Am I not eating enough?

I have been on a diet now for 2 weeks, the first week I started on just lowered calories in conjunction with myfitnesspal, a healthy way to lose weight. I do have it set to lose 1.5 kg's a week, so it is 1,400 calories per day, and you log your exercise and it give you more. However, some of the other girls have been doing the 5:2, so decided to give that a go too. First week lost 4kgs. This week I have had one day of being naughty and are over my allowance, and I didn't lose any weight. Yesterday was a fasting day, and I was extremely good. And did manage to get off to sleep last night - hard when you are hungry. This morning I had gained a kilo - how do you work that out??

I have not been eating up to my allowance of calories in any case and it says that my body with go into starvation mode, so with the 2 days not eating any where near enough as far as MFP is concerned, I think this is what has happened.

So what do I do girls and boys? Increase the MFP settings to be losing 1kg a week, but also do the 5:2, or just do the 5:2, of carry on with the MFP and do it at the 1.5kg a week setting and make sure I eat that much?

I have an active lifestyle.

Replies

  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    ummm-no.gif
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    The first thing to do is to stop trying to crash diet - If you only have 5kg/11lbs (according to your profile) to lose then half a pound a week loss would be better, 1lb a week max in my opinion.

    If you decide to do 5:2 fasting then you should only be restricting on the 2 days - the 5 days are supposed to be eating normally (i.e. maintenance calories).

    If you want to be successful then set a sensible weight loss target, log accurately and eat up to your goal calories.
  • hookandy
    hookandy Posts: 278 Member
    The 5:2 has you eating at maintenance 5 days and then at deficit for 2 days

    Or you eat at deficit through the week. (You are aiming for 3500 deficit for .5Kg)

    You are only just starting to change, there is no rush. Choose which of the above gives you a life that fits with your life and go with that.

    Personally what I would do is change the MFP settings to 1Kg and eat to that. If you go into the red a little a couple of times a week, that will not do any harm either. Remember that over is still in deficit unless you are over by 500+

    Then is 2 months time you could switch to 5:2 and shake things up again.

    Only weigh weekly, the scales will drive you mad otherwise. Water will mess with your head (I can put on 2kg in a day, just water though, if I have too much salt/sodium)
  • MariaSymonds
    MariaSymonds Posts: 13 Member
    Thanks guy's. I do have more weight to lose than that, but that was my more recent all time low, so wanted to get back down to that and thought it was a realistic goal.

    I did go on a website the other day and it said I have 18kg's to lose, I don't see where from TBH. I am an equestrian, am quite fit, and extremely well muscled. I also have a large chest, and they weighs quite a bit, so tend to go by fat percentage. I don't want to look skinny, I just want to be a size 14 / 16, as I have been very slim before and I looked awful.

    I am so tired, so I will increase the calories / reduce the rate of loss / stop the crash diet, and get it off with more exercise. If I go out for a meal, I shall enjoy my meal and have a fast day the next day. - Far more sensible.
  • MariaSymonds
    MariaSymonds Posts: 13 Member
    Yesterday I ate more, and did some exercise, in the form of field management and took a horse out for an hours walk in hand, and this morning I have lost half a kilo, it would appear that I wasn't eating enough. :-)
  • missybct
    missybct Posts: 321 Member
    You sound pretty active, and you seem confident enough in yourself - don't conform to the societal view of weight loss or body size - if you feel comfortable, if you are healthy and if you are HAPPY, then just stay right where you are. Do whatever you want to do that you can maintain and manage everyday, rather than dieting to 9 stone and having to beat yourself up about it.

    Eat clean, everything in moderation, plenty of water, keep up with the exercise and don't STRESS.
  • alethea88
    alethea88 Posts: 112 Member
    you cannot trust the scale completely. it might be water weight...
  • YnaParis
    YnaParis Posts: 4
    You sound pretty active, and you seem confident enough in yourself - don't conform to the societal view of weight loss or body size - if you feel comfortable, if you are healthy and if you are HAPPY, then just stay right where you are. Do whatever you want to do that you can maintain and manage everyday, rather than dieting to 9 stone and having to beat yourself up about it.

    Eat clean, everything in moderation, plenty of water, keep up with the exercise and don't STRESS.

    ^^ This ! MTE !
    Know that not eating enough does more harm than good. If your deficit is too big, your body will store. It's rather easy to understand "you are starving me? ok, i'll put some in my pocket for later (hips!)"