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

((((( BigChoc )))))
How awful - and appalling that it was not dealt with months ago - even if the ultimate outcome had been the same, she deserved better palliative care.

B&W
that sounds yummy : plenty of cranberry jelly on the side and its ready to roll

Cold wise : I'm almost feeling human today. Still coughing and sneezing, but my eyes can focus at last. Shame its not sunny
BUT

ITS THE WINTER SOLSTICE
the days start getting longer from tomorrow
Merry Midwinter everybody

So sorry to hear about your friend BigChoc and how tragic for her husband, especially with Christmas almost here. The NHS is in such a crap state at the moment isn't it and it makes me so angry that this government and previous ones haven't invested in it like they should have.

Thx for kind wishes, friends.

As a society, we grudgingly provide the bare minimum, which isn't even that for the over-60s (did ageism delay my friend's op ?)
. Even 20+ yrs ago, I had to fund these ops for my DM: knee replacement, cataract surgery, foot surgery
. Then years of private home care and finally care homes.
Also, 2 elderly friends died of hospital-acquired infections, worsened by inadequate feeding, after going in for minor ailments.

Yes, I'd gladly pay more tax for a better NHS and care services, but society suffers divide and rule, with young vs old vs disabled ....

Sorry, rant over. Normal 5:2 service will resume
I hope you recover asap, tip so you can enjoy the full Xmas experience

(((((Bigchoc)))). That's truly awful!!
I hope you can all find strength in each other over Christmas.

I do agree about NHS. My "use" of NHs has been a bad result every single time I've personally needed something.

We have private medical insurance. It's ok but it's lacking when it comes to "wimmins problems". Ie anything related to child birth, birth injuries or anything gyno related. Which is depressing.

When it comes to women's health I do also find the NHS very very lacking and prejudice. And it makes me

B&W. May I ask what a vegan Xmas feast looks like? Very curious actually. What are you planning for Christmas Day?

Bigchoc
Interestingly my brother and his wife were "based" not far from you when she got preg IYSWIM.
The way the doctors handled her pregnancy upset her so much that she moved back to the land of the NHS at 8 1/2 months
her sis had one baby on the Rhine and after the experience "happened" to be back in the UK for the 2nd

There is no "right" in universal medical care

Do NOT get me started on - kidney transplant funded but anti rejection drugs not ...

and sadly private is utterly dire for emergency / chronic / lifestyle related

preventative is the way to go
which is why BigChocs friend is all the more galling because a simple keyhole in month one would have saved huge amounts of resources later

TIP. Indeed! Agree private is crap for emergencies. Just not set up for it here.

My personal experinces with NHS are related just to me. The DC have had first class treatment on NHS when needed. Although very little has been required.

I can't remember if I ranted on here about FIL earlier this year and having to phone this hospital where he wasn't getting the correct post op cancer treatments and yell "negligence " at them at lot to get things done?? Well I did and it was the only thing which worked and why FIL is still alive. Which is amazing given the shoddy treatment he initiat received.

It's very frustrating and I do get very anxious about health issue particularly regarding the DC because I worry about the possibility of cock ups and no one listening when or if it's life and death.

(((((Bigchoc))))). For you.

Just thought I’d do a quick update. Have only weighed myself once over the last few months and I was maintaining my usual weight at that point - before and after my trousers have felt a little looser or tighter at times so I think I’ve gone up and down by a few pounds which is fine of course.

No luck on the job-hunt - final day was today and it was harder than what I expected…lots of emotions flying around. It’s not ideal going into a brand new year with no job but I’m generally feeling positive and focusing on the good things - good health, an OK pay-off, no debt and few outgoings. I’m hoping to do some temping from the middle of January as I don’t want to touch the redundancy money until I have to.

Wishing you all and your families lovely Christmasses and lots of luck, good health and happiness for 2015 .

Sorry to hear you haven't a permanent job, sed but I hope you'll find some interesting temping. Good that you are not under pressure.
Best wishes to you too for Christmas and success in the New Year.

Oh and try dropping some cardio and doing heavy lifting instead. You blokes can really transform your body composition with heavy weights, low reps.

Southeast
TBH there are worse times to be out of work with money in your pocket than this
BUT
Come the second week in January, when life settles down a bit I'm sure a door will swing open.

B&W. May I ask what a vegan Xmas feast looks like? Very curious actually. What are you planning for Christmas Day?

Hi, MrsF.

I'll be having French toast and mushroom pate for a starter, haggis en croute with a spicy tomato sauce as part of a roast dinner, and apricots and banana with Benedictine for dessert.

I've blogged about it here - I'm assembling the haggis en croute tomorrow, and I can't wait.

TBH, I feel sorry for all those having boring old turkey - it was never my favourite, even before I went vegan.

Have a good one yourself - and that applies to all who loiter here!

SE thanks for updating us and keep positive. Temping sounds a good idea while you decide what to do.
Happy Christmas to all of you. I had a lovely weekend in the UK with my family and will miss them, and especially my DC over Christmas. But I know they will have a fabulous time with their dad and his family.
I'll go out for a nice long run with the dog instead of opening presents

Interesting Article on the very complex causes of obesity and how it may be passed through generations.

And here's a very interesting and informative - and readable - article on the benefits of intermittent fasting.

However, it asks the question, 'Is IF safe for children?' - and, on balance, with certain safeguards, it comes down cautiously in favour.

I thought of posting about it on the main thread, but I thought I'd let you guys give it the onceover first.

Interestingly, over the "festive season" both my kids have adopted variants of IF
because they sleep through breakfast time and sometimes do not bother with lunch if supper is due to be big

they both drink masses - admittedly squash and tea and milk but also water

and both seem healthy - if coldy this year

but yes, logically there is no reason why any child beyond breast feeding age
or any adult - even pregnant ones
needs to eat 3 times a day : as its a modern western invention

yes, westerners are healthier than hunter gatherers, but a tad less puppy fat and pregnancy weight gain will not harm anybody.

Unfortunately, BC, your link is coming up garbled. Tried three times with no luck.

That's odd, B&W, I just clicked my link again and it works

it works fine on my flaptop too

the chemical pollutants thesis is interesting, but there are so many variables that its almost impossible to tease out individual effects.

There haven't been proper studies on IF for kids. Varady, Mosely etc all say IF is not for those under 21 (so not even 18). Certainly, one would need to see longterm studies and these haven't even been done for adults.
Also, kids don't have the emotional control for IF and might be at risk of EDs - we live in a consumer society, not a primitive one where all basically eat the same.

So, personally I would NOT mention IF for kids, but since that is only one aspect of the article, you could post your link and just say it discusses IF from a Paleo perspective.

There is great emotion on MN about cutting down food even for very obese DCs. Posters claim - very wrongly imo - that reducing junk or even discussing this will cause bingeing at friends' homes and then a lifetime ED. We could correct some of these ideas.

I suggest milder recommendations:

• no need later to buy junk for the home, because they'll get that elsewhere anyway. Give them real food.
• especially don't feed sweets or even fruit juice to toddlers, because that may setup longterm tastes
• after toddler stage, try to phase out snacks between meals
• don't pressure kids to clear their plate or even to join a meal. Skipping meals won't hurt most kids
• deal with an overweight DC asap. The longterm health effects are worse and it is much more difficult for that kid later as an adult to achieve a normal weight

And lets be honest, there never will be IF studies on children
BUT
pretty much every teen I know skips breakfast at weekends ( as that would involve appearing from under the duvet ) with no ill effects

and YY to the taking it gently with people.

THere is a real fear, beautifully built by the food industry, that children will faint and go into starvation mode if they are not fed Haribo on the way to school

Thanks, folks, pretty much my thoughts.

I've just checked the link again, BC, and it's still down for me - but that's perhaps because I'm in the car (4 hours and counting!) and using the Hotspot from my iPhone. I'll have a look when we get home.

Just did 6 miles in an hour on the M4! But now the roads are clear. That is until we reach the congestion round Weston!

Feeling pretty chilled, though - had a lovely Christmas with the family and plenty of good food, and I'm fasting (so far) today.

And I didn't put on any weight over Christmas for the third year in a row. [smug]

BCF Good tips for overweight children. The only thing I disagree with is skipping joining a meal - in my house a mealtime is family time, we eat together, but everyone helps themselves to the portions that suit them. If my kids aren't hungry they just have a much smaller portion, but we eat the same food and sit together at the table.
I haven't cooked 'kids only meals' since the early toddler stage and we always eat together as a family at the table. Even in the evening (around 7.30 - 8pm). I know a lot of British families have already put the children to bed by then but it is different in France.
I would also add that parents can be an example to children, both in eating habits and exercise habits. When I started fasting and paying attention to my weight then 12 year old daughter started paying attention to what she ate and she still does. I had to explain to her that although I fasted she shouldn't as she burns way more calories than I do, and the message got through, she is very slim but has no ED. If she is hungry she will eat a piece of fruit rather than crisps or sweets.
The fact I'm quite sporty and outdoors also encourages my kids to be the same. A running club friend of mine teaches in the local primary school and she is often horrified by the number of children in her class who are not used to exercise and almost collapse with exhaustion after a little 1km walk.

Snacks and portion size are two of the main causes in both child and adult obesity. Growing up in the 1950s-70s, snacks just didn't exist: we ate 3 times per day and we were hungry before a meal.
Allowing DCs to experience regular hunger would cause hysterical pearl-clutching and cries of child neglect across Mumsnet. However, I think it is healthy for almost everyone to feel hungry at some time everyday < ducks >

Bigchoc
Absolutely.
My kids skip meals in holidays and at weekends - because they are lying in bed doing absolutely burger all, burning their BMR of calories
but
supper is always a family meal at the table
so it evens out
I stopped all snacks when they left Junior school (before that they had fruit or a biscuit when they got home from school to tide over to supper)

Yes, snacking is bad and it is good to feel hunger. It doesn't take long for snacks to become a habit and then there is a slippery slope.
In France there is a traditional snack, the 'goûter' for children after school at 4.30 - 5pm, in addition to the three meals. I still do this as French kids eat at 12 and then again at 7.30 - 8pm in the evening which is quite a big window with nothing in between. But apart from that, no snacks.
TIPMy kids haven't got to the lying-in-bed-doing-nothing-all-day-stage quite yet (although my daughter is practicing), but when they do I won't be forcing them up to eat.

Happy new year all.. I havent been on scales , but am definately coming back on Monday and doing it again ... fat or not!!
hope you all had a great christmas and a good one tonight..