Maintenance Thread - some fasting, some low-carb, some exercise

[WhatWillSantaBring]

I thought I'd start this thread for those who have reached their goal and want some support for a sensible, sustainable way of eating. It may also be useful for those who are thinking about what they'll do when they get there.

Confession: I'm a yo-yo dieter and so don't claim any expertise in this at all, but I am doing things differently this time.

As the thread title says, I'm going to try some fasting (both 16:8 and 5:2), keeping to a low(ish) carb diet, and putting in some exercise.

[WhatWillSantaBring]

Some useful information:

5:2 - two days (either successive or spaced apart) of 800 cals a day
16:8 - eat all your food in an 8 hour window, fast for the remaining 16 hours. e.g. eat first meal at 11am, finish last meal at 7pm. (or you can do 12:12, 14:10 etc).
VLCD - very low calorie diet (800 cals a day) whether with calorie counting or meal replacements (like Lighter Life, 1:1, Exante).
BSD - blood sugar diet - see Dr Michael Mosely.
Mediterranean diet - the way of eating for maintenance, suggested by the BSD, Fast 800 and the Newcastle Diet (Prof Roy Taylor). White carbs (white rice, potatoes, pasta) are off the menu, as is tropical fruit (mango, pineapple, banana etc), but whole-grains (brown rice, buckwheat), lentils, quinoa are in, as are apples, pears and berries. So low carbish, but not full low carb.

[WhatWillSantaBring]

My journey:

I've done a VLCD throughout lockdown, and have lost 3 stone. I'm just about at my goal (a BMI of 25), and eventually would like to lose another stone, but I want to stabilise my weight first and get a lot fitter.

I've set my myfitnesspal setting to "lose 1lb a week" only because I've been on the VLCD and I don't want to pile on the pounds again. I'm following the Mediterranean Diet principles, plus 16:8. I've also started a structured exercise routine of 6x30 mins cardio plus 3 weight sessions a week.

[Kimlek]

Hey @WhatWillSantaBring that’s much more informative than my new thread. Think this will be better!
I’ve never dieted. Until v recently. Was always a size 8/10 despite 3 kids until I hit my 40’s and suddenly found myself 14/16. Xmas 2019 was bursting out of size 16’s and had a very unhealthy BMI. Hello BSD/fast800. Over the last 6 months have lost 2 stone (30 pounds). Now in size 12 which is perfect. My BMI is 23 so happy BUT my body fat still high at 30% so whilst I’m happy with weight & shape etc I’d like to get fitter and tone up whilst not gaining any more lbs.
So, I’m not calorie counting but will keep it low carb and an eating window of 12-8pm, which I don’t find too difficult. And start some exercise other than walking the dog.

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

Hey all, following. I’ve reached my goal weight during lock down and am hoping to stay there! Currently maintaining Through exercise and fasting. Emphasis for me is on exercise to stay healthy and strong (and for mental health). I’ve also quit drinking which has made a huge difference! Am about 120lb at the moment (55kg), hoping to stay between 55-57kg.

[WhatWillSantaBring]

oh, sorry @kimlek i didn't see your thread.

Welcome @BunniesBunniesBunnies - the emphasis on staying healthy and strong is really important for me too, as I think if helps take away the focus from negative thoughts about food / weight ( "I'm fat", "that food is "bad"", "I ate the bad food therefore I'm a failure" ) and onto positive thoughts about health ( "I'm strong", "that food is not going to give me the fuel I need to run", "I ate a food that isn't giving the energy I need, so my run wasn't great, but tomorrow I'll do differently" ).

Are either of you calorie counting in maintenance? I am at the moment, but hoping that I don't have to do so forever. At the moment though, it keeps me honest - a big part of my problem is that I find it very easy to "cheat" myself - eating/picking at food and thinking it doesn't count.

[Kimlek]

I haven’t counted calories for a few months now. I find it too time consuming.

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

I don’t count calories, can’t be bothered! I am aware of the calorie content of foods though. But as I mainly focus on fasting and exercise I’m not too worried about calories.

[Kimlek]

Well done bunnies on your weight loss. And quitting booze! That’s a double toughy. What fasting do you do?

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

The booze really had to go, it wasn’t doing me any favours (I wish it was, I love 🍷😂) and of course it was hundreds of calories every day.

I’m not very strict with the fasting times but I roughly eat between 12 and 6. Around lunchtime I usually have a smoothie with full fat milk, banana and berries. Then around 5 I have my main meal. Now I’m used to this I’m rarely hungry outside these times. If I were hungry I would eat something!!!

I I do have milk in my coffee in the morning, I know you’re not meant to but I can’t live without it and it seems to have no ill effect on my weight loss.

[Kimlek]

I also have milk in my coffee in the mornings and not just one. I do drink alcohol and eat too late. Both need reining in.

[Kimlek]

Morning all!
Just wondering how we are all still doing?
I’m at my lowest today 10.04 (140.4lbs or 63.7kg). I’m trying to maintain around 10st. An ice cream van came up our street for the first time ever yesterday. My teens were beside themselves as never seen this in RL before. Needless to say I too had a 1980’s screwball!! I’m finding that I do cheat a bit every now & then. I had desert at dinner last week; a slice of bread the week before but I guess it’s ok because it’s a rarity.

[WhatWillSantaBring]

Well done @kimlek - it sounds like you've got a good balance. I'm really interested in the psychology of weight loss and maintenance, and one of the mantras I started using is "right food, right time, right place" - and an ACTUAL ice cream van sounds exactly right!

After my hideous weekend, and a gain of 3lbs since my lowest, I did an 800cal day yesterday and shed 2lb, which make me feel much better about myself. The 800 cals seems fine after 4 months of 800, though I did notice my energy levels flagging in the afternoon.

How are you getting on @BunniesBunniesBunnies ?

[WhatWillSantaBring]

I'm also now contemplating going onto a low carb bootcamp later in the year to see if I can cut out my sugar addiction. I think because I've found I can lose weight but have struggled with the maintenance, I'm putting a lot more effort into research to understand the reasons why I've gained weight in the past. I couldn't face doing it when I was in the losing weight phase.

It's hard enough to change things to lose weight as it is, so if you told me back in Feb when I was obese, feeling like shit and starving hungry, that I'd have to give up sugar, it would have put me off even trying to lose weight. But now I'm there (ish), i feel much better both physically and mentally, and therefore able to cope with larger changes to my life. Does that make sense?

[Kimlek]

That makes total sense! A lot of things in their entirety are overwhelming but taking one aspect at a time is much more manageable. When I started the 8 week BSD I began with cutting carbs, then dropping to 800 cals then much later TRE. Now I don’t calorie count (or plan) but the other 2 aspects remain. I still need to add resistance training/HIIT. But I’m not on the headspace and it’s too blooming hot.
I’d also like to work on the sugar (and alcohol). But again, I’d like to maintain a while longer then tackle that. Slow and steady. Or as the podcasts say ‘progress not perfection’!

[Justasecondnow]

Hello, would like to join please! Just lost about stone and a half on Blood sugar diet. I have a maintenance plan:

Mon- Fri: Time restricted eating window 12-8, low carb ish (avoid big 5 of potatoes, rice, pasta, flour and sugar) and calorie count to prob around 1500 3 days (need to calculate TDEE) but Tues & Thurs do 800 cals and one meal a day - recently found fasting had really helped.

Weekend: no rules, but try to mindfully eat and not mindlessly overeat if that makes sense.

Reading that it looks quite restrictive still, but reality of excess high fat high sugar food environment we all live in, with exercise for most of us being something we have to fit in a day and find time for as opposed to an integral part of it... without rules I just slowly put on weight!

[Kimlek]

Yeah well done @Justasecondnow nice to see you in here from the BSD thread. I think @nibblequeen is ready to join us here too & hopefully a few more soon.
Your strategy sounds great. It’s very similar to mine except I don’t count calories. It’s currently working for me as I bounce around 10 - 10.2. Be good to bounce a tadge lower but it’s fine!

[NibbleQueen]

Oof. Well I had an evening out yesterday and had...
Bottle of pinot noir
Wild boar pate & 2 slices of sourdough
Deluxe sushi box, containing 6 maki, 3 california rolls, 1 crab mayo gunkan, 6 pieces mixed sashimi
2 gyoza
Reece's mini cup
1 chocolate-coated pretzel
2 percy pigs

This is on top of a lunch of mackerel with pickled cucumber and roasted tomatoes

This brings me to nearly 2k calories and 200g carbs... Though honestly I guess that's not too bad? I feel like I had a really good treat and I had what I wanted. In the past if I added up a fuck-it day I'd probably be looking at 3k calories.

[Justasecondnow]

I must admit kimlek the calorie counting might fall by the wayside. It’s so dull isn’t it!

And napqueen I know what you mean. Yesterday I had scrambled eggs, 2 chipolata sausages and grilled tomatoes for lunch. Then macdonalds for tea - but smaller meal and no pudding plus two glasses of wine at home. Prob about 1700 cals. Really had to do the mindful thing and not have a McFlurry (that I don’t even like that much) because sod it I’ve just had a burger and it’s the weekend!

Enjoying food sensibly is the hardest bit for me and a mindset I’ve not often managed. I’m a bit all or nothing. But I’m really going to try!

[NibbleQueen]

Agree completely @Justasecondnow, it's the same with me and I tend to go through these cycles of "being on a diet" and being in fuck-it mode and just going mad even if I've stopped enjoying it. Last xmas I was dreading events and just felt really ropey for most of December because when I went to a party I knew I'd overdo it cos that's what I do when I'm not "being good". It's not healthy and find moderation very hard. I think the "being on a diet" is what causes this more bingey behaviour.

Doesn't help that DH eats/buys a lot of packaged foods and junk and is such an enabler. Sometimes he puts food into my mouth without giving me a chance to say whether I want it or not. It's out of kindness because he knows I love food but makes it very hard to resist things I'm trying to avoid!

[Kimlek]

Oh I totally agree with you both! There’s bound to be ‘fuck it’ moments and also mindful excesses that are treats. I recall bear saying it’s what we do after these events that matters and I think this is where fasting comes in. Or being more on it 80/90% of the time.
Interesting what you say about xmas Nibble - I listened to Low Carb MD podcast about thanks giving & Xmas etc and how to manage the whole season. There were different schools of thought but the crux was fasting & being mindful; whether you ate before going so didn’t eat all the dips and crisps. Or fasted prior and ate what you fancied. Some of those podcasts are interesting.

[Kimlek]

We are out for a birthday dinner tonight that’s a tasting menu; so lots of courses & no choice. I’m thinking I will fast til dinner at 7pm so I can fully appreciate it. I had too much wine last night and although haven’t gained overnight, I don’t feel great this am so may have an alcohol free dinner too. I may offer to drive so it forces it!

[NibbleQueen]

I love tasting menus! What a treat!

Bit hungover today. Had a bowl of porridge with apricots and peanut butter. Then I got a bit shaky so I had some mushrooms and smoked salmon. Went out for a coffee and shared a piece of apple pie. Came home and ate a small portion of leftover lamb mince. Currently having a fruit cider. Dinner will be meatballs with green salad on the side, a solero and a couple of glasses of leftover red wine. Not the best day for sugar but not too awful.

[Kimlek]

Morning all!
Well my plan to fast til dinner at 7pm didn’t work. I succumbed to the chicken wings and ribs DH made for lunch with a bit of salad. I’d drunk too much wine the night before so ‘needed’ it. I also snacked on a Friday handfuls of pecans at 4pm. On a positive note I didn’t drink any alcohol but had seedlip & tonic instead - not sure I’d bother with those again. The tasting menu (7 courses including 2 puds) and then some ‘sweets’ was blooming amazing!! Obviously each course is tiny and looked pretty low carb bar the sugar puddings and sweets. Anyway it was divine.
Zero damage done on the scales as 139.5 this am!

[NibbleQueen]

Glad you enjoyed the evening kimlek
I'm hopefully moving at the start of this week but due to bloody stupid solicitors (never hire Juno) we will have about half a day's notice as to when that'll be. So we've decided to have everything packed and ready to go, which means subsisting off ready meals and takeaways until then. Tonight we'll have a fish pie with green beans. Lunch, husband is planning to make chicken wraps so I'll have the chicken alongside some veg. I did have 2 slices of plastic bread earlier because I fancied it. There are also some wizened apples to be eaten.
In short, not low carb at all but from next week will keep sugar at least to a minimum and continue TRE by missing breakfast.
It's annoying when circumstances get in the way, but I'm secretly quite excited about having lots of takeaways!

[NibbleQueen]

Oh kim also seedlip - I think it's obscene how much they charge for what is essentially infused water! If you like campari there is an aecorn that's like it