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

997 replies

TalkinPeace · 13/01/2014 20:40

This thread is for those of us 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 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 three maintenance threads and all the main 5:2 threads for posters practicing IF to lose weight here Fasting / 5:2 on the diet forum. We're currently on thread no. 35, 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 to the fore, as part of our general health and to help weight loss. BigChocFrenzys thread is here

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MrsFlorrick · 15/03/2014 10:22

Aaah. Pickled herring. (Drools) Grin happy memories. It's something I could eat all day every day. Grin
Along with gravedlax (note my non Swedish spelling and yes this is the proper spelling of it Wink)
And cod roe pan fried with lemon on rye bread and remoulade on top.

Ikea food sadly isn't as good as the real scandi stuff.

Luckily Ocado now have a big Nordic range so I get mine there. Or venture to the Danish shop in Great Titchfield St. Only its a faff to take the DC but they love it.

Still maintaining.

Although I do need to get rid of more fat. As in build muscle and lose fat but not weight as such.

Went swimming Thursday night. And despite all our winter illnesses and not having been for several months, I swam my best ever time by quite a way!
I did 2.5km in 1hour and 4 mins. My previous best was 1:20. And mostly 1:30 for 2.5km.

I normally swim 2km in an hour. So that was awesome.
And I would have kept going. So when I go on Monday night I will give that a go.

So a NFD and about to tuck into pain au chocolat fresh out of the oven.

I'm alone with the DC again as DH is with his dad at the hospital all weekend. Sad

AmericasTorturedBrow · 15/03/2014 14:23

well done on your new PB MrsF but sorry to hear about FIL again.

I went for a "hike" (in LA that basically means a walk up a hill in matching yoga gear) with a friend the other day, we took the harder route up this ridiculous hill in Hollywood which is basically an outdoor gym full of show off types looking for agents, dog walkers and the occasional bona fide person looking for a bit of exercise - friend does Cardio Barre so I thought she'd kill me on the hill but I practically skipped up without any shortness of breath so the cycling training IS paying off! On that note, about to register for a century ride - there are 2 this year but I can't make the second so must sign up for this one so I get in 100miles before ALC

Failed FD last night, never mind. Not too worried as I needed some comfort and even though that arrived in calorie heavy nut mix at least it was vaguely healthy. So nearly went out for wine, and so grateful I didn't after another night of broken sleep and a 4:45am wake up call.

DH has flu so I'm doing all the family work, all of it....I do most of it anyway but seriously I am run ragged now and it's made me realise he does actually pick up a bit of slack. Or maybe it's just that he's locked himself in the spare room to fester in piles of snotty tissues so his usual mess isn't scattered across the house!

Right, need to get out the house, every morning is terrible as we watch hours of tv and go stir crazy, so I'm having a shower then taking the DC to our local little airport where they can have pancakes, watch some planes then wear themselves out at the playground. I will be a better parent today

TalkinPeace · 15/03/2014 18:07

MOCNK Good to hear from you again.
We'll have to get you and Anglaise together on life beyond men who it just wont work with !

MrsF I know the Ikea food is pastiche, but Laska and I had a good natter in the sunshine.

We've been out at the Southampton Oceanography Centre day today so am getting delivery indian
nom nom
cannot drink as DD needs collecting from a party at 10.30 pm
(think of the calories saved!)

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AmericasTorturedBrow · 15/03/2014 20:05

Oh MOCNK I missed you! Welcome back lady and well done at sticking to fasting despite no weight lost - but no weight gained right?!

Hope the move goes ok, but sorry about BF, hope you're ok xx

Breadandwine · 16/03/2014 15:55

Hi everybody!

Been off-colour for the past week or so, but I'm back to normal as from today! Grin

Lovely pics, Laska, Marcus looks like a lot of fun - and ginger's good IMO (being one myself)! Hope your weekend's going well - and so lovely the mum's keen for your relationship to flourish. How's your son getting on, BTW?

Good for you on the vegan front, ATB! I'm eating less and less manufactured stuff and more just relying on veggies alone. I had a Fry's vegan sausage the other day and thought it tasted vile! And I used to love 'em! I quite like Linda McCartney sausages, but don't have them that often. And I've given up Alpro puddings and custard - so things are changing there, too.

About cheese, there's a whole sub-culture (to coin a phrase) of tasty home-made cheeses I need to get into - bought vegan cheese isn't great unless you spend a lot of money.

Glad you're back in the groove, Laska - how about you, SED?

Wow, great PB MrsF!

Nice to see you back, mocnk - sorry about the bf! [hug]

Aiming for a sub 90 calorie curry for tomorrow's fast day. Need it after the 4 Chelsea buns I had yesterday! Still got three left - be interesting to see how many make it through the rest of today!

mumofcrazynamedkids · 17/03/2014 10:32

thanks guys, it was me that ended things with the bf, after 2 years and 3 months, he was just still very part time, disengaged and generally behaving like a single guy, he's brilliant in lots of ways, but part time isn't enough for me, and I think it'll take him years (maybe when his 7 year old daughter is a teenager!) before he's ready to commit more time to anyone else. so it's tough, i still love him very much, and feel a bit devastated that he hasn't even spoken to me in the week since i said enough, but maybe a quick ending with no long drawn out to and fro'ing is for the best.

It does make me wonder about whether i should have stayed in london/go back....sigh not fair on the kids really, and the decision to move north although strongly influenced by him, was made for financial reasons, anyway, am about to sign a 6 month let, so i have some time to ponder it all some more.

maybe I should make the most of monthly london weekends for now!

first things first, I want to see some weight loss/toning in the next month, so tip please give me some very simple daily exercises i can do at home? I need to start somewhere!

atb yes, actually still 2 pounds down, and if I can avoid any booze now til next weekend when i move and will definitely need it, I may shift another pound.

anglaise how's things going for you? are you back dating again? I'm already wondering what is a healthy interval, although now just too soon.

TalkinPeace · 17/03/2014 14:08

MOCNK
Have a look at BigChoc's exercise thread as there is a steady stream of resources and information about getting hench on there!
Something like the Shred is probably your best start at home - I go to the gym so am not much use on such things
my main home exercise is digging the veg garden!

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Anglaise1 · 17/03/2014 17:56

Hi MOCNK so nice to see you back, but I'm so sorry about you moving out after giving the BF another go. I'm afraid I'm a very bad example to follow on the romance side of things! I started dating again before Christmas, met a very nice guy but in the end neither of us were ready for a new relationship and in the meantime I'd started seeing the old BF as a friend, but I wasn't over him, nor him me. So...we are sort of back together, but he doesn't want to commit either, although he says he loves me. Just had a lovely weekend in the UK with him but he has a big female fanclub and although he insists he wants nothing to do with the women romantically they are still there, texting him, and I just find it bizarre that they would if they were getting no come on from him.
I think you might need a bit of time before dating again, if you do still have feelings for your BF. Concentrate on your children and feeling good about yourself. Good luck, I know I'm about to be dumped again for the xxth time.
TIP LaskaI wish I could easily give up alcohol in the week - a couple of nights no problem but I do like a glass with dinner Sad

I don't know how you all manage to resist the temptation of food in the UK. I've never seen so many places to eat, with food available at all times of day and delicious cakes in the tea shops. In France it is quite restricted, you can't buy food everywhere and restos tend to be open just at meal times (except for McDo's). And the portion sizes are huge!! I just can't eat that much anymore. Went to an excellent farmer's market in Stratford on Avon, very impressive even compared to French markets.
Managed to fast today although am actually lighter than before I went away which was a shock!

mumofcrazynamedkids · 17/03/2014 20:30

anglaise the moving out is incidental to the bf and I splitting up, as we weren't living together anyway, he lives 2 roads away, and still will when i move. my tenancy just came to an end as the owners are coming back, so I've had to find a new place, all just really expensive, tiring, and the last thing I need right now, but just no choice. Your situation sounds just as tricky, emotions are a real hard one to manage hey? so difficult not to get pulled back when you still have feelings, but I'm trying to remember my mum staying with the wrong guy for 10 years and use that as an example of what not to do!

amazingly tonight I've had the ex bf's sister in law on the phone offering me her husband (ex bf's brother) to orchestrate the movers and come and basically manage the whole thing, which is so generous, and kind and exactly what the ex bf should have been doing if we'd been together, but wouldn't have done, and didn't on the last move, just makes me realise the kind of person that exists and what I didn't have!

having fasted all day I've just blown it with a slice of home made tea loaf, I've got to pack rather than my usual veg on the sofa, so couldn't resist the calories, ahh well, a low cal day instead!

mumofcrazynamedkids · 17/03/2014 20:55

ooppps Blush 2 slices of fruit loaf and then a stupendous 'oh sod it' and 2 ham rolls eaten so quickly my stomach now hurts.....thank goodness it's only Monday! Brew time!

TalkinPeace · 17/03/2014 21:29
Grin you'll be fine - staying active will burn it off
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AmericasTorturedBrow · 18/03/2014 04:23

Grrrr did the same - some nuts and dates pushed me over 500 after having a very good FD and filling dinner. Bugger.

In better news - I had the pleasure of a transatlantic MN/5:2 meet today! FrenchFancy and her family are lovely - her DD's are such lovely girls, 2 friendly teens and DD3 totally took on babysitting my DD so we could have a natter. And FF looked svelte and lovely too! Have a great final day in LA my dear!

Anglaise1 · 18/03/2014 07:00

mocnk what a lovely gesture from your ex SIL. Shame your ex BF hasn't got the same qualities. Don't worry about your fast day, we've all been there!
ATB nuts are my downfall and I'm sure the reason I lost weight on my long weekend away in the UK was that I didn't eat any, or any cake or desserts. I need something to stop me grazing on almonds - the recent price hike should help.

Breadandwine · 18/03/2014 14:43

Yesterday, for my fast day, I got my dinner down to 75 calories (recipe to come). I had a plateful of veg curry and I was completely satisfied after the meal.

As usual, didn't feel hungry all day, and it was a breeze, really.

So, today I thought I'd have breakfast - curried fruit naan bread with banana, plus 25g of ground flaxseeds with fruit juice.

Thoroughly enjoyable - but then I spent the next 3 hours wanting my lunch and thinking about food. Sad

So I've decided that, from now on, I shall do without breakfast every day except Sunday, when it's breakfast in bed with the papers.

My wife's having her hair done and left me with a list of jobs to do. So I've just spent 15 minutes on my hands and knees cleaning the kickboards in our kitchen. I'd no idea they were so filthy, until I got down there!

Now I'm off to sweep the decking and patio!

(Memo to self: Must remember to notice DH's hair when she returns!)

Grin
TalkinPeace · 18/03/2014 15:36

B&W
I just cleaned the stairs as DH had noticed that the carpet on the risers was very scuffed.
Liberated professional woman that I am Smile

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Papayasoup · 18/03/2014 16:15

Hello! Can I delurk here?
I originally de lurked on the main thread in dec and then was rather overwhelmed by traffic in jan and RL but now trying to find my fasting groove again.
I've maintained for about the last 6 months but a bit half @rsed of late and I must admit lack of exercise is showing as well. Must try harder!!
Anyhoo, about me. Started 5:2 jan 2013 and have maintained since the summer. Definitely works for me although I probably do 1000cal fasts combined with 16:8 these days.

Have my fair share of RL stuff, live in asia but relocating to UK and need to find school, house and job, Urgh. Bit overwhelmed but will try to stick to fasting and maintaining. Big thank you to all of you to have kept me going over the last year.

BetsyBell · 18/03/2014 16:49

Just pigged out on crap (have a cold, will is week, body demanding sweet things) and BOOM instant headache. Stupid body/brain, demanding things it doesn't like.

Have a nice dinner planned so I guess I'll give half to DH and save half for my lunch tomorrow - don't think I'll be able to fit anything else in and go to Taekwondo later. Yes, I like that plan.

Does anyone want to come and do some scrubbing at my house? There's plenty to go round B&W, TiP, I can supply tea and compliments... Grin

TalkinPeace · 18/03/2014 19:12

Hi Papaya welcome to the peaceful corner!
((( Betsy ))) you'll be fine. and no, I hate cleaning as much as the next sane person

Had a stressful day as I cannot get in touch with the client I should have been at today - and year end is looming
so I went for a swim in the sun and did yoga instead

then DH texted to say that the school he was at was uber stress

so we have just STUFFED ourselves on fajitas
BUT
two tortillas each, chicken strips, lettuce, peppers and onions, refried beans, salsa, chipotle, guacamole is pretty healthy
and then I added cheddar and soured cream Wink
and am having cider (DH beer)

BUT I'm still well within TDEE
and weighed myself this morning, still holding steady at 9 st : I'd like to get down to 8: 8 but that is a lot of effort and I'm secretly a lazy moo (don't tell bigchoc)

PS - several of us maintainers are on FB - if that is your thang, drop me a line :-)

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Southeastdweller · 18/03/2014 19:44

Hi everyone. Pretty much back in the groove and just 2lbs over target weight which is no big deal and will doubtless disappear soon now the weather's finally turned for the better and I up my exercise.

I was exceptionally hungry this morning which I put down to the Nytol tablet I had last night (I only plan to take them now and then). Powered through and about to have dinner of seasoned chick peas with sardines (350 cals). I really like the flavoured popcorn at Pret - Wasabi and sweet & spice; it's helped get me through many difficult FD's like today. I'm starting to realise why so many models apparently eat a lot of popcorn, the type that's not drenched in butter...

Welcome Papaya. Sticking to some form of I.F will help you to feel in control of everything else and I'm sure I don't need to tell you that if you need advice on schools, jobs, locations then MN can be better than Google Grin.

I just went to Tesco for some razors which turned into an eye-opening experience. I noticed that the vast majority of food items that were either B.O.G.O.F or half-price were crap - white rice, white pasta, Pringles, pizza, crisps, sausage rolls, tinned ham, Easter eggs, ice cream, etc. In the fruit, veg and nut section those type of offers were few and far between. I've noticed this before in Tesco and other supermarkets but tonight was the first time I looked closely and I'm shocked at the scale of it. In Britain, 60% of adults are currently overweight and a third of children are too so surely one reason why this is is because of these quick and easy to cook foods like this - most don't even need cooking - that are always available so cheaply at the big supermarkets? The government need to tackle the supermarkets and food industry about it. They won't of course but they should Angry.

TalkinPeace · 18/03/2014 19:56

Southeast
I live near a big supermarket that serves a very poor estate
the obesity and crap being bought is shocking
but the way the messages have been given is clearly not working (see the joy that is my maccy d's thread on AIBU)
its depressing

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Fillybuster · 18/03/2014 21:10

I'm still here, but mainly lurking...work is really getting in the way of my MN time Shock!

Betsy belated congratulations on your yellow belt - well done you Grin

ATB I'm so impressed by your 'no wine' willpower...stick at it, and I'm really rooting for you on the sleep front: we've had an awful week with dd2 (combination of bed-wetting, bad cold and general 3yo challenging behaviour) and I feel utterly broken. Sending you lots of (()) and hoping the sleep training pays off.

B&W I never had a chance to comment but I was utterly Shock by the pancakes thread!!! Some people.... Well done on the continued fasting (chelsea buns aside)

Welcome back MOCNK - you have been missed!!! So sorry it didn't work out with your bf, but please try to keep your chin up and stay focussed on the positive. Hopefully the house move went well this weekend? I'm really glad you're getting some help organising the move, even if it isn't from the slightly-waste-of-space-ex-bf! And stick at the fasting - sometimes just holding steady is the most massive achievement. You're doing really well holding onto that, given everything else you're dealing with at the moment ((hugs))

Laska I'm so entirely taken with your grandson that everything else palls into the background Grin As a redhead myself, I just have to congratulate you on your brilliance!! Enjoy the visit, then get back on the 5:2 train - listen to TiP....you know you can do it!

Oh dear...I know i've missed some people out ( Anglaise, Tip, FrenchFancy and welcome back SouthEast...) - please forgive me: I've been writing this post since this morning and still trying to get it done so I can leave the office....

Not much to report from my side of town. Yesterday was my first NFD Monday for over a year, which felt very odd. I was taken out for lunch to an extremely naice place (Coq d'Argent) so wasn't prepared to miss out....no breakfast and, in the end, no dinner either - too tired and too full - which buggered plans to fast today as my stomach was rumbling at full volume by 2pm. Ended up having too much lunch (very controlled 191 cal thing from Pod but followed with a massive portion of tabbouleh and couscous salad from a fab Turkish place down the road two hours later). Then a beer and crisps at a post-work thing, followed by popcorn at a private film view (for work...Grin). Trying to work out if I should eat dinner, then fast properly tomorrow or skip dinner and cut my losses....

Bikini holiday suddenly looms large. I hadn't realised we were going away for Easter quite so soon but the penny dropped this afternoon that I'm off in 3 weeks. That really isn't long enough to do anything about my utterly flabby midriff, especially given my stupid work hours at the moment. Obviously Gillian could save me now...Hmm...maybe I need to give that a bash for as much of the next few weeks as I can?!

Laska42 · 18/03/2014 21:38

bum, bum, BUM,, I wrote a huge post about how fab my weekend was with Marcus, how id had a good fast day ( but have now slightly ruined it with a glass of cheeky Wine this evening) and answered you in my usualy lucid, witty and charming manner Grin!

.. Pressed 'Post' and the site promptly went down!! so lost the lot..

GRRRR!! Angry i'll do it all again on a word doc and cut and past .. ( tomorrow now) as have lost the will and want my bed and book .. Hmm

Hope y'all feeling fine n' dandy .. I must go make a mint tea now... not more red stuff..

TalkinPeace · 18/03/2014 21:41

laska
if ever it does that to you again, hit "back"
you'll be back to what you typed
then CTRL+C to get it into the clipboard, then you can refresh the page till MN is behaving and then repost
you can even log right out and back in - what you typed will still be there ....

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Laska42 · 18/03/2014 21:47

Duh! sadly 'snot there now Sad..I had a look at something i was bidding on ebay in betweeen..

Tired now though and am going to bed.... how can I still be so knacked afteronly two nights with a toddler? (oh yes, maybe its the 22 year gap between the last one and this! )
more tomorrow ..

BetsyBell · 18/03/2014 21:52

Thanks Filly :) Taekwondo makes everything better! Mini splurge meant no din dins but all forgotten now in the post-kicking (flying kicks!) and punching glow. Sorted out the headache too.

Does anyone on here hanker after junk food anymore? I watched a colleague eat a pallid yellow packed lunch (of the sort of thing SED listed) followed by sweets and felt a bit nauseated. Whereas I drooled a little at another colleague's lunch comprised of a vividly coloured home made salady thing.

Ooh, chickpeas and sardines sounds like an interesting combo, both of which I have lurking in the cupboard - I might give that a go.

Hope your work day is better tomorrow tip - sounds like yoga and swimming were the perfect antidote.