ih8diets!
First of all, it does seem unlikely that you could gain 5 pounds in a day or two, so you might suspect water weight. That should drop off as quickly as it appeared.
Second of all, you haven't told enough about what plan you are following. Are you a calorie counter? Are you following a program like Sugar Busters or Weight Watchers or South Beach or...?
A word about "starvation mode." This term means that your calories eaten have been at a low level for some time, so that the body tries to conserve whatever it can. You haven't said how much you're eating or for how long. As a general guideline, 1200 calories is about as low as you should go, average, for an extended period. This isn't because you will instantly enter starvation mode, but rather because most people can't get enough important nutrients to stay healthy if they drop below that. However, some doctor-monitored plans do go below that--note they are doctor-monitored, usually meaning going to an appointment every week.
A healthy rate of weight loss is generally said to be 1-2 pounds a week, so to lose a stone, you'd need 7 to 14 weeks of staying on a plan. Depending on your age and activity level, you should be able to eat somewhere between 1300 and 1600 calories per day to lose weight. This is just a guess--you may be able to eat more than that.
So, give us more information!
Jay
Advice please!
