Hi maybe you need to compare your body composition with your pre-commencement stats. You sound as if you have stepped up your exercise and maybe have converted to more muscle which weighs heavier than fat. Body composition information may give you a more accurate picture rather than just looking at the numbers on the scales. You sound as though you have been really successful! 🙂

Hi Annette, I’m doing pretty well. Tomorrow is weigh in and measure day. seem to be handling the fast days pretty well. on other days I’m just eating when I’m hungry and decreasing breads and such. not sure I’m eating up to my TDEE, but I’m not hungry. don’t know if that will adversely affect my weight loss or not.

my goals.. I would love to loose about 25-30 lbs, but mostly I would like to be able to get off blood pressure meds. also hoping to decrease heart attack and stroke risk. 5:2 seems to already have eliminated my daily heartburn. I’ll be sticking with it, no matter what, just for that reason.

would love to be able to walk more than a couple hundred feet, and clean my house. LOL. I haven’t seen a lot of people with great improvements in their M.E/CFS as yet, but I hope to be one who does. don’t think I’ll be running any marathons, but a nice walk in the mountains would be lovely( I live near the Smokey Mountains). Hope you are having a great day.

Hi Annette, I have been doing 5:2 for 3 weeks today, I’ve lost 3 lbs, and 5 inches. I’m really pleased. It’s not a massive loss, but it hasn’t been a struggle, and I’m thinking I can do this for the rest of my life.

How are you doing?

hi Annette, Lucy, MountainMyst, you are ALL inspirational ! I am not sure I could do this without the forum for support and motivation.

I am also 3 weeks in, and have shed a few lbs, and an inch or two, but my biggest upside is that my ankle bones & collar bones have re-appeared !!

hooray for the 5:2 diet !

Hi tomtommum, I do love the support and encouragement that we all share here. I enjoy reading your posts, and I love that your collar bones and ankles have put in an appearance!! way to go!

Annie, wow size 8 !!! I think I wore a size eight once, I was probably eight yrs old. LOL. congratulations!

Annette, I’m sure you will find that new goal. for now, celebrate all those too big clothes! you will get back in the swing of things in no time I’m sure.

Rockyromero, know what you mean about the dishes. they are sooo much larger than they used to be. I’m thinking of looking around at some the antique/second hand stores around here and finding some older plates that I like. Kind of mix and match thing. I love eating on smaller plates, makes the food look so much bigger. LOL.

Did another fast day yesterday. so far so good. hope everyone is having a great day.

Annette,

Yay!!!! Sounds like you are doing great…and yes…between 4 and 5 PM on my Fast Days seem to be my “wobble” as well. So I try to reserve my bulk of the 500 calories for dinner at that time. It seems to help.

My Christmas Goal is losing 30 pounds and re-establish my IBW. And to fit back into this pair of amazing black leather pants I bought several years back.

My long term goal is to return to a size 7/8 and maintain it. Tired of the yo-yo dieting.

Here’s to US!

Carla

Annette,

I’ve 17 pounds to go now.

And yes…as soon as I fit back into them 🙂 And figure out how to post a picture here…lol

Hello on this thread. I started 5:2 some months ago, not sure exactly when, and I’m not sure what I weighed exactly. I don’t count calories or measure anything very much. That way lies danger. That way is doom. I have to sort of sneak up on myself by pretending I’m not dieting, not changing anything really. I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone that I’m dieting. I mean, what if I fail!?

5:2 is easier to be sneaky about than, say, a watermelon diet.

So, annette52, putting on clothes is how I track performance, and putting fat clothes in the charity bin is how I know I’m never going back over 80kg again ever ever ever. Finding a much loved red dress stuffed away in the back of a cupboard that I haven’t worn in maybe five years, and finding it fits again is true happiness.

annette52,
I can’t even begin to thank you enough for your posts. First of all, I joined the forum just to say thank you! Today, a fast day for me, I was a little discouraged. I don’t have much weight to lose (just under a stone, as you Brits say!) & was beginning to wonder if the 5:2 was working for me. I started 3 weeks ago & have lost weight & inches, although I can’t find my tape measure & keep forgetting to buy a new one!! But I noticed that when I used to fast dinner only I lost weight faster than fasting all day. So today I started to quit the 5:2. But then I stumbled on this post & was encouraged to keep going.

It’s only been 3 weeks, but I have lost about 3 pounds. I need to take your suggestion and weigh/measure only once a week. That might help me see the real progress.

As usual, I feel great on my fast day! And I’m encouraged to persevere. Good luck finding a new goal for motivation. I mostly wear skirts & maxi dresses (I live in the South in the US & it is HOT here in the summer!!) so I’m not noticing a big difference in my clothes. However, at my match this morning, I noticed my tummy was flatter & there was more room in my favorite tennis skirt!!

Thanks again!! And a shout out to MountainMyst…I’m in Arkansas. 🙂

Hi Momabear, so glad you posted. hang in there, it’s worth it! congrats on the roomy tennis skirt! that will be a good way to gauge how things are going. and you are right, it does get HOT here in the south. my body doesn’t tolerate heat well, so I’m not out a lot in summer. like you, I lost 3 lbs in the first 3 weeks. this week I lost 1.6, so I’m really pleased. we southern belles( well, I’m rapidly headed into little granny woman, LOL) can encourage each other as well and enjoying the wisdom that Annette is kind enough to share.

Annette, do you measure once a week? I’m debating on once a week, versus once a month. I’m wearing a pair of jeans that were getting way to tight, makes me really happy!! how is your week starting off?

Yes, @annette52!!! You may join us as Southern Belles! I love the South, but unlike @mountainmyst I love the heat we have here!!

Today is a fast day for me & although I’m so hungry I feel awesome. I love that about fasting! I also just bought a new tape measure, as I never found mine. I plan to measure myself tonight. I’m pretty sure my waist is already half my height, but it’s the “pooch” below that came with baby #3 I’m trying to lose. And unlike just regular dieting, I’ve noticed that pooch disappearing with fasting….. Yay.

Hi Annette, absolutely you can join us southern Belles. the more the merrier. I will try weighing only once a week, and I haven’t been measuring once a week, will add that to the routine. As for only fasting once, that is what I love about this WoL, it’s really flexible and forgiving of days off. good luck with work this week.

Hi Momabear, I used to enjoy summer, but my age and the M.E/CFS makes it difficult. How did the fast day go? terrific news on the disappearing pooch. here’s to shrinkage for us all.

whoohoo!!! Mommabear, congratulations! that is wonderful! sorry your little one was sick, hope they are feeling better today

CFS is chronic fatigue syndrome, know in most of the rest of the world as M.E. Myalgic encephalitis. cause unknown so far, lots of research showing various physical abnormalities, but nothing really treatable easily. it’s feels a bit like having the flu all the time. I find if I try to walk very far my legs give out and I’m leaning on my cane to stand up. most of my days are spent trying to clean my house and cook a meal. so that’s pretty much my exercise program. LOL.

sorry if that is too much info. I’m hoping this way of life will help with some of our symptoms( my husband and daughter have it also) I seem to be having an easier time with the fasting than they do so far. I’m rather enjoying it. I’m not pushing them, just fixing healthy meals ( most of the time). hope you are having a good day.

Hi Mommabear, today is fast day for us too. smart to not try and fast on a day like yesterday. hope you won your match.

I too, am hoping for improvement in the CFS. so far the biggest thing has been no more heartburn, and maybe a little more energy in the mornings. something to celebrate in my book.

hope your fast day has gone well. take care

Good luck annette. I’m sure your determination will help you get rid of that little blip. Apparently, what goes on quickly comes off quickly.

Hi Annette, you can do it! you are strong and determined. your body probably needed a little recovery time from all the training and now you are ready to get back to it.

good luck and know that lots of folks are cheering for you!

annette52,

Don’t be disheartened. I was so successful the first 10+ weeks of 5:2. Then 6 weeks of stress eating and very difficult fast/feast days, like what happened to you. Gained 5 lbs and was incredibly discouraged. I wanted to feel like I did when I first started this woe.

Good news…..Determined to not give up, which honestly is a first for me, especially after weeks of non success, I somehow am getting back to the mindset now as when I first started.

Lost 3 lbs this week and am dumb founded! You should have seen what I put away in this pie hole of mine!!! But on Monday I said to myself, fake it til I make it. Monday and Tuesday were hard, but then I allowed myself to feel the hunger pangs and remember it means my body is getting healthy again. I savored every bite of food, chewing and eating slowly. Now, I am totally remotivated!

What happened this time, which makes this different than my whole adult life of yoyo dieting , followed by completely giving up? I allowed myself to realize that like everything else in life, things and experiences, tend to ebb and flow. Sometimes I feel great, successful, unstoppable, happy. And sometimes I feel sad, discouraged, scared of the results success brings, and like a failure. And you now, it’s OK! Just because I’m a human being , eeking out my existence on this earth, like everyone else, DOES NOT mean I have to throw in the towel when I hit a bit of a rough patch in life or 5:2. Finally, I’m getting that, of course I can’t be 100% successful 100% of the time in anything! No one can.

Just remember…. this too shall pass! Sorry so long! As I write on this forum, I’m realizing that it’s very much a way for me to process the whole 5:2 experience. You have had a rough 3 weeks, and maybe you’re not done yet. But it WILL NOT last. Allow it to be OK, experience what you need to, and when it’s over, back on wagon again. Yoor good health is too precious to not have patience with, (which is why I suspect so many of us have given up time and again in the past). Just know you are not alone!!

hi Mommabear, don’t worry about “only” loosing a little. I usually weigh more the day after a fast, no clue why, but it has always dropped in a day or so. hope you get past the headaches soon.

awww,Annette, don’t be too hard on yourself, you will get back in the swing. a new week coming. I know you can do it!

Tidychick, woohoo, 3 lbs, that’s wonderful! thank you for sharing with us, you always express yourself so well, and I enjoy reading your posts.

take care all.

RoBa,

Oh my goodness, you made me laugh!! Thanks, I needed to do that. I love it!! Parachute off Everest….. that is the first place I gain and loose weight too.

MountainMyst,

I quite enjoy reading your posts as well. I guess 3 lbs in a week is pretty good, when you lift that weight in butter or potatoes. Thanks for the encouragement!

Mommabear,

Isn’t that just the best feeling in the world? That’s awesome! Fitting clothes you haven’t worn in forever is very motivating, plus you know you are on the road to good health.

Annette52, I’d much rather lose the inches than the pounds!! I really don’t care what I weigh. In fact, if my weight stayed the same but I lost several inches, that would be ok too!

Although, it’s odd…I measured this morning & I’m not really seeing a difference. But yesterday I wore a dress to church and didn’t wear Spanx underneath it! And everyone was calling me skinny!! Woohoo! So something is working.

Question for everyone: do you fast 36 hours? Or 24? Anyone tried eating 8 hours, fasting 16? I have a friend at the gym doing that & she looks amazing! I’m fine with the 5:2, just wondered if anyone else has tried it.

Hi everyone, sorry I haven’t checked in. having a bit of a brain fog problem at the moment.

Roba, Love the parachute thing. my daughter says she should be able to use her bra’s for a hammock. LOL. sounds like you are doing great.

Mommabear, love that your clothes are getting bigger, that’s great!

Annette, how are you doing? good idea about trying on clothes once a week at the same time. I think I’m going to pick out something that is too tight and watch it get bigger.

I’m still doing pretty good. lost 1.6 lbs last week. still no heartburn, sooo happy with this way of eating! hope everyone is doing well.

hi, tomtommum, hang in there, I know you can do this! I think that lots of us have days that we could eat for our perspective countries. I live in the southern U.S., lots of fried goodies and sweets. so tempting at times. I am finding that they are less tempting as time goes by.
I’ve read many of your other posts, I know you are strong and determined, you will get through this rough patch. let me know how you are doing ok?