5:2, ecigs, weight gain

[marielaem]

I am becoming desperate!  I started doing the 5:2 Plan in January 2013 - and loved it.  I lost 17 lbs and was happily maintaining.  I have not given it up. 

I gave up smoking conventional cigarettes in January this year and switched to electronic cigarettes. After about 2 weeks I noticed that my weight was going up.  2months in and I had gained 5 lbs.  My Fitbit tells me I have walked over 500 miles since January.  I do two circuits classes and at least two gym workouts a week as well.

I switched to the 4:3.  This morning, after a Fast Day, my weight was the highest it has been since January 2013.  I have gained 7 lbs since I switched to electronic cigarettes on January 4th this year.  I just don't know what to do next.  

Any advice/tips or news from people with similar experiences would be appreciated.  I am even thinking of gong back to smoking conventional cigarettes. 

[jcwootown]

I have been using my flex to help me stay motivated in my quest for weight loss. It has been a two fold venture i eat right no bread or wheat products sweet except for some atkins products, and a ton of exercise. I make sure that my calories out are more than my intake. This morning  am 1lb from my goal weight . I feel great too!

[marielaem]

According to my Fitbit, my calorie intake is always less than my calorie output, especially over the week, as on the 5:2 you eat 500 calories/day twice a week.  on 4:3, it's 500 calories/day 3 times a week. 

[josephz2va]

You're starving your body to death. 500 Calories a Day is not enough intake during Weight Loss. You won't even build muscles from starvation.

The least amount of calories you should be eating is (-1000 Deficit of your burn) or what a Dietician would tell you how much calories to consume and what proper foods you should be eating.

I would suggest visiting a Sports Nutritionist if you're very active to obtain a meal plan.

[marielaem]

500 calories a day is just two days a week.  The rest of the time, I can eat what I like.  I don't eat junk food and I eat pretty healthily.  The weight gain has come since starting the electronic cigarette. 

Thank you for the advice re a Sports Nutritionist - I will look into that. 

[marielaem]

Between April 27th and May 27th this year, Fitbit has logged calories as follows: 

1,865 average burn 1,504 average intake

[Snowflakepdx]

 I don't think you will get much encouragement to continue smoking or vaping.   With your great willpower and exercise habits you are ready to stop looking for easy answers and focus on what is working for you. 

 I think if you want to be thin and healthy for life then get some traction on yourself around the destructive behavior like vaping and fasting diets.    Your success is going to come from upping the intensity of your exercise program. 

[jcwootown]

Hi I have no idea what correlation smoking regular or electronic cig would have on your weight loss or gain? For me it is exercise and burning more calories than I take in, I had done pretty high calorie out goals that I rarely meet. (3700) per day I get close. The reason I don't lower my goal is even if I don't meet it and only get close I am burning a ton of calories per day. I am(1) lb from my original goal and have lost 42 lbs as of today!

[marielaem]

I have no idea either, but as I wasn't putting on any weight until I swapped the real cigarettes for the electronic one, am not eating more than I was before, and am still exercising and burning more calories than I take in ..... this is the only factor that I can think of that would cause the weight gain. 

I posted because I wanted to know if anyone else had had the same kind of experience and, if so, what kind of solution they found. 

[jcwootown]

My only thought is that if u r eating a lot of salt that could be effecting
your weight with water retention?

[marielaem]

 I don't use salt in cooking, but will overhaul the salt content in the foods I'm eating. 

[marielaem]

The Fast Diet - which is more a way of life than a diet - was fine for me until I gave up the cigarettes!  It is just reducing calorie intake two days a week and I started it for the health benefits.  I had a few pounds to lose and they went away - plus a bit more - but I certainly don't want to gain weight.  7 lbs is more than enough!  I'd like to get rid of those 7 lbs but no more. 

I walk, on average, about 4.5 miles/day in addition to my gym classes and workouts - two a week.  I really don't think that my lifestyle has merited a 7 lb weight gain.