How long to see results?

This topic contains 21 replies, has 10 voices, and was last updated by atcgirl 8 years, 4 months ago.

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

Tremoneboy

1:40 pm
20 Nov 15
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When I have always tried to lose weight I hit frustrating plateaus so I shouldn’t be surprised but 2 weeks in and no change. Here is what I am doing

Monday: Fast day-Circuit training(60 mins) at lunch-Pilates class at night
Tuesday:Circuit training(60 mins)
Wednesday: Spin Cycle(60 mins)
Thursday: Fast Day-Cross country run 4-6 1 mile intervals.
Friday: Circuit training(60 mins)
Saturday: Long run 6 miles(training for a 1/2 marathon so will increase by a mile each week)

Apart from the long run this is all high intensity training sweat dripping out of me but enjoyable in a sado-masochistic way!
So with the fasting and the varied exercises I am doing my thinking is the body needs energy to carry these out so especially on Fast days in would have to go the body’s fat reserves for energy as it’s not getting it from food intake.
While not calorie counting on off days I am still watching what I’m eating and not going off the rails either.

With all that said no change on the scales(Arghh!!). I know you put on muscle when you exercise but no change in waistline either.
While the above exercise regime is fairly new I have been running for 1.5 years starting at couch to 5k and ran a 1/2 marathon in August.

Before anyone thinks I’m at my ideal weight far from it, 5 ft 7 & 15 stone!

Two weeks is not a long time but I have been here before with weight watchers, slimming world etc but I’m not giving up and have found the fast days fine so far. No faint spells or anything like that. Just wondering when you started to see results and if anyone has had similar experiences.

And… exhale

5:00 pm
20 Nov 15
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Hi TB,

This is going to sound harsh, but if you’re not seeing any decrease in weight, you’re probably not achieving a calorie deficit during the week. It really rang alarm-bells when you said you weren’t tracking your food during non-fast days. Try meticulously weighing/recording everything and sticking to your TDEE, along with fast days, for a couple of weeks, and I’m sure it will give you the change you’re looking for. Most of us massively under-estimate our intake of calories on a daily basis, which is why we’re overweight in the first place.

Over-estimation is also a problem: even really high-tech gadgets seem to over-estimate the number of calories burned during exercise. Unlike WW, this way-of-eating seems to work best if you don’t compensate for exercise. If fanatical record-keeping doesn’t make a difference, maybe you could try working out your TDEE based on a sedentary lifestyle and eat to that during your non-fast days?

If neither of the above work, you could maybe try changing to 4:3. I have a pet theory that some of us just hang onto those calories more doggedly than others. Your exercise routine is already pretty impressive – I’m sure you can match it with kgs lost. Good luck!

Tremoneboy

1:59 pm
22 Nov 15
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Not too harsh, I will try that and update in a few weeks.

ronaq

2:05 pm
22 Nov 15
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hi
I am 21 year old. I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 15. I have so much facial hairs. I get hot wax once in a month. I am not hopeless. But I want to get rid of it and want to live a happy life :'(

LJinSC

2:26 pm
22 Nov 15
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Hi Ronaq,
I was also diagnosed with PCOS in my mid twenties. I recommend laser removal or electrolysis for the hair. I lost a good bit of weight with a lower carb/whole food diet in my 30s. My ultrasounds don’t show any evidence of cysts in the last 10 years even though the weight is back. I don’t know if it was the weight loss or what that improved my condition but I know the laser and weight loss seemed to help the hair.

Tremoneboy

7:04 pm
23 Nov 15
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Checked my Tdee & calorie count and well within range. Where is the body going to get energy? It’s not getting it from food & with the high intensity exercise I am doing , should it not be going to the fat for energy.?

Tremoneboy

7:09 pm
23 Nov 15
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2. That’s five days of normal eating, with little thought to calorie control and a slice of pie for pudding if that’s what you want.

The above is from the 5-2 website, but I am well behaved on non fast days as well so miscalculations seem irrelevant as long as you count on fast days, so wtf?

simcoeluv

7:16 pm
23 Nov 15
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Hi Tremoneboy:

Lots of exercise – this might help you understand: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/exercise-is-dangerous-for-your-diet/

Good Luck!

Pot-bellied Heron

7:22 pm
23 Nov 15
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Feed day intake is far from irrelevant. There’s no magic at work here; if you eat more than your body needs then you’re going to put on weight. Eat exactly what your body needs and your weight will remain unchanged. Eat less than your body needs and, you guessed it, your weight will reduce.

Don’t even factor your exercise into your calculations and see how you get on.

I’m probably just as impatient as you are which is why I chose to do 12 weeks of ADF before I even contemplated going on 5:2.

Tremoneboy

12:10 pm
3 Dec 15
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Just to update, 600 cals on fast days and 2400 cals on non fast days. I note from the book that on non fast days you can have that slice of pie but I’m eating healthy no desserts or anything like that. Still no change on weight or inches. How do boxers make weight? If I only eat 600 cals and do circuit training which uses 500 cals and the body requires energy and is not getting it from food. Where else can it go but to the fat cells for energy?

JenBenBo

2:14 pm
3 Dec 15
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I agree with the recommendations above. Some foods are healthier then others, but in the end it’s calories in vs. calories out. Have you thought of trying one day of water fasting? This is a calorie restriction diet and at the end of the week there should be a deficit. It’s just instead of doing small calorie restriction every day, this plan hass a large restriction on just a couple days. On my fast days I don’t eat, just water/coffee/tea. It’s possible your off on your counts. Why don’t try one day without? I do 4:3 this way and never count a single calorie on feed days. I’m getting a steady loss. I know everyone is different and will have a different experience with this WOE, but if what you are currently doing isn’t working, mix things up a bit and see if you get a different result. Good luck!

Tremoneboy

3:19 pm
3 Dec 15
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Not eating at all on fast days, right I’ll give that a go.

TracyJ

4:06 pm
3 Dec 15
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Hi Tremoneboy,

I noticed that the calories you were quoting were the ‘averages’ from the book and it made me think maybe you hadn’t done your own TDEE calculation.

Are you sure you’re eating enough?? Weird as it sounds, I think some people in the past have found that to be part of their problem, especially those coming from other more strict ‘starvation’ type diets. I just did a rough TDEE calculation for your weight, height and gender. I didn’t know your age so it’s not that specific to you but it came out over 3000kcal – maybe you’re under-eating on your non-fastdays?

Also, just checking, I’m sure you know this and are doing it but the 600kcal for fastdays is 600kcal whether you’re exercising that day or not. Some people mistakenly think that they can up their intake if they’re exercising on a fastday but that’s not the point of a fastday.

simcoeluv

4:41 pm
3 Dec 15
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Hi Tremone:

The metabolism does not slow down when you eat fewer calories, or speed up when you eat more. If you check the TDEE calculator, you will not see any input for calories eaten. Your TDEE will go down when you lose weight, but that is not an issue for you. There is no such thing as ‘starvation mode’ – it is a myth. If you check the FAQ, above, you will see a brief explanation.

I still suspect you are not losing because of your exercise. All of your exercise is good for your health, but won’t help much with weight loss, and may even hinder it. If you read the link I gave you, you will understand.

People that maintain their weight, as you are doing, are by definition eating to their TDEE. So whether it is the exercise, or not, in which case you are eating to your TDEE, eating even more calories will not resolve your problem.

Good Luck!

Tremoneboy

1:23 pm
4 Dec 15
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Ok so weight stays the same, that’s just a number. Muscle weighs more than fat, but the waistline is staying the same.

Pot-bellied Heron

2:22 pm
4 Dec 15
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Exactly. If you’re eating too much to lose weight, how do you expect your waistline to reduce?

simcoeluv

6:50 pm
4 Dec 15
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Hi Tremoneboy:

A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat.

Tremoneboy

3:25 pm
7 Dec 15
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Pot-bellied Heron-just for the record I am definitely not eating too much. I am exercising, eating 600 cals on fast days. On non fast days I am exercising and eating 2400 cals. To carry out this exercise the body needs energy which on a fast day it is definitely not getting from food intake, so it should have to go to the fat of the body ” burning fat”. Yet I maintain the same weight which can be explained by putting on muscle from the circuits but the waistline remains the same also.
I am getting my thyroid and bloods checked on Wednesday so maybe that will shed some light. Track this all with myfitness pal and exercising 6 out of 7 days so it’s very very frustrating and to be honest worrying.

simcoeluv

5:20 pm
7 Dec 15
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Hi Tremoneboy:

Did you read the thread on exercise I offered to you? You might also read my 30 Jul 14 post on that thread. It might help.

Good Luck!

Tremoneboy

12:16 pm
11 Dec 15
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So simcoeluv-read your 30 Jul post, don’t give up is the message. I won’t, I actually enjoy(well enjoy is a strong word) the exercise. It’s tough going but the sense of achievement afterwards is a great buzz. i’m definitely getting stronger as I used to take the lighter weight option but now I take the heavier one. It’s just this waistline, if it would start to diminish and I started to see results in the mirror.

MariaManna

4:09 pm
13 Dec 15
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Hello, I am going to give this a try. Post menopause seriously kicked me in the…well gut cuz that’s where it decided to sit. Long ago, I use to eat only bread and water 2 days a week as a devotion and now that I remember those days, I was pretty thin.
I am excited to try this and…go 2 days without my wine. Any tips? Especially for the wine part?…lol

atcgirl

10:48 pm
13 Dec 15
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12 pounds down and not an inch gone from my waistline. I’m starting to wonder if cortisol has something to do with it – I’m very stressed. Have you considered that at all?