9 weeks in and feeling down.

This topic contains 4 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by bigbooty 8 years ago.

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greenchook

2:39 am
1 Dec 16
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Well, its been 9 weeks since I started the 5:2 diet and I really had high hopes. After a few weeks with no weight loss I decided I would have to add more exercise to my life so I now go to the gym 2 days a week as well as regular brisk dog walks and a very active job. After 9 weeks I have only lost 1.2kg, (this only happened in the last 2 weeks) which is a bit depressing as I find fast days really difficult. By the end of the day I am exhausted and irritable and really struggle with coming home and dealing with 3 kids, getting their meal etc. As soon as I can I go to bed and sleep like a log. I’m coeliac but I don’t think that should make any difference. It doesn’t help that my husband is doing 5:2 as well, he comes home all ‘zippidy do dah, all I ate today was a carrot and I’m not even hungry!’. I actually had to tell him to cut back to one fasting day because he’s looking gaunt. I guess I just wanted to get that off my chest. I will carry on with 5:2 for the mean time I just hope I start getting faster results soon.

LA Chubster

3:54 am
1 Dec 16
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I never weighed myself so I don’t know when or how regularly I lost weight but I do know that almost immediately I felt that energy that your husband does. I felt younger and even taller and I know I was moving in different ways. That good feeling is what kept me at it until I did see some results in a smaller waistband. …and that did take a good while!

Two things occur to me. One is that your body may be taking a while to “understand” that you’re eating a new way and make all the metabolic adjustments that equal a weight loss. The other is that being celiac may present some special nutritional needs. Have you discussed what you’re doing with your doctor or a nutritionist who can point out the minimum daily requirements you have?

My first though is to suggest more protein and fewer starchy carbs but I have NO IDEA if that’s right for someone with celiac disease. The right professional, OTOH, would.

When you’re getting the right stuff and avoiding the stuff that bogs your digestive system down the results — at least in terms of that energy boost — are quite remarkable.

Please get some good professional advice and then give your body some time.

dykask

5:41 am
1 Dec 16
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Hi greenchook

When you exercise you are probably helping yourself burn fat but it can really mess up your scale weight. There are a bunch of things that happen with working out besides just burning fat:
* Muscles can store more glycogen that is actually 75% water. Read as heavy.
* You can actually build more lean body mass which is heavier than fat.
* The exercise can push you to eat more when you are eating.
* etc

Exercise is great especially long-term but it can be a confounder when you are watching the scale. Over the last four weeks I’ve fasted every Friday & Monday. My Saturday morning weights were 80.2kg, 81kg, 81.8kg, and finally 80.6kg. Up until then 80.2kg was my lowest morning weight and then last Monday I was 80kg. 200 grams in four weeks! Seems slow but that is exercise as I do 4 or 5 HIIT or HIT workout a week. However 4 weeks ago I had more fat on belly than I could grab with one hand and now it isn’t even an good hand full. So you have to look at other things like how much fat you have or your measurements.

I strongly encourage you to exercise though. Long-term you will come out ahead.

Best of luck!

Cinque

5:59 am
1 Dec 16
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Hi Greenchook,
Commiserations!

My tips are:
1.Read this: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/really-no-weight-loss/

2. I often felt horrible and irritable on fast day afternoons, (I’m at maintenance now, and can make fast days a bit easier). Luckily I could curl up on the couch and watch telly most of the time, or do something that took my mind off it. If you can stick it, do, but if you can’t, work out a way to make fast days sustainable. To my mind, that is the most important thing. It doesn’t matter if it takes longer to lose weight, so long as you can keep at it. Maybe add in a cup of soup, or something to chew on (celery dipped in a little salt?) Don’t forget lots of drinks.

3. Don’t push yourself with exercise, it isn’t very useful for losing weight (but very good at helping to keep it off).

bigbooty

6:36 am
1 Dec 16
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Hi greenchook,

You have celiac disease so Im assuming you don’t have any grain based products? Is that right?

OK when you start 5:2 your body has two options to cope with the temporary reduction in caloric intake. It gets the shortfall from fat (this is what is happening with your husband and what happened with me) or your body can PROTEST and reduce your metabolic needs by slowing you down (you feel sluggish) and resetting your core body temperature to a lower value (you feel cold). Do you feel sluggish and/or cold?

OK what to do. You have to change something, keep doing the same thing and you will get the same results. That liver of yours must be shot to pieces and it appears that it does not want to do any hard work to access your stored fats. As far as your body is concerned its a lot easier to just make it run slow and cold.

Change your fast days to the weekend, that way you have more control over what is possible as you don’t have to worry about work/kids etc. Try one water only fast day on the week end instead of 500 cal. Then the other days are just normal eating days. See if that helps break the cycle.

Describe a normal days food intake. Describe a fast days food intake. Be honest, what do these days consist of?