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Who else is using 6:1 fasting for maintenance?

kae_blah
kae_blah Posts: 180 Member
edited February 1 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
5:2 fasting is effective for many people as a method of calorie restriction over a week time frame and the Dr Mosely documentary suggests a range of other long term benefits.

It is for these other benefits that I have switched to 6:1 now that I am at my goal weight.

Who else is using 6:1 fasting for maintenance?

Do you think it helps you with maintenance?
Does it fit in easily with your lifestyle?
Are you hopeful for the long-term effects or just focused on the calorie restriction?

Replies

  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    There is a 5:2 group you can join. I've seen a few people on there mention using 6:1 for maintenance. I've just started 5:2 this week and like it so far. One of the reasons I did was because of the idea of maintaining with a 6:1.
  • kae_blah
    kae_blah Posts: 180 Member
    Thanks _SKIM_. I have joined 2 of the 5:2 groups and posted a similar topic however I think it is relevant to the "Maintaining Weight" section as most of the people in the 5:2 group are still in the weight loss phase.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    Lol, actually I just noticed the new topics! Good luck then. Hopefully you'll get a good response from either/or. It'd be good if it was a way of maintaining without having to count calories for the rest of your life. I have heard of people who naturally do this even though they have never had a weight issue (maybe that's why they didn't). I like it for behavioral reasons mainly.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I've been following the 5:2 eating pattern for a year now and have had a few periods at maintenance (I've revised my goal down a couple of times).

    Mostly I've stuck to 5:2 with the five days being at quite a significant surplus - partly to support my wife who is still losing but also to help with a slow recomp.

    My numbers were:
    5 days @ 2300 (plus exercise cals), 2 days at 600 cals.

    This time round I'm going to try 6:1 with:
    6 days @ 2000 (plus exercise cals), 1 day at 600.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,134 Member
    My old GP in another city use to use a loose form of 6:1 for maintenance. Whenever he noticed his weight creeping up he would fast one day a week.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    I'd also consider 16/8 daily for maintenance if I wasn't trying to build.
  • lynnerack
    lynnerack Posts: 158 Member
    I'm 5lbs off my goal weight but will definitely continue a 6:1 regime when I get there, mainly for the health benefits ie hoping to be off my BP medication soon!
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    I'm actually thinking that if I couldn't log everything, then IF (in whatever format you choose) is a great way of avoiding overeating.
  • MrsDangerousCurves
    MrsDangerousCurves Posts: 85 Member
    I'm using 5:2 to maintain. I was using JUDDD to lose weight so the transition was easy. I've maintained my weight between 132-135 using 5:2 and am very happy with it. It fits into my lifestyle easily.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    I have used a modified version of 6:1 or 5:2 to maintain my ideal weight this year.

    Since I track my calories on a weekly basis I am very flexible. Obviously on weeks that I fast for one or two days I eat more on others. My weekly calorie target is 21,294. For example on weeks I dont fast I aim for an average of 3,042 calories a day. If I fast one day I will aim for an average of 21,294/6 = 3,549 calories. I use a TDEE model

    For me fasting is about the health/fasted exercise benefits, not making weight loss/maintenance easier.
  • perrinjoshua
    perrinjoshua Posts: 286 Member
    I am just starting maintenance this week. I have chosen Thursdays to typically be my fast day unless life gets in the way in which case I will change it. I used to do Tuesdays and Thursdays on my fasts so missing my fast this coming Tuesday will be a big change for me. I like the health benefits I have gained using the 5:2 method to just stop fasting because I have reached goal. I'm hoping the 6:1 method works out well for me. I have also increased my daily caloric intake to coincide with what MFP suggested. I never did eat all my exercise calories back unless it was a very large amount so I doubt I will eat them now. This is all a bit of a new strategy for me.
  • Tishrei
    Tishrei Posts: 86 Member
    I'm getting close to my goal weight and starting to think about maintenance.
    Can you tell me more about 6:1 fasting? I was thinking that some form of IF would work well for me.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    I have used a modified version of 6:1 or 5:2 to maintain my ideal weight this year.

    Since I track my calories on a weekly basis I am very flexible. Obviously on weeks that I fast for one or two days I eat more on others. My weekly calorie target is 21,294. For example on weeks I dont fast I aim for an average of 3,042 calories a day. If I fast one day I will aim for an average of 21,294/6 = 3,549 calories. I use a TDEE model

    For me fasting is about the health/fasted exercise benefits, not making weight loss/maintenance easier.

    Sorry, OP, I dont mean to hijack your thread! @ minimalist^^^^^ I'm curious about your last comment. I too know of the health benefits. I too train fasted for those benefits as well. That actually came naturally to me and then I read leangains at some stage and understood it. Whether I ate at 1200 or tdee etc (whatever), I was always concerned with the health benefits. I only highlight this comment because I want to know why (putting aside fasting benefits for health) it is wrong to use the 5:2 as a behavioral strategy for weight loss when i know it gives me the same average over a week? I noticed on another thread about fads that someone said it's not being used correctly as in JUST for health benefits but the method is being promoted as a weight loss strategy that has added health benefits. I truly am confused as to why it is seemingly wrong to see it as a maintenance tool as well (I figured the health benefits were an unsaid given). No snark, just wondering why there seems to be alot of comments to this effect lately.
  • WendyFlynn
    WendyFlynn Posts: 139 Member
    I lost weight after plugging my numbers in to MFP and it gave me 1200 cals a day. However, I quickly learned that if I ate low calories on a couple of days a week, I could then 'bank' calories to use for 'family' nights, ie, a takwaway and some wine! I had no idea I was unintentionally following the 5:2 diet. I used my weekly (8400 cals) as a guide and I had high and low days .

    I am now at maintenance, 1900 cals per day. I still do 2 fast days and eat 2500 calories on the other 5 days and it still works!!!!

    Sometimes, I just do the one fast day, 6:1, but as long as I keep to my weekly total I do not gain. If I go over my weekly total, I gain.

    Maintenance is hard work, we all need to find our individual way to maintain. Some would say, just work to a daily total, end of. For me, I enjoy my food!! Some days I want to eat more than others, some days less. I would love to give up calorie counting nearly 2 years after starting my weight loss journey, but I can't. Even at maintenance, I CANNOT judge a portion size, I still have to weigh and measure, I just can have a bit more now :-)
  • kae_blah
    kae_blah Posts: 180 Member
    Thanks for all the replies. I have not been back to the boards in a while.
    I want to know why (putting aside fasting benefits for health) it is wrong to use the 5:2 as a behavioral strategy for weight loss when i know it gives me the same average over a week? I noticed on another thread about fads that someone said it's not being used correctly as in JUST for health benefits but the method is being promoted as a weight loss strategy that has added health benefits. I truly am confused as to why it is seemingly wrong to see it as a maintenance tool as well (I figured the health benefits were an unsaid given). No snark, just wondering why there seems to be alot of comments to this effect lately.

    I have been seeing a lot of attention being paid to 5:2 fasting as "just" a method of calorie control, with some articles completely overlooking any possible health benefits from fasting or that some people intend to use this as a method for maintenance.

    Behaviourally, I find it a lot easier to either fast 1 day then bank those calories. Some weeks I aim for just over maintenance every day and other weeks I aim for maintenance on 5 days and 1 day in the week I drink alcohol, go out for a meal, and don't track calories as I am confidant my fast day will balance things out.
  • lornathommo
    lornathommo Posts: 16
    I must admit that now I'm maintaining I do more of a 2:3:2 - fasting at 500 calories for 2 days, sticking to a healthy 1500-1800 for 3 days and then totally relax on weekends (or whichever two days I may be going out etc). This has kept me between 142-145 for 4 months now. Sometimes I eat my exercise calories, sometimes I don't - depends on whether I'm hungry. Must admit I love fasting on Mondays after a 'heavy' weekend. It works for me :)
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