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

Laska so nice to see you back here posting! Good luck for the job interview

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Anglaise

Oh, I've just seen Tip's post. I hadn't realised:

Happy Birthday, Anglaise !

Did you celebrate with a run ?

Thanks TIP and BCF - yes, I had my lessons cancelled in the morning so went for a nice 10 mile run in the rain with the dog. It was lovely. Last night was running club training and I took the beers and nibbles for the 'pot' - there are so many of us now in the club that there is a 'pot' nearly every week.
I'm happy to report that following a fast day, a good dump and eating and drinking healthily the extra 2kgs from the weekend appear to have disappeared but it was a wake up call I still want to lose the other 2kgs to get back to target (and comfortable jeans!).

Oops fell of thread (and into a load of chocolate).

Still here and still maintaining. I don't do full FDs or use MFP. But I maintain. I just have the odd day where I don't eat too much and I do think about what I put into my mouth. And have a weekly splurge on cheese or chocolate.

It's been a long couple of weeks. DH is abroad all week again (third week running) and he is in NYC next week which runs into the weekend.

I was meant to take DC to dentist this afternoon so I pick them up from school early. Halfway home DS says he hit his head at playtime and it's sore.
So get him out of the car at home and he has massive bleeding gash at the back of his head and a piece of skin and hair is also missing next to it (boak. Not good with blood and wounds).

So went to A&E instead of dentist. And because the school hadn't said anything I couldn't fully account for his injury so they had to phone school (who thankfully owned up!!!!) and have a nice chat with a child protection person while they established whether I had hurt my child.

To say I am utterly utterly fucking pissed off is a serious understatement.
One of the staff had seen it happen but DS had said he was fine but they fact they didn't tell me, caused a huge situation. Not to mention the stress and panic I now feel having been virtually accused of something that had happened in the schools care.

DS had his head glued back together and the missing piece of skin bandaged up.

DC are watching Toy Story in the lounge as a special treat while I silently weep in the kitchen.

It's not been a good day!!
And all that from a school that is costing us £12,000 for two children aged 5 and 3!

My pissed offness knows no bounds just now.
Still trying to get hold of DH to tell him but apparently you can't answer your mobile in the French part of France!
Oh and I've just eaten 6 tea cakes. That was a bit of a highlight.
Must stop weeping so I can phone the school and shout at them some more.

What a terrible time for you MrsF
and have a big
So that super-duper school did not follow the documenting procedure required from a state school Major bollocking required there and a written apology, with written promise to record all injuries in future.

Mind you, that injury doesn't sound typical of an abused DC. Do hospitals call child prot - and child prot decide on a grilling - for every songle injured child ?
< being DC-free, I'm in blissful ignorance of what parents go through now >

Bigchoc.

School didn't realise had gashed his head. DS had said he was ok and they didn't check. He is 3 years old so really they should have checked.

A&E always quiz parents of DC under 5yo about injuries. It's after all those horror stories (baby p etc) where A&E staff didn't check and bad things happened.
And they ask because v young DC can't always explain.

I do understand exactly why they do it. And the reason I was quizzed today was that I didn't see what happened and the school hadn't reported it to me and got me to sign an accident report. Ie I couldn't prove I hadn't done something

As much as I understand, it made me feel like a criminal. And I do feel upset. And like a crap mother.

It's one of those situations which are with best intentions but horrible if you are a parent.

DH just phoned from France. One of his colleagues has been to A&E 6 times in the last 3 months with his 5yo. Last time they were interviewed by ss. His son is the youngest of 3 and the older two play wild so they've had a broken arm, 3x gashes needing stitches and a twisted sprained ankle. Joy.

The many and varied joys of parenthood

DS is fine and his "wound" looks fine. DD is disappointed because she didn't get to go to the dentist. Strange girl.
I'm not the happiest I could be but nothing a good nights sleep wouldn't fix.
May need to delve back into the choc supply.....

Hi all

Just checking back in, still maintaining, am at the top end of my comfort zone though so need to throw in a few fast days next week - have been working from home for the past week so it's not been easy. Off to a conference next week so trying to work out how to be sensible when faced with the food, feel mean hoping it's not very tempting

Hi cats fingers crossed hope the food at the conference is awful . It will make things a lot easier for you. Good luck with the fasting. I managed 2 fast days this week (first time since February) and yesterday's was difficult because I did a 15km run at lunchtime and was pretty hungry by the evening. But I managed it. Eating healthily in general is a lot easier so once I've got back to the bottom of my comfort range weight (hopefully soon) I'll be more careful. One fast enough is enough.
Bigchoc is right, fasting and endurance exercise don't really go well together, but needs must!

catsrus
There was a lady asking on a different thread who was facing four weeks in hotels
the consensus was high protein, low carb, lots of water

MrsF Hope you are feeling a bit better. When do you move house ? and school

I'm holding steady a pound or so above ideal but I'd rather have a friday night than stress over that fraction so I'm chilled

Lots of great maintaining going on here. Just goes to show how well 5:2 works.

TIP. House fell through. Arse of an agent kept showing it while we were in legals and we were gazumped two days before exchange!
And all for the sake of £12k. Now that is 0.83% of the price.

It wasn't a case of being tight and not coughing up. It was a case of the utter cheek of it. And the house had a really bad survey which brought up £90k worth of repairs needing immediate attention (major roof overhaul-it was leaking, water mains was a lead pipe, 33 rotten windows, wood worm in attic beams etc etc).

They had also lied on the property information form. And it was a biggie.

So being proactive like I always am, within 24 hours I found another house which was £400k cheaper but actually much nicer (Victorian rather than edwardian) which does need work but reflected in Price.
And it's on a much better road

So entered a bidding war and won (my negotiation skills are excellent).
And we are having the survey done on Monday having had mortgage re-approved. So with any luck it's all back on track with a cheaper but much better house.

I should thank those arsewank agents although it did cost me £5k in fees and surveys to get there.

And those tosser vendors waiting till last minute wanting more money for their dilapidated house.

So between that, DH being abroad all week and DSs gash in his head. It's been exhausting.

Big news is that DD and DS passed the entrance exams to the selective prep school I wanted for them. I was so happy and proud. They said DD is gifted (clearly I am already convinced of this but I am biased ).

It's been quite a week. And yes chocolate has featured on the menu a lot.

I do hope you've all had a better week than I have or at least less stressful!

Well done to your clever DD and DS, MrsF

Crikey, important exams starting so early. Do you find the UK system strange, as I think in some Scandinavian countries (IIRC your background) they don't even start school until 7 and the kids are just as well educated ?

Well done, you, as well about the house. The first set of vendors were outrageous; we need a law that gazumpers refund all legal & survey expenses, plus say 1% of price for inconvenience, misc costs and just beng greedy buggers.

In your case though, you've found another house that will give you far more hours of renovation fun and is a great deal.

You probably achieved more with your DH out of the way !

Big choc thank you. Yes I didn't start school till 7. It does seem strange that a 5 year old is put through reading, spelling, writing and maths tests for selective school entry.
DS had to count and show he could do the sounds for the letters he was shown. DD has been showing him phonics ever since she started so it was easy for him.

Yes more was achieved with DH out of the way.

We have just been to see the house again as I had put it under offer without DH seeing. The DC liked it and have chosen bedrooms.

To be fair this place does need a huge amount of work. But accounted for in the price.

I could really do with an hours shut eye.
Big question is how do I sneak past DH and DC to get upstairs unseen....

MrsF I hope you catch up on some sleep soon. Test at age 5 are tough. Here in France it is similar to Scandinavia, nursery school (paid for by state) until age 2,5 - 6 and no reading taught until formal primary education from 6 years old. It is late compared to the UK but that age kids learn a lot more quickly. Some children aren't ready to read at 4 or 5 (although others are a lot earlier).

MrsF
Glad you got them into the school of choice - Kent schooling is such a bugger as the preps are full of people paying to jump the queue for grammars and then at secondary the private schools are full of kids who missed the GS cut and have sharp elbowed parents

Hopefully your two will be able to glide serenely above it all

House sounds fun : PM me a link nosey

Anglaise. They do seem young to me. That said. DD reads fluently and can add and subtract. And is generally loving learning.

TIP. Schooling is a bugger almost everywhere within a good commute of London now. It's quite scary.
Well aware of Kents issues. We have resigned ourselves to paying for 2xschool fees all the way up to and including A level.
They may well do well at 11+ however that could mean good offers from private senior schools so we will just take it all as it comes.

It's my job as their mother to ensure they have the best opportunities we can afford for them. So rather than sticking money in the bank/into more investments or spending it on Mulberry handbags, we are throwing it at the children's education.

We've no expectations other than we can feel we have done the best for them and offered them the best opportunities. And as long as they are happy along the way, it doesn't matter if they don't pass 11+ and they decide to become plumbers or farmers (good money in plumbing ).

Plumbers : don't I know it - a couple of my clients are plumbers
Skilled trades that cannot be taken over by overseas or online is the bit of the economy that will keep going.
Hairdressers, electricians, decorators : very decent livings to be made and good quality of life

TIP. My very excellent plumber drives a Porsche 911.....

In France plumbers and electricians are in the same business. My lovely newish OH has plumbing/electric small business
And I can confirm that even with the crisis he still has a lot of customers....

He doesn't drive a Porsche 911 though..maybe he should move to London, I understand there is a lack of French speaking plumbers in S Kensington

Anglaise

Yes plumbing is big money in London.

I should retrain really.

I am so BLOODY angry.

My customised new eBike I just bought Wednesday evening was stolen overnight from the bike stand. A terrible shock when I went out this morning with my sports kit, ready to bike to the gym.

With ebikes, I normally take the battery indoors to prevent this, but I'd been planning to go out 30 mins later and then got engrossed in a book. I think I only locked the front wheel too

I'm a biking commuter, so can't hang around bikeless. Hence, our local bike shop will be earning another £2500 this week.
I won't waste my time reporting it to the police: they never recover bikes and insurance always exclude theft from outdoors.

OH NOOOOOOoooooooo - total shitballs BCF GRRRRRRRRR.

Assuming the perp is a male, this will be the preferred manoeuvre We can all try it out

Big choc
That's really awful!! Especially as you get to work on it.

What a nightmare. I still think you should report it. If you don't report it then there is no chance of them ever being caught and they have got away with it.

I would have thought a customised ebike would be an easier trace for the police than a bog standard run of the mill Argos job?

For a start it a very expensive item so will probably have serial numbers in places the thieves won't know about. And it will look different so an easier spot for the police if they do see some rough looking person on a very expensive bike.

Report it Bigchoc. Even if there is only 10% chance of recovery. It's 10% more than if you don't.

You'd be surprised at how often stuff does turn up and often in connection with other things. Ie someone gets arrested for possession and when they go to search their house it's full of stolen goods.