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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

OP posts:
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AmericasTorturedBrow · 22/01/2014 22:55

Laska you have made my day (and next week's menu plan!)

Fillybuster · 22/01/2014 23:27

Not a real post this (but thanks for all the lovely birthday comments again....and TiP - ha! I wish! ) but need to report back on fabulous warm lentil salad for dinner tonight.

I had a couple of 'semi smoked' salmon steaks in the freezer that I cooked and served resting on top - really yum :) :) - and a HUGE bag of curly kale served alongside.

Maybe I'm late to the kale party and everyone already knows this, but I've just discovered: a shimmer of olive oil, a good sprinkle of sea salt, whole bag of kale in a hot oven for about 10 mins. Something like seaweed: crunchy, salty, very yummy :)

BetsyBell · 23/01/2014 08:38

Yes, do report back on the lentil salad - I'm not making it until the weekend!

Fillybuster · 23/01/2014 11:22

Betsy the salad was delicious, although I'm not convinced that we needed both the lentils and the potatoes with dinner last night, especially since we had salmon and kale as well. I love puy lentils, and I love baby potatoes, and both were fab with the dressing, but another time I'd probably make either one or the other for dinner, rather than combining them.

Thanks for the link :)

AmericasTorturedBrow · 23/01/2014 14:24

You see Kale Chips everywhere here as snack food. I always sautéed it for dinner but your crispy seaweed version sounds lush

Looks like we're booking a 2 week trip to SouthKorea in March (squeeaaal) so as I'll definately be taking a break from fasting (and probably veganism, I'm a sucker for traveling by taste, although the friend we're staying with for a while is veggie) I'd better get on it before then.

FD today so making it easy and defrosting a h/m parsnip soup

catsrus · 23/01/2014 17:04

I'm here - just working hard ATM! Back down to 9.2lb this morning after two good half fasts (ie. no solid food until evening, but I did have a morning latte and a chai latte on the train coming home - both full fat) then a plate of red cabbage (sauted in Olive oil with garlic, onion and apple - seasoned with caraway seeds) topped with roast squash and smothered in a nice goat's cheese.

Had the remainder of that for lunch today with some lentils - will make rest of lentils into a curry but need to shop for veggies first.

Laska42 · 23/01/2014 21:02

Well I'm off to 'North Island' for a few days.... to see friends... and where I have been promised lasagne and garlic bread tomorrow and a Curry Nite on Saturday! .. (they think us 'South Islanders' cant get such delicacies .... marooned as we are in the other side of the Solent Grin

So wont be around for a while , but next week I might (thats just might ...I'm thinking Wink), start a Wine free month.. I was planning for 27 days no wine February .. (one day is DH and DF birthday so ill have to join in a toast )..

So see y'all next week!

BsshBossh · 23/01/2014 21:18

ATB South Korea . You lucky, lucky thing!

headintheclouds · 24/01/2014 00:40

I hope you all don't mind but I'm coming to join you on this thread..
I simply can't keep up with the other thread..it's moving too fast for this ole timer..
It's my '1st Anniversary of This WOE on 29th Jan.. So I'm giving one last big push and next Friday I ll put up my stats / review .. When I say on e last big push I don't mean it's my last fast or anything... Just a kind of big special WI because I've never managed a full year on any weight loss program OR WOE.
I ll pop in to thread 37 sometimes but I've always been a non poster so won't be saying too much,BUT suffice to say that I'm down at least a dress size, feeling fab because not a day goes by without a compliment !

AmericasTorturedBrow · 24/01/2014 03:27

Welcome headintheclouds to our quiet little corner of 5:2! And well someone your NSV

FD turned into a mini fast at around 800-1000kcal in the end. I was just hungry! But did a good one on Monday and planning another on Saturday so all fine

Anglaise1 · 24/01/2014 06:52

HITC nice to see you here and congratulations on reducing a dress size. Nearly snap, it is my 1 year anniversary of 5:2 on 28th January.
ATB you lucky thing South Korea!
Laska Mmmm a curry nite you lucky thing, I miss those.
Cats well done on getting back down to 9 2
Couldn't fast yesterday as had lunch with friend and things then just got worse. So things not going well at all on the scales this week although I've definitely lost a couple of cms off waist since New Year.
Will try again today although after my 1.5 hours run this afternoon I'll probably be hungry tonight!

Eatriskier · 24/01/2014 07:35

Thanks for all the advice guys - this week there wasn't much calorie deficit at all and the scales have stayed stable enough. Dr strongly suspects the reason I'm losing even without too much deficit is because I'm hyperthyroid, so I suspect once that's confirmed and being treated I will probably need to tone the scoffing down a bit or maybe go back to 1 Fd and 1 mini Fd. That is just fine by me though! Thanks to you all. Especially as I'm loving my butter, cream and nut filled world!

BsshBossh · 24/01/2014 08:16

I am 0.8 lbs away from maintaining :)

Anglaise1 · 24/01/2014 08:26

Bssh 0,8lbs is nothing Smile
Out of interest how have you decided on your target this time? It is lower than your original target I think?
How does anyone decide on what their target weight should be?

frenchfancy · 24/01/2014 08:57

Good question Anglaise.

I chose 67kg, mainly because it was the weight I maintained for several years before having DCs, so I see it as my "normal" weight (even if that was 15 yrs ago) It also happens to be nicely within the BMI range.

I'm kind of half heartedly hoping to be under 10st one day (so 63.6kg) but for no reason other than it seems like a magic number. Of course it means nothing in Kg.

I am currently 65.8Kg, so nicely below target, but still 2kg of my hoped for weight. I seem to nearly get there then there is Christmas or holidays or something that gets in the way.

I have 5 weeks before my holiday (heading out your way ATB) so would like to be 10 stone by then, but no doubt will put it all back on again over the hols.

Eatriskier · 24/01/2014 08:59

That 0.8 will go in no time. Well done for getting there!

Eatriskier · 24/01/2014 09:03

I plumped for 9st 7 as my target as it was banging the middle of bmi. At 9st 10 I looked at myself and thought actually I look fine now so started attempting to maintain. Though I kept losing and actually looked OK at 9st 7 still. Im now 9st 3 and look a little scrawny in places!

BsshBossh · 24/01/2014 10:59

Anglaise1 good question. I started at 15 stones / 210 lbs so my initial target of 145 lbs (just inside a normal BMI) felt right for me at the time. When I reached 145 lbs I maintained for a few months because it felt so novel being that weight. But after a few months I realised I could try for a lower weight and plumped for BMI 21, which I now am. I've decided I'm going to maintain BMI 21 for a few months then see how I feel. I don't look gaunt or scrawny at all so I may, in the Spring, decide to aim for BMI 20, which is only 5 lbs below my current goal. So my ultimate target is solely dependent on how I look .

EarSlaps · 24/01/2014 12:10

My initial target was 10st (my 'skinny' pre baby weight). Then when I got there I quickly lost another 5lbs, so decided to aim for 9st7. Overshot again, so decided to stay between 9st and 9st4 (130lbs felt like a nice round number). I've been there since about early November. That gives me a bmi just under 21 which feels good to me.

Admission time- I have become crap at fasting and at not snacking recently Blush. I can't seem to go below 700 for a fast and I've been scoffing the cake and choc a bit too much recently. I just seem to have a massive appetite recently, and I've been maintaining so I tell myself it's ok. I wanted to do a proper fast to see if I could reset my appetite but the next day I seemed even hungrier.

I'm not too worried on the weight front (I'm maintaining), but it's more that eating crap makes me feel a bit crap. I think I might need to make more effort to eat proteins and good fats to fill me up a bit more. It's just been really hard with all the Christmas food hanging around, and now with the kitchen out of action.

Very jealous of South Korea ATB, bet the food is amazing. Though not their interpretation of western food- BIL got served spaghetti bolognese with toast and strawberry jam on the side when they had a stopover there.

BsshBossh · 24/01/2014 12:17

EarSlaps I think if you get back to basics with two or three nutritious meals packed with veggies, fats and proteins a day and eat those meals until you are satisfied (ie not stuffed but not hungry either) you will find, I think, your desire for snacky stuff diminishes. However, at the same time, cut yourself some slack as cooking is very difficult without a kitchen! This time of year alot of us are more hungry and I'd "honour" that hunger, but just with more nutrition.

TalkinPeace · 24/01/2014 13:45

My "target weight" was 9 stone = BMI 21 = the weight at which my knee pain nearly disappears.
I now try to stay at around 8:11 because then a few blowout meals do not leave me hobbling.
This year I'm tempted to have a go at 8:7
but I have quite a lot of muscle and am very narrow build - have scrawny friends ... not going there.
And so long as my clothes still fit I'm not too fussed really.

OP posts:
Anglaise1 · 24/01/2014 14:39

Until a few years ago, I'd always hovered around a BMI of 23.5 and was on the chunky side (I'm a narrow build). A few years ago I dropped to 63kgs (BMI 21) and maintained there quite happily, then a year ago I decided to give 5:2 fasting a go to lose 6kgs and get to the magic 9 stone...and it worked. I was running a lot and it was easier to run being lighter, and I don't think I'm too scrawny with a BMI of around 19 - 19.5. I dropped to 18.5 BMI in the summer and you could have grated cheese on my chest. Not nice.
I run a lot so I have a lot more muscle than in the past. I don't think I've ever been fitter in my life, better late than never (I'm 48).

BetsyBell · 24/01/2014 16:07

See I'm still just below BMI 23, as I have been for 6 months, and already suffer from a touch of the cheesegrater chest/ribs, thanks to being of the store-it-on-the-thighs persuasion. But I am making inroads into building up chest muscle to see if that sorts it out a bit.

Mind you, thighs are reducing at the moment, and dare I say it there's a glimpse of lovely long muscles is emerging.

Aesthetics and vanity aside, I feel pretty damn great health-, nutrition- and fitness-wise. So unless my body decides it's time to slough off another few pounds I'm happy to continue exactly as I am. It seems to be working.

headintheclouds · 24/01/2014 17:15

My aim is to get to 9st 7 and that's partly because I'll then have a BMI of 23 which is bang in the middle of normal on the BMI graph for my height. Also it's the weight I was always most comfortable at when I was slimmer.
I'm not there yet though ,am currently 9st 12 ..So only 5 to go BUT it can take me a long time to lose 5 lbs..
but I keep on keeping on.. I'm still getting the health benefits of the fast and it'll come off when it's ready ...
As it's Friday it's G&T time soon and that's why I love this WOE , I can have it without feeling guilty

frenchfancy · 24/01/2014 17:59

I was just enjoying a feta, courgette and thyme scone with lashings of butter as my apperitif this evening (the cake batter was obviously not an apperetif) and it made me wonder about the nutritional benefits of butter (after all it is made from milk which is good for you right?) I googled it and found this: 7 reasons why butter is good for you which includes number 6: Butter is associated with a lower risk of obesity.

Just thought I'd share (sorry B+W but butter is one of the reasons I could never be vegan and as I don't believe in vegetarianism given the way the dairy industry works)

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