I F - 5:2 - 4:3 - Maintaining the healthy weight

[TalkinPeace2]

This thread is for those who have been doing IF for quite a while and are now at or nearing their target healthy weight.

How do we experience fasts and balance a stable food intake while having little or no weight to lose?

How to we ensure that this WOE does keep us at the healthy weight long term rather than revert to yoyo games?

I have now been at the same weight for a month. I'm happy with that. I'm also still enjoying the 24 hour fasts because of the clear mindedness I get during them.

How about you?

Sounds fun, does she do this indoors?

Thanks,Catsrus and BCL for the umami suggestions.

I made a lentil curry tonight with cumin seeds and curry powder fried in olive oil - so a 'proper' curry. For flavour, instead of bouillon powder, I added Worcs sauce (vegan, of course) and soya sauce.

For dinner I had a large (side)plate of the curry with two big chunks of wholemeal bread. It tasted quite different to my usual curry - more...intense? The combination of flavours was simply gorgeous. When I brought the empty plate back into the kitchen I found myself, even though I was full up, spooning up dessertspoons of the curry - it was a delight!

I shall look at flavouring my dishes in a new light, now! Thanks again!

www.notahomer.co.uk/2013/03/15/s01se01-special-episode-body-image/

An interesting body fat link from thefastdiet website

I found that hola hoop dvd in poundland recently...yet to try it. It was still there when I last looked.

Bit poorly here, children have slap cheek and I have sore throat headache but thankfuly normal cheeks!

Family event coming up at the weekend and as poorly dont think I will fast but might unrestrict calories and low carb for the week and maybe excersise and fast in a few days dep how I feel.

tomorrow I would second B&W on 52 website for info relating to medication they seem to have some scientist/medical types on the nerd section.

ATB glad you are feeling a bit better. No point giving yourself a hard time about pizza and chicken, most diets nowadays seem to advocate 80 20 policies with regard to healthy eating. I guess the secret is eating the 20 % food moderately and enjoying it consciously not thinking sod it once you start and binge eating - this si something I have yet to master! App Nigella is tweating pics of more moderate portions of food - if she can do it so can we!

Children watching sarah and duck best chec they are ok!

virginposter
thank you for that link.
My body fat as per the gym scales is 28% but on those pictures I'm nearer 25% - though CONSIDERABLY older and more stretch marks than their model.

TiP well if you're considerably older then I'm ancient! My lying fat scales say I'm 38% but I had a really good look and would say that I'm nearer to the 25% photo than the 30% (wish I had those boobs)

new scales! and another pound down!

Just on the train home from a nice day out with friends - lunch at Yo Sushi, dinner at Wagamamas so lovely and healthy despite being a non fast day. I'm on the downward trend to my final resting weight of 9st - bouncing around the 9.2 to 9.5 range ATM. Fast day tomorrow and as usual quite looking forward to it. I've got a butternut squash and lentil curry in the fridge that will do nicely for my evening meal.

Ah cats..thats fantastic. .. ive been taking some time off fasting ,but not quite ready to get right back on the wagon it seems.. , as have not eaten much today but just had a glass of white , so have ruined my 500..

However i'm being nice to myself, and at the moment being ok with having 'less days' (in fact all of my days are 'less days' at the moment as dont seem to have much of an appetite , but also not managing to do 500 .. like lots here been having a frenetic time recently but hoping that once things calm a bit , ill be able to get right back into it properly .. I also have a big family weekend in Copenhagen at Easter

my sights are on my June holiday ..I'm 10st now but .. hmm could I get to 9.7 by then? .

Easy peasy, Laska! No worries!

I nearly bl**dy did it again! I forgot all about the fasting blood test tomorrow at 8.30 in the morn and only remembered at 8.40 tonight, just as I was finishing a sugarless black coffee!

That'd be OK, wouldn't it? I daren't cancel two weeks in a row!

How was the blood test B&W?!

Oh breadandwine sorry I forgot to remind you... grr. Black coffee must be ok?

B&W I'm sure a black coffee will be fine, when will you get the results?

laska I know what you mean with giving yourself some time off, I've abandoned 2 fasts so far his week, but unlike you I am not eating less, so I had better sort it out quick, today is a fast day, and I may have to attempt 2 days back to back or it could all quickly swing into reverse, and now my BF seems to be back into the swing of things and is losing i would hate for me to start gaining while he is losing - that would do my self confidence no good at all!

if anything although I've been fasting twice a week as usual, I have definitely got into bad habits on the non fast days, I'm not giving myself a hard time but it's time to clear out the snack cupboard I suspect, I can usually ignore chocolate for days or even a week, but I think all the stresses of house sale/move/divorce etc has had more of an effect than I would like to admit and I've just got into the habit of eating crap once teh kids go to bed, fresh fruit seems to have disappeared off teh menu for me, and it's time to get back on track. Just wish the weather would improve to help me out a bit!

I've got my juicer out and want to get the kids involved as DD's weight looks like it's getting out of control. I'm hoping our move north, out of the city with more outdoors lifestyle will help, but until then, I'm cutting the snacks (I hear your mantra TIP) and eating more fruit and veg.

Have a good day all.

I've been getting into some bad eating habits since being back in the UK too, partly due to the ready availability of the stuff that tempts me but also to do with a problem that's been ongoing for about 3 years now, which I was mostly able to ignore while I was abroad but which I now have to face again.

So even though I've stuck to all of my fast days except one on 4:3 I'm up a little in weight. Not by much, just a pound, but I don't want it to carry on that way. I'm hoping it's also partly just a blip, but, as I threatened I would do when I got back, since yesterday I've started tracking everything that passes my lips on MFP. That would definitely not be something I could do long term as I get way too obsessed over things like that, but I think doing it for a fortnight will help me see whether I'm eating 'normally' for my size.

I have a cold this week and so abandoned my fast as I was feeling bleugh. Talking to DH this morning gave me some clarity for my ongoing situation. I said that I was scared of losing control and putting the weight back on as I have done on so many occasions before (once reaching goal) and he said that he didn't think that I would as this is so totally different from before and he could see that I was now in contol of my eating like never before. He said, just stick to 2 fasts per week (albeit modified so's as not to lose any more weight) and if one week you are up by a lb just be a bit strickter the next week - simples!
Now I know that's not rocket science but something just clicked and I could see how easy it would be, even if I did put on a lb or two, to lose it again.
So I'd say to you guys who have been finding it hard to stay on track, don't worry, look at what you (we) have achieved so far on this amazing life changing journey, give yourselves this little 'break' and then take charge and continue as you did before.
Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves, we need to see the bigger picture, which is us continuing this woe forever - including all the hiccoughs that life throws at us along the way. I think we all deserve a pat on the back for getting this far - yay!!

The blood test was fine yesterday, thanks, folks!

As it turned out, the practice nurse is also practicing IF! 5 weeks in on 5:2 and she's lost 6lb - so she's one happy bunny!

We spent 10 minutes before the blood test chatting, so that made my fast exactly 12 hours! She's as pleased about her increased energy levels - not just on fasting days - as she is about the weight loss.

And she's being very evangelical about this WOL in the practice - so when I see my doc, who's been lukewarm about it so far, next week, with her input and my results (hopefully!), we might see a change of attitude!

Of course I gave her the link to these threads.

I've got another side effect that I'm attributing to this WOL - my resting heart rate has gone down to 45pm! I've had it as low as 50 in the past, when I was cycling to work and extremely fit, but this is new territory for me!

Has anyone else noticed this? The nurse seemed pleased by this figure - although another nurse, a friend of mine, thought it wasn't good for me. I'd love your thoughts on this.

vp my weight has been fluctuating between 9.1 and 9.4 since I began maintaining in November - depending entirely where I am in the fast/feed cycle. If you think about it, our ancester's weight must have yoyoed all over the place depending on the availability of food.

My red line as regards weight is actually my belt. I've gone down three notches, and I've no intention of giving up one of those anytime soon!

And yes, I think we all deserve a pat on the back - and, when next you have a glass of wine, don't forget to toast Dr M!

Just checking in quickly...thanks (yet again!) for all being so lovely and supportive.

Weight-wise I've been stuck (although not unhappy) at 9st 9lbs for a few weeks. I'm still doing 5:2, not quite ready to move to 6:1, although I've had a few 5.5:1.5 weeks lately....having fasted on Monday, and eaten (healthily, but a lot!) yesterday, I was to see the scales read 9.7.2 this morning. They haven't said that for well over 3 years....

Today is another fast (although am on back-to-back conf calls from 8am to 7pm so hardly burning the old calories), so hopefully I'll get to consolidate some of the new loss and stay in this area.

Ezzza - hardly surprising you've been making the most of all the foods you've missed...don't be too hard on yourself - I'm sure you'll be back on track soon. And I'm sure TiP will be along in a moment to remind you again that MFP is your best friend :)

Laska I still haven't had a chance to make your aubergine and chickpea curry, and now I've lost the link :( Any chance you could remind me please? I have an aubergine in the fridge looking very sad, and nothing to break my fast on tonight...

MFP is indeed your friend - even if you only do it on days when you think you will stray.

I've been bad and had a beer with dinner two nights running - but the combination of driving, working all day and writing reports all evening - and no effing sunshine - is getting wearing.
Should probably fast tomorrow but may well just do the 24 hour gap and have a decent supper.

oh god you think that's bad? I went out for dinner last night and on top of all the delish food sank a bottle of wine and a gin and tonic....then came home and made a quesadilla at 1am!! ooooops....

Eeek! Well I faithfully tracked everything I ate yesterday on MFP. I had to guess at the food I had for dinner as I went to a friend's but it was good healthy home cooking so I wasn't piggy with it. I know where I'm going wrong now. It's definitely the ready availability of edible chocolate plus the stress I'm back to dealing with causing me to eat it. The meals I ate are reasonable but the choccy and wine puts me waaaay over my TDEE. I probably only got away with putting on just a pound in the last fortnight because I'm doing 4:3.

Before anyone suggests getting rid of the choccy from the house, that sadly will do the opposite of helping. Banning anything makes me want it desperately (I reckon I'd even want to try okra again if someone forbade it - okra, bleurgh!) and I'd just end up buying it out of the house and associating chocolate with guilt, when it ought to be a nice treat to be enjoyed now and then. Either that, or I'd give up and scoff a whole tin of celebrations in a day. Nope, I'm better off keeping the choccy in the house and being allowed it but asking myself each time 'do you really want it?'

Thanks for your words Filly, I think it is just about adjusting to what's available in the UK instead of acting like a kiddy in a sweetie shop. I went off choccy in China because it was a faff to get it, the best I could get was Hersheys (sorry, but bleurgh) or M&Ms and when you have the choice between a packet of M&Ms for 5 yuan or waiting an extra hour for a huge bowl of Lanzhou freshly pulled noodles for 6 yuan it was a bit of a no brainer.

Fast day today. Those are easy at the moment, a small mercy as that at least is mitigating the damage for me .

Even though I am still trying to lose weight I'm posting this on here instead of the main forum for two reasons: 1) I don't want to discourage any new starters who might read it and get put off. You lot on here all know this WoE has worked well for me and this is just a blip; and 2) I'm trying to get the hang of what's 'normal' amount of food now I'm eating in a different country (which also happens to be the country I ate myself fat in!) so that once I'm maintaining my weight I naturally eat the right amount and can go down to 5:2 without bloating up again! So this is more of a maintenance issue than a weight loss one anyway.

B&W, I had a feeling your bloods wouldn't get drawn bang on 8.30am! Good to hear your GP surgery has people plugging 5:2 from within!

morning, day 2 of my first back to back fast and I am feeling really good, back on track, I weighed myself and I am 10 12, which is better than I was fearing, 2 pounds off my lowest of 10 10, but feasibly could be there after another fast. and I really was fearing seeing 11. so I know now that 5:2 at the moment is definitely just maintaining me, and therefore I know I am overeating on the other days. but thats fine, and maybe all i need to do to tip back into losing is maybe a half day fast or cut back on snacks/wine/gin......

heading north tomorrow and i will be viewing a couple of properties for my imminent move.....one is a total doer upper, 1930's semi which I would like if I can get with enough cash to spare for the work, and the other is a 1960's real starter home - aesthetically not my cup of tea (i really prefer period) but will leave me plenty of money to do what I want (including buy the boat I am hoping to have for the total life change, and possibly a car if i ever pass my test!) and I can move on in a couple of years. opinions?

Morning all, well I had a swim so feel MUCH more human, and decided I'll not fast today because this weekend will be low calorie because of work commitments.

Ezzzza
Interesting the chocolate thing : I've switched to buying DH Green & Blacks - especially the one with chilli. Because he knows its so much more expensive, he savours it. BUT he does not eat it (to my knowledge) Monday to Thursday. Not having it in the house would have him in a strop so not an option.

MumofCrazy
My house is a 30's semi. Nice big rooms and windows. ^0's starters - you need to check the construction method - some are fab, some are DIRE!

Hi mumof house wise as Kirsty would say - location, location,location. If the 60's house is in the best location then it sounds like it would give you the best quality of life.

Fasting today I'm getting close to my target of 67 kg so looking forward to seeing the scales tomorrow.

TiP, Green & Blacks is definitely the way to go for me once I've got this shovel-it-in-my-face thing back under control. The day I landed back in Britain I bought myself a 100g bar of the Butterscotch one. Because the first week back the realities of life hadn't yet set in, that bar lasted the whole week. I think if I were to get the good stuff in now it'd be in danger of being hoovered up, but the plan is to buy a little of that instead of a lot of Cadbury's in the near future and make a special event of the chocolate eating when I have some and savour it. I definitely understand the stroppy feeling if it wasn't in the house though. Better for me to (re-)learn control with it in the house than feel deprived because it's not.