Long term faster

This topic contains 3 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by BusyBee78 7 years, 5 months ago.

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LianeB

7:52 pm
10 Jul 17
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Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me please. I’ve been fasting now for coming up to 3 years using 5:2 method. In the first instance I went from 11st 3lb down to 9st 10lb in a matter of 6 months and I was chuffed to bits. BMI down to 25.3, felt great. When the weight stopped coming off, I didn’t reduce down to fasting 6:1 as I was afraid the weight would go back on again. I’m finding now that the weight is creeping slowly back even though I have been so disciplined. The only times I have a ‘holiday’ from 5:2 is when I go on holiday which is for around 4 weeks a year. I’ve found after my last 2 holidays, I put on around 4lb and although I go back on the 5:2, it hasn’t come off. I don’t over eat or eat rubbish. I like wine(!) but I don’t go overboard and never drink during the week. I’m now feeling really miserable. I am a busy mum of 2 small children and work full time. I cut out the sugar in my tea and coffee, my fitbit helps me to keep fit and conscious of the amount of exercise I need. Am I the only one to have experienced this? Not quite sure what to do now.

fasting_me

1:41 am
11 Jul 17
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Figure out what you are eating on non-Fast days, as that could be the culprit.
You know the diet works, now fine-tune it with careful consideration of the other days.

By using the Calculator, I found that I need to limit my intake to 1400 calories on Slow Days [non-fast] to maintain my weight where I want it. And that’s plenty of calories for me, especially now that my appetite has decreased. I still Fast 2 days/week because I like the longterm benefits, even though I am at a weight I never thought I’d see again.

Keep the faith, LianeB. You can do it.

Coffeebrained

5:46 pm
13 Jul 17
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Liane, if I read your post correctly, you have only put on 4 pounds and are still in a healthy BMI? If that’s correct, I wouldn’t worry that much and keep doing what you’re doing, and it may slowly come off. If you’re in a healthy BMI, maybe your body is just happy at that weight even though you’re not.

Dr. Mosley’s new guidelines are really helping me, since I refuse to count calories on my non Fast days. He now suggests overnight fasting of 13 hours and sticking to 3 meals a day. On my nonfast days, I used to eat all day long. Just limiting my eating to 3x a day really helps in cutting calories without counting them. Don’t give up! We can do this.

BusyBee78

2:57 pm
18 Jul 17
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Liane, I’ve had exactly the same experiences as you! I’ve been on the 5:2 for over 4 years now – since May 2013 – and I’ve had similar pattern on loss/gain/plateau.

In the first 6 months I went from 11st 2lbs to the lightest I’ve ever been at 9st 10lbs and couldn’t believe I’d finally found a way of eating which actually worked. Apart from holidays I stick to the 5:2 rigidly and if for any reason I can’t do my 2 fast days I get really frustrated/angry about it.

As time has gone on I’m actually finding fast days harder to stick to but I’m so reluctant to change it as any brief experimentation (eg SIRT Food Diet, low carb) has not had anywhere near the same results as 5:2.

Now my son is at school he is home for extended periods during the holidays which is lovely of course but I just can’t stick to fast days when I’m with him all day, and on days out. Mainly I don’t want him asking why I’m not eating when he is tucking in. I don’t like any diet talk around my son: my mum has passed on her terrible body image to me and I am determined not to do the same to him. All this just goes on in my head.

When I can’t be on the 5:2 I gain a few pounds (which shows on my 5’5″ frame) and that makes me very annoyed with myself, ditto if I don’t exercise for any reason. I am quite active and do HIIT workouts most days, although as a former gymnast I gain muscle weight easily. I like wine and food generally but rarely go mad on non-fast days.

My husband is now not very supportive of the 5:2 and always points out how hangry I am on fast days when he comes home in the evening – which isn’t surprising – and that he doesn’t think it works – when it clearly does, or rather did.

I don’t like the way I feel about food and exercise these days, it feels like a roundabout I dare not get off. I don’t know if I’m over-thinking it and just need to button up and get on with it, or if it’s possible my body has just got too used to the 5:2? All in all I’m frustrated that with 2 strict ‘textbook’ fast days a week the scales refuse to budge below 10st.

Good luck LIane – let me know if you find the hole in the fence. I hope we can both reach a happy place!