Help!

This topic contains 8 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by Heidi 10 years, 6 months ago.

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Heidi

5:51 pm
10 Oct 13
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I have been doing this for a couple of weeks now and have been seeing slow and steady positive results. I eat probably no more than 300 calories on my fast day which I am doing every other day now (Mon, Wed, Fri and a lightish day on Sunday). The morning after a fast day I am usually about two pounds lighter, I eat normally so maybe put a pound and a half back on but then I fast again, normally losing about two pounds (see the pattern forming) so I am not losing huge amounts of weight but what I am losing is slow and steady. I fasted as usual yesterday, looking forward to seeing my labours reflected in the scales this morning: I had put on nearly two pounds over night! I have no idea why I put ON weight (I am female but cannot use “that” excuse at the moment). I am so confused and deflated. What am I doing wrong? Is this normal now and again to go back up rather than down? Heidi

zumbagirl46

6:10 pm
10 Oct 13
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Heidi – here are my thoughts:
I feel you are sabotaging yourself by eating so few calories on fast days ! You should stick with 500/day – not 300 ! Also, this diet plan is all about the 5:2 system. You shouldn’t be fasting every other day. I feel you’re putting your body into starvation mode, and therefore your body is trying to “hold on” to your fat for survival purposes.

I’m 62 and have never had such wonderful results as I’ve had with this plan ! I am eating 500-550 calories on my FAST days AND on the other 5 days I’m on a modified Weight Watchers diet, eating about 1250 calories/day. I am losing over 1 pound per week, EVERY WEEK, like clockwork – and have been on this diet for 9 weeks. In that time I’ve lost 12 pounds. I have never had this much success.

So – stop starving yourself. Start working the plan the way it’s supposed to work and I feel you’ll start seeing better results.

TidyChick

6:12 pm
10 Oct 13
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Heidi,

It sounds like you might be getting in a pattern of obssessing too much. That happens to the best if us. I think if you relax, take a step back, and do 5:2 instead of every other day fasting, eat the 500 on fast day, all you have to do if be patient for a few weeks, to give your body a chance to accept this new change you are doing. And above all, hide your scale for a while!!!! That truly is the #1 trick, and this comes from someone who was chained to my scale for years!!!!

You sound a lot like me, and I was in getting in panic mode fast, in the beginning. I then realized I was going to go nuts over this quickly, and I really wanted to succeed this time.

So, I took a deep breath, and a step and a day at a time, and boom……magic happened. It really is as simple as that. Hope that helps a little.

Heidi

6:28 pm
10 Oct 13
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TidyChick and Zumbagirl46: Thank you so much for your prompt responses. I think you are both right in that I am probably trying a little too hard and beating myself up for it also. A year ago I was happy with my weight but then after 30 years of the dreaded weed, I decided to give up smoking – albeit making every endeavour not to eat any more to compensate but approximately 16lbs crept on and that has been the heaviest I have ever been, jumping up at least two dress sizes and miserable with it. I am still off the smokes but am desperate to get back to my size and weight a year ago. I work full time, have three dogs that I walk every day and try to work out a couple of times a week from home so am no couch potatoe but do not want to become a slave to the gym either. I do drink (moderately most of the time but obviously not on a fast day). I think I will reduce my fast days down to two (I was eating one lean cuisine every lunch (less than 300 cals) and that was it) – what days would you suggest – Monday and Thursday? I was also weighing in every day but I think I will save that for every Tuesday (day after fasting). If you think of anything else that might help then please please please email me: all help most gratefully received! Have a fantastic day and again, many thanks, Heidi x

TidyChick

6:38 pm
10 Oct 13
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Heidi,

Awesome for you that you quit smoking! !!!! Think of what an amazingly difficult thing you have overcome! I totally understand your frustration with unwanted fat and all the negative stuff that comes with it. We all have our weaknesses and struggles, but we want to better ourselves, which is why we get desperate to try anything sometimes.

5:2 is a healthy, successful, happy, doable way of life. I think we often get discouraged fast and easily, because life and change can be stressful and scary.

Just know there are many of us in this journey together, right now! Often, when I backslide that is the only thing keeping me going, but it’s enough to.

zumbagirl46

6:44 pm
10 Oct 13
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Heidi – It’s me again ! No matter how you ultimately decide to approach your fast days and your calories per daya, please DO NOT ever go back to smoking !! Giving up that habit was the best, most wonderful thing you could do for yourself, and you should feel VERY PROUD ! You should also give yourself a pat on the back for only gaining 16. You decided to deal with this very “manageable” weight gain before it got out of hand like it does for so many other folks who gain 30-40+ pounds.

That being said, I always try to NEVER “drink” my calories. I much prefer chewing. So for me, alcohol is a no-no when trying to lose weight.

My fast days are Sundays and Fridays. Here’s why. On Sundays, I wake 2-3 hours later than I do on work days, so I can easily exist on one cup of coffee and then wait till Noon for my first meal of the day – whereas when I’m up at 6:30am, I can’t wait that long to eat. And since I still attend Weight Watchers meetings every Saturday morning, I can ALWAYS be sure the scale there will show a loss after a fast day !! The folks in my WW class are amazed at how quickly I’m losing, since I haven’t told any of them about my “fasting” program !

TidyChick

6:56 pm
10 Oct 13
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Heidi,

P.S. I usually fast Thursday and Sunday. Sunday, because I’m busy until noon with getting everyone ready for church, and when I get home, 1/2 day is gone, plus…….nap, very happy thing! I like to know that I then have 3 days to eat regularly. Thursday, everyone is gone hither and yon, so easier to fast. Then I look forward to 2 more days of eating regularly.

Today is a rainy, fast day. Hey, maybe I’ll have a nap!!

toms mantis

8:29 pm
10 Oct 13
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Hi all. I agree with everything said above about amount of calories and number of fasting days. I also stopped smoking years ago, and weight has spiralled since then. Have lost weight, put more on then lost and gained again! That’s why I think this is magic. Heidi, it will happen, but slowly. Happy fasting everyone!

Heidi

8:47 pm
10 Oct 13
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Thanks Toms Mantis,

Unfortunately I like to run before I can walk and wrongly thinking that if I fast more, then the more I will lose and quickly does not seem to be happening here. I just need to be patient “and do as I am told”! Will give husband the scales to hide and “what will be will be” but I do agree that this “eating plan” rather than this “diet” does seem to make sense and because of its flexibility I hope will work. One thing I do have (after the stopping smoking “cold turkey”) is willpower. I feel guilty in that I know that I am not in the “obese” or even “overweight” bracket but I am in the “I’m unhappy with myself” bracket so will keep going and will hopefully be as supporting to others as you have all been to me. Thank you so much! x