New 5:2 dieter

liddy19

Hi, I'm new and just wanted to ask some advice on my diet since I've currently hit yet another dreaded plateau!

Over the last 2 years I've managed to lose and keep off ~60lbs, I'm now at 152 and my goal is around 130. I don't really do any strenuous exercise, but I do 4 one-hour walks per week.

My diet is pretty high-carb - I love my cereal, bread and pasta. On the days I go over 150g carbs I'll fit in the hour walks. My problem is my diet is quite low-calorie, I average around 1000 a day (I've always stuck to pretty much the same diet). I think it's because of this my weight loss has stalled, and also because I'm getting nearer to my healthy weight. I've tried to swap the high-carb for low-carb foods before, but I never feel as satisfied/full by the end of the day, and my calorie count falls even further.

Anyway, to switch things up and hopefully get the ball rolling again I've just started following the 5:2 diet. I'm also adding in a weekly cheat meal/dessert to give my metabolism a boost, since my regular day is still 1000 cals (cheat day will probably be around the 2000 mark). Does it sound like this is a good plan to start up and maintain steady weight loss again? I'm desperate to find something that works for me and is consistent, I have a year to shift the rest of these pounds!

Thanks for any help

refinedredbird

1000 calories is not enough food intake daily to be healthy and could be contributing to your "plateau." Though you need carbs daily, it is also important that you are eating enough protein and I find that eating a sufficient amount of protein keeps you full much longer. You have a fairly small amount of weight left to lose and your deficit should not be that high.

liddy19

1000 calories is not enough food intake daily to be healthy and could be contributing to your "plateau." Though you need carbs daily, it is also important that you are eating enough protein and I find that eating a sufficient amount of protein keeps you full much longer. You have a fairly small amount of weight left to lose and your deficit should not be that high.

But would cycling the amount of calories I eat per day not help break through the plateau also? The only thing I could think to do to add more calories would be to add more meat to my evening meals, but I already make sure to regularly eat a lot of chicken/fish. I never feel hungry/tired which is why I've not felt the need to increase my average intake, but if it's going to cause a permanent stall then obviously I'd have to change it up somehow.

Leslie1124

Ive seen alot of people break plateaus with 5:2. Five days of eating at TDEE or TDEE -20% and 2 non consecutive days of eating at 500 cal (women) 600 cal (men).

liddy19

Ive seen alot of people break plateaus with 5:2. Five days of eating at TDEE or TDEE -20% and 2 non consecutive days of eating at 500 cal (women) 600 cal (men).

Brilliant, that's what I'm hoping it'll do for me. I'm probably still cutting it short on the calories but putting in a few treats once a week might help even that out.

Leslie1124

good luck!

liddy19

good luck!

Thanks so much!

jayrudq

I too agree that the 5:2 could help mix things up for you metabolically. But long term, I am loathe and sorry to say that a high-carbo diet may be a lifetime struggle. I am just like you and it has taken me YEARS to overcome this. I have lost 35 lb on low carbo and regained on eating carbos again. Fortunately, while I don't use them for weight loss, there are PLENTY of carbo substitutes that are very satisfying and weight gain neutral. I just stopped using them (and got fat again). And for the calorie count lean protein is your best friend.

Good luck

liddy19

I too agree that the 5:2 could help mix things up for you metabolically. But long term, I am loathe and sorry to say that a high-carbo diet may be a lifetime struggle. I am just like you and it has taken me YEARS to overcome this. I have lost 35 lb on low carbo and regained on eating carbos again. Fortunately, while I don't use them for weight loss, there are PLENTY of carbo substitutes that are very satisfying and weight gain neutral. I just stopped using them (and got fat again). And for the calorie count lean protein is your best friend.

Good luck

That's why I was reluctant to cut them out; I know once I get down to my goal and start eating for maintenance, I'd hate not to be able to have my favourite foods for fear of all the weight coming back. I'll definitely look into substitutes though, and try to fit them in if I can. Thanks for the suggestion!

H_Factor

Another thing you could do is step up the intensity of your exercise..... Consider doing HIIT. If you do a form of interval training where the work intervals bring your HR to near max levels (165-175), you'll trigger EPOC, which will help get that metabolism rolling.

I recommend sprint interval training. You go outside, sprint as fast as you can for 10-15 seconds, and then rest until your HR drops back to <130. Do 6-12 intervals of this. You could also add a bodyweight exercise that you do right after the sprint...and then do your rest period. If you add bodyweight exercises, I recommend compound exercises and rotating between upper body and lower body.

The key to successful sprint interval training is the sprint...and the rest period. Think about the 100 meter dash in the Olympics...those world class athletes are pushing themselves as hard as they can for all 100 meters, and then they are completely spent afterwards. A successful sprint happens when you push yourself as hard as you can....when you engage your *kitten* in the sprint. I promise you that once you engage your *kitten*, you will feel yourself pushing from your *kitten* and you will have achieved a proper sprint. Anyway, the idea is to be spent after those 10-15 seconds so you get your HR up to near max level....and then you rest until HR drops below 130 before doing another sprint.

If you think about what I just described, you'll realize that you cannot do this on a treadmill. First, the treadmill probably doesn't go fast enough for a true 10-15 go all out so you're spent sprint. And, even if it did, you're supposed to be spent at the end of the sprint so good luck jumping off the treadmill without hurting yourself (you certainly shouldn't be able to adjust the treadmill speed downwards and stay on it...if you can, you didn't do the sprint correctly).

another form of HIIT that I like can be found at dailyhiit.com

grrrlface

5:2 is not recommended for low calorie diets or eating disorder sufferers. The idea is you eat a normal amount on the 5 days you are not fasting.

You'd be having 6000 calories a week, then take off your exercise cals on top. It is not healthy.

You sound like you need to eat more, your body will not sustain itself on 1000 calories a day.

ETA: Your body can plateau on not enough food. I was there after a year of under eating then it took me a year to lose 10lbs (when I was at 150, it should have been easier)