I have been using IF for a little over a year on and off, including some 4 and 5 day long fasts. Had some early success, but couldn’t keep up the motivation and gained it all back. Started back up again about 6 weeks ago, and my current strategy is to fast at the beginning of each week until I hit my goal weight for that week which drops by 1lb each week. I eat normally the remainder of the week. After a couple of years I should be down 100lbs which would be a relatively healthy weight for me, and I will have done it slowly and in a sustainable way.
Up until now I have not had to fast longer than about 36 hours each week to hit the new goal weight. It has actually been extremely consistent for six weeks now. I start fasting at midnight on Sunday night and by lunchtime on Tuesday I have hit the new goal weight, until this week.
For some reason this week I am now 48 hours in and only about 1/2 way to my goal weight. I didn’t start any further away from the goal than on other weeks. The weight just isn’t coming off like it usually does. It isn’t a matter of hitting any sort of plateau yet either as I’m only down 6lbs from where I started six weeks ago which is only about a 2% drop in my overall body weight. I’m not doing anything differently from the other weeks. I eat absolutely nothing. I drink water, diet sodas and usually one or two cups of bone broth per day. I’ve followed that same regimen this week. I know it isn’t perfectly in line with all the do’s and don’ts of IF but it is what I need to do to get through a fast.
Any ideas on what may be causing the weight not to come off this time? My theory is it has something to do with my body retaining water for some reason. I know that is the bulk of the weight that comes off quickly during a fast. I just don’t know what would be making me retain water when I’m not drinking anything different than I normally do during a fast.