Fasting day today
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LosinMelinda71
Posts: 2 Member
Gah I am doing a 4:3 this week because I haven't lost any weight doing 5:2 for the past month, and I woke up this morning starving. I'm going to do this. lol I think I will be drinking a lot of broth today. =D anyone else fasting today?
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If you're having trouble make sure you're not "underdoing" it...yes, that's right, underdoing. Meaning if you aren't filling up on non-fast days (eating close to your TDEE) then your metabolism could be stalled. I'm going to guess that you are in pretty good shape already (based on "30 lbs to lose")...from what I'm seeing on the boards...when you are smaller your logging needs to be that much more accurate. Log everyday just to get a clear picture of what your eating habits are. Don't forget the water.
Good luck and welcome to the 5:2 group.0 -
Thanks I haven't been logging everyday but I felt like I should so I am now. I am getting over being sick last week. It may be why I am so hungry. I think I may just eat and try again on friday. I am not usually this hungry. It hasn't gone away and it is actually worse. I know to listen to my body. Ok off to eat some good food. lol Thanks oricam for the welcome
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If you're having trouble make sure you're not "underdoing" it...yes, that's right, underdoing. Meaning if you aren't filling up on non-fast days (eating close to your TDEE) then your metabolism could be stalled. I'm going to guess that you are in pretty good shape already (based on "30 lbs to lose")...from what I'm seeing on the boards...when you are smaller your logging needs to be that much more accurate. Log everyday just to get a clear picture of what your eating habits are. Don't forget the water.
Good luck and welcome to the 5:2 group.
Orlcam, I have a question...in order for me to do better on 5:2 should I make sure that meet my TDEE and eat back my work-out calories as well on my non-fast days? But then again on Sundays I normally eat about 1000 over my TDEE (I know, it's bad but when the kids have pizza I think I should eat it too) I must do better
So if I do overindulge one day should I aim at reducing my TDEE on the other days to compensate?LosinMelinda71 wrote: »Thanks I haven't been logging everyday but I felt like I should so I am now. I am getting over being sick last week. It may be why I am so hungry. I think I may just eat and try again on friday. I am not usually this hungry. It hasn't gone away and it is actually worse. I know to listen to my body. Ok off to eat some good food. lol Thanks oricam for the welcome
I've been sick too this week, I will be back on track next week (I think eating enough helped me fight my cold). Well come to our community!0 -
Here's a frustrating answer...it depends. That's why we log...so we can see what is and isn't working. If someone stalls I suggest for them to look closely at what's happening...meaning you need to log (accurately & truthfully) everyday. Which also means that if you are unsure about a calorie count then you should never err to the deficit, always err to additional calories. I am new to this also, and always learning, but as you know a # of factors come into play...the first being is your TDEE accurate? If we lived in a perfect world and were perfect people we could spend a month eating at our expected TDEE (while living/exercising the same and drinking the same) day after day after day...to see what happens. This would mean you were never close to starvation and you lived a "static" life that month...if everything went right (your BMR was right, your activity level was right, etc.) then you would be the same weight at the end of the month. If not then adjust and try again, but that takes too much time...so we jump right in to weight loss, adding all the variables at once. Some of these are: is a lb in your body really equal to 3500 calories? Are all calories created equal? Does stress affect your metabolism? What's the best eating schedule for you? All of these factors come into play (in my opinion) to a different degree for each person, and while each taken separately may only skew your weight loss calculation slightly, when you start adding all of these together the %tage could be large. Confusing...and frustrating...huh?Orlcam, I have a question...in order for me to do better on 5:2 should I make sure that meet my TDEE and eat back my work-out calories as well on my non-fast days? But then again on Sundays I normally eat about 1000 over my TDEE (I know, it's bad but when the kids have pizza I think I should eat it too) I must do better So if I do overindulge one day should I aim at reducing my TDEE on the other days to compensate?
But not really, because you have your trusty log and you can learn a lot from it. The trick is staying positive long enough and having the patience to stick with it until we can actually learn something from it. You, me, everybody can get to the right balance...some will get lucky and find it on day 1, for others it can take awhile. An example would be someone who comes in and sheds a few pounds in the beginning (oh great! I found the dream diet!) and then 3 weeks in they stall; people usually react to this by lessening calorie intake, which initially may start the weight loss again, but they actually wind up tightening their metabolism (slowly moving their bodies into starvation mode). Now they need to spend time getting their metabolism right, they're going to have to eat their TDEE for a while to set things in motion again...while not getting discouraged.
I know you're asking me "what should you do?", but I don't have your history...I only have my own. I had to come to terms with the fact that 6 and 7 lb weekly losses (every single week) aren't sustainable, not unless I make some changes that I would consider too severe. I've found a happy medium...I know I live a life that is more sedentary than most calculators' definitions of "sedentary" (including MyFitnessPal's). So, as you know (in my quest to understand as much as I could), I created my own BMR/TDEE calculator. It helped me come up with a TDEE where I could consistently lose ~2.5 lbs a week (or more) without exercise and without starving myself. I had to then try to apply it to MFP (to get the benefits of the auto-calculation), and settled on roughly 75% of what they calculate my TDEE as. Because I am so large (here I go again), I don't have to be exactly right...those who are shorter and smaller than I will need to tighten it up some. A few % could be a few 100 calories to me while to others it may be under 100. However, I "will" dance the happy dance when I get to a point where those ranges narrow (and become "normal").
One thing too...a very important thing...people saw me lose 7 lbs a week so they think I may be some sort of 5:2 magician. I've been on 5:2 since July 29th and have lost about 42 lbs. That is not even 10% of my body weight...I'm getting there, but no, not yet. There are others in this forum that have easily lost 10% in that amount of time. I don't know your weight (and I don't ask that of people...I know how uncomfortable I am with mine), but I bet that you have beaten me many weeks when it comes to %tage lost.
But you've read this far and I really haven't given you anything...have I? So the advice I would give is that if you are stalled and have already gone the route of reducing your calories (multiple times) then it may be time to try and reset your metabolism. If you "trust" your TDEE then try eating at it for 12 to 15 days (hey the holidays are coming, might be a good time to try this), then go back to fasting. Remember, you may gain some, but if your TDEE is accurate that should level off in about a week. But stay positive, you are still a 5:2er, it's a lifestyle...this is only a test, so don't look at it as a backward step...disregard the gain while you are "normalizing" again.
Also, yes, I would eat back my exercise calories on non-fast days...this is energy burned, to have a "normal" day you would need to replace "all" of the calories used up in that day (your basal plus all activity). You also need to remember that all exercise is not the same...me running for a mile (yeah, right!) and you running for a mile (at the same exact pace) would yield a huge difference in calories burned; mainly because, for me, it would be like you running with a few extra 75 lb weights strapped to your body.
As for the extra 1000 calories on Sundays...you'll obviously have to make up the difference. If you eat your TDEE for 4 days, your TDEE+1000 for 1 day, and then twice a week do 500 calories, then you need to realize...you're going to have to either do another half-fast each week or eat 0 (yes, that's zero) calories on your fast days (2 x 500 = 1000). Looking at it that way...it really doesn't seem worth it, does it? If you are really expecting to blow it out every Sunday then I would either eat just 1 good meal on Saturday or maybe skip breakfast on the weekends.
Most importantly, please don't beat me up if I'm wrong. This is all guesswork for me...knowing what little I know about you. ...and whatever happens, let us all know, and never give up, even if this little experiment backfires.
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THANKS SO MUCH Orlcam! Thanks for taking to the time to give me all that great information to ponder. I agree that everyone is different and I often think "oh, what if my numbers are all wrong or am I logging too much for exercise" (housework or pushing the kids in the buggy or bathing the kids). Is even right to log those types of things
![:\](https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
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Like you said I just need to keep a close eye on my numbers and learn form them! I know that I will get there I just have to be persistent and never give up.
I currently am around 170lbs and
my current TDEE is set at maintenance at 1810cals.
I am going to keep a close eye on everything and keep on truckn'. Thanks for all of your support, it really is incredibly appreciated
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@orlcam What a thoughtful response. So glad you are co-leader of this group. You have a lot to offer.
One comment - I would recommend some exercise for you. You have mentioned you are doing IT work. I know from experience it is easy in that business to spend hours hunched over a computer and not move a muscle. It is very hard on the body and mind not to take a break. A simple 15 minute walk around the block or even your place of work every couple of hours will re-energize you. Your body will love you for it.0 -
Thank you @jknight001...I have been messing around with some exercises...but it's not near the level it needs to be. My plan was to lose ~100 lbs and get to where I felt comfortable...which is a relative term. I don't have the best knees, I've played football in the past which included heavy strength training. It is probably why my health is still good...no diabetes, good blood pressure, decent cholesterol...I do have an enlarged heart, but it is very possible (according to my cardiologist) that this developed when I was pushing myself to extremes...when I was younger. Also I think the fact that I've taken multi-vitamins pretty consistently since I was a kid has made a difference. I've also had a few fractures in my left foot (4...never complete breaks), twice in the same place (hmmm, why never my right?). Physically I don't think it will stop me, but the pain can/does eventually. I need to build up my tolerance for pain again...I do not like taking anything outside the realm of supplements and vitamins. I don't even drink coffee, which is another issue...my heart doctor has suggested adding caffeine to my diet a few times, but I don't like how it makes me feel. I can get a thermogenic reaction from fasting, and it feels natural...with no jitters or palpitations.
But exercise is definitely in my future...most likely sooner than later.0 -
@orlcam. I am not a big fan of "No pain, no gain". Personally, I think messing around with some exercises is great! Exercise that is fun is exercise that will last for a lifetime. For myself, if I over do it I don't want to come back. If I don't feel like going to the gym I tell myself to go and just exercise at a reduced level. I may just be tired and need to pull back a bit. Not over doing it keeps me coming back ready to try my best. Eventually, I do move up to the next level while still enjoying what I do.
OK, I will get off of my soap box now.
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