Struggling On Fasting Days

daeum
daeum Posts: 5
in Motivation and Support
Calling everyone on the 5:2 diet for help!!

For the past few week I've been struggling to keep to 500 calories on my fasting days (Mondays and Thursdays). I often find myself exceeding 600 calories and then saying "Screw it, I'll just fast tomorrow". The following day I do fast but I always come close to going over 600 calories (even when I'm supposed to only eat 500). On my normal days, I eat fairly well and keep to my 1300 calories, but I find it that it's my fasting days that I'm struggling with.

I keep fluctuating between 3 pounds and the inches aren't coming off either. I've lost 12 pounds so far but I still have another 40 to go. I love 5:2 for its benefits and its simpleness but clearly I'm not in the honeymoon phase anymore and I find myself dreading each fast day. I tell myself to pull through and fast today and tomorrow I will get to eat the foods I want, however even that isn't enough to convince me.

Can you fellow 5:2 followers give me any advice :-(

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    My understanding of the 5:2 diet would have you eating at maintenance the othet 5 days. Have you considered that you may be undereating in general and that's why your body is asking you to eat more on your fast days?
  • daeum
    daeum Posts: 5
    There have been some days where I overeat by maybe 100 - 200 calories so on I try to make it up by eating maybe around 1200 calories on the other days (I realize I'm contradicting what I posted previously as I type this lol). However 1200 compared to my usual 1300 isn't that dramatic, but could what I'm doing with the compensating on other days be considered under eating?
  • janellfelker
    janellfelker Posts: 14 Member
    Would you mind explaining fast days?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Would you mind explaining fast days?

    You can get a lot of information about 5:2 fasting around the web, but the basic idea is an eating protocol where, instead of creating a small deficit every day, you eat your maintenance calories (TDEE) 5 days a week and create the deficit you need for weight loss by eating very low calorie (around 500-600 calories) the other two days.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    There have been some days where I overeat by maybe 100 - 200 calories so on I try to make it up by eating maybe around 1200 calories on the other days (I realize I'm contradicting what I posted previously as I type this lol). However 1200 compared to my usual 1300 isn't that dramatic, but could what I'm doing with the compensating on other days be considered under eating?

    It's hard to say without your stats. Let's start here: what's your TDEE?
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
    You're way under eating and so your fasting days aren't successful. You get to eat more on your non-fasting days and I think you're eating what MFP tells you according to your goals (the 1300 calories is to have a small deficit each day). With 5:2, you get your deficit for the week with your two fasting days.

    What are you eating on your fasting days? You shouldn't be hungry, really. You can eat tons of veggies for next to no calories, broths are filling, and lots of water will keep you full.
  • daeum
    daeum Posts: 5

    It's hard to say without your stats. Let's start here: what's your TDEE?

    My TDEE is 1735 so a 400 deficit isn't too bad
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member

    It's hard to say without your stats. Let's start here: what's your TDEE?

    My TDEE is 1735 so a 400 deficit isn't too bad

    You should be eating 1735 on your non-fast days and only eating at a deficit on your fast days. I'm not surprised that you're finding fast days hard when you're creating such a deficit on your regular days as well.
  • daeum
    daeum Posts: 5
    You're way under eating and so your fasting days aren't successful. You get to eat more on your non-fasting days and I think you're eating what MFP tells you according to your goals (the 1300 calories is to have a small deficit each day). With 5:2, you get your deficit for the week with your two fasting days.

    What are you eating on your fasting days? You shouldn't be hungry, really. You can eat tons of veggies for next to no calories, broths are filling, and lots of water will keep you full.
    So I should be eating my TDEE and not worry about a deficit because the fasting days take care of the deficit? Wow that makes a lot of sense actually. I've been doing 5:2 incorrectly along with under eating :embarassed:

    On my fast days I try to eat predominantly veggies, especially in soups. Along with that I have schoolwork that keeps me occupied but some how my mind keeps wandering to food, the bad food too. I don't restrict myself on my normal days and eat the chocolate if I want to but I don't binge.
  • daeum
    daeum Posts: 5
    Wow. I'm really glad I posted rather than keeping it to myself and suffering the consequences. Thank you all for replying. I've realized I've been doing 5:2 wrong all along. (I'm so excited to find out that I can eat more than 1300 calories on my non-fast days.) Thank you guys truly :-)))
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
    Wow. I'm really glad I posted rather than keeping it to myself and suffering the consequences. Thank you all for replying. I've realized I've been doing 5:2 wrong all along. (I'm so excited to find out that I can eat more than 1300 calories on my non-fast days.) Thank you guys truly :-)))

    I'm glad you posted, too! You may have ended up quite miserable without the info! So, yes - try 1735 for your eating days and 500 to 600 on your fasting days. And it's okay if it takes a while to get used to your fasting days. Good luck :)
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    On my fast days I try to eat predominantly veggies, especially in soups. Along with that I have schoolwork that keeps me occupied but some how my mind keeps wandering to food, the bad food too. I don't restrict myself on my normal days and eat the chocolate if I want to but I don't binge.

    This is great and should keep you pretty satisfied, as long as you're eating normally on the other 5 days of course :tongue:

    I'm fasting on alternate days and eating about 2000 on non-fasting days. I've been turning humble vegetables into fantastic moroccan feasts with the addition of spices and lots of fresh herbs like parsley and coriander. Good luck!
  • janellfelker
    janellfelker Posts: 14 Member
    Would you mind explaining fast days?

    You can get a lot of information about 5:2 fasting around the web, but the basic idea is an eating protocol where, instead of creating a small deficit every day, you eat your maintenance calories (TDEE) 5 days a week and create the deficit you need for weight loss by eating very low calorie (around 500-600 calories) the other two days.

    Thank you!
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    Would you mind explaining fast days?

    You can get a lot of information about 5:2 fasting around the web, but the basic idea is an eating protocol where, instead of creating a small deficit every day, you eat your maintenance calories (TDEE) 5 days a week and create the deficit you need for weight loss by eating very low calorie (around 500-600 calories) the other two days.

    That is like HIIT for diet. Definitely modern. I couldn't do it, that is for sure. I am on keto, and I know nothing about this, so I will not offer any advice, but it is fun to read the answers.

    *edit...except to say that your mind needs a fuel source when you are using it. If you fast your body, you are fasting your brain, too. Try studying on days that you don't fast. you will conserve calories!
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    *edit...except to say that your mind needs a fuel source when you are using it. If you fast your body, you are fasting your brain, too. Try studying on days that you don't fast. you will conserve calories!

    I get a little vague at the end of a fast day as I tend to save my 500 calories for dinnertime so I don't go to be hungry. BUT. My mind is sharper on fast days than non-fast days. This is borne out by MRI studies on people who are fasting as the primal motivation centres of the brain are activated.
  • redscylla
    redscylla Posts: 211 Member
    Glad you're going to up your non-fast days to your TDEE. You will feel much better.

    I am the opposite on fast days--I basically don't eat veggies. I save them for non-fast days. When I'm fasting, all I eat is protein. For breakfast, I have an egg and a piece of bacon, for under 120 cals. I can go all day on that. Not hungry, not tired, and then I get my other 380 cals for dinner, where I also eat meaty things. And cheese. And avocado.
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    Glad you're going to up your non-fast days to your TDEE. You will feel much better.

    I am the opposite on fast days--I basically don't eat veggies. I save them for non-fast days. When I'm fasting, all I eat is protein. For breakfast, I have an egg and a piece of bacon, for under 120 cals. I can go all day on that. Not hungry, not tired, and then I get my other 380 cals for dinner, where I also eat meaty things. And cheese. And avocado.

    I'll give it a try!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    If it's a program that you're struggling with, it's probably one you shouldn't do since the idea is to continue with that program for life.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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