Best solution for those who find it hard to lose weight?

From what I was saying on the fasting, because I don't remember anything about 1250 on fast days:

1500 cals to maintain at sedentary activity for 5'4" at 40 years and 130 lbs, using 5:2 method

Sunday - 500 calories
Monday - 1500 calories
Tuesday -1500 calories
Wednesday - 500 calories
Thursday -1500 calories
Friday -1500 calories
Saturday -1500 calories

If you ate like this in a 5:2 fasting method, you should lose 0.6 lbs per week with no working out, calories being very accurate and estimate on TDEE for 1500 being accurate.

Sunday - 500 calories
Monday - 1500 calories - workout day
Tuesday -1500 calories
Wednesday - 500 calories
Thursday -1500 calories - workout day
Friday -1500 calories
Saturday -1500 calories - workout day

If you ate like this above in a 5:2 fasting method and worked out but didn't count the calories in your diary you would lose closer to 0.75 lbs per week estimating that you only burn 200 calories per workout 3x a week. If you actually truly burn more than 200, you would lose more, and if you burn less, you would lose closer to 0.6 lbs per week again.

SO, you can see how if you actually are not accurate in the way you log food in your diary that you can wipe out a 5:2 fasting deficit pretty quickly. If your 500 cal days are actually 700 cal days and your non-fasting days are mostly in surplus due to incorrect exercise logging AND food logging - let's say another 200 cals per day extra there (that's underestimating), that 0.6 lb loss can drop quickly to a 0.3 lb loss per week or less, which I think is what you're experiencing. And, if you choose to eat in surplus on the weekend, you'll have to adjust how much you're eating again during the weekdays to still see a loss.

If I were you and wanting to do 5:2, I would play around with my calories and schedule of workouts to see what I would be able to stick with and what the math turns out to be at the end of the week. Then be extremely strict with calorie counting and diary entries so that the only big variable is the workout calories. Keep doing the same thing for a couple weeks and based on results, adjust if needed.

This content has been removed.

JAT74 wrote: »

Thank you. I did not mention 1250 calories on fast days, I was talking about switching to eating this on non-fast days (normal days).

The only weeks when I have done 5:2 and lost 1lb, is when I have eaten 1300 calories or less AND exercised.

Just for the record, I do some form of exercise 6-7 days a week (ie. either cardio in the gym, a walk of 40-60 minutes, a HIIT workout for 35 minutes etc.) I also aim for 10,000 steps per day on top of this.

Yes, that would make sense that if you ate lower than your maintenance on non fasting days plus exercise that you would lose about 1 lb per week. Your're replying as if your 100% accurate with counting. If you do that much activity you must be blowing your cals out of the water somewhere. If you can't be accurate, then you have to lower your cals in your diary artificially so that you don't go over in what your body gets from how much you actually eat...because your body knows and doesn't lie. So if 1300 does it for you, then go back to that, but you can't say you are actually 100% eating that low for sure.

JAT74 wrote: »

blankiefinder, obviously you didn't read my first post. If you had you would have noticed I said:

'I was wondering if there were others out there who have similar problems and if so how do you manage? Some people tell me it's easier if you eat low carb, eat 'clean' or if you reduce calories on the other 5 days a week too to around 1200 per day in order to lose a bit faster.

I would like to hear from others in my position as I'd like to find a way of eating that will allow me to lose a bit quicker/more consistently and is sustainable at least until I reach my goal weight and then I know I will be able to eat a little bit more.'

Nothing there asking for help with logging, asking about how many calories I burn through exercise, about asking for help or advice from people who are NOT in my position etc. If that had been the case, I would have simply asked a different question and posted a different message initially.

Well I posted to you way back in the beginning, but now that this has kind of blown up, I wanted to add something. As I stated, I am eating @ 1500 cals and losing @ 1 lb per month. Because I am short, a reasonably healthy weight, and old , I don't have much margin for error.

I am fine with this very slow pace, but if it stopped, which it probably will sooner rather than later, the way I would manage would be to tighten up my logging. I don't always weigh everything, my dirty little secret. Sometimes i do, sometimes I don't. But if the weight loss stopped, the first thing I would do to deal with it is start weighing everything and being extra careful about the entries I was using.

When your TDEE is on the lower end, your deficit is most likely 250 calories. 250 cals is really easy to erase with a couple of eyeballed serving sizes, an incorrect user-generated database entry, or an inaccurate exercise burn. Heck, that's probably why I'm only losing 1 lb per month! I think all folks are trying to tell you is that if you tightened up your logging, it wouldn't be as difficult for you to lose. At the very least, try to use better database entries, since there are some you are using that are obviously wrong. The better the info you record, the easier it will be to see where you might be able to change your results.

Sorry you aren't getting the responses you were looking for, I do hope you find a way to make this work for you...

A question for someone who knows about these things as I don't use a FitBit... I noticed that in the OP's exercise diary there is a daily FitBit adjustment, and then on top of that there are days that she records additional workouts. Is this double counting? Assuming you are wearing the FitBit at all times, including during your workout, wouldn't the FitBit adjustment already take that workout into account?

@JAT74 - you're at a healthy weight and you said that your issue is with your body fat and you've (somehow) estimated you need to lose 15-20lbs to lower your body fat... I read through all 3 pages and I don't understand why nobody is addressing that this isn't a weight loss issue but a body recomposition issue.

you're not enjoying restrictive dieting anyway, so why not try eating at your TDEE - which everyone else has calculated around 1600 to 1800cals - every day and lift heavy weights which will lower your body fat percentage over time? and I stress that it does take time but fasting and eating 950cals etc to lose another 20lbs isn't going to help because you'll still have a higher body fat percentage than you'd like and your TDEE will be even lower.

I've had a cleanup of this thread, I do generally think that a great number of the replies were posted with the best intentions at heart. As such, I've decided to simply remove the replies and not issue any warnings..
If I have to come back and re-clean this thread in the near future however, I will start issuing warnings for guideline breaches.. One argument induced headache is enough for one night!

Come on guys and gals, enough is enough.. We can't all agree on everything but if there is a thread that you know you won't be able to have any positive input into, be that because of a disagreement with the OP or just something that annoys you (it happens, we're all human!!), please just scroll on passed it and find a thread that holds more interest to you!

Wishing everybody the best with all their goals!

With respect,
Adam, MyFitnessPal Moderator

Getting down to 20% bodyfat is a full time job.

JAT74 wrote: »

I'll be happy at whatever weight I am at around 20% body fat.

Hi, it can be tough for some people in healthy weight ranges to decrease body fat without building muscle. And building muscle can be tough for women. Especially if you're eating at a deficit. I'm sure you'd like to lose at least a bit more weight on the scale, but like some others have suggested, have you read any threads on "body recomposition"?

I lose weight very slowly. I don't have a thyroid and am sure that plays a part. When I started seeing how other people lose, I quickly came to the conclusion that it was great for them to lose that quickly, but I'm not going to worry about the fact that I don't.

I never fret over the fact that someone did math and decided I should be losing more. I never fret over the fact that other people can eat more and lose more.

Progress is progress and I continue to lose. If it takes three years, then...Hell, that's what it takes. So what.

I eat reasonable amounts of healthy foods. On rare occasions, I indulge. I exercise. I'm in the pool every day. I walk when I'm up to facing the heat, but it don't walk far in the summer unless I go to a public place where there is access to water. I can't carry enough water with me to last 3-4 miles in this heat, so short walks once in a while.

I eat a high fiber breakfast. I don't much, if anything, for several hours before I sleep.

I get fresh air every day and sun as much as I can.

I don't lift weights, but I do air-resistance stuff in the water.

That's what works for me. But everyone is different and everyone has to lose their own weight their own way. You will lose yours, too. Just stick with it.