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Original poster

Intermittent fasting and haven't lost a pound!

78 replies

Lilifer · 29/09/2023 08:59

What the hell am I doing wrong??
For the last ten days have done 18/6, 17,7 and 16/8 everyday - NOT ONE POIND LOST

I AM LOSING MOTIVATION 😥

OP posts:
Narwhalsh · 29/09/2023 10:59

I split them up. Say a Tuesday and a Thursday. 2 fast days back to back would be difficult. Fast on busy days!

Original poster
Lilifer · 29/09/2023 11:02

whatsappdoc · 29/09/2023 10:57

Another one coming on to say that 5:2 is better. I lost 3 st in 3 months on that about 5 years ago. Have put some back on now and am losing nothing to speak of on 16:8.

Re 500 cals day.
Huge bag of stir fry vegetables with added prawns and soy sauce was my Monday meal and chicken breast and vegetables or Annabel Karmel fish pie was Thursday's. Lunchtime was a wafer thin ham or prawn salad. I took two Bel-vita breakfast biscuits with me to work to nibble on before lunch if I was desperate. I didn't count cups of tea.

The family had left home by the time of my dieting so it was easy to have an early evening meal then go to bed at 7 to stop me thinking about food!

On normal days, I stuck with the breakfast biscuits and a lightweight salad for lunch and just used c. 1000 calories on an evening meal. It goes without saying that cakes, crisps, chocolate should be kept to a minimum. After a couple of weeks I really got into it and looked forward to the 500 cal days! Bit sad I know. Good luck!

Thank you that's great to know.

I still have teenagers in the house and I work full time so it's hard planning separate low cal meals but it sounds like it's very effective for weight loss

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilifer · 29/09/2023 11:03

Narwhalsh · 29/09/2023 10:59

I split them up. Say a Tuesday and a Thursday. 2 fast days back to back would be difficult. Fast on busy days!

Thank you 🙌🏻

OP posts:

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Weight management
ThereIsATInWater · 29/09/2023 11:11

You also need to consider what you're drinking.
In "fast" hours it should only be plain water. (Or nothing)
No tea, coffee, cokes etc.

JessicaPeach · 29/09/2023 11:16

I'm 5'10 and also lose on 1600 cals but I do count them properly. I don't count veg but I do count oil and weigh chicken breasts etc for my evening meal. I usually have 2 meals a day, at about 11 and 7. For the morning meal I often have something like a couple of slices of bacon, half a small avocado and 2 scrambled eggs for about 400 cals, which leaves me plenty for an evening meal and a sweet treat which isn't restrictive at all. I also swim a few times a week which helps to push the deficit over, and don't count these cals for food.

Original poster
Lilifer · 29/09/2023 11:30

JessicaPeach · 29/09/2023 11:16

I'm 5'10 and also lose on 1600 cals but I do count them properly. I don't count veg but I do count oil and weigh chicken breasts etc for my evening meal. I usually have 2 meals a day, at about 11 and 7. For the morning meal I often have something like a couple of slices of bacon, half a small avocado and 2 scrambled eggs for about 400 cals, which leaves me plenty for an evening meal and a sweet treat which isn't restrictive at all. I also swim a few times a week which helps to push the deficit over, and don't count these cals for food.

That sounds very doable 🙌🏻

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilifer · 29/09/2023 11:31

ThereIsATInWater · 29/09/2023 11:11

You also need to consider what you're drinking.
In "fast" hours it should only be plain water. (Or nothing)
No tea, coffee, cokes etc.

Not according to IM Fasting expert Jason Fung, black tea and coffee is fine during the fast

OP posts:
Angrycat2768 · 29/09/2023 11:33

I'm doing the same, and have lost hardly anything (2lb) over about 4 weeks. It's very disheartening. I agree with others that I do lose weight on 5:2, but I dont stick to it for long enough. I am planning on doing 5:2 from Monday and then when I have lost enough weight continue with the 14:10 I have been doing, because I'm not putting on weight on that at least! I have teenagers at home too, and we all have dinner together in the evening, so 5:2 is difficult even I cook a meal then have to think of something out if it I can eat.

JessicaPeach · 29/09/2023 11:34

Yes it is much easier than I expected, before I drank a lot of coke and I've got a really sweet tooth so I was having absolutely loads of empty calories. I often come in way under my allowance and don't feel deprived at all. 1600 calories is a 2lb a week loss for me. I've lost less than that because I do allow myself a day off if I want one, I'm happy that the next day it's easy to get back on and start again. I've not felt that way about a diet before, I am always too restrictive and end up rebelling!

Original poster
Lilifer · 29/09/2023 11:39

JessicaPeach · 29/09/2023 11:34

Yes it is much easier than I expected, before I drank a lot of coke and I've got a really sweet tooth so I was having absolutely loads of empty calories. I often come in way under my allowance and don't feel deprived at all. 1600 calories is a 2lb a week loss for me. I've lost less than that because I do allow myself a day off if I want one, I'm happy that the next day it's easy to get back on and start again. I've not felt that way about a diet before, I am always too restrictive and end up rebelling!

So you don't do 5/2 you just do 1600 cals a day 7 days a week?

OP posts:
JessicaPeach · 29/09/2023 11:57

Yes 1600 every day. I track it on an app, you can weight it to have less cals in the week and more at the weekend etc but I find 1600 so easy I just do it every day. On a Sunday for example I have less bacon, only one egg for the morning meal then a roast dinner late afternoon for about 800 cals and I'm stuffed but still well within

Original poster
Lilifer · 29/09/2023 12:10

JessicaPeach · 29/09/2023 11:57

Yes 1600 every day. I track it on an app, you can weight it to have less cals in the week and more at the weekend etc but I find 1600 so easy I just do it every day. On a Sunday for example I have less bacon, only one egg for the morning meal then a roast dinner late afternoon for about 800 cals and I'm stuffed but still well within

Fab thanks that's really helpful 🙌🏻

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilifer · 30/09/2023 09:16

Weighed myself this morning and I've lost 2lbs!! Maybe this is starting to work for me 🙏

OP posts:
Sensoria · 30/09/2023 09:21

My whole family are into intermittent fasting (as was I pre pregnancy). We all lost a little weight with it, but use it more as a health benefit / weight management tool. We all just feel generally better not eating for 16 to 18 hours a day. More energy, less sluggish in the morning, sleeping better.

Some people do lose a lot of weight with it, but I think it’s more of a way to maintain your existing weight, whilst giving you more freedom to eat whatever you want (ie no calorie counting).

If you want to lose weight with it, you need to exercise too.

Rocknrollstar · 30/09/2023 09:23

Sorry but 1600 calories is way too much even with fasting (and you are probably underestimating the calories anyway).

Oakbeam · 30/09/2023 09:29

I used to only eat once a day and still put on weight. As a result, I’ve always been a bit sceptical of the 18/6 and 17/7 type diets. It is still possible to overeat/drink even in a three hour window.

5:2 worked for me.

Denimdreams · 30/09/2023 09:29

I think you are looking at it as a diet when it's a lifestyle change.
It takes a while for your body to start burning fat so 2 weeks is way too early.
I'm tall, I do 1400 over 2 meals which gives me 700ish per meal.
So lunch and dinner.
Drink lots of water and black tea
I've lost 14lbs without trying and shaved years off my metabolic risk( heart, Hba1c, BP etc)
Also so much energy, reduced bloating etc
I think it's finding what suits you .

Original poster
Lilifer · 30/09/2023 11:10

Denimdreams · 30/09/2023 09:29

I think you are looking at it as a diet when it's a lifestyle change.
It takes a while for your body to start burning fat so 2 weeks is way too early.
I'm tall, I do 1400 over 2 meals which gives me 700ish per meal.
So lunch and dinner.
Drink lots of water and black tea
I've lost 14lbs without trying and shaved years off my metabolic risk( heart, Hba1c, BP etc)
Also so much energy, reduced bloating etc
I think it's finding what suits you .

That's great and sounds very sustainable.

I don't need to lose much only about 5-7llbs but I do think that I shall continue this even after I've reached my target weight becasue I already feel other benefits such as I sleep better, I feel much better when I wake up (used to feel so sluggish till midday) and my aches and pains first thing in the morning have largely reduced, I also feel that I am becoming more mindful about what I eat as I want to eat better nicer more nutritious food instead of empty cals.

OP posts:
WeAreBorg · 30/09/2023 13:17

I ‘intermittently’ intermittent fast whenever I can’t fit into my tester jeans. It’s perfect for me as I’m a grazer and can sit and mindlessly snack all day, so if my snacking options are removed the weight drops off. I weight train so even though I’m menopausal I can eat quite a lot.
But yeah like you’ve seen it takes two weeks to kick in as I reckon your body is still laying down blubber from the excesses of my/your past before we started IF.
I shall do it till December then it’s back to chocolate for breakfast and I’m not even sorry 😂

Denimdreams · 30/09/2023 14:00

It's a much more natural way of eating.
Food was never available in abundance like it is now.
We use our bodies stored energy when we fast which how it is designed to function.
At 14 hrs into the fast you burn fat/ stored energy.
Insulin resistance occurs because we eat too much, too frequently
At first I felt shaky but after 3 days

I eat whole grains, protein in the form of eggs, tuna, cheese , lots of veg and some fruit.
If I want some chocolate or cake I have it but rarely bother.
I really enjoy food now without all the guilt, cravings etc

Denimdreams · 30/09/2023 14:01

Should say I felt great after 3 days

Original poster
Lilifer · 05/10/2023 13:30

Just to update on here. Good news! First two weeks only saw me lose 1lb. I stuck at it for another week and now am 5lbs down. One day I did a 24 hour fast which was not as hard as I had expected but I was working from home so easier to not do much activity.

Now 2lbs off my target weight so I think this works for me and I I'll prob do it occasionally just to keep where I am now .

OP posts:
IMustDoMoreExercise · 05/10/2023 13:40

Have you cut out carbs like rice and potatoes and pasta and substituted them with veg like broccoli and carrots?

Original poster
Lilifer · 05/10/2023 13:42

IMustDoMoreExercise · 05/10/2023 13:40

Have you cut out carbs like rice and potatoes and pasta and substituted them with veg like broccoli and carrots?

No not at all, I've eaten carbs bread pasta rice etc in my eating window but tried to keep portions small so that I'm not eating any more than 1600 Cals per day (I'm tall so need to eat 1600 or less to be in calorie deficit)

OP posts:
Minttee · 05/10/2023 14:18

I lost 1 stone 4 over 3 months.I have mct oil and collagen in a coffee in the morning, keeps me full.
I have eggs or bacon around 1130am, porridge seems to make me pile on weight no idea why. Then I have a small lunch around 2 and dinner at 5. That's it, I don't eat past 6pm ever.
I don't really eat carbs except with my dinner maybe rice or potatoes.