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Fasting / 5:2 diet

IF / ADF / 4:3 / 5:2 / 6:1 / 16:8 ~ Maintaining at a healthy weight ~ Chapter 5

899 replies

TalkinPeace · 21/07/2014 12:22

This thread is for those of us who have been practicing IF (Intermittent Fasting) for quite a while ( it being nearly 2 years since the Michael Mosely TV programme aired ) and are now at, or nearing, their target healthy weight.
It's also for anyone who is doing it for the health benefits alone.

How do we mix fasts and a stable food intake while having little or no weight to lose?
How do we ensure that this WOL keeps us at the healthy weight long term rather than revert to yoyo games?
How do we ensure that we keep ourselves looking great rather than just thin?

More and more of us have been maintaining at our original goal weight for many months, and others are joining all the time.
Obviously, the more the merrier!
It is also worth considering whether a second, leaner target might be achievable.

You'll find the first four maintenance threads and all the main 5:2 threads for posters practising IF to lose weight here Fasting / 5:2 on the diet forum. We're currently on thread no. 46, but there is a new main thread every 2-3 weeks.

There are three other associated threads:
This one, which is an absolute goldmine of Tips and Links on how to practice IF, and the research behind it.

And here is a treasure trove of 5:2 recipes, mostly low calorie for fasting days, but there are also recipes for when you want to treat yourself. And, now we're maintaining, we'll need more of these!

Since I started the last Maintainers thread the importance of exercise has come even more to the fore, as part of our general health and to help weight loss. BigChocFrenzys thread is here

OP posts:
Anglaise1 · 21/07/2014 12:41

Oooh how exciting a new thread, thanks TIP!
You are definitely NOT a bad mum! I have fruit juice in the fridge - I never drink it but DD prefers it in the morning to milk now.
Besty how did your 5k run for life go? Can't wait to hear how you did, and most importantly, did you enjoy it and if so when's your next race Grin

Breadandwine · 21/07/2014 12:42

Great stuff, TiP! Thanks

BigChocFrenzy · 21/07/2014 13:27

Anglaise Betsy posted on the 52ExerciseThread2 and I added some running calculators there.

BigChocFrenzy · 21/07/2014 13:28

Thanks Tip
Flowers
You are obviously a GREAT mum and your DCs are learning sensible, healthy habits.

Anglaise1 · 21/07/2014 14:09

Thanks for that BCF have posted there to congratulate Betsy on her race! And thanks for the calculator too...my age graded half marathon time is 1:30 mins instead of 1:43 mins which is nice to know!

BetsyBell · 21/07/2014 16:27

Anglaise! I'm here too! Thank you :) We had a such a great time running as a team and sticking together no matter what. I find 5k pretty easy these days which is a nice place to be. Next race is 10k in October but I have a personal challenge to do 10k for my next Tae-Kwon-Do belt in mid September.

Well done Tip'sDD Very impressive :) And thanks to you for the new thread Thanks

For what it's worth we also have cordial (posh squash Grin ) and fruit juice which are drunk with breakfast (unless they have milk) or as an after school pick me up. Water with meals unless it's a birthday then they are get orangina, and meals out tend to involve lemonade or fanta, though they choose to move on to water once they had a glass.

However, they have great teeth, are in great health and are all round fantastic boys . Interestingly they've both filled out a little in the last few months but I suspect there's a huge growth spurt coming up for them which will stretch them out. I'm guessing that DS1 will be growing another 30cm in the next couple of years so no doubt he'll get back to his lean physique shortly!

I've noticed that DS1 will leave really long gaps between eating, not noticing if it gets past lunchtime, but eats a huge evening meal. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns into a natural 16:8 faster later in life. Knowing what I know now I won't have to discourage this behaviour!

Laska42 · 21/07/2014 18:21

Hi all, Hope you are all well, I've fasted today for the first time in ages .. but have started a new 'Backsliders' thread as because as you are all doing so great (and are super fit exercisers and lean here) .. I dont feel like this is quite the right place for me right now ( nor neither on the main thread with newbies really ) ..

.. Am hoping to meet some people in my position on a new thread.. if not I may creep back if thats Ok , but recently have felt that ive just been posting fail days here and dont want to anymore, and i dont enjoy the exercise like you lot (hope you understand)

Congrats on Maintainers thread Four .. Hopefully I can be back here with you all again soon..
L xx

BigChocFrenzy · 21/07/2014 23:29

Lovely chocolate survival study BMJ Grin

BigChocFrenzy · 22/07/2014 06:35

Laska Nothing in the exercise universe sounds fun ? [baffled]
Zumba, TaeBo, Karate, wall-climbing, skiing, yoga, cycling, swimming, hiking, Nordic walking ..... ?
Anyway, hope to see you back here soon - proudly showing off your goal weight.
Smile

Laska42 · 22/07/2014 07:39

big choc no I hate it all!!

... I do do quite a lot of walking and gardening. DH is making me get out on my bike this weekend he threatens..(i used to cycle a lot and commute to work on it (6 m each way) .. but not these days as rural roads are bloody dangerous and im 13 miles out from work )

Zumba was ok .. but no classes at reasonable times near me..(work F/t and live rurally.. everything shuts fast in our market town at 5.30 and all classes start at 7 -7.30 sotheres no where to go in between tim unless i stay at my desk.. (have tried this its dire ) and once ive driven home I simply cannot be arsed to go out again

I could do DVDs ..But lets face it im a sloth.. I dont deserve to be thin..

catsrus · 22/07/2014 09:50

I'm here :-)

Finally got on the scales again after a couple of weeks of being away for work (hotels, buffet lunches etc - the bastards put us in a decent hotel this time and gave us a selection of delicious sandwiches for lunch eek) and having visitors (lots of Wine and meals out). Luckily the semi fast days I managed t throw in have limited the damage and I'm only at 9,7 which is 3lb above my target but at the top of my allowed wobble room. Phew.

Fast day today - am up in a London office so will eat when I get home later - have told dcs to make sure they dont eat all the salad as I'll be really look forward to my fast breaking jacket potato, cottage cheese and salad :-) want to be back down to target ASAP - in this heat a few extra pounds can make clothes a bit too snug for comfort. Still quit evangelical about this as a woe - and WOL really - I've never felt quite so in control of my weight, even when I allow myself to be out of control.

catsrus · 22/07/2014 09:52

Oh and laska I don't exercise either - dog walking and gardening for me only :-)

TalkinPeace · 22/07/2014 10:23

Gardening is GREAT exercise - put away all power tools and its a full on work out

OP posts:
Anglaise1 · 22/07/2014 16:45

Dog walking and gardening are exercise. Housework is exercise. Anything where you aren't sitting or lying down is exercise to some extent - it doesn't have to be sport! Just keep as active as possible.
Please don't go Laska I feel dreadful as I'm one of the ones who goes on about sport all the time. But for me it was as important for my head as my body, it has helped me get over quite a painful break up.
Cats I'm sure you will lost those 3lbs very quickly.
I had my first fast day yesterday in months due to a couple of extra lbs and it was hard and I didn't sleep well. It was easier doing them on a more regular basis so I'll try and keep to at least one fast day a week in future.

Laska42 · 22/07/2014 18:48

oh no Anglaise please dont feel bad. you are an inspiration! yes and its good its helped you in both mind and body ( he really wasnt worth you)..

Its just that reading here recently ive realised that i've been fooling myself (since i can/could now wear size 10s forthe first time in years) and not recognising that ive backslid too far to be thinking 'maintenance' and really never hit my goal at all ( got to 10st and thought thats ok). but seeoing your photos and meeting Tipa couple of time has made me realise that I do need to stop settling for 'almost there'..

so thought i should go seek out some other people like me who have lost before on this fab WOE and fallen off the waggon so we can encourage each other to truly recommit...

The good news is that ive done 2 fast days already ( wasnt going to today but its been to darn hot to eat..

i'm not going away totally just being realistic..

Laska42 · 22/07/2014 19:00

.. and yes I'm lucky in also having huge garden,which always needs tons of work (part which is made out of an old field so was strimming and hedging last weekend that was hard work).. Also, we grow veggies, so I get lots of exercise there .. And I'm lucky to be living fairly rurally by the sea so have 'ots of coastal walks, cliff and high downs on the doorstep which I love yomping over when i have time to get out there ..

Its 'formal' exercise i dislike. Also - if im honest- i've never really been much of a 'joiner in'. School sports put me right odd was a fat child and the brainy weird one, always the one no one wanted on their team.. crap coordination etc ..

(but really I should have got over this by at age 56 dont you think? Wink)

Anglaise1 · 22/07/2014 20:34

So you see you do plenty of exercise Laska! I don't want to do a sales pitch but I think a Fitbit (or any other activity monitor) is really quite useful. You see what you do each day and it is really motivating to get out and perhaps walk half an hour to burn a few more calories to walk off that ice cream. When you get to your 50s your TDEE is so bloody low that it is nice doing any activity to be able to eat a little more.
I was chatting to my (very thin and wiry but quite sexy) plumber/electrician yesterday who is also single now, he hates sports/formal exercise like you do because of bad school memories, but he is so active that he doesn't need to do them to stay slim.

MrsFlorrick · 22/07/2014 21:41

Evening all. Thanks for new thread TIP. Grin

Laska. How about (my old favourite Wink) Jillian Michaels?
You can download her workouts via iTunes.

Most of them are HIIT and strength based combos and are 20 mins long.

If you were very keen you could do one in the morning before work?
Or evening before dinner? It's so quick you could stick dinner on and do your workout while it simmers away.

Personally I do mine evening or late afternoon. I dearly want to get up and do it in the morning but with the small DC that would mean doing it at 6am. Shock At 6 am I am useless. Grin So I do it later on.
If DC are at school/pre school I sometimes do one after school run.
Last summer I did JM workouts after the DC had breakfast while they played for 20 mins while I worked out and another 10 while I showered. I could just about get it done before the whining and squabbling kicked off.
JM will really change your shape and fitness levels.

Only downside is that you need to be doing her workouts 4/5 times per week. They are short hence frequency.

I really rate JM for exercise hater. It's so short it's over before you can even feel annoyed. And given its HIIT and strength based, the results start to happen fast which is very motivating.

Go on. Have a go. Grin

MrsFlorrick · 22/07/2014 21:44

Oh and FD here. In at 600 which is good as it's my first proper FD for a few weeks (July is birthday month is this house - me and two DC - cake central!).
Still maintaining despite the birthday cake and I've stopped logging on MFP. Although I may start again for August given the DC are off school and it's temping to eat constantly (chewing partially drowns out the sound of whining GrinWink)

Laska42 · 22/07/2014 22:33

Evil Jillian....Mrs Florrick Yep 30day shred is one of my many exercise DVDs.. Looks nice sitting onth e shelf.. but yes it wasnt too bad either..

Maybe when its not so hot .. maybe ill get up early.. perhaps..

BigChocFrenzy · 23/07/2014 00:54

Laska HIIT can burn more abs fat and help metabolic issues.
I summarised Dr Mosely's HIIT Fast Fitness and Fast Strength blasts on the exercise thread.
Each routine take 6-10 mins (sweat, think of England and its over)
No equipment needed, do at home / in the park

MrsFlorrick · 23/07/2014 07:21

Ah ha! You already have a Jillian DVD. No excuses!! Wink

Or try those free apps with the 30 day squat challenge/30 day ab challenge/30 day press up challenge.
Those are super fast.

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BetsyBell · 23/07/2014 08:17

Oh yes, Laska got a bunch of us doing Evil Jillian last year! It does get boring though - I can't stick to it for more than a couple of weeks and then certainly not everyday.

I think the FitBit or even just a cheapo step counter is a brilliant idea for you Laska - that way you can yomp away (taking advantage of this rather amazing summer we seem to be having) through the delightful countryside you're lucky enough to be surrounded by and record how much you actually do. Probably way more than you think. Gardening is your strength training so all in all you probably have a better exercise regime than you think - one that fits in seamlessly and therefore doesn't mentally register as 'exercise'!

Once you've got your fasting back under control (and it sounds like it's going well already) you'll be back in the right place. Smile You CAN do this Laska xxx

Southeastdweller · 23/07/2014 08:29

Thanks for the new thread.

I agree with everyone that gardening is fab exercise, as is walking. Gardening is also very good for your nails!

TalkinPeace · 23/07/2014 13:40

The other thing to bear in mind is that we are not all built the same

Some people no matter how lean they get will always be large framed.
Other people (like Anglaise and ATB) are naturally very lightly built (the ends of their long bones are smaller bobbly bits) so cannot carry flab and slim down easily.

It really comes down to body fat - especially visceral rat - rather than "size" or "weight"
and making sure the cardio system is in good nick

OP posts:
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