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

[TalkinPeace]

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

also loving the new gap boyfriend jeans..... not loving the fact they are a size 14 but will be buying some in a smaller size soon!

Hello all, and happy birthday ( a bit late) TiP

How am I doing..? still too embarrassed by my total slipshod behaviour to feel like i can post on the maintenance thread..

I seem to have lost my 5:2 mojo.....

(however I am mostly doing under TDEE and have a sz 10 dress coming in the post ..its for my holiday which is only in a few weeks so it may be my wake up call.. ) ..

fast went great today
up until we agreed to meed a friend for his birthday in a real ale pub
I'm safe normally as I do not like beer
whoops : they had real cider!
but I was good and only had a half

but have just had to cancel work tomorrow as my car is making nasty noises .... garage on Wednesday

Think I need to have more faith in myself - weighed in yesterday and despite being nervous I'd put on weight, I'm still on target. I won't get any more Bailey's now until November - this month has proved to me that minimal boozing is paramount to stay on track.

In Starbucks at the moment. I don't know how anyone can manage those big iced buns and pastries so early. FD yesterday and a healthy NFD planned for today. Just had a coffee so far.

Good luck this week mum.

Hello Everyone. I feel like I know you all so well and have really appreciated your experience. I've been following this WOL for 15 months (lurking on both the main thread and this one) and thought it was time to out myself. I am 5ft3ins and I will be 62 very soon and after weighing myself this morning I've exceeded my goal and now weigh 9st.6lbs and I feel fitter, healthier (and younger) than I have for many, many years. In total I've lost 3 stone, the first 1.5st with WW and then 1.5st doing 5:2. I know which WOL I prefer. I know I haven't done it quickly, but I do enjoy my weekends! This is such a sustainable way of life - even if I do fall off the wagon now and again

Hi all, and welcome Mimi

I have continued to do 5:2 and am managing to keep alcohol free during the week. I have no idea what this has done to my weight as the scales are in our guest bedroom and we have my Mum staying for 2 weeks. She is never up early in the mornings, so no wi for 2 weeks? It will probably do me good.

Work is busy, and DCs are now off for 2 weeks, which when 2 of them are still in plaster isn't much fun. Added to that it is cold and wet. My relationship with Mum is complicated so that doesn't necessarily help. I'm spending a lot of time hiding in the kitchen.

Laska I'm not fasting either at the moment so feel bad posting here, no incentive as no weight to lose, still at 9 stone despite the rest from running last week. At least if you are sticking to your TDEE you should be on course for your size 10 and holidays!
South I did post about my knee after the half marathon, it is OK at the moment but I will still have the operation start July.
Welcome Mimi and good luck with your maintenance.
I think I'll go back to 6:1 after the school holidays. We have a French student staying next week for an 'immersion' in English so it will be difficult to fast, the French don't really get the idea of skipping meals at all.

Welcome mimi. Why not post your story on the inspirational thread?

Thanks for the welcome French, Anglaise and Southeast. I've been looking forward to joining the maintenance thread for a while now and have now posted something on the inspirational thread as suggested by Southeast - never thought I'd get down to a 15 year low on my weight! I've learned so much from these threads. Thank you all so much.

(whispers) At last ! 16:8 ...

minimal boozing is paramount to stay on track

Very true, SED, I've just done a fortnight booze free - and would you believe I didn't even drink all of my first pint?! Well, I did eventually, but I forgot about the last inch or so for a while.

Welcome Mimi - and well done! [understatement!]

no incentive as no weight to lose Anglaise I can't believe you said that! What about all the attendant health benefits? Smarten up girl!

Laska come on, you know you can do this! You were one of the original inspirations on these threads - and you will be again!

Are you doing any HIIT? For me doing this - and kettlebells are a form of HIIT - has definitely enabled me to give up lots of sugary stuff. I think I've got one bar of chocolate in the drawer (which is intended for pain au chocolat), plus I've still got half the bar of chilli choc I bought last week. Remember the stash I used to have? Not any more!

I don't have Alpro puds or 10cal jellies any more - the tub of ice cream in the freezer was bought before Christmas.

[Polishes halo]

You have the tools to deal with your weight issues - you just have to apply them, which YOU CAN DO!!

If you want any further incentive - you need to stay fit for Marcus' sake, right?

B&W and I will be again.. have dropped 3lbs this week (sadly 6 more to pull back) but now ive had a good week I AM DETERMINED ..

Today though i was treated to lunch out .. Seafood linguini YUM.. (no dinner though) and no ..

Out early on the road most of tomorrow.. I dont snack in the car... so not planning on eating again until dinner time

Scared of kettle bells because of back spasm... need to get out yomping on them thair hills this weekend...(luckily have a few killers just out back from me..did some last weekend)

I'm not at the gym at the moment (work commitments) so am doing 22:2 and trying to stick to 1000 calories on week days.
This weekend will be a relax
but I'd like to shift the 3 meals a day bulge from Turkey!

anglaise
its worth doing the fasting even if you eat your full calories in the evening - for the physiological benefits

laska
get yomping. You know its right

Also we have a 'half a stone' in a month challenge going at work..(that would do it for me to get back to what i was ) .. I cant get anyone else to do 5:2 even though they have seen it works for me..

They are all stuck on slimming world, weight watchers , shakes, cambridge diet etc etc (and they dont work l/t do they?.. especialy the foul 'shakes diets)

Luckily they still seem to think i am still a poster girl for weight loss , so that makes me feel i cant let them down. ( but then they all remember me at nearly 14 stone. I certainly dont want to go THERE again.).

Thanks B&W, it took a while, but it was worth the wait and I'm so pleased to be an official maintainer.

Boots out ready Tip I want you to see the 'last year me' again when we next meet up..

Wont be too long until you'll be back at gym I'm sure ...you gotta keep those knees pain free..

Wise words B&W and TIP the other benefits of fasting had slipped my mind! All set for at least one fast day next week, but possibly with more calories in the evening. I need to keep my weight down for another half marathon at the end of May so there is another incentive as well as for the other health and psychological benefits.
Keep at it Laska - I can't believe other people choose the other diets which are either expensive, complicated and as you say, disgusting in the case of the 'shakes. Or all 3. 5:2 was the cheapest and easiest 'diet' I've ever followed.
Have a good weekend everyone and mimi don't forget to keep us updated on how your maintenance goes and what you decide to to.

Happy weekend everyone. Still no weigh in, but I've done a good 5:2 this week. Mother is driving me mad - she is so inert. She spends the day doing nothing. I am an active person, I can't bear inactivity. It is driving me mad, so I've opened the wine. I've served Mum a glass so I'm not drinking alone (DH is out - escaping). I'm in grave danger of finishing the rest of the bottle. Even though I'm in the kitchen cooking dinner with the radio on whilst teaching DD1 to sew, Mum is in the living room on her own. WHY???

Sorry, just needed to rant and knew I was safe here, now back to the wine.

Just posting a quick hello to everyone before fully catching up.

I've not been on MN much of late at all. Just too busy. DH has been away 14 nights straight now.

I was on the verge of committing wilful abandonment and leaving the DC in Bluewater today.

Their behaviour is out of control just now. I've got a really bad cold and a throat and chest infection so have lost my voice completely which means DC run amok and shout "we can't hear you mummy". Argh

So any tips on how to make a 2 and a 4yo tow the line would help

Still 5:2 and maintaining nicely. I've lost a teeny bit so am 149lbs which is fine as we are due to go on holiday next week.

I've found a local guinea pig specialist boarding house for the piggies to go to. I feel slightly wibbly about leaving them. Perhaps I can take the DC to the kennel and take the piggies on hols. They don't give me back chat, spit my food out or wreck the place.

Catch up on thread and I will be back in a bit.

MrsF I think taking the guinea pigs and leaving the DCs is a great idea.

Seriously though, just remember that you ar in charge, and one day they will be teenagers and all grown up and you will miss their little chubby legs (ok only a little bit - teenagers are way better than toddlers)

Hang on in there, it does get better.

Have a great holiday.

French. Until my voice returns sadly DC are in charge.

I know they grow up fast. It feels like 5mins ago that I was holding newborn DD. can't believe it was almost 5 years ago. And how small she was. She is big and noisy now and cheeky.

She was bad today. By bedtime DS was in tears because she upset him with all her shouting and wild antics.

I am on the honey and lemon. Fingers crossed for voice tomorrow.

Have a good holiday Mrs F, I miss the toddler stage, but then you tend to forget the tantrums and just remember the cute stuff.
Sorry about your mum French I know exactly what you mean, my mum is on the selfish side, but then she never comes out anymore to see us (she is too busy) and even when she did it was a week max so OK.
It's Monday, no bank holiday here so work as normal (even if the kids are still on holiday) so first fast in weeks for the health benefits b&w TIP ) as weight still at target and I'm not running today so shouldn't feel too hungry.

Hello again everyone!

Has taken me ages to remember there was a maintenance thread after I dropped off. Der.

I finally have a plan of maintenance that is working. I weigh on FD and if I'm within a 2lb zone of ideal weight then I just do 16:8 with no junk. If I'm over that then I 24hr fast, no junk generally too. Either way I don't calorie restrict on those days except for what happens naturally with eating no junk.

Hello Eatriskier. (Waves)

Sounds like a good plan.

I'm still doing at least one FD a week mostly 2 but that's because I allow myself to gorge during Friday night and Saturday. And I don't watch my TDEE on the other days.

To be fair with more moderation I could just do a little 16:8.

That said I don't mind the FD and I like to have a treat.

My weeks are sometimes long and lonely with DH being away and away at weekends too and hard work with the DC at times so its so nice to have a big treat.

What also is nice is finally to have a treat. As in losing all this weight for a second time and being able to have a treat night it's great.

This weekend it was Thai takeaway green curry and chocs. Last weekend home cooked roast and loads of cheese and biscuits. I had Epoisse and st Venier (soft cheeses). So yummy.

Not sure how well I will maintain during holiday. 15 nights in 5* accom with top quality cuisine. It's likely I will gain. The hotel/island has a chocolate room (=doom for me) and a cheese room. I may barricade myself in each room alternate nights and scoff.

Hoping some of the diving snorkelling will burn some of it off and lugging DC around in the water.

Hi all.
Have had a very mellow weekend and probably eaten much too much, but the four of us were playing in the garden till 11pm last night (glowstick tennis and a bonfire) and have done LOTS of gardening.
Feel flabby due to lack of gym but hey ho.

MrsF You are stressed, your DH is away, the kids are feeding off it. Start to shrug your shoulders at them. THey will get the hint!
And your holiday sounds FAB (apart from the chocolate) - the guinea pigs will love it on the beach