Help! I think I'm doing it wrong!

[footballmum]

Hi there

I've been doing 5:2 since 1st Jan and lost 9lbs in the first 5 weeks but since then I've stuck at the same weight. I have no problems at all with my FDs. I use MFP and always stay within my 500 cals.

However, I think I'm going wrong with my non-FDs. When I started I stuck to 2000 cals per day but since then I've picked up a couple of injuries and my ability to do high impact activities such as running has been limited. I'm still doing yoga and Pilates but accept they aren't going to burn many calories. As a result I adjusted my calories on my non-FDs to 1800 cals but I'm still not losing. I haven't gained either so it's not the end of the world but I'm getting frustrated. I wanted to lose 2 stones by the summer but that's not going to happen now.

I was reading a thread on here last night about TDEE and I don't know whether that's where I'm going wrong? I went and recalculated mine based on sedentary rather than lightly active and it came out at 1650 per day. Is that what I should be basing my non-FD allowance on? Or should I be taking my TDEE, multiplying it by7, deducting the 1000 cals for my FDs then dividing the balance by 5? Because if I do that it should be working!

Help

[Boleh]

I believe you need to use the new TDEE on your non-fast days - so I'm afraid that might now be the sedentary one - then any exercise you do is a weightloss bonus (don't eat back the exercise cals as MFP tends to over estimate them) - then do your FDs as usual.

If you calculate your total cals for the week and then subtract the FD cals and spread out the rest over 5 days you won't get any calorie deficit - so no weightloss (although might be good for Maintainance when the time comes).

You should be aiming for a deficit of around 3000 cals a week (5:2 is based on a TDEE of 2000 so a 1500 cal deficit each FD), so you could calculate 7xTDEE minus 1000 for FDs minus another 3000 for deficit, then divide by 5 if you really want to be strict! I have a similar TDEE to you and find doing it this way gives a pretty low NFD total so if you think that's unsustainable then just stick with TDEE on NFDs - the deficit will be a little less and you will loose a little slower but might feel happier with it as a long term plan.

Once you are sorted with that you can start mixing it up a bit, lower in the week and higher at weekends or throw in the occasional mini-fast. Have a look at the main thread for ideas, tips, links and people more knowledgeable than me!

[footballmum]

Thanks Boleh. I hadn't appreciated the 3000 calorie deficit. If I do it strictly that means 1500 cals per day on non-FDs which means I've been considerably over eating and explains why I haven't lost anything!! Duh!! Back to the drawing board!!

[BigChocFrenzy]

Yes, if your sedentary TDEE is 1650 and you do little exercise, then this is what you should average on NFDs.

You can eat say 1500 on 3 NFDs to save 300 calories extra to eat on Saturday. Or any permutation you like, so long as you average 1650.

If you want to increase your TDEE, you would have to do regular exercise, not just occasionally.
Walking is good for your health, but burns few calories in rl, so don't increase your TDEE just for that.

[BigChocFrenzy]

If you want the full 3000 cals or 1lb per week, then that sounds like you need to aim for only 1500 average NFDs.