The FastDay Forum

well there is no way I am a mountaineer

Must say that I do like the view here at the summit

Another week without a fast (last one three weeks ago) and still at the lowest weight I think is acceptable. The 'secret'? Reducing my daily lunch calories with 150 calories compared to pre-5:2 (one Dutch sandwich less: 2 instead of 3), which is close to my reduced TDEE due to weight loss (200 calories). For the moment this feels relaxed. In case of any weight gain I will just do one or two fasts and I am sure I will be fine again. Currently I do not think I will change to eating more than TDEE in order to 'enable' fasts (given that I do not want to lose more weight). But this will always be an option in case blood values creep up again (they have been improved by fasting).

Interesting, P-JK!

I don't intend to let a week go by without at least one 24 hour fast - precisely because I want to keep the body in repair mode, and hang on to the excellent blood results I had nearly 12 months ago.

Doing this also means I can eat a little more on my NFDs. If I begin to gain weight my belt will quickly let me know!

If it does happen that I'm getting close to the last notch on my belt, I'll quickly throw in one or two 16:8s.

@PJ-K I managed to maintain for ages by cutting down on other meals, often skipping lunch completely and always eating 'lite' in the evening. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and I hate skipping that! I have gone back to one fast day a week for the same reasons as B&W. I can't face doing 2 days because I do so much running it isn't really feasible.
I don't enjoy fasting in the winter. But feel good after doing it. A bit like running a 10km race!

Must say that I do like the view here at the summit

You're right there, @P-JK, the view from the summit of Mt. Fastonbury is marvellous! Also so much space on the summit - plenty of room for everyone. It's lovely seeing all the tents that have set up on the mountainside. Looking forward to seeing all those campers up here soon I just know with everyone up here it's going to be such a party

I am in maintenance as of today. I didn't click the 'maintaining button' when I did my weight, so I shall do it next time I update my tracker.
I'm not sure yet what my maintenance strategy will be, but my ideal weight will be between 10.7 (147lbs) and 10.9 (149lbs)

Welcome to the top of Mt Fastonbury Penny!! Congratulations!!!

I'm looking forward to sharing the maintenance journey with you!

I think that the best name for people who are maintaining is 'Maintaineers'!

I was one from July to October but, to my eternal shame, I regained nearly a stone! (I know - shock and horror reverberating around the entire forum, especially this thread! )

However, I am now dealing with it and have only four and a half pounds to go before I am back to target, so please may I be a very quiet, sitting on the sidelines, kind of a member of the Maintaineers Club until I am properly back to where I should be?

Good luck to you all - those you have found your way to ideal maintenance and those who are still working out their route!

@StowgateResident - I'd say that makes you a tried and true mainteneer! You've done the up and down and haven't given up! This is the kind of thing your fellow maintaineers want to learn from you. Do you have any reflections now on what took you off path and why you got back on the path? ( for me, I've lost weight many many times, but have never managed to maintain - real head in the sand problem I think. - I've got a feeling this WOE/WOL is going to be different ).

So good to see you here!

I'm not sure whether to fast today or not. I didn't fast on Monday (Australia Day) but have kept an eye on my food intake most days. This morning I was below my goal weight so after a fast today I could end up with an extra buffer for the weekend. I would also like to continue doing it for health benefits but I must say starting with a breakfast today is very tempting. Maintaining is challenging.

Wow, it's getting pretty crowded at Mt. Fastonbury

Thanks for your kind words, @Otter! Like you I have been rubbish at maintaining after weight loss! I have records going back years which show me very efficiently (tho' I do say so myself!) losing weight by calorie counting, low fat eating etc and then, having reached my target, piling it all back on again by going back to my previous way of eating almost immediately! I have see-sawed between 12 stone something and ten stone nine or ten for years and never learned the maintenance lesson!

I quite thought that this time, because it was a completely different way of eating, that I would find maintenance a breeze and it certainly was for three months. I allowed myself a two-pound leeway and generally managed to keep to it by throwing in a few fasts when I needed to. However, I then had visitors for a month, visits to Germany, more visitors, then Christmas. I stopped weighing, ate more, stopped visiting the forum and before I knew it I was thirteen and a half pounds over my target weight!

I suppose that the difference this time is that I didn't just keep on eating! I gave myself a very stern talking to and just jumped back into the 5:2 routine. The weight is coming off very satisfactorily and I know that I will soon be back at target.

This time around I will let nothing deter me from weighing regularly, I will not become complacent and I will have a fasting day as soon as there is more than a two pound gain. So there you have it - my promise to myself to learn from my ridiculous mistakes!

Sorry this post is so long, but I hope that others can learn from my mistakes too! I love this WOE!

In case you need help, there will be some members ready to slap you with a wet fish, to keep you on track. That is, in case you are not an otter (who might fancy some wet fish for breakfast).

@StowgateResident thanks so much for sharing that! I've suspected that a golden rule of maintaining might be Always Weigh - your experience, I think, reinforces that.

Yes, @P-JK, the rivers of Mt Fastonbury are well stocked with fish - both to keep each other in line, and for snacking! Of course, not on a fast day for me

Sorry I missed this thread, visitors over Christmas an new Year then a weeks holiday and I have got so behind with the forum I couldn't catch up. I have been a maintaineer since the end of July I allow myself +\- 2lb, over the winter it has been more often + than - but I don't mind that, winter food is a bit more fattening. I still do 2 fast days one of them strict 400cals the other I have been known to have 600 if the occasion arises. I do have a few more treats over the weekend but am not sure that this is sensible since I don't seem to have got rid of my sweet tooth. We are going off on another Ski holiday next week but when I get back I am going to try cutting down a bit on sweets and cakes. Here's to successful maintaining for all of us,