5:2 Fast Diet – 2 weeks in no weight loss

This topic contains 16 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by timmothysmith01 8 months, 3 weeks ago.

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Redmumma

8:40 am
4 Oct 19
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I was very excited to start following this diet. I have read lots of reviews, bought the book and have weighed, measured and counted calories for the fast days. I haven’t seen any weight loss at all and am very disappointed. I keep telling myself that i’m still reaping all the other health benefits and have told many people what I am doing and feel a bit silly that ‘m not getting the results. I have read so many reviews where people talk about big weight loss in the first week etc. I have over a stone to lose so it’s there to be lost! Please help!

Amazon

11:53 am
4 Oct 19
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Hi,

The simple answer is that you are most likely eating to much too lose any weight. It’s not just about how much one eats on fast days but every day.
We become overweight because we eat too much every day which means we need to eat less every day not only fast days in order to lose weight and keep it off

Try weighing measuring and calorie counting on NFDs for a couple of weeks.
Hopefully it’ll give you some insight ointo why you haven’t lost anything and help you to make some adjustments.

Having said that, being perimenopausal might be having an impact but I still think you should take a look at how much you are consuming on NFDs.

I hope this helps, and please let us know how you get on.

Redmumma

5:11 pm
4 Oct 19
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Hi Amazon

Thank you for finding the time to reply to my post. I haven’t gone mad on my non-fast days but I will keep that in mind. I think I will try and keep a proper eye on my calorie in take. I certainly do not eat over 2000 cals, it’s probably closer to 1500. On average I count 10,000 steps plus daily on my FitBit as well. Do you think being Perimenopausal could be making a difference? What would you recommend my daily calorie intake to be, any ideas? I have researched the 5:2 diet a lot and it suggests fast days to be 25% of a normal calorie day; i.e. 500 fasting and 2000 normal. It says to eat ‘normally’ on the NFD’s. I really appreciate your comments. Many thanks.

Amazon

6:06 pm
4 Oct 19
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If you click on the resources link at the top of the page there is a BMI calculator.
Enter your statistics and I suggest you opt for sedentary in the section about exercise.
It’ll give you a TDEE which is the maximum you should have in a day and a BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is an estimate of how many calories you would burn if you sat on the sofa all day.

5:2 is indeed based on the 2000 calorie intake of “average woman” and the suggested 500 calories for women on FDs is a good guide IMO.
The eating normally thing is something that bothers me about the book as the majority of us who are overweight have been eating too much on a daily basis for a long time and no longer know what a “normal” amount of food is or we eat the right amount at mealtimes but snack too much, and that’s why I suggested calorie counting on non FDs. I did it and was shocked to discover that things I had guessed to be 300 calories were actually 500-600 and so on which meant I was consuming many more calories than I thought.
I also started taking notice of how much skinny people had on their plates and eating similar amounts. I even went on a group tour holiday for 3 weeks and came back without having gained any weight (a small miracle) by eating the same amount as the skinniest woman in the group. I ate everything I wanted but in smaller amounts.

Exercise is very important for cardio vascular health, general fitness and muscle building but it’s not a magic bullet for weight loss. Many people overestimate the amount of exercise they actually do, and many also overestimate the effect it has on weight.
Walking 10000 steps will use no more than 200 or so calories and there is a great deal of discussion on this website and elsewhere regarding whether 200 calories of food equals 200 calories of exercise.

When I first started 5:2 I wasn’t doing any regular exercise and was very unfit. The weight came off easily and my fitness and flexibilty increased due to having less weight to carry around. When I started exercising it made no appreciable difference to the rate of weight loss but further improved my fitness.

I have continued to exercise regularly and enjoy it but I never think of it as a weight loss tool.

Fluctuating female hormones can make us retain fluid at certain times and over the course of time it disappears so it may be why you’ve not lost weight yet, but equally it may not.

I’m sure if you persevere and ensure you’re not overdoing it on non FDs the weight will start to move soon.

Redmumma

6:29 pm
4 Oct 19
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Wow! Thank you Amazon so much! Such valuable advice and it really makes sense.

You are so right, I think we are all guilty of underestmating how much we actually do eat and how exercise equates to calories burned. When I log my calories I try not to add exercise calories back in. I agree with you about the eating normal thing too. It’s misleading and makes you think you don’t have to worry too much about food on non fast days. I’ve noticed some sites actually promote fasting by saying you can “eat what you like” when not fasting. This really is not the case.

I will have a look at the resources and see what it suggests. Do you fast on consecutive on non-consecutive days?

I’m inspired by your success and I will keep at it and hope that it will start working soon.

Thank you again for taking the time to help and encourage me.

Choosiesusie

9:18 pm
4 Oct 19
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Amazon has absolutely hit the nail on the head. I think it’s been much harder to shift any weight since I have hit my 50’s. My TDEE from the calculator was around 1700 calories. I’m trying to stay between 1300 to 1500. It’s only my 1st week but I’ve enjoyed the challenge and being back in control.

Amazon

9:05 am
5 Oct 19
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Hi again,

Saying “eat what you like” is a huge mistake as no-one got fat eating too much cabbage. We need to be encouraged to make healthier choices and of course the food industry does the exact opposite.
It has taken me a very long time to come to terms with the fact that I cannot eat cake, bread and have wine every day and they are all now occasional treats.I have the best I can afford and savour it and I don’t feel deprived as I am so much healthier, fitter and happier than I’ve been for a very long time.

I’ve had some ups and downs and regained some of the weight I lost (life can be tricky sometimes) but am now losing again.
On every previous diet I’ve followed I have always regained all the lost weight and more, ending up heavier than when I started. This is the first time that hasn’t happened because 5:2 has enabled me to change how I think about food and instil better eating habits and it has become a way of life.

When I first started 5:2 the weight came off easily and I lost 2lbs every week but it slowed so I increased the number of FDs to 3 or 4 per week depending on my social activities. I often do consecutive FDs and if I fast 4 times in a week the pattern is usually M/Tu and Th/F.

I eat 2 meals per day on non FDs and dinner only on FDs. I’m rarely hungry first thing so don’t eat until lunchtime the majority of the time, and eating 2 meals helps me stay within TDEE although I don’t always succeed!

dykask

3:06 am
8 Oct 19
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Hmmm @amazon …. Three things I generally avoid because I don’t like them are bread, cake & wine (or any booze). My BMI still got into the 30’s … 🙁

The point is valid though, we are what we eat even if we are fasting.

I do agree though, 5:2 is easy to follow and it does keep the weight off. It is easy to tweak too. If I eat like a pig, I just pretty much stay the same. (Okay maybe a lean pig) If I want to lose some weight I just cut out the snacks, etc … Much easier than any other diet. However it really only works for me because I already cut almost all refined sugar and greatly limit myself on processed foods, even though they are tasty. I have no doubt that I could gain weight while fasting two days a week if I really wanted too. The difference is what we do in the NFDs.

Amazon

8:30 am
8 Oct 19
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dykask,

My BMI got into the 30s without the aid of the majority of processed and/or junk foods. including things such as biscuits and candy.

My point is things we like are often those that aren’t good for us in large quantities and/or on a daily basis so we have to take care with our choices on NFDs or weight loss can be stalled.

Redmumma

6:13 pm
8 Oct 19
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Thank you everyone for your insights and advice. I am starting another week fasting today and i’m going to try fasting again tomorrow. I have kept my calories to between 1400-1700 a day on non fast days. My weight this morning is the same it was when I started two weeks ago.

I read so many posts, reviews etc where people say they fast for two days, eat sensibly for the other week days then eat what they like for the weekend. It seems so unfair that it works so well and so easily for some and I have to try so hard for such little success! It’s quite soul destroying! I guess i’m just one of the unlucky ones.

Amazon

7:17 pm
8 Oct 19
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Hi,

Eating what you like is not the same as eating as much as you like, and no-one can cheat human physiology as the only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit.

People who post such messages are most likely limiting calories every weekday in order to relax a little at the weekend.

It’ll happen, I have a friend who goes on a diet and doesn’t lose an ounce for the first three weeks and then things start moving.

Redmumma

7:40 pm
8 Oct 19
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Thanks Amazon, that’s very encouraging!

Choosiesusie

10:09 pm
8 Oct 19
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I get what your saying about trying so hard with little success. I work with a girl who eats rubbish ALL day, chocolate, biscuits, cake, crisps and she’s like a twig. After reading the 5:2 book I think Michael called himself a TOFI, thin on the outside and fat on the inside. So I think she must be one of those, her body must be solid fat. I could eat chocolate and cake all day long as I have a very sweet tooth but I dont. I eat because I like the taste rather than being hungry so I resist temptation, a small piece of cake or chocolate for me would lead to a binge. I’ve found weight loss really hard since I’ve been about 53 although I’ve dieted all my life which I also think is part of the problem.

Redmumma

6:39 pm
10 Oct 19
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Thanks Choosiesusie, I feel your pain.

I decided to try two consecutive days this week. Tuesday and Wednesday. I weighed Tuesday morning, then again Wednesday morning – I lost a pound! I weighed myself again this morning and I was nearly 3 pounds lighter than yesterday! Happy days!

I am very heartened and encouraged by this. Previously even weighing after a fast day I hadn’t lost any weight.

I think you are right ‘AMAZON’, we are all different and I just needed to wait, i’m obviously just like your friend.

I appreciate some of this loss is water and I will gain some back but this is the best result so far for me.

Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported me, It has really helped. Onwards and upwards now – fingers crossed!

Amazon

9:25 pm
10 Oct 19
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Well done, I’m really pleased for you 😀

Choosiesusie

8:11 pm
11 Oct 19
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Good for you Redmumma 3lbs is fab u lous!

timmothysmith01

12:40 pm
24 Mar 23
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You might not lose weight if you eat more than you typically would over the course of the five days to make up for the calories you lose while fasting. And you might even put on weight if you eat too many high-calorie, high-sugar, or overly processed foods on those days.