Fasting for weight loss going slow, any idea why?

I am a 29yo female (Height 175cm, weight 73.1kg). I am intermittent fasting (16:8). I have been trying to lose weight and get fit for the last 6 weeks and have only lost 1.9kg. I'm not looking for unrealistic and unsustainable results but the last 2 weeks I have only lost 0.1kg/week. Any advice where I can improve will be appreciated. My diet is rather inconsistent as I stay with friends most nights and weekends and cannot make the best choices. This is what I eat: - Late breakfast (weekdays): 1 slice of low GI seeded bread with a poached egg - Snack (weekdays): 1 large grapefruit and sometimes a handful of peanuts and raisins - Dinner (2 nights per week): 1 tin tuna + 4 Tbs brown rice + half cup red lentils + 1 Tbs trim mayonnaise. - Protein shake (3 x week) following 40min weight training - Weekend breakfast: 2 slices of brown bread with peanut butter (no added salt and sugar) - Other weeknight and weekend dinner: Not very healthy options, sometimes pizza or processed chicken burgers but I try to have smaller portions and not eat until full on these options. - Weekend may snack on a few blocks of chocolate or a small pancake but I try not eat much - Alcohol: Approximately 5 Gin + sugar free tonic per week - Coffee: 3 large cups per day on weekdays, no added sugar, 1 cup per weekend - Other exercise: 15min HIIT once a week. Long, slow walks on weekends Also, I sleep well. Any advice on how to improve/be healthier/make the fast work better will be appreciated. I realise I do eat some junk but I try to have moderation, should I have less?

Answer

You’re not losing weight quickly but you are losing weight, so that’s good. You listed your foods but not their caloric content. You are probably consuming a few too many calories and not creating a high enough deficit. Use an online calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you need to a, exist as you are, and b, lose weight. You probably need to cut a couple hundred calories if you want to see faster results. Think of calories as your budget. Choose foods that are worth spending your calorie budget on. Pizza, for example, is high calories and not worth it.

Answer

At 175 cm and 73.1 kg, you are already at a normal weight, with BMI of 23.9. (For Americans, that’s 5’9” and 161 pounds.) Weight loss tends to be slow when you only have a small amount to lose. What is your goal?

I notice that your “regular” diet is extremely low-calorie, low-fat, and low-protein. 1 egg and 1 can of tuna isn’t enough protein, even with a protein shake added sometimes. That is also a very, very small amount of food for someone your height, weight, and activity level. I would feel very hungry and miserable all the time on that diet. I also notice that you don’t have any green vegetables.

Bump up your protein and fat. Add vegetables. When it’s pizza or burger night, try to get a big green salad alongside your main, or whatever green vegetable is available. It helps balance out the meal and helps you moderate portions of the pizza/burgers.

If you’re staying with friends frequently and getting takeout there, could you ask if they’d mind you keeping some vegetables at their place? It could even be frozen veg — I’ve totally microwaved a bag of frozen broccoli to have alongside a takeout burger!

One option for your schedule might be 5:2 fasting. Two days a week, either fast completely or eat under 500 calories. The other 5 days, eat normally (as healthily as you can).

I would also suggest cutting back on the gin and tonic. Those are purely empty calories. Maybe enjoy one a week. If you need a glass in hand to be sociable, just have the unsweetened tonic over ice with a lime wedge — no one will know the difference.

Answer

Maybe try slowly easing into 18:6. Start with 17:7 and work your way to it. I started with 16:8, but have noticed better progress with 18:6. However, you have lost and it is a marathon not a sprint, so keep up the great work and figure out what works best for your body!