F, 23 16:8 IF CW: 193
This is my second go round with IF. I started it in April of last year and lost 30 pounds by September, as I was getting married. After the wedding, I unfortunately gained it all back with the holidays and horrible self discipline/habits setting back in. About a month ago I decided that this is not what I want for myself and decided to pick back up on fasting, as I really enjoyed it the first time and saw incredible results. I am about four weeks in and I have barely lost anything. I did not expect to struggle this time and I’m really concerned. I am using calorie deficit apps to make sure I am eating the correct amount. I follow a Mediterranean diet so lots of whole grains, fruits, veggies, fish and chicken. I’m drinking about 70 ounces of water a day. The only thing that I’m really struggling with is exercise.
Could I get some advice on where I’m going wrong, or possibly some pointers on how I can give myself a boost? I have done a couple days where I OMAD, but it doesn’t seem to help unfortunately.
Because nothing will happen the way you think it will. Unless the parameters are all exactly the same 4 weeks is a short amount of time. Put yourself into a 500 calorie deficit a day below your TDEE and you will lose about 1 pound of fat a week. Water weight and other changes can mean that those mask that actual loss. So a number on a scale is just a number that doesn’t tell you all the details. You don’t see composition. So you have to be careful about weighing a lot and thinking it means anything. Exercise largely doesn’t matter for weight loss. The deficit does. If you are in a deficit then just keep doing it but otherwise confirm you are not adding in calories you shouldn’t or are higher then you think you are. If you exercised more last time it could be that your deficit is not really as much as you think and the exercise just gave you the boost you needed to create that deficit that you are not getting now. But if you are sure you are right then just give yourself more time.