Why does this happen

[Lynn62]

I am on the 5. 2 diet 500 calories two days a week and nhs diet of 1200 calories on the 5days I have got nearly 7stone to lose 3 days a week I have a 1hour walk and the days I don't go walking I do 30 mins of exercise on the wii. My weigh in is on a Tuesday but this morning I couldn't resist getting on the scales wish I hadn't it said 2 and half pounds on I have been weighing my food had a small slip up Saturday had fish and chips but counted calories and went over by about 300 I am beginning to think what's the point today is my 500 calories day I will do it and get back on the scales in the morning and see what happens .

[Corrine1 Restart Sept 2023]

Hi Lynn62, try not to get disheartened. I've got around 6 stone to lose and was a bit fed up this morning when, after first week of really sticking to calorie allowance, I'd only lost 1lb. Someone told me you notice a difference the week after so I'm sticking with the plan. I don't expect there to be a massive difference straight away.

As you are doing a lot of exercise it could be that you are building more muscle which weighs more than fat. I don't think that weight loss is the main thing as Dugonga said there are lots of other things going on as well.

[Lynn62 in reply to Corrine1]

Thank you I hope that when I get on the scales in the morning the 2 and half pounds have gone and a bit more fingers crossed but I won't give in just try harder

[1958Goldengirl]

Hello Lynne62,

I just read your post & joined HealthUnlocked in order to reply to you.

You say you have 7 stone to lose but are only consuming 7000 calories per week, this is very low & I would suggest that you need to up that to at least 1900 for 5 days a week & then 2 days at 500 cals this would give you an overall weekly intake of 10500 cals which is more realistic for the amount of weight that you want to lose.

I know that you say you are following the guidelines for your calories from the NHS site but have you done the BMI check? That will give you the right amount of daily calories for your age,height,activity levels & the weight that you need to lose. Then if you want to continue with 5;2 diet just add the recommended daily calories up for the week & minus the 2 fasting days calories then divide the remainder by 5 days.

Example; Calorie allowance is 1800 per day x 7 = 12,600 per week minus 2000 for 2 fasting days = 10600 divide by 5 = 2120 cals per day.

Yes this sounds a lot but that is the way the 5;2 would work out if your daily calories were 1800.

I am 5'10 & 16st 2lbs.....I need to be 12st 7lbs, which is the top of my healthy weight range. The calories advised on an inactive lifestyle are 1690 - 2200 . This increases the more active you are. Figures taken from the BMI calculator on the NHS website.

What is happening to you is your body is working against you because you are not giving it enough fuel so it will hold onto the fat stores. Plus you are quite active so you can eat more believe it or not!!

I really hope that you do see a difference on your scales & I am sure that you will eventually because you are putting in so much. I hope my info helps you in some way too.

Keep at it & I will!!

[Lynn62 in reply to 1958Goldengirl]

Thank you I will give it a go my height is 5 ft 2 ins and weigh 16 stone 3 I need to lose around 6 stone I have been sticking to 1200 calories for 5 days and 500 calories for two days thinking the less I eat the quicker the weight will come off .

[1958Goldengirl in reply to Lynn62]

Thanks for your response...I am very very new to message boards!! I am not very Hi Tech!!

It does sound right, what you say, but our bodies don't always respond in that way. I am a serial dieter! I lose & then gain....so I guess I am a yo yo dieter! My main problem is that I am an emotional eater, I know & recognise this, but it has no effect on my mental status IF I am going down that route. The voices in my head argue with each other & the "naughty" voice nearly always wins!!

My highest weight at the start of 2014 was 17st 12lbs.......I lost a bit 7 gained again....then at the start of October 2014 I decided to give the Slimming World diet a go....it worked!! I kept to it for nearly 3 months & got down to 15st 10lbs!! However then Xmas came and I managed to only gain a few pounds....then New Year....not too bad....however after that I have not been able to get my head around the diet....been trying now for 5 months!! Sooooo I decided to get back to the trusted method of calorie counting. I have used the NHS website before but not joined up so this is all very new to me.

Do work out your BMI & see what the calorie allowance is for yourself, I hope it seems more realistic than what you've been working with & that you see your body responding by the scales going downwards!!

Be nice to keep in touch, keep at it!!

[Lynn62 in reply to 1958Goldengirl]

I was going to a dietitian and lost a little weight but lost my mam suddenly just before Christmas and my way of coping was eat non stop and put nearly 2 stones on can't go back to dietitian as I can see my mams bungalow from the office don't think I am ready for that yet

[Hidden]

Hi I agree with goldengirl that you may be under-eating given your planned weight loss and level of activity.

I had a week of plateauing and deliberately made myself eat more than I had the previous week (I had been busy and distracted and while I was still eating good things I wasn't eating enough of them) and after eating more I lost 2lbs overnight and another 2 over the course of the week.

I am also doing the 5:2 and we need to make sure that we get enough on non-fast days - a licence to eat!

[1958Goldengirl in reply to Hidden]

Hi! That's good to know that you think the same. You've proved it to yourself too, brilliant!! I am not doing the 5:2 but may consider it as I know it does work for some people.

Cheers!

[ijustwalkedin]

Stick to it and wait until tomorrow. It's amazing how much weight fluctuates from day to day.