153lb is 10st 13lb. At 5’6″ is that a weight problem or are you (wisely) wanting to improve your general health? I’m 5’4″ and I weigh in at more than 11st so I don’t suppose I’ll be any use as a buddy. I’m older too. But my advice would be to look at your 750 calorie intake on your fast days. It seems high for a fast. It’s unlikely to be the coffee and milk! Also it often takes a while for any changes to be seen, even longer to show on the scales. It was my calves looking slimmer that I first noticed change.
So don’t think of your eating days as cheating. Cut down on that sort of negativity and be ‘normal’ for 5 days a week. And a sustained loss of perhaps 3lb in two weeks is actually lovely.

Hi, funny I used to be just under 140 until I moved out of town….and approached 40. I have been strict with the 500 cals but I have had to factor in coffee and some tea with skimmed milk. I also have to have a little something in the day like a slice of Turkey. This has only been my second fast day and I am just about coping by keeping really busy. I did find I was quite tired on the non fast day.

@cherry guliner ….I’m curious to know why you have ‘cheat’ days on 5:2.

You say you are not doing 5:2 ‘by the book’ but if you want to lose weight then it’s 2 days fasting and 5 days normal eating. 500 calories is the level you should be aiming for on your fast days. On non fast days you can eat WHAT you want but NOT HOW MUCH you want. i.e ABOVE your BMR and UP TO your TDEE. So there is no need for ‘cheat’ days.

xx