5:2 advice needed: How many calories on your non-fast day? The 1500 conundrum

WrenTheCoffeeAddict
WrenTheCoffeeAddict Posts: 148 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all.
I’m sure you’ve read this story a thousand times. But I’m after advice. And I’m not going to argue if the over-all consensus is ‘eat more’ because damnit I will eat more if that’s where the issue lies. I’m not worried about temporarily gaining weight if the end result is still the same.
So, let’s lay it out for you.
Original start weight: 266
Current weight: 223
Height: 5'6
Gender: Female
I started my healthy lifestyle almost 3 years ago.

Year one: lost 3 stone. Whoop!

Year 1.5 - plateaued for 6 months. (Probably due to trying to eat just 1200 calories. Yes.. I know)

Year 2.5 - gained 1.5 stone back due to *kitten* stressful job.

Now: Changed my job 6 months ago, started eating better, started on the 5:2 diet. I’ve lost the 1.5 stone that I put on, and I’m now back to my original 3 stone loss weight.

However. I think I’m doing something wrong.
My fast days are fine, I’m strong throughout, don’t cheat, and I lose on average 2lb every fast day. That’s a lot, you may think, but I often gain back 2lb at the weekend.
I’m eating 1500 on my non-fast days. I’m not hungry at all, and I’m happy with eating 1500. However, it doesn’t scientifically make sense that on so few calories, I’m not also losing weight on my non-fast days. Right?
I weigh myself regularly, more out of curiosity over variances, and to make sure my fast days are working, than obsessing over weight loss. As I mentioned before, it’s about the result at the end of this journey, and I know I’m going to get their eventually, it’s not a race.

So, I’m losing 3-4lb a week, however whenever I go over 1500 calories, I’m gaining.
So I feel like I’m doing the right thing, but also the wrong thing.
Do I need to increase my non-fast day calories? If so, what would you suggest I raise it to?

Many thanks in advance,

Lauren

Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    If you are losing 3-4 pounds a week, how are you gaining?
  • WrenTheCoffeeAddict
    WrenTheCoffeeAddict Posts: 148 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    If you are losing 3-4 pounds a week, how are you gaining?
    I seem to be gaining on the days I'm not fasting, usually the weekend. I'm gaining back a 1lb or 2lb that I've lost from that week. I'm not cheating at the weekends, I'm refusing the pizza that gets offered at friends houses, I'm behaving myself.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    you eat at maintenance on 5 and your calorie limit on 2

    YOu don't track weight daily but average it over 6 - 8 week cycles to get a weekly rate

    everybody has a scale weight range not an absolute weight - because of flucutations due to water weight and the for you the vagaries of intermittent fasting
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    On a 5:2 plan, there will of course be weight fluctuations. Keep weighing everyday if you like, but record once a week.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    you should not be losing 3-4 lbs a week - 2lbs maximum

    unless you are morbidly obese? and under a direct medical supervision

    sounds like you're cutting too high

    you need to eat more on non IF days
  • WrenTheCoffeeAddict
    WrenTheCoffeeAddict Posts: 148 Member
    Even if I wasn't gaining though, should I be maintaining on 1500? Is that okay? If so, then great, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. There's just a little voice in the back of my head saying somethings not right with what I'm doing.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited November 2015
    You are confusing weight fluctuations with weight loss / fat loss.
    On the 5:2 eating pattern you have far more wild fluctuations from day to day than a "same every day" eating pattern.
    You don't lose 2lb of fat on a fast day - that's water fluctuations and the reduced amount of food in your GI tract.

    If you like to weigh daily then maybe use a weight trending app (or spreadsheet) to see the trend and not the daily "noise" or maybe switch to recording weekly weigh ins (not morning after a fast day).

    Like RodaRose I'm confused whether you are actually losing weight week on week or month on month.

    The 5:2 plan is supposed to be maintenance calories on your non fasting days. The weekly deficit is only supposed to come from your fast days.


  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    No

    you should be eating at maintenance the other days - work out your TDEE - http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    ZombieLauren wrote: »
    Even if I wasn't gaining though, should I be maintaining on 1500? Is that okay? If so, then great, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. There's just a little voice in the back of my head saying somethings not right with what I'm doing.

    1500 is not the maintenance level for someone your size. The 5:2 website has a calculator to estimate your 5 day eating level.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited November 2015
    Use this
    http://the5-2dietbook.com/calculator
  • WrenTheCoffeeAddict
    WrenTheCoffeeAddict Posts: 148 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    ZombieLauren wrote: »
    Even if I wasn't gaining though, should I be maintaining on 1500? Is that okay? If so, then great, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. There's just a little voice in the back of my head saying somethings not right with what I'm doing.

    1500 is not the maintenance level for someone your size. The 5:2 website has a calculator to estimate your 5 day eating level.
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    No

    you should be eating at maintenance the other days - work out your TDEE - http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    you should not be losing 3-4 lbs a week - 2lbs maximum

    unless you are morbidly obese? and under a direct medical supervision

    sounds like you're cutting too high

    you need to eat more on non IF days

    Major thanks to all you guys, sorry if I've missed a quote or two.
    I knew something wasn't right. Whilst the scales looked good, I knew that I wasn't doing things the right way!
    I haven't been recording my weight daily, I record on a Friday, and usually see a 4lb loss for the week. But it looks like I need to be eating at least 500 more calories a day.
    I think i'll work it up gradually, an extra 100 each day this week and next, then up again until I'm at about 1900.
    It's scary, looking at 1900 and thinking that I'm somehow going to lose weight still, but I know the science (and your combined knowledge!) is behind it.

    Thanks again,

    Lauren

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Good work :)
  • WrenTheCoffeeAddict
    WrenTheCoffeeAddict Posts: 148 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Good work :)

    Thank you for your advise, and the link. It's much appreciated! x
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    good luck - I like your attitude and approach :)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Nice one Lauren. :smiley:

    5:2 does work - I found it far easier to adhere to than a deficit every day, the thought "it's only for today" is a powerful tool.
  • Kate_UK
    Kate_UK Posts: 1,299 Member
    I eat 1800 on non fast days. My TDEE is between 2000 and 2500 depending on how busy I am at work - as measured by my fitbit. This seems to be working well for me, although I'm only on week 7.
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