IF, 4:3, 5:2 - Maintaining a healthy weight - Chapter 2

[Breadandwine]

This thread is for those who have been practicing IF (Intermittent Fasting) for quite a while 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 experience fasts and balance 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?

Several of us have been stable at our goal weight for a few months, now, and others are joining all the time. Obviously, the more the merrier!

Here is the current main thread for posters practicing IF to lose weight.

There are two 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!

Hi,
Can I join? I am a long time lurker! I have been doing 4:3 since October last year and I am now at goal weight

I am not sure what the best method for maintaining is for me yet so I am going to experiment a bit over the next few weeks, starting with 5:2 this week which feels very strange as I am so used to 4:3!

Any advise on maintaining would be greatly appreciated

Much needed Fast today after 4 NFDs which involved lots of yummy food and over the bank holiday weekend!

Welcome MO2G, congratulations on getting to your goal weight and good luck with the maintaining. As with all of this and all stages of our journey on IFing we're all feeling our way. My one bit of advice would be to avoid drifting away from the 500/600 cals on Fasting days, something that's easy done when you've been doing it long term.

Looks like the preferred date for an 'anniversary' meet up is September then and at a weekend....will that cause anyone a problem and any ideas from anyone about a venue? Anyone with any favourite restaurants in London? And anyone got MMs contact details to invite the 'messiah' , it's true what TIP said, a large part of the early success and momentum of 5:2 is down to Greeneggs threads and it would be great to see that recognised.....or am I overplaying our impact in spreading the word

Laska yeah I was a wuss yesterday , been knocked off too many times in the wet and just didn't fancy the hassle of avoiding motorists as they answered their mobile phones coming round corners . And tbf my breaks aren't all that at the moment. Talking of cycling, only a few days to go ATB may your winds be kind and blow in the right direction GL

Have a great day all

Thanks Cyclistist

DH back from China tonight, I fly to SF on Friday, then we ride out Sunday morning. Bike shipped, red dress bought, jut about survived 3 weeks of single parenthood!

Excited and a bit scared!

Hi guys

Just thought you'd like to know my grandson, Alfie, has just made an umbilical cord out of bread!

And I just thought it was a mouse with a very long tale!

His Auntie Emma is 6 months pregnant, ATM, and he's very interested in the whole process.

MO2G The main thing this WOL gives you is control - so if you do over-indulge one evening, or you know you will later in the day, it's easy just to miss a couple of meals.

I've been maintaining for over 6 months, now, and my weight bounces all over the place - but with this WOL I have the techniques to bring it back into line.

And the one thing I won't lose is the last hole of the three new ones I had to put in my belt!

ATB All the best for your marathon! Tell us all about it afterwards, won't you?

Flying visit because on borrowed broadband.
Should probably have fasted this week but its half term and the chips in Cleethorpes were delicious this lunchtime !!

Maintaining is just like normal 5:2 by the way : once you are slim, your TDEE is so low that the calorie deficit of fasting is a lot less so you do not lose more weight
but you still get the health benefits of giving your digestive tract a rest.

TheCyclistist if the 5:2 meetup is in London then Mexican restaurant Wahaca is good - their Covent Garden branch has a large basement with long tables.

Thanks for your replies

tip yes you're right, my tdee has reduced quite a bit now I have lost weight. My plan is to drop from 4:3 to 5:2 staying within tdee on NFD during the week to allow me to relax more at weekends

Wow well done B&W on losing weight and maintaining! How long did you 5:2 before reaching your goal weight? Good advice on skipping meals to allow for indulgent days/meals.

MO2G I began 15 months ago on 5:2, but only going down to 50% of my daily calories and lost about 8lbs in 5 months - I wasn't trying to lose weight, since I didn't think I had any to lose!

After the Horizon programme I went to 5:2 proper, and lost a further stone between August and November. Since then I've maintained at around 9.1-9.4 apart from holidays.

Now I try to fast for 24 hours once a week and aim for a low-cal meal (

36 hour liquid fast? I'm not sure I could manage that, 24 hours with a 400 cal meal is what I currently do on fast days, although when I first started I struggled to even get to 16 hours!

The great thing about this wol is being able to relax slightly during holidays and know that we can regain control after a few fasts, so if I have the odd relaxed week and gain a few lbs I am not going to worry too much, just start afresh the following week

Breadandwine congrats on maintaining so well! Iev' been maintaining for a couple of weeks now, I always fast on Mondays (sometimes a liquid fast like you) but more often 300 cals or so because I feel so hungry the next day I just want to eat. I sometimes do another full fast in the week, but eat more than 500 cals in the evening. I'm trying to keep between 57 and 58 kgs so as soon as the scales go up above 58 I'm back on 5:2 instead of 6:1. You are right, it is an easy WOE to maintain as skipping meals is easy! MO2G Good luck with your maintenance. Do you do any exercise as this can help once your TDEE has reduced thanks to the weight loss?

The difference between my TDEE if I don't exercise (1640 cals) and if I do (2120 cals) is very motivating. Knowing this difference gets me exercising most days even if on holiday (running).

Mexican sounds good to me Bsshbosh and Covent Garden a great venue. Any other ideas anyone?

Too many failed fasts for me this week, have to knuckle down next week and get back in the swing!

Thanks Anglaise1 congratulations to you for your weightloss and reaching your target!

Yes I excercise 5-6 times per week and mainly do high intensity interval training which I really enjoy I starting excercising 5 years ago after my youngest daughter was born and I have been a gym bunny ever since!

MO2G congratulations to you too and keep posting about your maintenance progress. I've done a second fast today, but it was hard...I enjoy one fast a week but not 2, especially in the cold wet weather today. I've been freezing all day, all the heating has been cut off in the offices where I teach.
Bsshbosh how far do you run days? I run 5kms every morning when I get up, I've done 10 occasionally but find it boring on my own, even with my ipod. It is a goal of mine to do a 10k race sometime this year.

I'm sticking to my system of only fasting in term time ... that's my excuse anyway.
I love Mexican, but we'd definitely need to hassle MM into coming :-)

..and me it seems also TiP so much for my 'back to basics week, i've managed only one fast , the wet weather has me back on soups and stews and braises again , .. but I'm back to my low 'maintenance weight', before the weekend so not concerned..

Good luck for the cycle ride ATB!!, You can do it!! If you get a chance do let us know how its going..

Anglaise1 I am a slow runner - I cover 3.3km in 25 mins but I am gradually extending my runs. I also power walk up steep inclines on the treadmill and do alot of weight training (which I love).

Brace yourselves!

Here's my grandson's representation of an umbilical cord made from bread dough. I have to say this is a first for me!

No fasting at all this week, obviously! Bike is in SF, packing up my rucksack, will apparently be consuming a good 3000kcals a day but considering I should be burning at least 5000 it'll be interesting to see the comparison in my before and after WI's!

I'll be unlikely to fast much in the week after the ride, will prob try to squeeze one in though otherwise will undo any good work!

See you all on the other side, wish me luck

good luck ATB :)

Good luck ATB ....can't wait to hear all about it!

wow...I made it there and back again - haven't even had time to lurk since last Tuesday! Gosh you lot have been busy

B&W I, too, read that as bread made out of umbilical cord and thought 'yuk' and 'she's not due yet' before I read on...:) One day I'm coming to one of your bakery sessions, but it might be a while, unless you're planning anything in London?!

ATB congrats on completing the move....good luck (again) with the bike ride and I look forward to hearing how it goes. Now you just need to crack the sleep issue, and you're going to be utterly sorted, right?

MOCNK I can't remember if I posted down-thread but I wanted to say how pleased i was that you've been offered work for after your move....very impressed by your cake decoration skills, too....want to make some suggestions for something easy I can do for my dd2's 3rd birthday in a few weeks? The baking bit is easy, but I find decorating much harder - there's a few pics of previous efforts on my profile page to give you an idea of my (fairly ropey) skills.

And big hugs to both Laska and LiteraryGeek - i hope things are feeling a bit easier for you both going into the weekend?

I remain in awe of TiPs ability to maintain and focus...this week has been a bit wobbly for me....somehow I managed to put on 5lbs (yes 5 !!) in 3 days over the bank holiday, so I shot up from 5.2 (hurrah) to 5.7 (boo). I didn't panic, but applied the rules of my post last week, and decided it would be easily fixed. Fast on Tuesday was fine, and brought me back to 9.5 (acceptable) but then Weds and Thurs got messed up work and other commitments, so I've done several half fasts but won't be able to do another 500 cal one this week. Trying not to let myself worry, but am bemused to note that when the scales say 9.5.2 (as they did this morning) I am no longer remotely happy about this....

Several of my friends have commented on my weight loss and asked about IFing....I am now running a regular text support service for a few of them! One is a GP who does lots of TV and column things Sky, the Daily Wail and so on - she's done one week, lost 2lbs and is blown away by how easy it was. So will be interesting to see if she starts promoting it via twitter/tv/print stuff over the coming weeks....

I would love love love to come to a meetup in London....Wahaca is fun and tasty for a NF day....but would it have to be a Saturday?

Sorry for a stupidly long post...I'll try to stick with 'little and often' in future and apologies for anyone I forgot to respond to....(waves at Cyclistist Bssch and GreenEggs )

B&W what a fab dough cord .

ATB good luck and see you on the other side.

Filly how awesome about the text support and your GP friend. Wonder if she'll discuss 5:2 in her media work...

Well, back from a week-long stay in Shropshire. Managed 2 mini fasts (no breakfast or lunch and a normal dinner with dessert and wine) this week so am ready for the weekend!