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

[TalkinPeace]

This thread is for those of us who have been practicing IF (Intermittent Fasting) for quite a while ( it being nearly 2 years since the Michael Mosely TV programme aired ) 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 mix fasts and 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?

More and more 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 four maintenance threads and all the main 5:2 threads for posters practising IF to lose weight here Fasting / 5:2 on the diet forum. We're currently on thread no. 46, 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 even more to the fore, as part of our general health and to help weight loss. BigChocFrenzys thread is here

Anglaise Don't worry about the remaining 2kg; it'll come off too, as you do these long runs.

i've been reading what professional trainers recommend for more advanced or elite athletes: they say it is not possible, or even good, to keep to goal weight during a break.
The consensus is to allow max 8% gain during a break, which is 4.8 kg for a 60kg woman. So, you were ok.

Big Choc Interesting info on the weight gain during a break - 8% as a max still seems quite a lot but I don't know what length break is being referred to.
I'm not worried and my OH says I'm skinny enough at my +2 kgs over goal and so they certainly don't show. Am drinking loads of water in preparation for my long run on Sunday so maybe heavier due to that, today the carb loading begins...

(Slinks back in) ahem. It would appear that due to jet lag I miscalculated. I actually gained 8lbs

Yikes. I only worked it out this morning. I couldn't understand how I had lost 3lbs from my mini fast on Monday and my FD yesterday and I still had 5lbs to lose...... And then I realised.

Argh. Never mind. At least I've "only" got 5lbs to go so it should be gone by end of September.

Just goes to show. Our first, longer holiday (15 nights) which was far more active and I didn't eat lunch at all during our stay (but I hit the choc room instead) I only gained 4lbs.
A shorter (11 nights) holiday which was less active and full board, I gained 8lbs.

I also think it was the full board thing. They just kept throwing food at us. And besides in maldives the DC ate full board/all inc but adults had half board and lunch was an average of £100 per adult in any of their restaurants so actually it was much better to go to the choc room (free) for a quick nibble and go snorkelling instead of gorging on a 3 course lunch.

I had fully intended to book half board for adults in Mauritius but there was a free upgrade thrown in. It's funny how something "free" is so hard to resist

NFD today. Still only broken my 17 hour fast from last night and only at 500 cals. So trying to get back into it.

I'd love to meet up but wouldn't be able to come for a whole lunch as I need to get back out to pick DC up from school.
I could make a pre lunch coffee? Sorry.

MrsF, I'm still impressed by your relatively contained weight gain (despite jet lag maths!). Next time, can I come with you please? 10 days in Cornwall at the beginning of the summer didn't really cut it for me....I think I might be more suited to the Maldives or Mauritius (or both?!)

Getting quite excited about a London sushi meet up now, but do need to ask that we hold off for a few weeks....I'm in the middle of a massive transformation project at work and there's a whole host of religious holidays coming up that mean I'm going to be squeezing my working week into Mon-Weds for about 4 weeks in a row - which should make it easier to fast, but definitely won't allow time for a proper lunch break!

How about Tuesday 21st October or Wednesday 22nd? SED and I were provisionally talking about going to the Itsu on Paternoster Square, but if it's a party then we could go somewhere more upmarket, maybe, as long as it's close to St Pauls/Ludgate Circus so he and I can get back to our desks reasonably promptly. Although I've just looked, and apart from Benihana (which is scary money) there's nothing else sushi-ish in the vicinity...but there's loads of stuff in the area, so I'm sure we could find something.

Cats where are you based on your London days?

Tip and MrsF what are your dependencies and travel limitations?

Laska any chance of you coming too? BigChoc? Betsy? I know Anglaise and ATB are out, unless you have a visit planned sometime soon?

And (finally) a quick question: where are B&W and MOCNK these days?

Hi Filly
I could easily get to town by 11 and then do coffee and then lunch.
Scary money not really an option : simple and light bites is generally more relaxed

B&W is on the big thread is he not - and easy to find on his blog
no idea where MOCNK is hiding at the moment, or Bssh for that matter

I might be in the US that week - still trying to sort out dates

TiP, happy to do the week after, or the one after that, if that suits you better :) What I was trying to say (badly!) is that I can't do anything before the week of 20th Oct.

There's a lovely place called the Happenstance near my office, which does a good range of bites, and a blinking marvellous Turkish restaurant called Has which has a buffet/cafe part as well as a proper restaurant (although the rather huge and very delicious fixed price lunch is only a tenner), so maybe one of those?

Fillybuster. Yes you can as long as you look after DC... It's been a long hour and a half since school run filled with constant wailing
Awful. Midweek madness. Bedtime best arrive soon!

The week of 20th and following week are half term here in Kent. I could bring the DC but I seriously don't recommend this option. They are too small to sit still for more than 5 mins.

Bit twitchy about Itzu tbh. The last time I was mean to meet someone for lunch at an Itzu was the one in Regent St and the day the very day and hour Litvinenko was spreading radio active material in there.

I was saved only by the fact that one of the lunch companions was v v hungover and desperately needed sat fat and carbs so we went to the Pizza Hut above Itzu which is why we are all still alive and well.

Thanks for the invite, Filly but I'll be hundreds of miles away, slaving over a bank of hot supercomputers. I very rarely visit London - 8 million too many people breathing the smog.

B&W would need a vegan option. He might still faint at raw nature as seen in a sushi bar - the vegan equivalent of S&M ?

MrsF You had a narrow escape from radioactive sushi Get back on the (raw) horse.

Hey Filly, Thanks for the sushi invite - my work is not at all flexible so best not to include me in plans I'm afraid.

My NFD was going so well. Until my neighbour brought round a box of Hotel Chocolat chocs as a thanks for a small favour I did her. She insisted I eat some. So I did. Lots.

Still had a very small dinner some am at TDEE so ok I suppose if unhealthy.

My house became spider alley this afternoon. 9 massive monsters. What a nightmare (massive phobia here).

I was putting the washing away (my bras and knickers) and two massive ones were on a pair of knicks. I dropped them (screaming, me not them) into the box in my wardrobe where I keep ALL my knickers pants bras and jammies . The monsters scuttled under all the bras.

DH is away at a conference so I am going to have to either wash the ones I am currently wearing or go commando on school run tomorrow. Help.
Ffs. Why of all places did they have to go there. If it was t shirts or trousers or what ever I could improvise but this there is no escaping.
And I will have to go back into walk in wardrobe to get something to sleep in as well as clothes for tomorrow.

I want to cry. I hate hate hate spiders. It's one of the things I am most afraid off in the world. Irrational I know but I am scared.

The DC don't mind spiders but I can't exactly justify getting my 5yo DD out of bed to get a spider for me! Or can I? Wonder if any of the neighbours are home yet?

If I can fit the entire bra knicker box into the fridge and turned it down to 1c would the spiders die? It's too big to go in the freezer.
Ideas are welcome. Esp those that DONT involve me touching the bras and knickers or any spiders it even seeing them. Yuck yuck yuck. Hate this time of year. Ugh.

(((( MrsF ))))
Pull the drawer out, take it to a spare room, tip it out on the bed and shine bright lights
wait 5 minutes and the spiders will have scarpered
then scoop safe underwear back into drawer

TIP.
Thanks . I am doing that tomorrow after school run.

I decided to sort some other stuff out and watch Sarah Beeny and Grand Designs. Now in bed with small glass of wine to soothe my nerves. Also taken my glasses off in the hope I won't be able to see the spiders (not much chance as most are bigger than the guinea pigs!).

Every year it's the same. DHs conference season kicks off the same week (and this year the same bloody day) as spider season. Which means DH is away for most of the next 8 weeks. Leaving me with the spiders. (Shudder).

I should have had a pre-nup stating that he wasn't to leave the premises during spider season

Am wondering if neighbours very aging cat (15 years old) would come and eat some spiders? May ask tomorrow.

Tomorrow, bribe your elder DC with choc to help poor mummy rescue her smalls (swallow your pride and your child-rearing principles)

Make sure the DC put the over-leggy buggers outside, or who knows where you'll find them next

Bigchoc . Am considering training the guinea pigs to catch them

So Bigchoc. What's your latest info re exercise to help tone the stomach. I need a new repertoire. Bear in mind that child rearing has left me with a gap around my belly button so standard sit-ups makes my muscle dome.

Any ideas? Jillian doesn't have anything new so I'm hoping you've some ideas.

Oh and if you're still looking for alcohol free mouth wash. There is Dentyl. It's very good, alcohol free and doesn't taste completely minging.

MrsF Check out the 3 core exercises I just posted on the Exercise Thread for Errol
They are specifically to strengthen the core.
I've plenty more fiendish ideas, from our sadistic (prof bodybuilder) trainer.

Thanks for the mouthwash info. Having Googled, I'll chuck out my 3 bottles of the old stuff !
I see Listerine also do a Zero Alcohol version which is in out local shops.

btw, cats can eat spiders - but only if the cat chooses to do so.
An elderly cat may decide she deserves Whiskas in her declining years, rather than arachnid trespassers.
Or she may pick them up and drop them on your pillow. Cats don't serve us - au contraire

The further support last week was much appreciated

Laska No I don't work in local government and actually my company is doing well but my team is being relocated to the middle of nowhere and I don't want to go. I'll be applying for jobs outside London but know myself enough to know that moving somewhere remote and near my family wouldn't be a good idea.

Clock The post grad course I'm thinking of doing is in counselling. I start a ten week introductory course in it next month so it's early days yet but I need something new to focus on.

Filly I was thinking of you the other day when I was in our local M&S! We must have passed each other numerous times without realising?! There's a very small possibility I might have to go away for work but I'm flexible at the moment to meet up with you one lunchtime and everyone who can make it (after the 20th of next month) as long as it's cheap-ish. I don't know those two places you mentioned but they sound fine.

DH came home at 11:30 last night and was promptly sent spider hunting.

He removed 8 massive dinner plate size monsters from upstairs and a further 2 small ones.
The joys of living in a 200 year old house with vaulted ceilings and exposed room beams......

Oh and 3 of the monster were in the wardrobe. Argh.

Bigchoc. I did ask my neighbour and she said that the cats spider chasing days are over given her advanced age. Although she used to be very good at it.

Southeast. Your course sounds very interesting.

As you're obv thinking of changing careers/different direction. Is there any way of starting your Masters sooner and getting work which will fit around a full time course until you're done and can make the next career move?

All you need is a job which will pay enough to live on even if it isn't career or life enhancing as such. Just to get your post grad done.

MrsF I hope your DH was careful how he got rid of those spiders....

I may be a bit off topic here on a non spider related matter

Long time lurker

I maintain a low but healthy BMI 20, but just scared myself by pressing a button on my scales which tells me my body fat is 11% which is too low.

I presume it's rubbish, like a theoretical statistical calculation?

unless the scales are based on a full bode RED scann = bilge

TIP

Oh good, I thought it was rubbish...

Thanks

Unless you feel a very weak bum, 11% is most unlikely - machines can be wildly off.

Try this BodyFatCalculator which has an error of only +/-3%, as accurate as gym measurements.

The table helps decide where to aim for

Or pay £250 to be measured in a "Bod Pod"

Thanks, bigchoc, very helpful