Helpful tips?

startingoveragain2020

I was wondering if anyone can give me any tips on healthy living. I am trying to lose 1 stone and I am following the 5:2 eating plan. On the 2 days each week, I have 500 calories each day and 4 days, I stick very rigidly to my 1200 calories each day and on 1 day a week, I allow myself to have a few treats but never go above 1800 calories on that one day.

Everyday, no matter what calories intake day it is, I eat little and often - spread evenly throughout the day.

As for fitness, I do get to the gym but not frequently (family commitments) but usually once a week. But nearly every night when I am not at gym, I am out jogging with my son or we go out on our bikes for 6/7 mile cycles. I do a minimum of 80 squats everyday and have introduced some ab crunches everyday now too, only 30 though. I also do an hour of yoga once a week.

But I am not losing any weight at all. I fluctuate by a pound up then down, but never anymore. I am not very underweight at all and I am at the top end of my "healthy" BMI.

Sorry for the long post, but does anyone have any ideas?

sijomial

You are eating very low on what are supposed to be your 5 normal eating days.
When you say you stick to 1200 on 4 of them do you mean you are not eating back exercise calories either?
Really hope that's not the case as you seem to have a very active lifestyle.

Most people on 5:2 that are seeking to lose weight eat at their TDEE on the 5 normal days so that the weekly calorie deficit comes from the 2 days at 500 calories only.

Are you very petite?
Have you worked out your BMR or TDEE?

By the way there are a couple of groups on here for people following 5:2 lifestyle.

startingoveragain2020

I'm not petite at all, I am medium build, 5"5'. I count back calories on the cycles and jogs but dont bother counting the calories for any squats/crunches or the yoga. I don't feel that I am all that active. Although my cycles are quite long, they are not hard-going as it's with my 6-year old son - so need to keep a steady pace - same for the jogs. Which are never further than 1mile at a time (again for my son).

MFP - gave me the 1200 calories each day total when I created my account and have stuck to that since.

Yeah, my bmr is 1972.

Sorry if I have posted it in the wrong place, although I have used the app for a long time for food diary - I have never used the community section of it before.

sijomial

In my opinion you need to eat far more on your non-fasting days. 1200 that MFP gave you was to create a deficit across the whole week. By also dropping to 500 on two days you are creating a huge weekly deficit which is unlikely to be healthy for someone already in the healthy BMI range.

Your BMR number looks very high to me - are you sure that's not your TDEE? Here's a useful calculator you can plug your stats into - http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

Remember that the 5:2 fasting style is supposed to be 2 days at 500 cals and 5 days eating NORMALLY.

The groups are useful for sharing tips and experience, the general forums will often attract very negative comments from people ignorant of the 5:2 regime.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8005-5-2-fasting
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8628-5-2-diet

TavistockToad

i agree with the other poster, you need to eat a LOT more on your non fast days.

startingoveragain2020

Sorry, yeah I didnt write that out properly (at work and shouldnt be online)! BMR is 1530 and TDEE is 2100.

Cool, thanks for giving me those links.

Well that's a helpful tip, I wasn't expecting - but I will eat some more now! Fabby - happy Friday or what.

Thanks again