Maintenance Thread - some fasting, some low-carb, some exercise

[WhatWillSantaBring]

I thought I'd start this thread for those who have reached their goal and want some support for a sensible, sustainable way of eating. It may also be useful for those who are thinking about what they'll do when they get there.

Confession: I'm a yo-yo dieter and so don't claim any expertise in this at all, but I am doing things differently this time.

As the thread title says, I'm going to try some fasting (both 16:8 and 5:2), keeping to a low(ish) carb diet, and putting in some exercise.

Hi all,

Yesterday was ok day - up and ran 5 k in the morning, had a frube and half a banana for energy beforehand (we were out of Greek yoghurt so pinched one of the kids) Had 2 slices grilled bacon, grilled tomato and 1/3 of an avocado on one slice wholemeal toast w/ a bit of mayo (made two slices for everyone else but decided really I only needed/wanted one) ate that about 1130/12 then didn’t have dinner till 8 when kids were in bed. Was starving! Remembered I’m now allowed snacks if legitimately hungry so had a baby bell and some pecans about 5. Tea was a tapas type affair (chorizo, Olives buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad, hummus etc) Quite low carb but very salty. Then had two glasses of wine and an individual pot of Hagen daas ice cream (purposefully bought individual serving pots as I’m not to be trusted with a pint of the stuff).

This morning woke up with a raging thirst and wanted both the kids coco pops and the frozen raisin danish in the freezer... the thought of writing it all down here (alongside the slice of chocolate cheesecake im planning tonight) made me realise that’s really not the best choice. So had Greek yoghurt strawberries & pecans with a drizzle of honey.

So this thread is helping! I wish I made these better choices automatically but I’m not there yet. At moment requires a lot of internal debate! Still I’m getting better I think..

Your tasting menu sounds amazing kimlek great you can have that and not put on. Shows you’ve found a good balance.

And good luck with the move napqueen I’m impressed you have any head space for mindful eating with all the stress of that!

Haha the diet has been a welcome distraction! After plastic bread earlier (and also probably helped by 2 ciders and 2 wines last night) found myself getting all weak and shaky at about 10:30. There really isn't much in the way of plan-happy food left so I ended up scoffing 2 biscuits surreptitiously in the kitchen 😠

I think this shows I need to 1) prepare better for hangover breakfasts and get in eggs and bacon and 2) not eat refined carbs / sweet stuff without adequate fats and protein to reduce the sugar spike

Thanks for starting a maintenance thread. I really need this! I lost 8kg last year to reach my goal weight. Since then I have been gaining and losing the same 3kg. I know some fluctuation is normal but I don’t think I am maintaining in a healthy way. I seem to be constantly trying to do FAST800 in order to get back down to the lowest weight I achieved rather than trying to maintain a slightly higher but still healthy weight. For reference I am 57, 5ft 3 and my current weight is around 56. The lowest weight I reached was 53.5 kg and to be honest I think my face looked gaunt with hindsight.

I have massively increased my exercise in the last year and feel stronger and fitter. Now I would like to maintain and be happy around this weight rather than always pushing myself to lose more.

Basically I have been on a diet for over 49 years and it’s a hard habit to break!

It's easier not to think of it as a diet isn't it. I'm currently mapping out some rough rules in my head too. Overall I've come up with

• occasional carbs are fine but don't need to be added to a meal to make it complete
• cut back on sugar
• breakfast's out, apart from weekends

Arf, today has been a fail. On top of aforementioned plastic bread and biscuits, I've now had 2 mini wraps filled with chicken, a solero, a mini daim bar and a piece of dark chocolate. There's also some fruit to be eaten before we move. I think this shows me that when you start off sugary you really do continue it through the day.

Yes, I think I definitely do better when I have a few rules to follow. I will try to keep to 16:8. Maybe try to include a couple of 800 days and relax a bit at the weekend.
Sugary things are my downfall (alcohol at weekends).

Welcome colour! I think you’re right. You’re a healthy weight and no doubt have a healthy BMI so rather than pushing to be lower (and feeling a ‘failure’) it’s much more sensible to have parameters, isn’t it? Maintaining between 55-56 is great. And a kilo either direction is fine.
Nibble moving house is very stressful so don’t be too hard on yourself. Albeit you don’t have to eat the kitchen contents; there’s the bin. Or if hating waste like me there’s your DH!!
I’d never had seedlip before. Wouldn’t buy it as too dear for what’s essentially a cordial. It was half the cost of a real G&T at the restaurant so thought I’d try the spice one (yuk) then the garden (bearable). I’d rather have the real thing or plain tonic.

Well I think today I'm guilty of being in fuck-it mode. Have also now had an apple and some cheese and olives, I'm just really starving today! Must be the booze from the last couple of days. I'll see how next week goes with the move and eating takeaways but actually I think I need to give thought to my WOE from then on. I guess it's better to think of it as eating as many vegetables as possible rather than as little carb as possible.

@Kimlek Thanks for the welcome! I agree. I just need to work on maintaining no. I really don’t want to be yo-yo ing for the next decade!

Not quite in fuck it mode but feel as full as an egg! Breakfast was Greek yog nuts and strawberries, lunch was at a restaurant, deep friend mozzarella followed by the biggest pizza known to man! Gave away some of my mozzarella and only had 2/3 of the pizza but still! Really could have been happy with some more yogurt or something else small for tea but was invited to a friends and had meatballs followed by cheesecake! And another glass of wine.

Still was all mindfully enjoyed and fun social eating. Don’t often eat lunch out and have dinner at a friends so normally could have moderated at least one meal a bit more. Going to do a fast day to tomos. I’m hoping given I’m absolutely stuffed it won’t be too hard!

I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself house moves are seriously stressfull napqueen & welcome Colourmylife1 good to have more people to share ideas and to be motivated by!

I'm soooooo stressed today
We need to complete this week as our buyers' mortgage offer runs out at the end of this week. We were supposed to complete today but moved to Tuesday as we hadn't exchanged as of Friday. Still no exchange this morning and our buyers' solicitor are dodging our solicitor and being very opaque. I'm really at my wit's end!!!

So 2 thoughts from me:

1. never ever EVER hire the soliciting firm JUNO. Nobody can believe how poor they've been
2. i have an urge to shove everything into my face but managed to resist as I thought to myself... I bought those biscuits so I could enjoy them, not just cram them into my mouth frantically

So 2) is a small win perhaps? As we've packed everything food today is 2x ready meals - Charlie bigham chicken & mash and a pork shoulder thing with veg. Not too bad I guess... But there will probably be alcohol as soon as 6pm hits...

Ah what a nightmare napqueen I guess every biscuit avoiding choice is a win and means maintenance will be all the easier once this stress is over!

I’ve pretty much successfully fasted until early tea of cod & mozarella & Olives in a tomato sauce. One of Joe Wicks low carb efforts was really nice. Did have a bit of reject pear from kids snacks earlier and the ever present milk from tea. Had the odd hunger pang but was easily ignored and didn’t feel at all drained or depleted as I occasionally felt doing BSD over the weeks.

Off for a run now - hence the early tea for fuel. Feel a bit like not moving from the couch but I always feel better for it.

Are you keeping to OMAD just? The meal sounds tasty. I'm doing my civic duty and eating out to help out, which means a large red and plate is pasta - in my defence, it's very mediterranean!

Yesterday was a bit of a bust. We were really expecting solicitors to pull it out of the bag but they've let us down once again. Honestly don't know how a profession can be allowed to deliver such a shit service. If I was doing my job to this standard they'd send my arse packing!

Anyway, despite my smug comment about not cramming sugar into my face I... Er... Framed crammed sugar into my face.

L: chicken in sauce, mash, broccoli
S: madeline, about 30g chocolate, half a not-even-nice cookie. All of this in about 5 minutes
S: few pieces of roast courgette swiped with houmous, apple
D: pub dinner. Huge plate of pasta with chicken, side of greens, half a lemon posset, 3 large glasses of red

Whoopsie

Oh for f sake NibbleQueen bloody useless solicitors! What a nightmare! We’ve moved a few times and each time used local solicitors so you can go hammer on their door if needed.
Those Charlie Bighams are yummy but they always contain a carb component (potatoes, pasta, rice), which is such a shame! Don’t suppose there’s a pret near you? They do fab low carb stuff!
Weight static at 139.5 lbs
I’m tired. Seriously tired. Waking up at stupid o’clock struggling to get back off. Then exhausted all day. Also having a few hot flushes which had stopped for a few months🙄 it’s making me fed up and wanting to eat and drink! And sleep and do nothing.
Had a lovely lunch out yesterday stuck to steak and veg, no chips or dessert although did share a bottle of wine with DH. Had a bit salmon and veg for dinner. More red wine and a fair few G&Ts. I also snacked on a hell of a lot of pecans! I’m amazed I’ve not put on!
Out for another lunch today!!

That joe wicks cod sounds yum!! I may try that with seabass tonight.

Unfortunately it's not our solicitor causing the problems. We did the sensible thing and got a local firm, but the people buying from us got some cheapo online company and honestly we're unsure how they can get away with being so incompetent! For the record tell everyone to steer well clear of Juno.

As for food, I'm hungover and no less stressed today so I'm just going to try to get through today without having a tantrum. As we don't seem to be moving any time soon I managed to get an ocado slot for tomorrow and I've ordered components of chicken salad for lunches and fish+veg dinners. Will try to limit alcohol, it really doesn't help with the stress.

Well done on good choices you two! Honestly I'm not planning to stay low-carb but to be GI and avoid the super-processed stuff.

Hi both, just doing OMAD on my two 800 cal days a week. Although felt ravenous last night and had a baby bell cheese and a few sun ripened tomatoes about 11pm - rarely eat that late but thought pointless on maintenance to go to bed starving or what’s the point of maintenance!

I’m also doing my civic duty and eating out tonight. Italian so a carb fest. Had soup for lunch as unlikely to be sensible later on.

On a stress and healthy eating note I find the headspace required for good choices is considerable. Which is partly why I managed to sort myself out in lockdown. Less rushing around here there and everywhere to actually think things through. Maybe in stressful times aiming for healthy meals and avoiding hunger and ignoring the odd biscuit scoff is more than good enough!

Ps. Will try and post that recipe. It’s for one and two of us were eating. I Didn’t double the mozarella and def had bit less fish than he recommended and was plenty.

Cod thing!

I find fasting hard - any tips on best ways to calorie count?

Thanks for the cod recipe just. Not sure how I feel about cheese and fish but this looks very tasty.

Enjoy your meal out!

Due to the farce we don't have any food in so I'm using this as an excuse to get a takeaway tonight. I love the tomato-y curries so that with half a naan won't be too bad. Ocado delivering proper fresh food tomorrow morning so I feel better about the coming days.

Yes cheese and fish does seem a bit unnatural but it was surprisingly good! And enjoy your takeaway too.

bettybr2020 lots of people use apps like my fitness pal. I always did a google and pen and paper job. Trick is planning and meticulously tracking everything. I’m afraid it is just a bit of a pain in the arse really!

And others may disagree but actually I think fasting is just really hard when you start out. You can make sure you’re hydrated and aim for filling good meals when you break your fast to help. But I do think it’s just a bit of a mindset you work your way into and it can be hard!

It's good to remember that being hungry isn't going to do you any harm, and just drink tons of black coffee and herbal tea!

Interesting as the fasting was a revelation for me. I’m not a bfast person (unless it’s a free bfast buffet on hols). I rarely get hungry before 1030/11 so when I read ‘why eat at mealtimes’ I stopped forcing down bfast. So would have a brunch around 11/12. Then I came across 16:8 which already fitted what I do. Almost. I’m a nightmare for continuing to eat beyond 8pm. Especially nuts. I go through mountains of nuts.
Hope you enjoyed your take way Nibble and you your Italian second. We had lunch out and although starters and main were BSD friendly (crab & avocado; monkfish with ratatouille) I suspect the salted caramel cheesecake wasn’t. Not the glass of wine. But this is the realities of maintenance. Luckily I was stuffed all day and ate nothing further. Oh other than my requisite mountain of pecans whilst watching telly. I’m going to have to move the bag from the lounge side table into a kitchen cupboard.

So, I’ve actually not managed any 800 days but I have been sticking to the principles and averaging about 1,100 calories a day. I’d like to see how that goes for a week or so and see whether I lose, maintain or gain! I will naturally eat more at the weekend but will try to eat to my TDEE. According to my Fitbit that’s around 1,750 but I think it overstates it.

I hope everyone has a good day.

I'm no longer tracking calories... But then again have been off plan for a few days now.
Feeling a bit calmer today and ready to make better choices. Today I'm having chicken, green bean and avocado salad for lunch, dinner will be sea bass + salad, snack will be greek yog w blueberries and nuts. Probably a mochi after dinner too.

Ordered groceries to feed us next week and it's more pre-seasoned fish that doesn't require any prep, plus a few things to fling into a bean salad for lunches.