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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Talk about intermittent fasting and 5:2, including what’s worked for others. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

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

999 replies

Talkinpeace · 19/07/2013 13:03

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?
How do we ensure that we keep ourselves looking great rather than just thin?

Many of us have been maintaining at our original goal weight for a few 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 two maintenance threads and all the main 5:2 threads for posters practicing IF to lose weight here on the Fasting / 5:2 on the diet forum. We're currently on thread no. 23, but there is a new main thread every 2-3 weeks.

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!

PS thanks to Breadandwine (proof that this forum welcomes everybody, not just Mums) for setting up the last thread while my old name that set up the first one was on 'holiday' Grin

OP posts:
AmericasTorturedBrow · 08/01/2014 14:24

Not til you were 63 B&W? Wow

I'm similar TIP, but it's hard here to know where it's coming from so in making a bigger concerted effort to not eat meat outside the home and only buy it in from a very reputable farmer (I've been to his farm) whose welfare standards are very high - and therefore very expensive

Funny, I'm really not missing meat at all. My problem with veganism is I love eggs, so again buy them from this particular farmer

Southeastdweller · 08/01/2014 16:27

Belated happy new year to everyone Smile.

It’s been over four months since I last posted Blush.

Still maintaining fine here, despite the odd indulgent period. A few months ago I went to Bristol for two nights. I ate and drank a fair bit though not as much as what I used to pre-5:2. I consciously decided I didn’t want to put on weight whilst I was there so I squeezed in a few short gym sessions and fasted the day after I returned. Lo and behold I’d maintained and that’s one of the many great things about this WOL – having that control about food and my weight for the first time in my life. I may well go up a little now sometimes but I’m finally armed with the tools to ensure I need never be overweight again!

I’ll go back a few pages when I get home later and catch up.

Laska42 · 08/01/2014 18:15

well two days of fasting during the day , then wrecking it in the evening I'm now on my third attempt in a row!Blush.

I had some watered down h/m pea mint and leek soup earlier and im now chomping my way through a pile of s/f veggies and a little chicken with lots of chilli!

fingers crossed!

Laska42 · 08/01/2014 18:21

I've realised that its the coming home hungry thing (or thinking I am ) so I prepped all the veggies earlier..and just got on with it the moment i got my coat off.. I used to do this before.. its strange though I haven't felt hungry all day ..

I had the soup because since we moved to a big open plan office and everyone else eating around me is problem ( but its also interesting to see just how much they all seem to put away) .

Another thing i must get back into is turning off the screen early and going to bed with my book and mint tea .. saves late night snacks

hmm and used to be so good at this 5:2 lark....

frenchfancy · 08/01/2014 18:25

Major NSV Grin

Twenty years ago today I married my DH. Today I tried on my wedding dress for the first time since the big day. It fits Grin

I have never dared to try it on. I put on weight on honeymoon, so packed the dress away (I didn't even clean it Blush ) . Over the years I just got bigger, but kept it in a cupboard for sentimental reasons.

My DD1 is 14, she has never even seen the dress. She thinks it is beautiful and so it her Mum Grin

TalkinPeace · 08/01/2014 18:30

FrenchFancy
Congratulations on your anniversary.
And that is an absolute belter of an NSV - well done you.

Laska
One of my jobs involves working in a big open plan council office - the amount of food that people scoff mindlessly during the day is just shocking.

'tis funny, I've never been an evening snacker (unless hammered) so that was no change for me.

Southeast
Good to have you back - otherwise B&W is the only male influence on the thread ...
and yes, isn't it nice to start the year chuffed rather than ashamed

anybody heard from Mttum lately ?

OP posts:
Laska42 · 08/01/2014 18:54

Fantastic NSV FrenchFancy Would you post us a photo?

I've been with my DH for 20years also (well nearly 21 now) though when we finally got around to getting married 7 years ago my wedding dress was an 18/20.(There's a pic of me in it on my profile) I've kept it , but there's no way i want it to fit again!.

However I was thrilled when i got back into my 40th birthday dress ( which says its a 14 but more like a 10 in today's sizes Grin. I also have a tartan skirt I was wearing the day we met at our university interview day (I'm a sentimental old Hector ain't I? ) That says sz 12 , but its about an 8 now .. but when i reached 10st it looked like it might fit again if i lost another half stone.. ( but sadly i've gone back the other way since ..Sad ) But hopefully not for long!

Am totally stuffed after me dins, so hopefully ill have cracked it today .

Yep Tip but its not the chocolates bics and cakes they eat I have a problem with , but the smell of their hot lunches does it for me .. i go out when i can , will now keep miso soup in the office for the evenings i just need to get back into a routine.. it does help going to bed early i find on fast days . again with eve ,

re: meat .. I'm finding ( despite today's bit of chicken that I tend to do without during the week.. I buy free range and organic if i can. But I do eat eggs when i have breakfast and like prawns or fish and veggies on fast days .. I have been trying to go without breakfast again on fast days ,

Laska42 · 08/01/2014 18:57

Oops typos!! I havent just 'outed' n myself! whoever Eve is I dont go to bed with her! Grin

Anglaise1 · 08/01/2014 21:05

Congratulations on your 20th anniversary FF, and of course the fact that your wedding dress fits:-)
A photo would be great!
I've never managed more than 9 years and for most of that we lived in separate countries.
Laska sympathy, I know that working in open plan offices can be a nightmare for constant snacking. Just say no! In France there is a no eating at the desk policy so constant snacking just doesn't happen.
Managed 2nd fast day of the week today (not planned, but I spilt my cup of tea all over my baguette this morning so couldn't have breakfast and just carried on). As well as braving the first day of the sales I also did 10 km run with sprints...and still managed to resist that last mince pie.
Looking forward to being treated to lunch tomorrow.

Southeastdweller · 08/01/2014 21:51

I see some of you still haven't posted your stories on the Inspirational thread . Please do!

TalkinPeace · 08/01/2014 22:02

southeast - still no pic of you in your party frock Wink

OP posts:
Southeastdweller · 08/01/2014 22:30

Tip No honey, but I'm working on a shirtless pic within the next few months for the viewing pleasures of some of you Grin

TalkinPeace · 08/01/2014 22:31

{swoon icon} Thanks
Wink

OP posts:
TheCyclistist · 09/01/2014 11:18

Hope you got through the FD ok yesterday Laska. After those first few successful FDs it suddenly becomes A LOT easier.

Last time I checked TiP I was male too, but I'll check again just to make sure Wink

Have a great day all

TalkinPeace · 09/01/2014 12:12

Cyclistist I'll believe you, but that party frock picture of yours is not the most flattering Wink
and good to know you are lurking and checking up on us

OP posts:
TheCyclistist · 09/01/2014 13:12

Yes it was the Lycra unfortunately. Sadly I'll need to spend a year down the gym on the weights before I do any shirtless profile snaps Wink

Yeah mostly lurking at the moment as not much new to say.

catsrus · 09/01/2014 17:55

so today I was working from home - going to have a light meal tonight, a cabbage borscht, lots of miso, out for a meal tomorrow night so want to feel good about treats.

the dcs had left a couple of cans of baked beans open in the fridge - so I had that for lunch with some cheese stirred in. OK so far (ish) then I made the soup - didn't want to have to watch it so popped it into a slow oven to cook and varied the recipe a bit. Went for a bracing dog walk, came back, tried the soup and it was FOUL. not sure what's gone wrong. So then I spot the panetonne that was not even opened at Christmas. "I'll have one slice and freeze the rest" yeah, right. So my healthy eating day was baked beans with cheese and one entire panetonne - half of which was eaten with butter. Blush

AmericasTorturedBrow · 10/01/2014 00:08

Woo hoo men in cocktail dresses - are there no end to the wonders to be unearthed thanks to this WOE Wink

FD today but found out mum and dad have bought dinner from a fish market on their drive back up the coast so I'm just doing a 24hout fast til dinner then not worrying too much what it will be (I imagine they've bought some fish, I'd already prepped dinner for us all of lentils nicoise so it shouldn't be too OTT)

Anglaise1 · 10/01/2014 06:58

cats on the positive side you have no more panetonne left to eat now! ANd of course the great thing about this WOE is if you fail on a fast day you just do another one the next day, or the day after, or the day after.
ATB enjoy your fish supper with lentis nicoise sounds delicious.
Back to 58kgs now after a week of 5:2 fasting - I like to keep between 57 & 58 kg if possible, around 9 stone.

AmericasTorturedBrow · 10/01/2014 14:11

Whoops seriously over indulged then when chocolate tasting!! Probably still came in around 1000kcal so a mini fast (and good job I didn't eat til dinner)

AmericasTorturedBrow · 10/01/2014 14:44

Anglaise how tall are you again?

BetsyBell · 10/01/2014 16:39

Hello lovely maintainer's thread! I know I don't come in here too much but the main thread is moving too fast even for me at the moment Shock. Can I come and hide out in here for a bit?! Grin

frenchfancy · 10/01/2014 16:41

Of course you can Betsy welcome aboard.

BetsyBell · 10/01/2014 16:46

Thanks FF. I don't have much to report - dumped off most the Christmas flab and started twice weekly Taekwondo classes. It hurts! I love it. Now have unrealistic expectations to be ripped within a couple of weeks Grin.

I've decided 2014 is the year I get fit.

(Or at least until I get ill or pull a muscle or something!)

EarSlaps · 10/01/2014 16:49

Same here Betsy. I'm mostly hanging out on the exercise thread, or on the Jillian Michaels devotees thread at the moment. It's hard to keep track with all the new joiners right now! It's good that more and more people are giving it a try though. I hope they give it a good go rather than doing just one or two fasts then declaring it too hard.