Why is it harder to lose the weight that has been gained back?

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Cardio4Cupcakes
Cardio4Cupcakes Posts: 289 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Looking for some science on this fine Monday morning.
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  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I always interpreted this as it being mentally harder rather than actually harder. As in you've already put in the effort to lose the weight then gained it back, you may be less motivated next time since you feel like you've already done all this before and you may just gain it all back again.

    I could be completely wrong, though!
  • Altagracia220
    Altagracia220 Posts: 876 Member
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    I've always wondered myself why people say this and if it is actually true so I will be tuning in. lol
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    DemoraFairy wrote: »
    I always interpreted this as it being mentally harder rather than actually harder. As in you've already put in the effort to lose the weight then gained it back, you may be less motivated next time since you feel like you've already done all this before and you may just gain it all back again.

    I could be completely wrong, though!

    I agree with this...

    I don't think there is a lot of science to back up that it's physically harder...CICO
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Same amount of time but it's more fun gaining it so it seems like less time??

    Really though a deficit of 3500 calories is a loss of one pound and a surplus of 3500 calories is a gain of one pound. It doesn't matter which way you go 3500 calories is about one pound.

    Gaining is very easy - sit around, don't move, eat whatever you want. That's easy. Less work (movement) = less calories burned = less of a calorie deficit or even a surplus. And eating more is very easy too.

    To lose weight you have to move, watch what you eat etc. That's no fun and seems like a lot of work.

  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    ncboiler89 wrote: »
    Same amount of time but it's more fun gaining it so it seems like less time??

    Really though a deficit of 3500 calories is a loss of one pound and a surplus of 3500 calories is a gain of one pound. It doesn't matter which way you go 3500 calories is about one pound.

    Gaining is very easy - sit around, don't move, eat whatever you want. That's easy. Less work (movement) = less calories burned = less of a calorie deficit or even a surplus. And eating more is very easy too.

    To lose weight you have to move, watch what you eat etc. That's no fun and seems like a lot of work.

    I think she means why is it harder to lose weight if you've lost weight before then put it back on again, so if you went from 150lbs to 120lbs then back up to 150lbs, it's said you'll find it harder to lose the 30lbs the second time. Rather than why is it easier to gain weight than lose weight.
  • Cardio4Cupcakes
    Cardio4Cupcakes Posts: 289 Member
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    DemoraFairy wrote: »
    ncboiler89 wrote: »
    Same amount of time but it's more fun gaining it so it seems like less time??

    Really though a deficit of 3500 calories is a loss of one pound and a surplus of 3500 calories is a gain of one pound. It doesn't matter which way you go 3500 calories is about one pound.

    Gaining is very easy - sit around, don't move, eat whatever you want. That's easy. Less work (movement) = less calories burned = less of a calorie deficit or even a surplus. And eating more is very easy too.

    To lose weight you have to move, watch what you eat etc. That's no fun and seems like a lot of work.

    I think she means why is it harder to lose weight if you've lost weight before then put it back on again, so if you went from 150lbs to 120lbs then back up to 150lbs, it's said you'll find it harder to lose the 30lbs the second time. Rather than why is it easier to gain weight than lose weight.

    Yeah, this. I've hit a bit of a plateau/slight gain but I've begun lifting so I'm not too concerned (right now lol). But it's just something I've always heard and wondered if there was any science to back it.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    I don't think it's harder apart from a mind over matter issue. (Apart from medical issues of course)

    I gained weight...lost some....gained more back....lost some...gained it back and now have lost that too and am still losing. When I put my mind to it and watch my calories...I lose. When I don't watch my intake... I don't lose.

    Simple as that.
  • Keiko385
    Keiko385 Posts: 514 Member
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    It's mind over matter. Think of the last road trip you took, getting there took forever, the drive home was quick. Same amount of miles.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    Looking for some science on this fine Monday morning.

    It's not.

    CICO is CICO.
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
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    Well, I do think that it gets a little harder as you age... Last time I had 40 lbs to lose, I was 6 years younger... Still doable now, of course, but seems it was easier to drop a quick 20 or so 10 years ago, and even easier 20 years ago... In my experience, anyway...
  • North44
    North44 Posts: 359 Member
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    DemoraFairy wrote: »
    I always interpreted this as it being mentally harder rather than actually harder. As in you've already put in the effort to lose the weight then gained it back, you may be less motivated next time since you feel like you've already done all this before and you may just gain it all back again.

    I could be completely wrong, though!

    I feel like this is true for me. Just harder to get my head in the game again.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    It does tend to get harder as you get older, yes. Also, if you crash-dieted in the past and lost a lot of muscle mass along with fat, then it's gonna be harder to lose the weight the second time around because you're starting off with less LBM and a higher BF%.

    But yeah, mostly mentally / psychologically harder, I'd say.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    I've actually read quite a few articles on this subject because I was trying to figure out the reasons behind it as well. As we age, our metabolism slows down due to a number of reasons. Here are a few things that could contribute to the problem:
    1. Loss of muscle - I've seen a few different theories on how much we lose (1/2 lb. every year after age 30, 1-2% after age 50, etc.). Muscle burns more calories than fat, so as you lose it, your metabolism will slow down. The only way to prevent muscle loss is to do regular weight training.
    2. Fat Increase -When we "crash diet", we're more likely to lose muscle than fat. Then if we regain all of that weight, unless we're strength training, it will come back in the form of fat. So we end up weighing the same but with a higher percentage of fat. Since our metabolism will have slowed, the next time we try to lose weight it will be harder than the time before.
    3. Stress and lack of sleep.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    There are some physiological factors but I'd tend to agree that it is mostly mental.

    The self-shaming part where you say "the first 10 pounds I lose don't count because that's what I gained on top of gaining back the last weight. Then the next 25 don't count because I lost that three years ago and then gained it back. Once I get to 35 pounds down it will start counting," tends to be demotivating. Somebody asked a similar question a couple of weeks ago and I will reiterate what I said then--shove those thoughts into a little box in your brain, or shove them out your ear, and forget about them. Give yourself a fresh clean start because what's done is done and it's time to move forward.
  • MatthewOttewell
    MatthewOttewell Posts: 13 Member
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    I agree with most of the posters here: psychologically it is harder to motivate. It really takes many years for someone's BMR to slow down enough to make a noticeable difference.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,618 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Psychological effects due to previous lack of long term success

    Loss of muscle mass during your previous attempts and corresponding increased to the relative % of fat when you are starting up.

    Age related slow down which may or may not be fully explainable by loss of muscle mass as we age and are less active.

    Possibly your muscles have become more efficient due to substantial exercise during your previous weight loss attempts and so you burn less calories for the same type and duration of exercise.

    Previous diet attempts may have caused adaptive thermogenesis and you probably haven't fully recovered from it before you start weight loss attempt #2.

    The weight control registry studies found that long term weight loss maintainers exercise more than people who have never lost weight in order to maintain their current weight. The most popular form of exercise they engage in is walking.

    For the more controversial topic see:
    http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/567126_4

  • Sanjida_J
    Sanjida_J Posts: 8 Member
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    Its more of a mental struggle than anything else. After you work hard for months, only to get distracted &depressed with personal issues a month later, quiting excercise and binge eating.. gaining back all the hard lost pounds... standing at where you started from 6months back, your body just goes to "lol, are you kidding me" mode. Its like you took a walk in the fitness garden and came back home.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
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    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    Looking for some science on this fine Monday morning.

    I don't think it's physically harder, mentally yes! Also if there is a stark age difference it might seem harder
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I think in my experience I did lose lean body mass with previous loss, so my body fat percentage ended up higher at the same weight. I also think the fat distributed more to my belly area (more visceral fat!). I'm still a bit big in clothes that fit me well at 10-15 lbs higher the last time. However, I haven't found losing weight particularly difficult, just that it is taking more to get the same appearance results.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    girlviernes wrote: »
    I think in my experience I did lose lean body mass with previous loss, so my body fat percentage ended up higher at the same weight. I also think the fat distributed more to my belly area (more visceral fat!). I'm still a bit big in clothes that fit me well at 10-15 lbs higher the last time. However, I haven't found losing weight particularly difficult, just that it is taking more to get the same appearance results.
    That last might very well be the biggest reason that it seems harder.

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