Can anyone explain what's happening here?

[33by33]

Hi! So I've been on Fast 800 for just over 4 weeks. I haven't been religious about sticking to 800 calories but I do only eat in an 8 hour window and it's always between 800 and 1200, I log everything. I haven't had any pasta, no white rice (and only the odd spoonful of wholegrain rice), no UPF products at all, the odd slice of wholewheat sourdough bread. Mostly it's been oily fish, vegetables, skinless chicken, omelettes etc. All measured, except non-starchy veg. I usually follow the meal plans from the book pretty exactly. I also try and get at least 6000 steps a day and I run 5k twice a week.

In the first week I lost 3kg, then for the next 2 and a half I just gained and lost the same half kg the whole time, which was so frustrating. Now in the past few days it's been dropping off again - I'm apparently 0.6kg lighter this morning than I was yesterday.

I am really confused? I was so ready to give up a few days ago, I can't see anything I've done differently that's causing such fluctuations.

For reference I'm 32, SW 102kg (224lbs), CW 93.2kg (206lbs). I lost the first few kgs before I started Fast 800 over a few months of basic calorie counting, I was 98.6kg 4 weeks ago when I started Fast 800.

Any ideas what's going on and how I can end this cycle of loss followed by long plateau?

maybe your odd handfuls here and there is more than you realise. Much more.

and not sticking to the 800 diet (probably did in the first week) by some margin

I log everything. I don't have snacks. I said I've occasionally had a spoonful of wholegrain rice with a meal but that's always been measured and part of one of the official recipes.

So you've lost over 5kg in 4 weeks? That's good. Weight loss will never be linear, hormones and all sorts will cause fluctuations, but if the general trend is downwards it's all good. If you keep weighing often you might be able to spot patterns of when in the month you lose more etc, or if it's messing with your head, weigh less often so the little ups and downs aren't so obvious.

I believe this is 'set point theory'.

It's completely natural for your body to try and regulate your weight. Once you've maintained a certain weight for a while (2 weeks in your case), it will be ready to allow a little more weight loss.

It's a survival mechanism to prevent you wasting away too quickly.

Just keep going and eat plenty of healthy proteins.

Hi - plateauing is completely normal, the key thing is to just stick at it. If you’re following your plan as you say, the weight will come off, just not linearly. Some days you’ll have water weight, other days not. Just keep going, and well done!

like others have said it will be random but stick to it and you will see the progress. I lost quite a lot of weight over a 6 month period and some days it would go up for no reason at all. My period made me gain 3lbs each month too. I also found if I ate carbs for tea or something salty I would weigh more the next day because of water retention.

Weight fluctuations are completely normal and could be due to many things like water retention, volume of food still in our stomach, salt intake, hormones etc etc. What you're looking for is a loss over time which is what you've had. There are apps you can download where you weigh daily and it shows you your trend. As long as your general trend over time is downwards then all good.

Your body is not a machine. Weight loss is never an exact science - your body changes every day, and throughout your cycle. You retain more water one day, you get your period, it's hotter one day so you sweat more - there's so much that affects it.

If you track over a long period you'll a downward curve, but tracking over just a few weeks will be jagged up and down because that's just what happens.

There is no plateau, there is no loss/gain cycle.

Weight loss isn't linear, it is really that simple, not sure why people think otherwise.

You have lost 5.4kg in 4 weeks (12lbs) which is pretty bloody amazing - 3lbs a week (averaged) is an incredible loss, particularly as you aren't moving much at all so probably just doing over your TDEE.

I would be absolutely OVERJOYED at this weight loss....

The fluctuations are daily fluctuations and perfectly normal, it is also perfectly normal to have a good loss the first week and then stall for a few weeks - your body has no idea you are expecting it to give up a certain amount of weight just because it has been 1 week since you last lost some.

Not in the slightest...she has lost 12lbs in 4 weeks, it is nearly impossible to lose 3kg of fat within a week and still eat 800-1200 calories a day and not move much.

Fat, water, salt intake etc all have an effect over short term fluctuations, but the trend here is an overall 12lb loss in 4 weeks - 3lbs a week, which is incredibly good.

it rather depends on the before diet and exercise

ie pre averaging 1000 steps a day and gorging on junk all day… any reduction is going to see quite a swing

and i do hate to say it

but someone who has reached this weight really may underestimate “handfuls” here and there

Weight loss isn’t linear hormones, water retention, changes on muscle mass and so on all have an affect. Also for some people fasting can raise cortisol levels which can have a negative effect on weight loss and general health. It s a nifty way to cut calories but there is more and more research coming out now about how it isn’t as healthy as it was previously touted it be and can in some cases even worsen people’s blood sugar levels which it is heavily advertised as being great for your blood glucose response.

Where does the OP mention handfuls?

my mistake

the “odd spoonful”
the “off slice of bread”

did you go from not running to running 5k 2x a week op?

I'm not sure why you're posting yet again about my underestimating handfuls when 1. I never said anything about handfuls and 2. I have been clear that I am an snacking and am measuring everything in my meals, except non starchy veg like salad greens.

I have gained weight slowly over several years which included a long period of reduced movement and physio. Yes I comfort ate and I wasn't making healthy choices, but I am quite capable of using measuring scales.

I said I run 5k twice a week on average. I started running last year prior to dieting, so it's been a long time to build up.

because op

i was side by side with my sister when she was doing this

and her version of the “odd” or “spoonful” was heaps and it really held her back

As part of a meal.

that is genuinely brilliant

Thank you to everyone who has been helpful and actually read the OP, it's reassuring. It makes sense when someone else says it, but hard to remember when you're bloody hungry and the scales aren't budging 🤣

OP that is a good weight loss, well done. I've done Fast 800 and stuck to it religiously, nothing entered my mouth that hadn't been weighed and added to MyFitnessPal and I lost 15kg in 12 weeks (in my 50's post menopause).

The thing that stands out is that you say you're hungry. I was never hungry once I was on it and in the zone. Carbs make you hungry and I kept my carbs really low. I even switched away from milk because every calorie counted. I didn't eat rice or bread and I'm wondering if this is why you are struggling a bit. Just a thought, maybe try a week with no bread, rice etc?

I also never factor in exercise, I think it's too easy to say 'but I ran 20k this week and lost nothing'. Losing weight is about food.

Thank you :) I think I've definitely gone more than a week without bread or rice during this, it's only been 2-3 times total, but maybe I should cut it out completely. I only drink black tea and water, I have one of those 2litre bottles that I drink each day.

Some days I don't feel hungry at all but others I'm starving. Maybe that has been linked to days I've had higher carbs, I could take a look back and see if that's a pattern.

I don't factor in the exercise particularly but it felt relevant to say I wasn't completely sedentary. I've definitely fell victim in the past to finishing a short run and thinking that justifies a big slab of cake, so I don't alter my meal plans at all on a run day.

If you cut out carbs completely or keep them under 50g per day, you will enter ketosis and this stops you being hungry.

If you are going in an out of ketosis by having carbs one day and none the next you may be bobbing in and out of ketosis which would also explain the fluctuations in weight from one day to another as glycogen can weigh a few lbs.