Maintaining the IF weight loss

Ive been away from the blogosphere for a while but am back to report that something rather strange has happened............

As some of you know, I have been on the intermittent fasting regime since last August and have lost quite alot of weight - around a stone and a half.  By way of a reminder, intermittent fasting means eating only 500 calories on alternate days and on the days in between, you can eat whatever you like.

My partner had started to notice that I was losing rather alot of weight and started to look a little gaunt - and I had dropped a dress size to a size 10 before christmas and I didn't really want to drop further.

So, I decided to go to just two days a week - Monday and Thursday.  Strangely enough, I found it really difficult - I'd got used to every other day and had found it a good routine and kept me motivated. Going back to eating more normally for most of the week made it more difficult to fast on the 2 days and I found myself slipping.

I've been doing the 5:2 maintenance programme now for a couple of months but very oddly I haven't put on any weight - in fact Im still losing.  Even if I skip a week, I still don't put weight on........ to the extent that I began to worry that there may be a problem!

However, I went to see my GP about something else a few days ago and happened to mention it in passing....... she looked surprised and then explained that her husband was experiencing the very same thing.  He too had started on the IF diet and had lost two stone and despite stopping, could not put weight back on.

We discussed this for a few minutes and concluded that far from eating as I had before on my non fasting days, I was still cutting down considerably compared to the way I used to eat before starting the diet.  I had adjusted both physically and mentally to a very different way with food and eating.....I eat much smaller portions, I eat much more slowly, I dont eat processed foods or foods with added sugar and I also now dont eat meat - which reduces my cholesterol intake.

I am getting used to my new size and have confidence that I will be able to maintain it through fasting once or twice a week and through healthier eating in general for the remaining days.

I have spent my entire life trying to find a way to lose weight which works for me, which isnt too painful and which allows me to continue to eat the foods I enjoy.  I love the IF plan and will continue to use it to control my weight and improve my long term health and I would urge anyone who hasnt yet tried it to give it a go.  Its easier than you might think and when you see the results and feel so much better, you'll never look back.