Becoming disheartened…

This topic contains 9 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by fatnomore 10 years, 3 months ago.

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Fozzylozzy

6:45 am
18 Jan 14
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Hi

This is my first post having been a lurker for several months 🙂 I’m hoping someone can give me some good advice as what to try or just some encouragement…..

I have been following the 5:2 plan since July last year. Initally I had brilliant results and lost about 10lbs in 2/3 months. Suddenly I couldn’t lose any more. At this point I was 11st 9lbs and needed to lose another 1.5 stone to get to a healthy weight for my height. I perservered and kept a careful watch on my non-fast day intake and even tried adding another fast day into my week to no avail. Measurements had not changed either. I put on a couple of pounds over Christmas but have still carried on with the plan regardless. I then decided that I needed to bring exercise into the mix and have started running and using the exercise bike in the hope that my weight loss would kickstart again. Yesterday I got onto the scales and I have gone up to 12.1!! So am now at a loss at what to do! I have an incrediably slow metabolism for example (TMI moment) I only have a bowel movement once a week, so I know my body functions are slow. Completely at a loss at what to do 🙁

On an absolutely positive note the plan has completely changed my psychological relationship with food in that I am no longer scared of being/feeling hungry and listening to my body when it’s telling me stop eating because it’s full 🙂

Thanks for reading xx

annette52

9:38 am
18 Jan 14
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Congratulations on the 12 lb loss!

Did you check your new TDEE after that? Do you eat up to those calories on a non fast day?

I have found that sometimes where I measure(bust/underbust/waist/hip/thighs/calves) is not where the weight goes from. I noticed this when I tried on clothes and noticed that my back fat was disappearing.I also know that when the lbs are not shifting, that I am shrinking somewhere. I noticed that dresses were longer and then realised that the padding from my neck to my bust had disappeared.

Adding exercise may well increase your weight as you build muscle, but muscle will also sculpt your body and burn far more calories even when you are sitting down.Exercise is fantastic for shaping the body and you will see the overall toning through running as the weeks tick by.

May I suggest that you measure all of the body parts that I do and add the upper arms(I forgot that)once a week along with a weigh and a try on of clothes. I have often noticed that when the scales appear to be broken that the tape measure does.

Keep going. Your body is probably in shock with the exercise and I have found that regular plateaus are part of weight loss. Sometimes they last for weeks, but there will be a shift again and just think of the health benefits of the 5:2 while you wait.

Glad to hear about the change in relationship with food, which will of course help over the coming months.Keep us posted next week.
Annette

Fozzylozzy

3:13 pm
18 Jan 14
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Thanks for your reply Annette.

Yes I am keeping to my daily TDEE (which is around 2000cals) and usually eat about 1800/1900cals. I have also been measuring with no changes recently. I have literally come to a standstill!

I did wonder about the muscle thing but didn’t think the short time I have been exercising would have had an impact on my muscle density as yet.

Thanks for the encouragement. I will keep going on the plan as eating like this is a way of life for me now rather than a chore. I just hope this is a mega long plateau as my body definitely needs to shift some more weight!

Thanks again x

annette52

4:56 pm
18 Jan 14
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I always remember reading on here last year when I was having a complete wobble about a plateau, about one person who wrote that she had lost no weight in 3 months BUT had gone down 3 dress sizes!!!!!!!!

I had a plateau for a month….but lost 7 inches! So I know that it does happen, but it also took several weeks for the shrinkage.Just measure and weigh once a week and keep going. There will be a change, just no-one knows when!

Walking is really good exercise. Can you walk 10,000 steps a day? It really helps to whittle a waist and probably help with the bowels too.

Focus on what you have already achieved on the weight loss and the introduction of exercise, for your long term health. Give yourself a pat on the back and be patient(not something that I am any good at).

fastfairy

5:27 pm
18 Jan 14
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Hello fozzylozzy, ah, many congrats on the 10lbs, you must’ve been thrilled. I can imagine how disappointed I’d be in your shoes to be a bit stuck on a plateau, though as a complete newbie I can’t offer anything in the way of an opinion/advice. But, I was a bit taken aback when you mentioned you only have one bowel movement a week – even aside from whether the non-weight-loss is at all related, I hope you don’t mind my saying this but that sounds like something that needs checking out with your GP if you haven’t done so recently?

Fozzylozzy

9:38 pm
18 Jan 14
Permalink

Thanks again Annette, just hoping that I will be able to look back at this post in a couple of months time and think what was I worrying about!! 🙂

Thanks fastfairy. Admittedly I have considered a trip to the GP but I have also googled (probably the worst thing to do) and have found that this problem can be normal for some people! I’m still undecided whether it’s a trip worth making.

Foz x

Surreburre

7:14 pm
19 Jan 14
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Hi There Fozzylozzy,

I have allsidig obviously reached a plateau, and am getting more and more frustrated. Please let me know when tings starts to budge again.

I will cross my fingers for you.

Surreburre

7:15 pm
19 Jan 14
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Hi There Fozzylozzy,

I have also obviously reached a plateau, and am getting more and more frustrated. Please let me know when tings starts to budge again.

I will cross my fingers for you.

Carla

7:52 pm
19 Jan 14
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Fozzylozzy,

Hang in there! I noted when I hit a plateau I was still losing inches. If you are doing 5:2 currently you might try a couple weeks of 4:3 ADF to jump start things again. I have heard several people say this works.

Good luck to you!

fatnomore

8:05 pm
19 Jan 14
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Hi Fozzylozzy
I am in pretty much the same boat. I started mid October and lost 3 kg up to just before Christmas. I kept going over the festive season and beyond, but I have stubbornly stayed the same weight, measurements and fit in clothes for the past 5 weeks. It is very hard to keep motivated when there seems to be no return on investment!!

I am resolved to be even more scrupulous in counting fast day calories as I suspect there may have been some creep there, and my regular days are well disciplined.

I think we just have to keep the faith! Any maybe try 4:3 for a couple of weeks.

Keep us posted! Good luck.