Fast800 Misery

[CareerChange24]

I have been attempting the fast800 since Monday but I can’t get my calories lower than a 1000. I’m 5’3 and clueless how to get it off. How much would I lose on a 1000 in a month? I know people say it’s unhealthy but being 15stone is more unhealthy. Amy ideas for someone who knows how to gain weight. But not lose it.

Hiya ... absolutely go for it! Michael Mosley is so right - the psychology of being low calories (eg 800 pd) for up to 12 weeks means you lose weight fast and feel motivated to keep going. And after 12 weeks, you then eat more and lose the weight more slowly.

You may well lose a stone in the first month, as you can easily lose 5-6 lbs in the first week, with lots of it being water, and then 2lbs a week brings you to the stone. After that it will slow down - so not unusual to do a stone in first month, and then take 2 months to lose the next stone or a bit more... but you may find you settle in to losing 2lbs a week for a while before it slows down.

Remember you are learning new ways of eating while losing the weight - and establishing what works for you eating in the future for health, vitality and pleasure is as important as most people put the weight back on.

Agree with all the great advice above - lots and lots of veggies, lots of fish, chicken, some lean meat... basically healthy + high protein + low carb is best for your body. I eat lots of berries, a few nuts and some very dark chocolate (which feels like a treat) as well.

Have a read on some of the other threads - great for learning and for keeping you motivated!

I've done the fast 800 diet and have lost 6 stone over the last year. Have a look at the pinch of nom recipes and set a day aside to batch cook and freeze.. the last batch cook I did I got 60 meals and only spent just over £100 (excludes the rice ect). Look for the low calorie ones, my faves are the creamy garlic chicken, the chicken tikka masala (I add a load more garlic to this one) and the chilli. Use the recommended serving size of brown rice or pasta alongside them. It's handy on the website too as you can change up the amount of servings you want and it'll adjust the quantities on the ingredients.

I only did one meal a day to start with and it equates to a pretty hearty bowl full. I always use a bowl as it makes it look more substantial. Your body soon adjusts to just one meal but I've only ever really had dinner before starting this anyway. I also have two rolo yoghurt and a bowl of strawberries as desert. 😂 satisfies the sweet tooth.

Don't waste calories on drink, drink as much water as you can. I did have one caramel latte each morning and the odd diet redbull. If you're still hungry just drink more, it'll fill your tummy.

I was about to post the same thing.
It is fine to do a short term 800 calories a day plan.

I’m just reading through all the advice and really grateful - not going out anywhere as I just can’t be social at the minute until I get my head fully into the game of this.

Wow. What an achievement!!! Six stone is incredible. I was just planning on sticking to this to get rid of two-3. I know the rationale behind it being unhealthy etc. but carrying this extra six stone is far worse, losing a large amount will be hard enough without it spread out over years. I’d like to be in your shoes this time next year! I need to find a way to prep and lower from 1000 to get to 800 as I can’t tell you all how unhappy I am. I don’t recognise myself. I had an accident and had to have spinal surgery, sitting around unable to walk and coupled with feeling extremely low made me clap on weight. Then the gp put me on antidepressants that are largely aimed at encouraging those with an eating disorder to eat. I need zero encouragement. Just been a perfect storm partly my fault and part the universe into turning me into a size ten and in two years I’m a size 24.

Why do you need to shift it quicker than a pound a week? The size you start at is irrelevant. A pound a week is a good loss, and you shouldn’t expect it to be every week either. Weight loss isn’t linear for most people.

I haven’t attempted to lose weight in a long long time so I need to see results to keep me motivated and feel better about myself. It’s a major mind fuck to feel so uncomfortable in your body and it affect everything you do. You go to the theatre. You are uncomfortable in the old smaller seats. I can’t go on hikes with friends as I’d be the one holding everyone up.

I know. I’m on a weight loss journey myself. I’ve plateaued for a good 12 months but I’m eating healthily and exercising and it’ll move again eventually. Losing more than a pound a week isn’t necessary. Just be healthy. (Was size 22, now 16/18 for reference).

@CareerChange24 Are you actually following any of the posts on the Fast800 website, or using any of their books/recipe books? Or are you just trying to eat 800 calories a day?

Your posts would suggest the latter.

I’m also wondering if you’ve done much reading about the Fast800 approach -when you say:

I know the rationale behind it being unhealthy

… would suggest that you haven’t! The approach is based on extensive research by Professor Roy Taylor, of Newcastle University, who devised the plan to help Type 2 diabetics reverse their diabetes.

I did Fast 800 Mediterranean a couple of years ago and it worked for me. I have kept it off after stopping by aiming for one or two days a week of low carb and I work out regularly too.

If you want to make Fast 800 work I would recommend plenty of protein to keep you full plus some healthy fats like olive oil, nuts etc daily. Mini milks are a good low cal dessert and I ate tonnes of watermelon which I love. Black coffee is good too.

I have actually read a lot into it. But with many people commenting how unhealthy it is, I do see from some perspectives it is. Being as big as I am, I am particularly interested in this method due to the correlation between fasting, autophagy and loose skin - I would really like to reduce the amount of loose skin I get as much as possible and I believe in the tested science behind this.

Why, then, are you finding it so hard to get your calories down? The recipe books are, IMO, really clear and also mostly very straightforward as well as tasty.

IMO you come across as quite snippy

I couldn’t do Fast800, the intake is too low, I would be hungry and irritable and then I’d fail.

I recommend a different kind of intermittent fasting: I do 16:8 or 17:7 and have lost 3 and a half stone slowly but steadily since January this year. I am maintaining now but still intermittent fasting and it still feels achievable. I do exercise as well and focus on a high protein diet to fuel my exercise.

Losing weight is hard and a diet that is too restrictive is doomed to fail for most of us! When I started out I was still eating crisps and other snack foods but I stopped snacking and slowly my diet has changed. I don’t even want crisps anymore!

Not meaning to be snippy @CareerChange24 - but I’m wondering exactly why you’re finding it hard. I’d like to help, if I can!

Try intermittent fasting where you have an eating window each day. It’s really easy, no need to count calories, etc. I generally do 19:5 each day with a 36-40 hour extended fast each week.

It’s a hard diet, especially starting on the bigger side, and even more so if you’re starting diet included a lot of carbs. You will feel hungry, as you get more into the habit of following a low carb, high protein and fat diet your body will adjust and you’ll feel fuller but the first 7-10 days are tough to get through.

The good news is that you really really really do not have to eat only 800 calories a day to lose weight. You just need to eat less calories than you use. I’ve made some guesses on age and activity level but at 5ft 3 and 15 stone your TDEE is around 1900, if you eat 500 less than that a day you are on track to lose 1-2 lbs a week, which is 4-8 stone over a year.

It’s not easy op.

To be fair, if you’re managing to stick to 1,000 that’s not miles off 800.

Where are the additional 200 calories that you just don’t feel you can drop?

for me, I have no off limit with carbs, they cause my blood sugars to spike and rapidly drop, leading to ravenous hunger.

It’s a lot simpler to be ‘in the zone’ if I just don’t contemplate bread, pastry, pasta, rice and potatoes as part of my intake.

I did the fast 800 a few years ago! Certainly was the quickest way ive ever lost weight!
Dont beat yourself up for being at 1000 though, aslong as the food choices are correct ❤️ you've only been doing it a very short time, youll get more in to the swing of it!

Often if you consume under 1000 for a short period you won't lose any weight.

Try to have a 500 calorie deficit. You should hopefully be burning over 1500 a day. You should start by losing 2lb a week and then slow to 1-4lb a a month doing this.

No wonder you are miserable. It’s too low. Even 1,000 calories a day is very tough. That’s why people take WLI - as they make eating 1,200 calories a day manageable. Assuming you don’t wa r to do that you need something more manageable and sustainable. Try 1,300 calories a day mostly from veg and lean protein and see how you feel.

I was 100kg at the start of June. Am 89kg now (almost 2 stone down)
I wouldn't be able to sustain 1000 cals for more than a couple of days. I'd be miserable and most definitely binge.
I have about 1500-1700 cals daily. Track it on chatgpt. I exercise in the gym including weights. Increased protein so I hopefully don't lose muscle but only lose fat.
It's very doable at this rate and I do have nice things daily . Please don't do 1000cals. If you're anything like me it'll just make u miserable.

What do you find difficult about it? Perhaps try to break it down.

I can do the fast 800 if I don't eat my first meal until 1pm and then put as much protein as possible. drink lots of water and keep busy. I would have thought though that at the weight you are, you don't need to go as low as 800 calories.

Op you can put your weight height age and gender into chat gpt and ask it to give the calories you need a day to lose weight. Then every day log your food and exercise in there. It's basically a different way of doing my fitness pal (which I loved and was the only way I've lost weight before). Chatgpt can also just accept photos of packaging of food you're eating rather than you having to type it out. And you can ask it to make suggestions for smart swaps or give you recipes etc. I've found it really useful.

For reference I've been doing that for 3 weeks and have lost 5lbs.

I did the fast800 and also struggled to get below 1000. However I found the 1000 calorie mark to be the sweet spot where I lost the most. The first week is the hardest.. Join their website and use the chat forums and ask the staff. They are really helpful. They will tell you the 800 calories is more of a rough guide. Concentrate on keeping your net carbs down carbs - fibre. Aim for 25-30g fibre per day. They are clear you should only do it for 12 weeks max and then move to 4:3 and 5:2. I lost 3 stone in 12 weeks.

I’m losing 2-4lb a week on 1780 cals a day on a plan I’m doing. High fibre, high protein and increased steps. I absolutely couldn’t do 800 cals a day and I’d worry about essential muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies and weakness, that can’t be healthy for you either