The FastDay Forum

My weight and measurements seem to have stabilized, I think I'm in Maint mode but still keep doing 5:2. My fast days are Mon & Wed. I want to stay with 2 days but afraid I will continue to lose weight, but maybe not. So I have slightly increased my calories (not counting but ~650-700)on fast days. I just stay with the foods that I know the calorie content for. I try and limit my high consumption days to one per week and even then it's mostly healthy stuff, just lot's of it ! Some family/friends say your too thin but I guess that's expected I feel great and would like this to be my permanent WOE.

I'd like to hear others experience with being in Maint mode and still doing 2 "fast" days a week.

Yes, I still do two fast days even though I have been maintaining since August, but don't have fixed days, just do two per week. I have always had a rather relaxed approach to 5:2 and if I feel like eating something then I eat it! I suppose it helps that I am limited in the choice of food (as for beverages I only drink water, hot chocolate or Coke Zero). I get weighed once a month and seem to have stabilised at 112lbs. I don't anticipate putting on any weight over Christmas or New Year because I don't fancy the rich food on offer - except maybe a small portion of Christmas Pudding??

I'll reply, but I do not meet your criterion! I hit, and then dropped below, my arbitrary target about 6 months ago. In the summer I was very active biking/walking/occasionally running and decided to revert to normal eating patterns (but more sensible food, lowish carb etc) except for two days of 16:8, ie deferred breakfasts. This has worked fine up till now but my activity level has dropped somewhat with the start of winter so I am keeping a close eye on the Libra trend line and preparing to put in the odd stricter fast day if it becomes necessary... Good luck in your personal experiment!

I'm afraid that I would continue to lose if I did 2 fasts a week. I've been in maintenance since mid August & some weeks I do a proper fast but others I just do a reduced calorie day - it all depends where my weight is at.

The thing is that I now don't want to eat the way I used to, I don't like sweet things or carbs & I get full quicker, if I kept fasting too it would be too much.

You'll find out what works for you.

Thanks fellow Maintainance members ! I think what I'm hearing is there is no one way to do maintainance and maybe a good approach is to monitor my weight and adjust intake or fast frequency as needed using the tools and flexibility we have learned in 5:2. Alright then, moving forward, thanks again.

As mentioned earlier I have a relaxed attitude towards 5:2, but if I am served something I did not ask for in a restaurant, there is no way I am going to eat it. We are in Crete, Greece and went out for a celebration lunch. I asked for veggies (courgettes and carrots were offered) with my grilled chicken and no rice/baked potato/chips or spaghetti. When my plate arrived there was chicken, rice and chips, so I just tipped the rice and chips onto the side plate and told the waiter to take them away and ate the chicken. Apparently there were no veggies available at all so they decided to put the usual accompaniments on my plate and hope I wouldn't do anything about it!

I've been in maintenance for about two months now, and would prefer to continue with my Monday and Thursday zero calorie days, my low carb diet and 16:8 during the week combined with a lot of eating and drinking during the weekend.

But I don't really see my weight stabilizing, it clearly wants to keep dropping and I must monitor it closely. I'll probably have to change something, depending on what the scales say tomorrow I might skip my Thursday fast, or at least eat something. My girlfriend gets upset if I go under BMI 20.

Oh well, it's luxury problems. christmas holiday is coming, and I don't really plan to fast much during those two or three weeks.

I've been in maintenance for about two months now, and would prefer to continue with my Monday and Thursday zero calorie days, my low carb diet and 16:8 during the week combined with a lot of eating and drinking during the weekend.

But I don't really see my weight stabilizing, it clearly wants to keep dropping and I must monitor it closely. I'll probably have to change something, depending on what the scales say tomorrow I might skip my Thursday fast, or at least eat something. My girlfriend gets upset if I go under BMI 20.

Oh well, it's luxury problems. christmas holiday is coming, and I don't really plan to fast much during those two or three weeks.

FWIW: Your zero calorie fast days with 5:2 represent a 29% weekly calorie reduction. Changing to 6:1 would drop that to 14%. Eating 600 calorie fast days changes those rates to 21% and 11% respectively.

Another alternative would be to increase dietary fat to stop the weight loss.