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General 5:2 and Fasting Chat

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Hi

I have been successfully doing a 4:3 diet since just after Christmas and have regularly lost about a pound per week. I was thrilled to lose 5 inches off my waist and have my BMI just into 'normal'.

And then, for no apparent reason, my weight loss has stalled. I'm still eating just as before but for about 3 weeks, I've lost nothing.

I am now the weight that I was for quite a few years before I gained about 1.5 stone quite suddenly after retiring.

So my question is this: do you think that we have a 'natural' body weight however much we would like to be a stone lighter?
YES! I do believe that.
I've also heard that our ideal weight is when our face looks good (neither too fat, nor too thin or tired).
Hi there

Have you lowered your daily cals since starting as you will need to do this regulary in order to keep losing :)
I also think we have a natural weight
Yes I think so, and I am beginning to think that I am (unfortunately) close to it, as I haven't been able to get much lighter than I am now for years.

Maybe you've hit what I fondly call the "weightloss plateau of doom"?
Yes definitely! And that's what I'm trying to get to since I gained an extra 1.5 stone just like you!
I think our bodies have weights they set as their "normal" but I think with some effort we can change that. My latest "normal" has been 26 pounds lighter than my last "normal" ;-)
I don't think so. I think you can maintain any weight as long as you eat your TDEE and not over or under. The problem is that not everyone manages to do this!
I think so too. I remember seeing a documentary a few years ago in which a Dr, researcher proposed that we have natural setpoints that our bodies strive to be at, when no effort is made to change. The setpoint only moves based on changes in basic metabolism whether it be from changes in exertion or chemical stimulus and it must be maintained otherwise it's back to the natural setpoint.
You might want to read this article which is all about set points: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3209643/
It runs through different theories about how and why our bodies seem to try to avoid losing weight. It is quite hard to understand the theories but the authors suggest that we may have an upper and lower limit body weight which our bodies try to avoid going over. They think that the lower limit represents the point at which our bodies think we are starving and so try to prevent this by lowering our energy requirements. They think that the upper limit varies enormously from person to person and that this explains why some people seem to put on weight easily while others can eat what they like and not gain weight.

They also pointed out that the amount of weight lost before our bodies try to prevent more loss seems to be around 10%.
Thanks for your replies. What a great forum - so much information!

Another question....

If the body does seem to resist losing weight when it reaches a certain point, how do you get over that point?
I have a friend who stops dieting and eats all sorts of crap for a few days. I'd continue my diet as normal, making sure that I lower my TDEE when I lose weight. Last week I did a 4:3 for that reason and I got things moving a bit...
I think not. I'd say you're still consuming enough calories to prevent big weight loss. Taking it to extremes victims of the axis powers in ww2 plus famine victims don't show any signs of successfully maintaining a natural body weight.
I do not think so. I think you maintain a weight. It is harder to lose weight when you are already thin, I have noticed that.
I too think its important to check your TDEE as your weight adjusts and eat that on your non-fast days. You could also add a daily walk to get things going. Or just keep doing what your doing and eventually your body will realize that you are NOT going back to your old habits and it will give up and release those last stubborn pounds.
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