Hi all. I completed a 2 week fast from 1/8 to 1/22. I started the fast at about 214 and finished at 191.4. It was my 2nd fast and I was ecstatic about my progress.
I made serious life changes as I’ve been doing about 10-12k steps a day, cooking healthy, no carbs and going full keto. My IF window is 16:8, btw.
I’ve even hit the gym along with 3 mile runs to keep my heart healthy. Granted it’s been only 3 days but I feel great.
Now what’s bothering me is how much weight I’ve regained. I got on the scale & I weigh 196! I know some weight was water weight so it’s bound to come back but I don’t want to hit 200 again. But I also don’t want to starve myself either.
Foods have been big hearty salads, tuna, cucumber & tomatoes and (lots of) cheese.
Any tips? Is this normal? I don’t wanna balloon back and I’m feeling like it’s inevitable despite my eating & less sedentary lifestyle changes.
1lbs is 3500kcal
I doubt you were burning over that per day during your fast.
You’ve regained some water weight, and if you stopped keto you would regain some more probably. That’s fine.
If you ate a normal carby diet for 2 weeks and ended up at 200lbs then that’s still 14lbs lost over 14 days.
Seems good to me!,
If you can remember, for your next fast, take measurements. Chest, waist, hips and thighs. Those numbers mean more than anything the scale says, and provide that motivation to keep going til you reach your goal. Walmart sells a cheap measuring tape for two bucks. Good luck! And congratulations on 14 days, that takes discipline.
Many people would benefit from learning what makes up scale weight. Fat loss is a process. Your body can only burn so much fat at a time. You can influence this slightly by doing things like fasting, focusing on nutrient dense whole food, building muscle, making sure you’re getting enough sleep, managing stress, etc., but there’s a limit to how much your body can burn within a set period.
I always recommend people read basic/beginner body building articles to get simple, accessible information on the process of fat loss.
I also recommend that people stay off the scale. It’s one of the least useful indicators of success. If you don’t have an understanding of the numbers t will only frustrate you.
I don’t have a scale. I go by how my clothes fit, how I look naked and my performance in the gym - am I able to do more reps, am I able to life heavier, am I able to run further and for longer without getting out of breath.
Fitness and weight loss is a process. Take the time to understand the process, focus on being consistent and you’ll see the results you want.
you should gain 8 pounds when you go back to normal. This is the “water weight” (actually insulin hormones with 1 gallon of water circulating your body).
I guess if you want to stay at 191.4, you need to lose 191.4 - 8, so target 183lbs.
if you’re gaining muscle you should up your goal weight .25lb/per day or per 2xday of exercise and 200g of protein.
Just remember the simple formula - strict and complete fasting burns 1/2 lb of fat per day.
Whatever the scale says over and above that, afterwards, is simply water and colon contents that will magically reappear over the next 3 days.