Discouraged

SMDraffen

I lost almost 40 pounds after a year counting calories and exercising. Over the past couple of months, the weight has started creeping back on. I'm up almost 15 pounds! I'm exercising on a regular basis again and keeping my calories around 1400 per day (started at 1200 during the first few months, and slowly increased them to around 1500). I'm discouraged, hate myself for gaining the weight back and feel like all of the hard work was for nothing. I don't know what to do.

rankinsect

It's clearly not all for nothing - you're still 25 pounds better than you were, even with the setback.

As I always say, the truly terrible mistake is the mistake you refuse to learn from. Rather than dwell on what happened, think about how you will learn from this and be more successful the next time you're on maintenance. What will you do better next time?

For example, maybe you need to be better at logging in maintenance. I know (from previous failures) that I need to do that. Maybe you need to regularly check your weight and have action plans for certain things - i.e. "If I exceed the top of my goal range, I will set myself on a 250 calorie deficit until I reach the bottom of my goal range, then go back to maintenance".

You're the one who knows best what happened to cause this. What are the biggest risks that you identified to your long-term success, and what is a plan you can put in place to mitigate each risk - either to reduce the risk, or identify a problem sooner so you can correct it faster?

You clearly know how to lose weight, so I don't think you'll really have a problem getting the 15 pounds off again, now the trick is to learn how to maintain weight. Like with anything else, we learn by doing (and failing). One skinned knee doesn't mean you will never learn how to ride a bike, it's just a painful step in the process.

kbmnurse

Well, first figure out why the weight has started to creep back on. You must be doing something differently. Second, stop and get back to being the best you can be.

CariLynn67

I have had the same issue but only with 20/10 pound loss/gain. If you haven't consulted a doctor, that would be my best advice right now. Good luck and keep us posted

SMDraffen

Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions! Will call my doctor and see if a medication might be part of the problem.

Kalikel

You're wasting time and energy when you beat yourself up. Use that time to do a few jumping jacks or read up on nutrition or check out some healthy recipes.

You know why you gained the weight - you ate a lot of food or you ate high-calorie junk food or whatever. So, okay, something learned. Don't do that again. Set up a plan for losing that includes a way of eating that you can continue when you've finished relosing this weight...one that isn't the same as the old one!

Most people who lose weight will gain it back, so you're in good company! Just give it another go with your new knowledge. You know you can do this because you e done it before. This time, you'll do it better! Be encouraged by all that you've learned and your past success.

Focusing on the negative doesn't help anyone and will only serve to make you unhappy.

Be positive. A good outlook is 75% of a happy life, so hang onto that and let the negativity go.

kamp150

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10277855/never-give-up-330-lbs-to-220-and-still-going-we-all-deserve-as-many-chances-as-possible?new=1 never give up man! i was in your same position man, remember mistakes are part of life!