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!

Bssh : gotta see before and after pictures ....

Before and after pictures - yep, as soon as I reach my lower BMI goal :)

mocnk I agree with your comment, the health benefits alone are worth fasting for.
I'm still maintaining steadily but must admit that sometimes I struggle on fast days but I just think back to how I used to feel bleurgh when bigger and that spurs me on.

As I've said before, I no longer have breakfast, ever, so that, together with one or two fasts (one evening meal not counting the calories) keeps me steady. I'm currently 1lb over my lowest weight.
Because I know myself so well, I know that if I stop fasting over Xmas or Easter or holidays for more than one week I will lose control and find it hard to get back on track.

Therefore (for example) I always fast the day before people arrive for a visit, I don't have breakfast at all whilst they are here, I will some day(s) skip lunch too, then the day they leave I fast again. This stops me from gaining much if any but also allows me to indulge in meals out, coffee and cakes, fish and chips or whatever I fancy.
At Xmas I gained 1lb and the same at Easter. I know I have to put in that little bit of effort to gain peace of mind as I don't think I could cope too well with a lot of gain.
Sorry to go on and on but I still love this woe

TIP great photo! Bssh well done on losing 1kg in a week - what BMI are you aiming for? I'm managing to stick at around 18.8 which seems OK for me (I'm 5'8" but have a small frame). I recently bought a Fitbit which is fun for working out calories used in a day (when I remember to put it on). Skipping meals and fasting is a lot easier in hot weather than in cold so maybe that is why I'm managing to maintain better.

Weekly WI - 138lbs so 2lbs lost, yay! I'm prob being a bit mean by WI after the weekend but I have a tendency to "cheat" to make myself feel better so trying to be realistic this time.

I need to find the balance when we have frequent visitors too and I think taking a week off from fasting maximum is a good goal, otherwise I too find it hard to get back into it.

I had a horrid cold a few weeks ago and am sure it was partly down to not fasting in ages. Fasting Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week, starting shred again this morning, plans for power yoga tonight, swimming thurs am and a decent bike ride on Saturday....I never thought I'd be the person actively looking forward to doing exercise and fasting!

Anglaise I think BMI 21-22. But I'll see how I look when I get there as I may well want to go lower.

Great weight loss Americas.

I'm fasting today. I had to go into school at lunch time and pick up my poorly 5 year old, but I'm still managing to fast fine.

Well done all. Talkinpeace looks great. I have been maintaining for 2 (or 3) weeks. Mostly on 6:1.5. Weigh in this morning after a realy I indulgent weekend was 56kg (8'12) lowest weight since starting this WOE. Also my aunt came round yesterday and we did the close yours eyes and stand on one leg beat them all hands down even my 9 year old :)

YO dudes! Laska has re-entered the building!

I'm back from the greek hol , relaxed and chilled but so NOT looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, but it was great ...hot and sunny , lots of swimming and sunbathing , (and !) but the scales said only 3 lbs on this morning , so that?s great , considering what I ate and drank . ..
I did pretty much keep to the plan of fruit and yoghurt a for breakfast and fish and salad , (just a couple of Spinaki cheese pies !) , and I didn't eat lunch at all,

Hope you are all well. I?ve had a quick catch up , and its good to see new maintainers and old .

Great photo Tip you are looking fab. You?ve given me the motivation to get straight back into it ..

I've put another few 'before and after' photos up for a short while if you'd like to see. . (heck the 2007 'before' is really scary , now I look at it again)

In the new ones taken on hol I dont think I look that thin really , but am still wearing sz 10! .

Back to the fasting tomorrow. I've missed it . I've got the tools and the motivation so those few pounds gained will soon be off..

Welcome back Laska and well done on minimal holiday weight gain!

On my way home from first power yoga session in almost two months and it was amazing. I'm hungry but it's good to have another fast day under my belt and having done Shred and yoga again.

I NEVER thought I would be this person and it feels so good to be taking care of myself

Laska welcome back. Only 3 lbs gain? Wow!

Laska welcome back.
Nice photos and wow what a difference. Sometimes clothes don't help to show off our bodies too well but your arms and shoulders and face are all much smaller and defined and in the pink dress you look tiny

Laska I've just looked at your photos and you look amazing. I can definitely see you've lost. Gah, I really have to pull my finger out and hunt out some suitable photos...

hey laska welcome back, very envious of your lovely looking holiday, and you look great in the photo's, glad you''re feeling refreshed and ready to lose that small (but well deserved) gain!

americas great that you are doing power yoga and shred, I am heading to the lido for a swim in 20 mins, but feeling a bit glum that teh scales were not my friend this morning, despite 2.5 successful fasts last week and one yesterday I have only lost 1 pound since the day after my first fast last week, will maybe fast weds and thurs this week and see if i can put a proper dent, i know i should not focus on the scales, I can tell that I'm losing and it's only been a week, but thought it would be a 2 pound loss first week back on.....hey ho, I will go out and enjoy a day off in the hot sunshine, swim, and maybe some baking (for other people to indulge in) later.

did a quick swim this morning (1000 metres) then the new BodyBalance - which is LOVELY - now errands for the rest of the day.

Laska welcome back - and only 3lb after Greek food and wine - well done you
and yes, that pink dress makes you look like a fab skinnymalink. Well done.
What I notice is the shape of your neck and shoulders - you look great.

mocnk you'll get there (again) but at this time of year the kidsare tired and ratty so we are all tired.

Oh mocnk don't be despondent - its been interesting to read about weight hikes since the weather turned good so maybe that has something to do with it?

Yes mocnk I bet many of us are suffering from water retention. I never thought I did but my rings are tighter this week...

Bssh...but its probably retention in my case....

Just broke my 24hr fast with a plate of home-grown veg stir fried in stock chilli and garlic .... Broad beans , baby courgettes and their flowers , onions, baby carrots and carrot tops.. I love eating meals that are all fresh from the garden (ok not the stock and soy and the chilli and garlic were from last year , but the rest was ..

I'm so lucky that I can grow my own , I do realise that .. but now I feel virtuous and frugal!

MOCNK It will go , keep doing what you are doing we know it works..
ATB oh yes Evil Jillian .. id forgotten about her !! Not tonight though , i have to go do tons of veggie watering now, humping all that up and down the garden in watering cans is exercise enough water meters here , so we have rainbutts!)

Hi Laska nice to see you back! Those three pounds will go within the week, I reckon.

Though you guys would like to know I've just posted about calorie counted chocolate dipped strawberries on the recipe thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/1567814-5-2-Fast-day-recipe-ideas?msgid=40195048#40195048

Is bad.
Went to the gym this evening and did another swim, but then had a glass of wine with my supper there.
Tee hee

big bowl of veg = saintly Laska
....then read B&Ws post and blog and just ate a sq of dark choc -being that I didn't have any strawberries [hmmm]...oh well prob still under 500..

Tee hee indeed Tip though my 'water weighlifting' - about 12 cans full - must have counted for something..

....right better go put clean holiday clothes away until next year ..

Love the photos laska - your holiday food sounds perfect - I do love Greek yoghurt :-)

I had 4 days in hotels last week and managed to avoid breakfast and choose some sensible main meals so didn't do too much damage. its an interesting process getting the balance right - I did a couple of good fasts since coming back and now I'm right down to almost 9st - while it's tempting to keep losing - experience tells me that usually lower than this is just not sustainable in the long term so I'm trying to fight the 'even thinner is better' mentality!

So, I had 10 days of celebratory meals, work events (complete with canapes and alcohol), house guests and so on...and put on a terrifying 6-7lbs.

Nearly cried when I got on the scales on Monday morning and saw the damage but when dh said 'does that mean 5:2 doesn't work after all?' i explained that it definitely proves it only works as long as I keep on doing it.....

So I'm another one back on track this week, although I'm reassured that 5lbs have already dropped off despite a lunch at Beas of Bloomsbury yesterday that involved not only a large piece of quiche but also 2 half portions of a sublime carrot cake and a beyond belief chocolate cheesecake....I did balance the massive pig-out with just a bowl of soup for a very late supper!

I'm realising that I'm probably not going to change my eating habits that much over the long term: I like eating good food, and will never be someone who can just pick at a sandwich, so I clearly need a WoE that enables me to be happy in myself and happy with myself.

It is definitely hard on some days to find the willpower to get back on the wagon but so worth it for the outcome.....and I'm inspired by TiPs pictures! We can all do it!

I meant to start my last post with:

Welcome back Laska....you have been missed! So glad the holiday was lovely, and very impressed by the measly 3lb gain...well done you Photos look great - loving the pink dress one too :)

tip I just calculated your quick swim 1000 metres, and it made me laugh at myself, how long does that take you? my usual swim is only 600 metres, I'm a rubbish swimmer, but make myself swim it as fast as I can (still pretty slow) so that I get really out of breath, and then I throw in a 100metres of just legs and try and tighten my tummy muscles. but yetserdays visit to the lido definitely involved more sunbathing than swimming, although i baked a no fat fruit tea loaf and a high fat lemon poppyseed loaf yesterday and only had one thin slice of each on my NFD, have brought the lemon one in to work (to remove temptation) and i'm fasting today.

filly great news that you've lost 5 pounds already, I really think if you get straight back on it after a string of indulgences it goes really quickly, my problem was that it was quite a few weeks of it creeping slowly up, so now it'll be quite a few weeks of it creeping slowly down! but you are so right, we can all do it, and we've proved that

thanks for everyones support, just thanking the weather as it definitely helps me fast!

also very inspired by my brother, i've mentioned him before, he started doing this in september after I mentioned it to him, and he was middle of obese bmi, but is now in normal bmi and has now lost 4 stone, doing 4:3 and he only drinks fluids on his fast days. I saw him last weekend for the first time in a while and he looks great. The best thing is his confidence, he has classic Aspergers, and has alwasy been very reclusive, but he sat in the room with me and mum and step dad and chatted for over an hour, that is unheard of! he would normally pace up and down the hallway becasue 3 people is too much for him, I'm not sure if it's the weightloss, but suspect it is, just lovely to see.

off topic alert.......my very boring ongoing house selling/relocating saga.....2nd buyer just pulled out....pondering if this means I can break my fast and go and drink wine later (as it's my night without kids) or whether to take the negative and turn into positive. erring towards the latter. maybe 3rd time lucky?