Five weeks, nearly a stone lost - advice please!

[Smudge2201]

I am 43 and 5ft 7ins, and according to my wrist measurement I have a large frame. When I started five weeks ago I was 13st 9-10lbs. I’ve now 1.5lbs off of losing a stone. I’d like ideally to get to 11st.

I am doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan, and averaging about 1100-1200 calories a day. I feel good, albeit a bit tired. I am wondering whether I need to up my calorie count a little, but struggling to see how to do that without overdoing it.

An average day at the moment:

Bran flakes, Greek yogurt, berries and milk.

Satsumas x2 and grapes as snacks, and a couple of plain crackers.

Dinner something like chicken / fish with lots of salad or green veggies.

I’m enjoying it, but do feel a little low on energy. Can anyone see where I could add some healthy additions just to top up my intake and give me a bit more energy through the day? I am thinking it will take at least another 3mths or so to get to my goal weight.

I’d add a salad with protein for lunch - lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives maybe and chicken or fish or eggs.

What about some more protein? Can you have eggs for breakfast?
Maybe Greek yogurt as a snack ?
They do say not to have the low fat ones as they have sugar added?

Are you sure you are even eating 1200 calories there?

Thank you, that’s a good idea. I could have salad with a boiled egg or some cheese.

I could definitely add something more substantial in the middle of the day involving protein. The Greek yogurt I have is a full fat one.

I thought I was, but not so sure now. Will start using the tracking app I have properly. Have mainly just been having something went I felt hungry.

I eat 1200_1300 calories a day and eat way way more than that. Log what you are eating in my fitness pal to check but it does not sound enough and you will not be getting enough nutrients. Agree adding a salad in with protein for lunch is a good start.

Thank you, that’s useful to know. I was doing it by just eating when I was hungry, but I guess I’m not a great judge of that by the look of things.

Honest advice is to slow down the weight loss and eat a more substantial amount of calories whilst still being in deficit ( albeit a smaller one).

1200 is very low, it's liable to leave you tired and deprived and not really sustainable over the longer term meaning adherence is likely to be a challenge.

For context I am 5 foot 6, now weigh 167 pounds but 10 weeks ago weighed 179 pounds.
I have been aiming for 1700 calories a day of which 100g minimum is protein and 6-7 portions of fruits and veggies minimum . I have also aimed to hit 12,000 steps a day.
I do also work out - but this would work without that - just might be a little slower

I do not feel deprived, I allow myself nice meals occasionally ( life isn't going to stop) and can see this as a viable way to live long term ( EG I am fine with needing to do similiar to maintain weight long term).

I am also aiming for 11 stone but am ok with that taking a long time to get to - maybe even in to next year

Thank you, I really appreciate that. I haven’t ‘dieted’ for a long long time, and have sort of forgotten how to do it. IF suits me as it means I don’t graze from the minute I get up to when I go to bed. But you’re right, I want to do it in a sustainable way. I think I will add a protein- based ‘lunch’ and see how I feel. Thanks again 😊

I would swap 'Satsumas x2 and grapes as snacks, and a couple of plain crackers.' for a tin of tuna in spring water and a volume of salad stuff. A tin of tuna is about 100 calories and about 22g protein. I think this will keep you fuller longer.

Thank you, I don’t like tinned tuna unfortunately, but a protein-based salad at lunchtime as a good idea.

cereal and milk leaves me tired, maybe something like eggs for your first meal?

That’s interesting- I wonder if there’s a reason for that? I’m not a fan of eggs as a first thing to eat, but I will have a think about that.

Firstly well done that's some good going! Maybe add a few nuts in as a snack when your feeling low energy? (Obviously not too many tho as it's easy to overdo it with nuts!) as other suggested eggs. Maybe lentils, chickpeas or something similar with your salad to bulk it out a little and add a little carb boost for energy. Add a banana to the mix?

Bean flakes are pointless and ultra processed. I'd swap them for Greek yog with berries and nuts or similar. Good fats and protein.

No lunch? How about some tuna salad or eggs ?

Thank you! And this is great advice. I like plain. Cashews so I could have a few of those. And I had a quinoa and bean salad last night which was easy and filling so could have that more often x

You seem to have missed out lunch altogether! I agree with the others more protein and salad.

I think I might have got the wrong end of the stick with intermittent fasting 🙈

No intermittent fasting does generally mean missing a meal. With 16:8 you would generally miss either breakfast or evening meal though. Are you having breakfast first thing the an evening meal?

I am having bran flakes, berries, greek yogurt and milk at about 11am , healthy snacks in the day, and then dinner at about 6.30-7pm of protein, chicken or fish with salad or lots of vegetables.

I think you are eating too few calories and not enough protein. If you carry this on longer term your body will be forced to burn muscle to feed you.

Thank you, that was not my intention, and definitely not what I am aiming to do. I haven’t dieted for a long time and think I have lots to learn. There are some good tips here which I will take on board.

I’m 16/8 too and I do it as lunch and dinner and no snacks, rather than breakfast/dinner. May be worth a go as may help you to mix it up and add different foods more, otherwise you have a long afternoon and hence then need the snacks when could have those calories to make more of a meal

Hi everyone, thank you for all your advice yesterday. I had an additional hard boiled egg mid-afternoon, a few cashews, and a wholemeal salad roll at lunch, and ditched the bran flakes and feel better today.