Almost everyone quits losing weight
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Why do you think you'll stay strong and stick with it?
I have started and quit several times. This time was different. I gave up soda, it was a horrible addiction that I never fully committed to wanting to give up. I have lost 38lbs and 6 months later, I still am here and now 11 pounds away from my goal.
Why do you think others quit?
They don't really want it. I say that because that is why I always quit. I never wanted to do it. I said I did but I was just doing myself lip service.
What makes you different?
I am not different. Everyone can fail. However I have a drive and a determination this time that I have never had before..knowing I have went from a BMI that made me obese to a BMI that now has me normal..to knowing I lost 3 pant sizes. I am different this time.0 -
Why do you think you'll stay strong and stick with it?
Because I have stayed strong for an entire year, and I have learned my lesson from the last time when I re-gained 35 pounds after having lost 65. Frankly, I think I had gotten a little cocky. Also, the first time around I don't think I realized how much of an issue impulse eating was for me because I didn't have so many opportunities for impulse eating until the fall of 2012. So I learned impulse eating was something I still needed to work on, and I have. (It did take a long time!)
Why do you think others quit?
Lack of motivation, lack of discipline, presence of emotional issues with food and/or weight loss. Too many people "white knuckle" their plan and can't maintain the intensity and instead of modifying their plan to be more modest, they just quit and go back to their old lifestyle.
What makes you different?
I think having been fairly thin most of my life, only overweight for approximately five years, gives me a big advantage over people who have been heavy most of their lives. I have overcome emotional eating, hardly ever have food cravings, and I am disciplined about logging my food daily and exercising most days. I am still working on impulse eating, but have gotten much better about it because I have committed to logging it.0 -
I think that exercise is the first tree to fall. If someone is eating back their exercise calories, once the exercise is gone, the weight creeps back on because the calorie buffer is gone.
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herrspoons wrote: »DawnieB1977 wrote: »herrspoons wrote: »People fail because they see weight loss as a journey. It isn't, and it's actually pretty stupid to think of it as one, because it doesn't have an end destination. Sure, you may have a target weight to drop to, but then you have to maintain it, and that means not reverting to the habits that got you into this mess in the first place.
The people who succeed realise this. A little bit of thought is all it takes.
I've never had bad habits...unless maybe getting pregnant can be classed as one?
If people want to refer to it as a 'journey' does it matter? If it's something that takes a long time to reach, I'd have though good habits would be ingrained. It's more the quick fix diets that don't work and the whole 'diet' mindset.
Not the same thing. You give birth, you lose the weight of the kid, then you lose the support weight you gained. That's not a habit, it's an event that happens a few times over the course of your life.
As for good habits being ingrained, the recidivism rates suggest otherwise.
Yes, but is that for people who lost weight through quick fix diets, or people who have lost weight slowly and changed their lifestyle? If you do something like the Cambridge diet, drastically cut calories and live off shakes or whatever, that's hardly sustainable long term, so no wonder people regain the weight.
I've only logged on MFP for 894 days but I haven't really changed what I eat. I actually eat more now than I used to, and eat more protein, but I haven't massively changed what I eat. I was always of the eat 1200 calories or fewer to lose weight before I read the forums here.0 -
I've done harder things for a longer time… and maintained it. Losing weight is NOT the hardest thing I've ever done. I know what I'm capable of.
And what makes me different… I'm not goal oriented… I'm process oriented. The scale doesn't determine my success… so stalls or plateaus don't break me or even really disappoint me that much. It's a whole different game for me.0 -
I think people who think those of us who lose weight for "vanity" are shallow.
If you've never experienced the psychological damage that comes along with a poor self image you might not realize how much aesthetic motivation can drive you to improve mental health. Feeling good about the way you look, having the mirror reflect more your true inner self, is powerful and life changing.0 -
cincysweetheart wrote: »I've done harder things for a longer time… and maintained it. Losing weight is NOT the hardest thing I've ever done. I know what I'm capable of.
And what makes me different… I'm not goal oriented… I'm process oriented. The scale doesn't determine my success… so stalls or plateaus don't break me or even really disappoint me that much. It's a whole different game for me.
You make a good point with being "process oriented". Thank you for sharing that- I think it is something I needed to hear today to make this not a diet but a lifestyle. I know from past experience that I will quit working the weight loss/maintenance program once I reach goal. Making the process a part of the rest of my life is the key. Thanks!!
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I've been working out consistently for 4 years now. I've educated on myself on the correct ways to do things..and believe it or not, truly KNOWING and LEARNING how to actually do something makes you way more confident in your decisions....and also this ...
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smittybuilt19 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Actually, for most people losing weight isn't the issue...maintaining the weight loss is. By and large, people talk a good talk about "lifestyle" change...but really, it's just words...most people never implement such a change.
I lost about 40 Lbs and I've maintained that loss for over 1.5 years and counting. I am very committed to nutrition and to my fitness. I'm a former athlete and once I got back into things I realized how much I missed it and how much I missed being fit and healthy. Also for me it was not so much about losing Lbs as it was reversing a bunch of bad blood work.
There's a high to losing. I felt no high trying to maintain. I'm back up about 20lbs and having a heck of a time losing.
I personally had no maintenance strategy and it shows.
That's one of the most honest admissions I've ever seen on this board. It's refreshing.
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I guess the way I see it is that I never plan to "maintain"...I always plan to gain muscle or lose fat...I don't ever not want to push myself to be better0
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My husband and I would like to have another baby. But I know that, after being pregnant and/or breastfeeding for the past almost 5 years (just weaned my daughter, my second kiddo, a few months ago) my body needs to be healthier to sustain a new life. My nutrients have been depleted and I need to get that straightened out. And I want to be a fit and healthy mom to keep up with my family. Before when I tried losing weight it was mostly for vanity reasons. That's still a reason (I have pretty low self-esteem and am at my heaviest weight ever), but not THE reason this time. I have baby fever. Major.0
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smittybuilt19 wrote: »There's a high to losing. I felt no high trying to maintain. I'm back up about 20lbs and having a heck of a time losing.
I personally had no maintenance strategy and it shows.
QFT. Every person who loses weight should read and consider this because it's so very true.0 -
smittybuilt19 wrote: »There's a high to losing. I felt no high trying to maintain. I'm back up about 20lbs and having a heck of a time losing.
I personally had no maintenance strategy and it shows.
QFT. Every person who loses weight should read and consider this because it's so very true.
Perhaps losing and gaining the same 5-10 pounds can help remedy this for some? Some people just might need to be a constant state of weight fluctuation in order to keep motivated, with the goal to be making that range smaller and within your goal size/look/whatever.
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Iwishyouwell wrote: »smittybuilt19 wrote: »There's a high to losing. I felt no high trying to maintain. I'm back up about 20lbs and having a heck of a time losing.
I personally had no maintenance strategy and it shows.
QFT. Every person who loses weight should read and consider this because it's so very true.
Perhaps losing and gaining the same 5-10 pounds can help remedy this for some? Some people just might need to be a constant state of weight fluctuation in order to keep motivated, with the goal to be making that range smaller and within your goal size/look/whatever.
I agree with this. My doctor found my weight fluctuations concerning (all in a healthy BMI) because, "The average adult does not change their weight more than two pounds a year." Bro, what country do you live in? I'm a small woman; it's not hard to gain weight if I'm not paying strict attention. Then I get aggravated and lose some of it. I've got bigger problems.
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DeirdreWoodwardSanders wrote: »I think that exercise is the first tree to fall. If someone is eating back their exercise calories, once the exercise is gone, the weight creeps back on because the calorie buffer is gone.
Sure. But if you stop exercising and cut back what you eat to compensate, you'll be fine, weight-wise.
It's definitely easy to stop exercising and keep right on eating, though. Especially during the rationalization period where you're telling yourself that "yes, I skipped today, but I'm going to go tomorrow!"0 -
lifeskittles wrote: »I guess the way I see it is that I never plan to "maintain"...I always plan to gain muscle or lose fat...I don't ever not want to push myself to be better
That's my strategy. Keep my goals changing, and the challenges interesting. And keep lifting. If nothing else, if I keep lifting than when I overeat a bit at least some of it should go to good things and not just fat
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Iwishyouwell wrote: »smittybuilt19 wrote: »There's a high to losing. I felt no high trying to maintain. I'm back up about 20lbs and having a heck of a time losing.
I personally had no maintenance strategy and it shows.
QFT. Every person who loses weight should read and consider this because it's so very true.
Perhaps losing and gaining the same 5-10 pounds can help remedy this for some? Some people just might need to be a constant state of weight fluctuation in order to keep motivated, with the goal to be making that range smaller and within your goal size/look/whatever.
I agree with this. My doctor found my weight fluctuations concerning (all in a healthy BMI) because, "The average adult does not change their weight more than two pounds a year." Bro, what country do you live in? I'm a small woman; it's not hard to gain weight if I'm not paying strict attention. Then I get aggravated and lose some of it. I've got bigger problems.
Most of the people in my life, outside of family, aren't overweight and have never been. And I know a few of them easily fluctuate greater than 2 pounds from year to year.
For me? It'd be shooting myself in the foot if I made my final maintenance goal that strict. I've noticed during my 110+ pounds (and counting) weight loss process so far that I've easily maintained at various points within a 10 pound range, +/- 5 pounds in either direction from a steady point. So my plan is to do so, just at a much lower weight than when I began. I'm very comfortable with gaining or losing a few pounds, as long as it's pretty steady. I wouldn't even attempt to make it as narrow as 2 pounds.0 -
Agreed-two pounds is water weight. I smiled and nodded but I am pretty sure he just made that up. I'd be happy if I always stuck to my ideal weight, but I'm not going stress over weight fluctuations in the normal range. My life doesn't always stay the same, and my weight isn't going to either. 0
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herrspoons wrote: »Set a target. Hit target. Set a tolerance of +/- 5lbs. Weigh yourself weekly. If you are more than 5lb underweight, eat more. If you are more than 5lb overweight, eat less. Repeat until back at target.
Pretty simple really.
THIS
If you learned something from your journey in your new life style than you know when you are over eating. I accept the fact that i have to step on the scale my whole life to keep control of my weight.
Pretty simple and i dont have a problem with it. I want to be fit, as healthy as possible and keep my desired weight. Which means i have to control and check the calories.
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The first time I tried, I was newly married and slowed down from a busy retail job to unemployed (long story). I was very uneducated about the whole process. I starved myself, jumped into fad diets, ate lots of processed garbage, hated water and food prep...it was easy to quit. I've since been on and off with the attempts at losing weight and every single time, I learn something new or change a habit/thought process.
This time around, I'm better off. I drink tons of water with a single cup of coffee in the morning and the occasional coke. I don't like the taste of most processed foods anymore, though chips and sweets will never lose my interest. I eat more vegetables than fruit than I did before. I treat dessert as a "sometimes" food, not a once-every-night food. Salt, oils and butter don't please my palate as much as it used to.
All changes I have sustained and I can continue to sustain. Portion sizes are still hard, but I lug my food scale around with me religiously. It will get easier. I know it.0 -
GuitarJerry wrote: »I think most people fail because they rely on motivation. Motivation is fleeing. In the end, those who make it, and keep it off, tend to be people that are disciplined. Discipline and habit tend to last a lifetime. Motivation comes and goes so quickly. No one is motivated to get up everyday at 4am and go to the gym, however, some people are disciplined enough to do it, even when it's the last thing in the world they want to do. It's really more of a habit and complete lifestyle change...and when I say lifestyle change, I mean a real one. Not just a change for a couple weeks. But, where you stick to it, basically, for the rest of your life.
So true and relates to me!! I always give up once the motivation leaves me
It's the emotional push that helps you get through it but once it's gone you have to rely on pushing yourself which is the real challenge. Hoping that I can do it this time haha 0 -
Look, I manage my budget and personal finances by logging and tracking everything I spend and everything I earn. I balance the chequebook at the end of the month and pay the bills. I save up for major purchases, and I don't spend more than I earn.
Do those things give me a high? No. Do they make me motivated or excited? Not really. They're just things I do because it's part of being a responsible adult. It's just part of the routine. I've been doing it for years and years, and I will do it for the rest of my life, and I hardly even think about it anymore. I don't find it tough or cumbersome; it takes a few minutes a day and a periodic review of the budget to make sure I'm on track, that's all.
I've come to realize that I need to look at weight loss the same way. Just as I need to spend less than I earn, I need to eat less than I burn. Sure, logging and tracking takes me a little longer because I'm newer at it (and because unlike my bank account, my stomach doesn't have a convenient "auto-download transactions" feature). But, honestly, it's not all that different.
Right now, I look at weight loss as getting out of debt. Once I'm out of the "debt" I incurred with these extra pounds, I'll still have to balance the food budget for the rest of my life. Hopefully it'll become just as much second nature as the personal finances are.0 -
Why do you think you'll stay strong and stick with it?
Why do you think others quit?
What makes you different?
Well... I quit losing weight when I hit my goal. Now I maintain. So yeah, I guess at some point you do stop losing weight, but let's not paint with too broad of a brush here.0 -
Why will I stick to it? My health. It's worse when I'm bigger and I can't physically eat how I used to anyway. I also don't deprive myself, I take time off my diet for meals out and social events and I pretty much eat what I want 24/7. The biggest thing is that what I want to eat now is different from what I wanted to eat before. That's probably the key thing for me. Also, I've done it before. I lost 60lbs+ in 2006/2007. It went back on from 2009-2012, but I know why. It won't be going on again. More also, I've got rid of my bigger clothes and I'll be damned if I'm going to have to buy bigger again.
Why do people fall off? They don't see results quick enough. They hit plateaus and fall off because their loss stops. Also, major weight loss is HARD because it usually involves a complete lifestyle change and some people aren't willing to make that commitment.
I'm no different from anyone else. I'm just on a mission, however long it takes. Gains and all.0
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