years, 10 months ago.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

kimarch

8:45 pm
8 Dec 17
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Hi all, I have read the other threads from people who are struggling to lose on the diet, but my situation is maybe a little different so I’m starting a new topic.

I am 31, 135 pounds but very short (5 ft), and I have put on about 10 pounds in the last few years and have not been able to lose it no matter what: I tried intense boot camp exercise, then low carb, then severe calories restriction, nothing worked. According to BMI I’m overweight, but I don’t have much to lose.

I read good things about 5:2 and have been doing it for 4 weeks now. I am doing it exactly according to current guidelines: 2 non-consecutive fast days per week, 800 calories on fast days, eating reasonably but not counting calories on off days. I eat lots of vegetables with lean protein, I’m vegetarian, I don’t drink sugary drinks. I exercise 4 times a week.

But I have not lost a SINGLE pound since I started. One complicating factor is that I didn’t use the same scale to weigh myself when I started, but as far as I can tell I haven’t lost anything. I know I can change the diet, go up to 3 fasts a week, go back down to 500 calories on fast days, count calories on my off days, but all of that defeats the purpose of doing the diet the way it’s supposed to work.

Others have suggested measuring waistline rather than weight, which I plan to do, but are there any other ideas? Does this diet just not work for those of us who are small and don’t have much to lose? I don’t want to keep being overweight and I’m afraid I’ll just keep gaining for the rest of my life and continue not being able to lose 🙁 Much appreciated!

simcoeluv

9:17 pm
8 Dec 17
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Hi kim and welcome:

As your TDEE is only around 1700, you are only cutting around 1800 cal. a week out of your diet. If you were actually eating 1700 cal. per day on your non-diet days, you could expect to lose about a half a pound a week. But it is very common for those not counting calories to eat more than their TDEEs on non-diet days, and I suspect that is what you are doing.

The answer is to begin losing weight, you have to eat less. There is not a diet in existence that will cause you to lose weight if you are eating to your TDEE or more each week.

Here are some tips: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

fasting_me

3:47 pm
10 Dec 17
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Hi, Kimarch. You must be feeling very frustrated. I too am petite and started this with not much to lose. And I lost the weight I wanted to lose and then some more, so it can be done.

I ate 600 calories on a Fast Day [that’s the older version] and have done 2 Fast Days/week for 4 years. [Now that I am Maintaining and older, I eat about 800 calories/Fast Day with an ounce of cheese for my bones] WhenI don’t lose weight for a while, I look closely at what I’m eating on a Slow Day. As Simcoluv says, that is probably your downfall.
My TDEE is 1450 calories on Slow Days. Try for a lower intake on Slow Days and/or eat a Fast Dinner more nights/week. That is to say: eat your normal Slow Day Breakfast and lunch [?], then don’t snack and have a 300 calorie dinner. Just doing that should help.
If you need some recipes, click my name, and in my profile you will see the name of my blog. There I post recipes for breakfasts and dinners with nutrition values.

Good luck, Kimarch. You can do it.

kimarch

10:00 pm
11 Dec 17
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Thank you both for the encouragement!

jadabrown

5:29 am
17 Dec 17
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what is your body type???? as everything you’re doing is absolutely right and you’d have lost your weight with this practice, however there are things that do very well in melting down stubborn fat, please give a check to “beyond weight management tea” for once and see what it does to your weight loss.

JessMac

8:14 am
17 Dec 17
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Hi kimarch, I’m 5’2, in my 40s and needed to lose about 12lb. I found it came off steadily over 8 weeks doing 2 x 500-600kc fast days per week. I think an extra thing that helped was that I realised I felt really good on 2 meals per day and quickly got into the routine of no lunch on work days, including non-fast days. I think this is now helping to maintain my weight too. I guess it knocks 3-400 cals off per day that I just didn’t need.
You’ll find the way that works for you. Good luck!
Ps do measure, it’s amazing what comes off with just a small weight reduction.

fasting_me

2:29 pm
21 Dec 17
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JessMac is correct: reduced appetite leads one to eat less on Slow Days, so the weight comes off and stays off. To many people hang their hats on “…and eat what you want on non-Fast Days.” One must learn what is an appropriate serving of food for any day. Laying off lunch is a great strategy.

Keep going, Kimarch. You can do it!

Merryme

3:54 am
7 Jan 18
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Hi Kimarch,

I strongly suggest you read the link Simcoeluv has given you.

Ii also suggest you follow the original 5:2 guidelines ie

1. 1/4 TDEE on FDs or <500cals female,
<600cals male

2. NonFDs are not ‘eat what you like without counting. NonFDs are ‘up to your TDEE. Total Daily Energy Expenditure for you is 1700 cals, so your nonFDs should be no more than that..

Most people overestimate what they can eat on nonFDs. I suggest you do 425- 500cals on FDs. 425 is 1/4 of your TDEE. For me, I counted calories on FDs at first, and non FDs for little while to understand what my TDEE looked like on the plate.

Not everyone weighs, and those people measure or simply go by how their clothes feel. There’s no reason that you height should have any influence on whether 5:2 will work for you. You may have to experiment a bit, and I suggest you join a thread on the forum that you like and get regular support and info.

Best wishes,
Merry