I’ve been doing the 5/2 diet since July 2013. I wanted to lose 8 kilos and I lost 4 kilos in the first four months and thought I would be done by Christmas.

I then reached a plateau for about five months when nothing happened. Still I persisted because of the health benefits and I figured that this was a long term thing.

I don’t weigh myself on a regular basis – I just go by the fit of my clothes and a week ago I realised that everything felt tighter on me and I weighed myself and I’m right back where I started.

In the last 11 months I have followed the diet with the exception of a week here or there on four occasions due to illness or Christmas commitments or some other social obligation.

I am health conscious – eating organic and whole foods, I drink sparingly – maybe 2 or 3 glasses of wine once a week and I exercise four times a week: cycle at the gym and pilates and yoga or swimming.

It really is not possible for me to do the 4/3 as some people have suggested on these forums. I don’t always find the fast days easy. Sometimes, I can get through the day without a problem, other days I’m really struggling (although I stick to them) and the thought of doing 3 days a week is not at all appealing.

I do not over eat on so called feast days. Occasionally, as I imagine is the case with many people, I may overindulge at a dinner party or a festive occasion.

On fast days, I have done a number of things. Breakfast and dinner, lunch and dinner, sometimes breakfast, lunch ( a 60 calorie soup) and a dinner. It depends how I feel.

I was talking to a friend of mine about it today and she said: it’s like your body has worked out what you’re doing and your metabolism has set itself to this regime. Great.

I don’t know whether this is related to menopause and hormone fluctuations or what. The reason I embarked on this diet was because of the weight creeping on me in the last five years without any changes to my diet and exercise – and I have been a committed exercise person for most of my adult life.

I was so excited when I lost those four kilos – albeit slowly. Now I’m really depressed and at a loss about what to do next. I’m still fasting for two days, because I’m frightened if I stop, I’ll actually put on weight.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Hi TracyJ

8 kilos is 18 pounds. I guess it’s not an enormous amount but it means 3/4 of my wardrobe doesn’t fit me.

OK, I thought this diet was not about counting calories on the non fast days and you’re right – I really don’t want to be obsessive about it – it’s enough I read the labels on everything for fast days – I can’t be bothered doing it for the other days.

So, my TDEE is 1834. I can tell you now that most days I’m on that or under it. Today, I would have been well and truly under it and I’m on a normal eating day.

I thought the whole point of this diet was that you didn’t have to obsess on a daily basis about what you should and shouldn’t eat (obviously within reason). I have read that people underestimate how much they eat, but even my husband said to me recently: Babe, you should go to a doctor. You put so much effort for such little result.