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?

Just popping up to say hello. Still doing 4:3 but not too fussed about weight loss at the moment (well... I am, but not so much that I'd be willing to go back on MFP). Lots of other things going on so probably eating too much at the moment on non-fast days. The fasting is helping me keep the weight off for now so focussing on maintenance and not abandoning too many fast days.

Indeed you can, FF. That's all I used in the beginning - now I'm too lazy, plus there doesn't seem to be that many around these days.

When using fresh just double the amount - although more is better, obviously, if you like strigging...

Lurking more than posting these days...but keeping up with the thread (just about....!) Thankfully it doesn't move as fast as the main 5:2 threads or I wouldn't stand a chance!

Welcome back cyclist, congrats on the house mocnk and try not to worry too much. of course moving 'oop north' will feel strange for a while, but the house looks fab, and you will settle in surprisingly fast...just give yourself (and the wirral) some time.

B&W I remain in awe of your ability to turn out phenomenal amounts of amazing food....when are you going to invite all of us over to your place for a real life IF meet-up??? On a non-fast day of course!!!

Laska...i'm so sorry to ask, but please can you repost the link to your aubergine recipe? I've lost it, and can't find it again, and never printed it out the first time

I'm sticking at 5:2 but had a break for 10 days over passover. there's a limit to how much I can deal with at a time, and between my mum, the family, the job and delivering the full orthodox passover deal (you don't even want to know...) something had to give.

having said that, just beforehand, I hit 9.6.4 - and for the first time ever called dh into the bathroom to see the scales Back up to 9.9 by my first fast yesterday, but in a way curiously glad to see that 9.9 is now 'up' given that was my first big milestone on the way down :) i now finally believe I might make it back to 9.5 at some point, which would be great.

ok, back to work....

Theoretically still on holidays but TOO MUCH work going on so am snacking and stuff : but will find fasting easy once I'm working almost full time as I can happily live on tea in the daytimes.
Miss the sunshine though.

B&W in Crete they did amazing stuffed flatbreads - yummy, yummy.

filly it's on the recipe thread here

and here too! . its so yum ...I eat it lots ..

Aubergine Chickpea and Spinach curry

serves 4 huge portions at about 200 cals each

1 x 400g tin chickpeas
2 medium aubergines, cut into cubes
2 onions chopped
A couple of sprays of olive oil
2.5cm knob of fresh root ginger, grated
4 cloves of garlic,
1 hot chilli pepper, seeded and chopped (more or less depending on how hot you like it)
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp Turmeric
3 cardamom split
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
225g spinach, chopped roughly
Bunch of fresh coriander chopped
Vegetable stock cube made up to about 400ml

Stir fry the onion in a couple of sprays of oil to brown, adding a little stock if it seems to burn
Add the aubergine cubes and just enough stock to keep them moist,. Add the ginger, garlic chilli, coriander and cumin and stir fry a little taking care not to burn the spices. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the turmeric the cardamom the rinsed chickpeas and the rest of the stock or water Bring to a fast simmer the turn down heat and cook for 25 minutes, or until the aubergine feels soft but is still in cubes. Add the spinach and cook for a further minute or two till the spinach is wilted . Add the chopped coriander ,

Season with salt and pepper, and serve. This is even better made the day before you want to eat it . and good with a dollop of 0% fat yoghurt and some more fresh chopped coriander

2nd fast day of the week as am back on 4:3 .. but also had a dentist visit this pm to replace a filling.. Quite a good idea to have dental work on a fast day because you cant eat for a while after ..but not every week eh?

I've just had my meal of steamed white cabbage, courgettes and prawns, with soy sauce and chilli.. . It's pretty good if you pretend its noodles..

But really want a now, so off to make a pot of mint tea and strip and remake the beds,(its all excitement here at Chez Laska ,folks!) and I think ill get my next lot of 'too big' things out of the wardrobe to ebay (Surely someone, somewhere must be thinking of needing Spring/Summer things soon? ) .

Hmm I was going to write 'outgrown', but its that they are too large not too small.. 'Ungrown' perhaps ?

I bought some cinnamon today to replace that i'd used up and the kitchen is now smelling so lovely where i poured into the spice pot .. Anyone got an ides of how to make VLC cinnamon pancakes for a fast day ? B&W? (I'm ok with non-vegan also .)

Laska if I'd seen your post earlier, I might have been tempted to make a batch tonight. I hope you're talking our pancakes, and not the US ones, about which I know nothing.

It seems to me there are two ways to achieve a cinnamon pancake - one is to include some in the batter, and the other is to sprinkle basic pancakes with a mix of sugar and cinnamon after adding the lemon juice. Personally, that's what I'd favour. Here's my calorie-counted, cheap, 1p per pancake recipe - fiddle about with it as you will:

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/pancakes-using-just-flour-and-water.html

In the end, for something sweet after dinner, I decided on 3 oatmeal chocolate biscuits - Oaties*, spread with melted dark (vegan) chocolate. One large square - 55 cals - will cover 3 biscuits, giving a total of 97 cals per biscuit. Takes one minute in the freezer for the chocolate to solidify.

*Oaties, a Hobnob-type biccy from Lidl is another vegan, palm oil free biscuit.

Another one for your list, Filly! Thanks for your kind words earlier!

B&W in Crete they did amazing stuffed flatbreads - yummy, yummy

I suspected that, TiP, but where are the recipes, you tease!

Quiet here today Where is everyone?

I've been off work today having a bit of a blitz on the house as i've been neglecting it lately ( not that its just my job ,mind ). Have been through the wardrobe again , and I'm not really whining (OK I am a little) , but its a bit gutting to see all the spring and summer clothes I'm going to have to ebay .

I'm nearly 2 stone a lighter than this time last year (nearly 4stone all told) and of course I'm thrilled , but as I'd been been stuck at that weight for a couple of years I had decided that that was probably that and Id never get any thinner.

So ,last spring I treated myself to a new summer wardrobe from nice places like Monsoon, Boden and White Stuff etc. Thinking it would all last me for some years.

But what with the rotten summer last year and this wonderful WOE I'm now going to have to get rid of nearly all of it and its almost (and in some cases ,totally) unworn ! .. especially the summer dresses.

I can probably get a couple altered I think ,but as for the rest its no good keeping them I'm never going to get that big again ..

(And most of my my sz 10 jeans are too big ) Also someone else mentioned that their shoes were too big? A few of of mine are too. Who'd have thought that I had fat feet? they didnt look fat but perhaps all the extra weight had spread then out

But Grrr and

Shall I send Dr M the bill do you think?

Anyone up for some nice 10s, 12s and 14s? if so, ill let you know when they are on ebay

Eating day.. I have fish cakes stuffed with cheese today.. YUM! might have a also. This is such a fantastic WOE .

oh yes B&W..of course I didn't want cinnamon pancakes when I woke up this morning! but will definitely give you recipe a go sometime.

Have made a pot of vegetable 'goulash' soup for tomorrows fast , (and probably the rest of the weeks lunches also )

B&W I'll email you the recipes out of the book I bought on the weekend .....
Laska am on family visits this week so eating too much. ho hum :-)

Totally understand the problem laska - I was determined to get back into my lovely smart clothes, mostly 12 bottom and 14 top. I'm now a size below that. Oops.

I've become addicted to charity shops rather than eBay - cant trust myself on eBay and have got some great size 10 skinny jeans

Hello everyone, sorry for silence, been busy with our guests. Was going to fast today but horribly hungover - not eating badly (I usually crave fresh salads etc on hangovers) but no restricting either - fasting tomorrow then my last push for size 8 by 30 begins next week - back to 4:3 (I seem to gas most successfully doing this than 5:2) and no alcohol til my birthday weekend mid may - won't be much drinking after then either as the HUGE charity bike ride is the first week of June.

Mmmmmm pancakes, might rustle those up for the DC and I for dinner tonight. Laska, what's your calorie count for the curry?

Thanks for asking about the century ride Cyclicist, it was hard work but I did it and my body was tired but no aches or pains the next day at all, result! And a brilliant way to break in the new bike - she's a beauty!

MFP makes it about 200 a portion ATB (i was generous also) so it really is good Recipe serves 4 .

I crave bacon sarnies for a with a hangover, so you wanting fresh salads is impressive!

Also the amount of cycling you are doing is really impressive.. I'm in awe.. ( seriously)

I'm only managing to get out on the bike every 2-3 weeks so not as impressive as it seems, I assure you!

Laska It was me who has shrinking feet. Kind of pleased I'm not alone as I thought I was going mad

Laska let me know when you put stuff up on ebay...32E top (which has never got smaller, even when I was a skinny 10) means I have to buy size 12 dresses if I want to squeeze my top half in! But I feel for you: I know the pain of getting rid of beautiful clothes you've hardly/never worn, even if its for the right reasons.

Too late for this winter, but I have a pair of dark grey Marc Jacobs wool wide leg trousers that I picked up for £40 in a sale about 5 years ago and have never worn. I am so determined to wear them next year....

Feeling utterly crap, with a stinker of a cold today....am fasting but might need to stop in a bit, as in the office with a huge presentation to deliver (and build) and just feeling flakey and shakey. sore throat-y and sniffy. I'm no good at eating a bit during a fast - its either 24 hours with nothing, or I'm on an eating day. But soooo want to see that 9.6 figure on the scales again...its over 2 weeks now!

Was in our great capital yesterday for the Manet exhibition at the Royal Academy - fab. Wore my 'new' Diesel jeans (charity shop bargain), still a bit snug but encouraging me to keep going.

Fillybuster I have the same problem as you, if only we could target the weight loss to the bits we want to lose .

Feeling exhausted today (getting too old for tramping round London) but not hungry which is good as it's a fast day. Laska's yummy aubergine chickpea etc curry for dinner.

I'm also big busted, but for once I am losing off my bust. Now down to 32-34E I was busting out of 36F.

I am pleased with the loss. A friend has recently had reduction surgery, 5:2 is certainly cheaper and less painful.

Afternoon all

Well done ATB a century is no mean feat, especially if you're only getting out on the bike every couple of weeks.

So how's the return to 4:3 going Laska, got to say myself having got back to this WOE after a 'blip' feel much better and it was no where near as hard as I'd feared (after a couple of wobbly moments)

On third Fast of the week today and looking forward to a large meal of veg, beef an' gravy and chilli sauce tonight.

Hope the day goes well for all, whether a faster or feeder you be.

I'm wiht you on wobblyness Cyclistist

I am back on the wagon today and will be going full throttle again next week...

bought some lovely healthy rice cakes with seaweed 'n stuff for dds

they are particularly delicious smothered in real butter

not a fast day and I did leave them plenty!

Hi bro it's doing fine actually,I was kind of worried earlier this week ,as i had let 'proper fasting' slip but i've just eaten my dinner on my third fast of the week, spinach and feta omelette and feeling pretty good,.
looking forward to the weekend now.

its going to be a busy one, we have tickets to the Ice Age exhibition at the British Museum so will be coming up to the smoke, and on Sunday, the most beautiful grandson in the world ever is having his naming ceremony.

So wont be fasting that day ..so looks like next week will be 2.5 fasts instead of three,

I've not fasted since the end of term, and will not until Monday.
Feel very flabby (lack of yoga) but know it will take me about three weeks to pull it together so am not stressed - which is 2/3 of the battle won.

I found doing my 6:1 and a mini-fast on consecutive days very doable, and I'll probably continue like this for a while.

The only downside was that, after a 24 hour fast on the Monday I could only manage about 22 hours on the Tuesday. But that's no big deal in the great scheme of things.

I must admit I'm enjoying having 5 continuous days of eating normally - haven't done that since I began over a year ago!

Went a bit mad with my lentil and potato curry (the ultimate comfort food!) with some wine late yesterday evening - but, to make up for it, I fasted all day up until 7.30, so no harm done.

And I have to admit, I was feeling pretty 'high' whilst fasting - it's a great feeling!