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

That's great, *Anglaise!

Your friends are very polite, I guess!

maintaining is much easier when the sun is shining I reckon

Still maintaining, not done much fasting lately, but DH has started playing with "google fit" to count his steps
shame that it does not count repotting 5kg plants as exercise

Just ended a 24hr LOF with a large piece of Thai chilli non carne pie with steak-cut oven chips+a quarter of an apple pie and ice cream+plus a large piece of cake bought earlier from the new vegan cafe that's opened in Taunton. (Did intend to just eat half and have the rest tomorrow, but...)

Happy to report that the hole in my belt I put there 3.5 yrs ago is still the same one I'm using today!

Good to read the longterm maintainers are trundling along happily.
I know you hibernate each year, Tip until all the tax returns are sent off.
I hope you are on your vacation now, showing off that trim bod.

I note we seem to be middle aged and older here - maybe we have more need of 5:2 ? or the young maintainers are out partying
I find it so much easier having my 1-2 FD deficit to eat back, rather than having to stay within a TDEE that is much smaller (at almost 60) than at 20. A comfy, healthy, longterm WOE

Great how 5:2 is still popular; our Main Thread #62 is 800+ posts already. Always newbies.

Anglaise You have such low % bodyfat with all your running that your bod can't find enough to knit itself a muffin top

Great that the BSD works for you Laska - but at 800 cals daily it's bound to produce quicker weight loss than 5:2, because it is a low carb VLCD - That's the best possible weight loss combination, but only possible in the very shortterm.
I recommend after the 8 weeks that you try 5:2 BSD (800 cal FDs) for maintenance, because you need the deficit.

hello you lot - I rejoined the original thread a few weeks ago and finally back in the groove, like Laska after a good year or so of not really managing to stick to 5:2...weighed in end of March and it wasn't catestrophic but it wasn't pretty - so, it's my birthday mid May and I want to fit comfortable back into my favourite summer shorts, 10lbs down to easy to maintain weight, 13lbs to happy weight. Not weighing in again until it's been a full month and that seems to be keeping me on track

I'm doing 2-3 FD a week, 16:8 all but one day a week, that one day I'm also allowing myself to drink alcohol and not being so strict about inputting MFP

Hope I can join you again soon in a month...

(poster formally known as AmericasTorturedBrow )

< waves madly to tip >
I just PMed you asking you to post your expert advice for fasters with DC.
Great if any other maintainers who want to pile in too, of course

On Thread 62 or if that is full ... We have a new 5:2 Thread #63

Just popping in to wave at the other maintainers . Since the original weight loss at the start of all this (34lb IIRC) I've wobbled upwards for a few months about a year ago (when a change at work meant getting in fast days was problematic and I got lazy!) but I'm back down to 9st 4lb, which is pretty maintainable for me - any lower and I do feel like I have to "diet" to keep it down.

I totally change my regime to suit the day. Most days I'm on 16:8 - some I go longer, 20:4. Other days I do eat lunch or breakfast and an evening meal. Some days we have takeaways and I don't worry about it! . Today will be a fast day as I'm out all afternoon, will have some ratatouille with polenta when I get back tonight. No idea what the calorie count is of that and simply don't worry about that these days. My weekend breakfast treat is three scrambled eggs (from my own hens) on two large slices of wholemeal toast. Very happy with this WOE!

Hi Cats - how nice to see you posting again!

Glad to hear you're back on it - we do have all the tools to keep us on the straight and narrow. And if we do fall off the wagon we know how to get back on again!

Not sure if I am in the right thread but am planning to start 16:8 on Monday and just eat between 12-8 I have had previous WL surgery so will aim for 3 small meals in this time

Hi Blueberry - the thread you want is this one.

The maintenance thread is for those who just want to enjoy the health benefits of 5:2 without losing any more weight.

Come over on the other thread - you'll be sure to receive a warm welcome.

Good luck for Monday!

Thank

You!

Thought I'd put an update on here as this thread is in danger of becoming defunct!

I'm still maintaining with a 6:1 once a week - basically it's just missing out lunch every now and then, since I rarely have breakfast these days.

The main changes to my routine, recently, have been both with the device of 2:5:
On weekdays I no longer find myself having my usual midnight snacks. I've just indulged on Friday and Saturday nights. However, I've just spent a walking weekend in the Brecons, and didn't feel the need for a late night snack on either night - so I feel I'm close to kicking the habit altogether!
Secondly, after a couple of BBC2 programmes about the dangers of too much alcohol, I decided to only drink at the weekend - so a pint of stout pre-dinner, then a small (80-100mls) glass of wine with dinner. Yesterday, after a fairly heavy Friday and Saturday, I was completely teetotal on the Sunday.

And now the same thing is happening with my sugar intake - 5 days with no sweet/cakes/biscuit and the desire for these things at the weekend is now fading away.

At the end of these weekends, we always have a collection for a charity - and the guys all decided that my press up charity challenge should be the recipient. So I'm now able to add £183 to the pot, which will give me a total so far of £220!

Just popping in to say that 5:2 is still working for both me and DH - nearly 4 years in and still relaxedly staying around happy weight.

Tried a different tack with my weekly fast yesterday. Because of my table tennis session and a late-night cricket match I would have had to eat dinner after 9.30 - far too late for me.

So I had my dinner at lunchtime and fasted until lunch today. It's the first time I've done this and I think I prefer it. Going to bed late last night, knowing I already had 12 hours under my belt was rather satisfying.

Had a very small hunger pang just after midnight - but that disappeared very quickly.

My press up challenge has now raised almost £800!

Hello all,
I'm graduating from weight loss to maintenance
I've mainly lost weight using 16:8, with occasional 800 cal days. I tried 500 cal days for proper 5:2, but found them hard going. Anyway, I'm now 9st7, down from 11st, and I'm 5ft6 tall.

Does the following maintenance plan sound ok?

16:8 six days a week, with one of these days being an 800 cal max day.
Eat breakfast (so no fasting at all) 1 day a week. Although I find 16:8 much easier than 5:2, I'd like the freedom to eat breakfast occasionally

Should my calorie intake be TDEE on all days of the week that I'm not sticking to 800 cals, or should it be slightly lower than this?

Many thanks for your help!

Just diving back in to say Hi
and that I'm still within a couple of pounds of "target" weight
and am happy as is
for the last 4 years, for the next n years

fasting
it really is trial and error
but the long term plan of

24 weeks a year fast strictly
24 weeks a year fast roughly
4 weeks a year eat what you like

has worked so far

Hi all!

Not on these threads much - still at the 9st 4lb I was back in May - though that's (a post Xmas) 4lbs up from the new normal of 9st. Realised I hadn't been doing much actual fasting recently so am making the effort to do more to keep the health benefits coming in. I've got a couple of days a week where I'm out for the afternoon, so they are becoming my fast days. hows everyone else doing?

Hi all. Joining in as a mostly maintainer. Started about 18 months ago at 9 5, went to 8 4 after 6 months of strict 5:2, really got into it. That was way too low for me so now bounce along at 8 9 after a fast day, or 8 11 the day I fast. Have been keeping my hand in with one a week, which pretty much allows me to eating and drink whatever I want but I do exercise hard 3-4 days a week.

Just wasn't in the zone today, so did a very healthy food day and came in at about 1445 cals which is well under my tdee, and also swam a mile.

I will deffo do at least one FD a week a few weeks before my holidays this year. I need to keep my hand in with it, I do worry I will get out the habit....

Very happy to have lost and kept off half a stone and that I have found a manageable way to control my weight.

Just realised I'd not been to visit this part of MN in a while !

Me too TiP

I'm back at the bottom of my (new) normal range - 9st. Still fasting two days a week, but as a maintainer not counting calories at all these days. On fast days I don't eat until around 5pm, but I do have drinks, including treats like a latte if I feel like it. Today was a fast day and dinner tonight was jacket potato, cottage cheese, hummus, and a huge salad (with things like olives in it and an olive oil dressing). I no longer do low fat substitutes.

Other days I eat what I want - but, as we've often said on these threads - what I want to eat has changed.

5:2 really has been life changing for me. The last 4+ yrs I can honestly say I haven't had angst once about my weight. If it's up a few pounds I simply throw in another fast day or two. Simple .