My New Eating and Exercise Plan.

tsazani
tsazani Posts: 830 Member
edited May 2021 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I'm at goal weight. T2D since 2005. In remission.

I eat a 2400 cal LCHF diet. Most days with IF 18:6. Twice a month I do a 48 hr water fast. When I water fast I avoid exercise.

I'm thinking of increasing to 3600 cal and doing TWO 36hr water fasts per week. Every Wed and Sun. This means I will eat 3 meals per day on Thur and Mon.

Effectively I'll be eating 5 days per week. My goal is to maximize the time I'm NOT eating AND maintain my weight.

Good idea? Or not?

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,453 Member
    So what do you mean maximize your time? You aren't doing anything the 2 days you fast physical wise. And the REALITY is to maintain weight, you just don't exceed your calorie intake versus your calories burned in any day. So do you fast because you CAN'T control how much you eat in a day?

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  • tumbleweed7834
    tumbleweed7834 Posts: 42 Member
    So your hormones are unbalanced and a nutritionist can’t fix it. So you starve yourself. . . . It sounds like maintenance is harder than losing so the pounds come back on so you can lose again. At least you are trying something!
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    I am a fan of experimentation but I am fairly opposed to a major shift in something that seems to be working. Ask yourself if there are other areas of your life that could still use improving to further a healthy lifestyle. Things like sleep hygiene, mental hygiene, relationships, stress management, daily habits, organization, etc. People tend to get too focused on food and exercise and ignore the other parts of a healthy lifestyle.

    Also, the evidence that supports fasting helping insulin resistance is only for ~16 hour fasts. There is none, to my knowledge, that says more is better in humans. There is evidence to support that if you are not careful you can be burning muscle in prolonged fasts.

  • xrj22
    xrj22 Posts: 195 Member
    That sounds like a diet, not maintenance to me. I do believe in occasional fasting for spiritual reasons or a time to re-set check-in about priorities and discipline. However, I clearly do not function my best (mentally, athletically, or socially) when fasting. I just don't think we are built for that to be an optimal state. Doing it weekly is not something I would aim for.

    You seem to be using fasting as a treatment for your diabetes. Have you checked in on whether that sort of treatment is still necessary at your current weight? Although fasting does not have the same side effects as medications, I still see it as a treatment with risks and side effects.
  • suzij27
    suzij27 Posts: 199 Member
    I heard a discussion of this method on The Diet Doctor podcast. I believe it was episode #2, but it might have been #12. It was discussed as a means to cure those with severe metabolic disorders such as you are describing.

    Longtimers on MFP seem to only support CICO, which perhaps is what you are suggesting doing, just on a weekly not a daily basis. If your health markers are not where they need to be at a normal weight and with regular exercise, perhaps this “tool” is one to explore with your doctor(s).

    Good luck!