Have I been using IF correctly?

WanderingPomme
WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I've been a low calorie diet for months (7 months). I did not know back then that I was consuming low calories more than I should've until recently when I started counting calories. I was 115.5lbs when I ended my low calorie diet in the end of May. Started MFP and some light exercise but sedentary most of the time. I was 113.5lbs this morning (had a party last night, ate carbs ribs pizza nachos and alcohol etc) lol

Anyway, I've been finding out how to maintain my weight so I tried IF. My low calorie diet made me eat 3 times a day and I kind of lost my relationship with food like hunger cues. I didn't know if I was eating just because I needed to or I was really hungry. I wanted to reexamine my relationship with food and eat whenever I was hungry and not eat when I wasn't.

So usually, I mix IF up a bit a week. There are days when I'd be starting eating at 2pm, end at 8. Then start eating 2pm the next day again. But sometimes even if I stop eating at 8pm the previous day, I'd go eat at like 5pm or 6pm the next day and stop at 8pm again. But like let's say yesterday I had a party to go to and consumed alcohol, looots of carbs and ribs. It was like 1am when I stopped consuming anything. It's 3:45pm now, I haven't had anything except coffee and I don't really feel hungry. There are are times when I'm below my MFP goal, other times I am over. Sometimes, I eat out so I can't log exactly how much calories I'm consuming but I usually just estimate it, make it higher (or so I think).

So I'm mixing the 14:10, 16:8, 18:6 and warrior diet.

Is that how normal maintainers out there are? Am I doing it right? I really find maintenance hard!! i've averaged my weight this month and so far, week 1=112.9lbs, week2=112.7lbs, week 3=111.6lbs and 113.5 this morning though lol yes I've been eating. I don't know how much I should be eating, how many calories. Since I've heard being on a low calorie diet for long kinda messes up your BMR so those calculators would not be accurate for me so I just kinda stuck to 1,290 calories/day as a basis for my maintenance but some days I go over. I'm 26, 5'3". Also, I don't know what my macros should be set as. Now it's at 40 carbs/40 protein/ 20 fat.

Replies

  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Sounds like ur maintaining to me.... Who cares if what ur doing is theoretically correct IF. Eat when you want and as long as the scale still tells u ur in the weight range u want, then theres nothing to worry about!
  • ghostrider1970
    ghostrider1970 Posts: 127 Member
    Whatever it works for you is just fine... I really don't think anyone is going to sue you for copyright infringement 'cause your mixing different type of IF :laugh:
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Sounds like ur maintaining to me.... Who cares if what ur doing is theoretically correct IF. Eat when you want and as long as the scale still tells u ur in the weight range u want, then theres nothing to worry about!

    Yeah, been sick of the whole you need to eat because it's breakfast, lunch and dinner. It kinda ruined my relationship with food and lost my intuitive eating habits before my diet. I realized though that IF really works for me, especially with how I think with food! Hopefully though the weight doesn't creep up on me.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Whatever it works for you is just fine... I really don't think anyone is going to sue you for copyright infringement 'cause your mixing different type of IF :laugh:

    LOL! Good point! "Thou shall not mix different kinds of IF methods!" LOL I was just wondering if some people do the same thing! Mixing it up!
  • ghostrider1970
    ghostrider1970 Posts: 127 Member
    LOL! Good point! "Thou shall not mix different kinds of IF methods!" LOL I was just wondering if some people do the same thing! Mixing it up!

    I'm doing IF (leangains 16/8) and low carb, not really mixing different IF approach. From time to time, I go low carb while doing IF, or carb cycling... everybody is different, so you are doing the right thing: taking ideas from different diet plans, to make it work for you.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    LOL! Good point! "Thou shall not mix different kinds of IF methods!" LOL I was just wondering if some people do the same thing! Mixing it up!

    I'm doing IF (leangains 16/8) and low carb, not really mixing different IF approach. From time to time, I go low carb while doing IF, or carb cycling... everybody is different, so you are doing the right thing: taking ideas from different diet plans, to make it work for you.

    Are you doing it to lose weight or maintain? Yeah, finding out my balance! Hopefully this works well for me! It's something I can see myself do for a looong time!
  • ghostrider1970
    ghostrider1970 Posts: 127 Member
    Are you doing it to lose weight or maintain? Yeah, finding out my balance! Hopefully this works well for me! It's something I can see myself do for a looong time!

    i'm trying to get to 10% BF, before starting a lean bulk in September.
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    IF has no effect on weight loss (I still do it, though). So don't worry on days when you screw up or eat at different times.. does not matter.
  • Deadlay
    Deadlay Posts: 135 Member
    I think the beauty of IF is that you can tailor it to your needs. There is no right way to do it, just different ways. I only do IF because it works for my schedule. Whether I get any of the supposed benefits, I'm not sure.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Are you doing it to lose weight or maintain? Yeah, finding out my balance! Hopefully this works well for me! It's something I can see myself do for a looong time!

    i'm trying to get to 10% BF, before starting a lean bulk in September.

    Nice!! I could only wish to get to 10% BF lol good job! Wishing you a good BF drop! :D
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    IF has no effect on weight loss (I still do it, though). So don't worry on days when you screw up or eat at different times.. does not matter.

    Noted! Thank you! :)
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    I think the beauty of IF is that you can tailor it to your needs. There is no right way to do it, just different ways. I only do IF because it works for my schedule. Whether I get any of the supposed benefits, I'm not sure.

    Yeah, it works for me. Helps me avoid mindless eating too. I hope we do get the benefits anyway!
  • volume77
    volume77 Posts: 670 Member
    1290 total for maintenance? why so little? that makes me sad
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    1290 total for maintenance? why so little? that makes me sad

    Been on a low calorie diet for months, lower than 1290! I'm slowly increasing it. Just making sure I don't over do it. Lol Those calculators wont be accurate for me. Makes me sad too sometimes but sometimes I'm over, sometimes I'm under so I hope it balances out.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Are you doing it to lose weight or maintain? Yeah, finding out my balance! Hopefully this works well for me! It's something I can see myself do for a looong time!

    i'm trying to get to 10% BF, before starting a lean bulk in September.

    Nice!! I could only wish to get to 10% BF lol good job! Wishing you a good BF drop! :D

    as a woman why would you want 10% bodyfat?
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    My unqualified advice would form 2 stages:

    1) If you're wondering about your metabolism being mucked up, try eating 2000 calories a day (or what ever someone of your weight/height should normally eat if their BMR wasn't screwed) for 2 weeks. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

    Yes, you may put a bit of weight back on (boo hoo!) but then if it helps to speed up your metabolic rate somewhat then it's more useful in the long run than having to eat so little for the rest of your life. (At the moment, your body thinks it's a long *kitten* lean winter and the longer you eat that little, the more it's going to adapt and hold that thinking.)

    2) And then experiment with doing IF as you are (there's nothing wrong with it is as the eating window is smaller than the fasting window but there's nothing set in stone) BUT eat what someone of your weight/height should eat which is typically more than 1300 kcals.

    The point of IF is that you don't have to calorie count and are supposed to be able to eat what you want during the fasting window.

    When you see people doing the 5/2 IF routine so they're eating 500 kcals on fast days and 1200 on non-fast days, that's not IFing, that's an ED.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Are you doing it to lose weight or maintain? Yeah, finding out my balance! Hopefully this works well for me! It's something I can see myself do for a looong time!

    i'm trying to get to 10% BF, before starting a lean bulk in September.

    Nice!! I could only wish to get to 10% BF lol good job! Wishing you a good BF drop! :D

    as a woman why would you want 10% bodyfat?

    Good point. Didn't occur to me how low that would be for a woman. LOL oops!
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    My unqualified advice would form 2 stages:

    1) If you're wondering about your metabolism being mucked up, try eating 2000 calories a day (or what ever someone of your weight/height should normally eat if their BMR wasn't screwed) for 2 weeks. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

    Yes, you may put a bit of weight back on (boo hoo!) but then if it helps to speed up your metabolic rate somewhat then it's more useful in the long run than having to eat so little for the rest of your life. (At the moment, your body thinks it's a long *kitten* lean winter and the longer you eat that little, the more it's going to adapt and hold that thinking.)

    2) And then experiment with doing IF as you are (there's nothing wrong with it is as the eating window is smaller than the fasting window but there's nothing set in stone) BUT eat what someone of your weight/height should eat which is typically more than 1300 kcals.

    The point of IF is that you don't have to calorie count and are supposed to be able to eat what you want during the fasting window.

    When you see people doing the 5/2 IF routine so they're eating 500 kcals on fast days and 1200 on non-fast days, that's not IFing, that's an ED.

    Gaining some weight DOES scare me but you're right it's more useful in the long run. That's a good read. Right now I'm relying on hunger cues. Sometimes I'm over 1,300, sometimes I'm under. Really? You don't have to count calories while doing IF? I thought you still needed to stay within calories to maintain! I don't think I can do the 5/2 IF routine but hey whatever works for them! Just not for me.

    Thank you for the advice! :)
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    Are you doing it to lose weight or maintain? Yeah, finding out my balance! Hopefully this works well for me! It's something I can see myself do for a looong time!

    i'm trying to get to 10% BF, before starting a lean bulk in September.

    Nice!! I could only wish to get to 10% BF lol good job! Wishing you a good BF drop! :D

    as a woman why would you want 10% bodyfat?

    Good point. Didn't occur to me how low that would be for a woman. LOL oops!

    OP please lift weights and eat more you need to sort out your metabolism asap
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Are you doing it to lose weight or maintain? Yeah, finding out my balance! Hopefully this works well for me! It's something I can see myself do for a looong time!

    i'm trying to get to 10% BF, before starting a lean bulk in September.

    Nice!! I could only wish to get to 10% BF lol good job! Wishing you a good BF drop! :D

    as a woman why would you want 10% bodyfat?

    Good point. Didn't occur to me how low that would be for a woman. LOL oops!

    OP please lift weights and eat more you need to sort out your metabolism asap

    Working on it! :)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    My unqualified advice would form 2 stages:

    1) If you're wondering about your metabolism being mucked up, try eating 2000 calories a day (or what ever someone of your weight/height should normally eat if their BMR wasn't screwed) for 2 weeks. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

    Yes, you may put a bit of weight back on (boo hoo!) but then if it helps to speed up your metabolic rate somewhat then it's more useful in the long run than having to eat so little for the rest of your life. (At the moment, your body thinks it's a long *kitten* lean winter and the longer you eat that little, the more it's going to adapt and hold that thinking.)

    2) And then experiment with doing IF as you are (there's nothing wrong with it is as the eating window is smaller than the fasting window but there's nothing set in stone) BUT eat what someone of your weight/height should eat which is typically more than 1300 kcals.

    The point of IF is that you don't have to calorie count and are supposed to be able to eat what you want during the fasting window.

    When you see people doing the 5/2 IF routine so they're eating 500 kcals on fast days and 1200 on non-fast days, that's not IFing, that's an ED.

    Gaining some weight DOES scare me but you're right it's more useful in the long run. That's a good read. Right now I'm relying on hunger cues. Sometimes I'm over 1,300, sometimes I'm under. Really? You don't have to count calories while doing IF? I thought you still needed to stay within calories to maintain! I don't think I can do the 5/2 IF routine but hey whatever works for them! Just not for me.

    Thank you for the advice! :)

    IF isn't about losing weight. It's about achieving an improved state of health. A bi-product of IF is weight loss for people who are overweight.

    Yeah, I'm reluctant to try 5/2 - 600 kcals (for men) is too little for me and doesn't line up with my goals. I've done a split by day (16/8 down to 12/12). Last year I was doing 16/8 for 3 days a week. I stopped as I was losing too much weight. Everyone was saying I was getting too thin - and for a change, they were right. Despite lifting, I was losing muscle size (even though my strength was growing!). I blame a lack of protein (30-50g a day typically).

    At the end of 2012, I decided to have a well-placed 2 week diet break (as per the article) (well, if you're going to have a diet break you might as well make it coincide with Christmas!). During that period, I reviewed what I'd been doing and decided that I needed to eat a lot more protein (I now aim for a minimum of 140g a day). Also, I now calorie cycle by using carbs to increase my calorie intake for lifting days (non-lifting days I eat the same amount of protein but fewer carbs). On average, I eat 25% more than this time last year.

    The result is that I've put on weight (back to my original weight before I joined MFP) but my physique is completely different to what it was 500 days ago.

    What's my point? IF is a useful tool but you still need to monitor your protein intake and eat enough. And if you build muscle, your body will need more calories to maintain which means you can eat more. Looking at your profile photo, I'd suggest you focus on building a great physique and less on losing weight. You've done enough leaning out and now it's time to start building.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    My unqualified advice would form 2 stages:

    1) If you're wondering about your metabolism being mucked up, try eating 2000 calories a day (or what ever someone of your weight/height should normally eat if their BMR wasn't screwed) for 2 weeks. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

    Yes, you may put a bit of weight back on (boo hoo!) but then if it helps to speed up your metabolic rate somewhat then it's more useful in the long run than having to eat so little for the rest of your life. (At the moment, your body thinks it's a long *kitten* lean winter and the longer you eat that little, the more it's going to adapt and hold that thinking.)

    2) And then experiment with doing IF as you are (there's nothing wrong with it is as the eating window is smaller than the fasting window but there's nothing set in stone) BUT eat what someone of your weight/height should eat which is typically more than 1300 kcals.

    The point of IF is that you don't have to calorie count and are supposed to be able to eat what you want during the fasting window.

    When you see people doing the 5/2 IF routine so they're eating 500 kcals on fast days and 1200 on non-fast days, that's not IFing, that's an ED.

    Gaining some weight DOES scare me but you're right it's more useful in the long run. That's a good read. Right now I'm relying on hunger cues. Sometimes I'm over 1,300, sometimes I'm under. Really? You don't have to count calories while doing IF? I thought you still needed to stay within calories to maintain! I don't think I can do the 5/2 IF routine but hey whatever works for them! Just not for me.

    Thank you for the advice! :)

    What's my point? IF is a useful tool but you still need to monitor your protein intake and eat enough. And if you build muscle, your body will need more calories to maintain which means you can eat more. Looking at your profile photo, I'd suggest you focus on building a great physique and less on losing weight. You've done enough leaning out and now it's time to start building.

    Yeah! I know, horrible isn't it? Lol Just posted a thread about that belly pouch thing and looking for workouts. Okay then, building time! I'll look for threads to help get me started! :)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

    Seems to be free. Basically, the big compound movements, 5 sets of 5 reps. Or you could do 3x6. As long as it's bastid heavy and the final couple of reps are a killer.
  • ghostrider1970
    ghostrider1970 Posts: 127 Member
    OP please lift weights and eat more you need to sort out your metabolism asap

    definitely this is a good advice. Go for it, lift heavy, you won't regret it. Oh... 10% BF is really low for a woman
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

    Seems to be free. Basically, the big compound movements, 5 sets of 5 reps. Or you could do 3x6. As long as it's bastid heavy and the final couple of reps are a killer.


    Hurraaay!!! I actually dreamt about lifting weights last night. LOL Thanks again!
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    OP please lift weights and eat more you need to sort out your metabolism asap

    definitely this is a good advice. Go for it, lift heavy, you won't regret it. Oh... 10% BF is really low for a woman

    I will! :)

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