After doing 16:8 + CICO for several months I have reached my goal weight. I skip breakfast, eat two meals a day, and have one 200 cal snack in between meals. I am still shedding weight and do not want/need to, so I recently decreased my fasting window to 14:10. I’ve also been upping my calorie intake on the weekends by eating larger dinners. However, I’m still losing .5 pounds per week. This is probably because I work out 5x days per week. So, I need to find a way to moderately increase my calorie intake (2500/week) without gaining the weight back. Which plan would you choose?
Start eating breakfast/a third meal again, shortening my fasting window to 12 hours.
Eat more calorie dense snacks in between my two meals of the day. (Currently I tried to avoid snacking more than once in between meals.)
Stop going to the gym so much and burning all those extra calories.
Eat larger, more caloric meals every day.
Eat more calories/larger meals on the weekends while keeping the weekdays consistent.
Which would you choose and why?
If you work out 5 times a week, I´d get some protein rich breakfast (at 10.00 so you can still 14:10) like greek yoghurt with lot´s of fruits, nuts and granola. Definitely eat more if you´re losing too much to your liking.
I would vote for 1 or 4. 1 Additional meal, which gives you 3 meals a day with or without a snack. You can afford it with your increased calories. Not necessarily 12:12. Could be a wider fasting window. Socially more acceptable if it means something to you, and easier, especially during weekends and holidays.
4 If the system 2MAD + snack worked so well for you, you should consider staying with it and increase your calories in a healthy way. It is the simplest, most fluid solution.