Living the Lifestyle Wednesday 8/24/16

Rachel0778

Everyone says it, but just how do you do it? How do you take the guidelines of the WW program and turn them into a lifestyle you can live every day...from now on? That is what we are here to explore. Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Newbie? Join in! Veteran? Join in! Your thoughts may be just what someone else needs to hear.

Monday -- GadgetGirlIL (Regina)
Tuesday -- goldenfrisbee (Chris)
Wednesday -- Rachel0778 (Rachel)
Thursday -- misterhub (Greg)
Friday -- Jbrack381us (Joe)

Topic: Many of us are "repeat customers" when it comes to losing weight. What do you feel makes this time around different from previous attempts?

misterhub

I can't be sure it is.

I know how to lose weight. I have done it twice before, and I'll do it again.

The problem comes with maintaining, which is the hardest part of the entire program. Can I do that? Can I maintain the discipline necessary to adhere to a healthier lifestyle. Can I find healthier ways to handle stress and boredom than eating like a ravenous pig?

Yesterday was not a good day for me when it comes to consumption. Moving past that is one step toward figuring out how not to do it again today - or tomorrow. Dealing with those days, and reducing the number of them, will be key to any permanent success I have with maintaining weight loss.

glennowill

I think misterhub nailed it on the head. I've gotten to a goal weight twice, and even though I knew that I still had to be diligent with my tracking, I simply stopped when I got down to that goal and eventually gained some of it back - and in the last case, all of it back.

I feel like eating the way I do when I'm tracking and living inside of my 2000 calories is sustainable most days of the week for me - I don't think that lifestyle is impossible. The tracking might be what eventually burns me out.

88olds

I joined WW. Went my first meeting not knowing anything other than you weigh in every week and you write down what you eat. I though the WI was in front of the group.

One of the first things I noticed was the revolving door nature of the place. So since making lifetime, I've never left. I still go to my meeting most weeks a participate on GOAD, much relieved that we seem to have found a new and improved home.

Al_Howard

This time I dropped over 100#, still not to goal, but now have slipped upwards about 25# in the last two years. God only knows how much worse, if it wasn't for GoaD and my weekly meetings.

60in2017

For depressing reasons My mother passed away this past January, in large part due to just never having taken care of herself. Everything she suffered from could have been prevented if she would have taken a daily walk and eaten better. Instead, she sat in her recliner and "no one was going to tell her what to eat". I guess mom's still teach you things no matter how old you get, mine through reverse thinking.

I am getting up there now myself (hence, 60in2017). Every day is a gift. I am going to make them all the best they can be, not wish them away because I want it to be the weekend in a hurry. I will exercise or be physically active in some way daily, eat good, nutritious food, be grateful for all the things I've been blessed with and not turn sour because of the things I am not (like wrinkle free skin). I know lots of people look in the mirror and see their parents - this is one thing I DO NOT want to happen to me.

imastar2

Age 64 wen I started this journey the last time however I've lost a 100 #'s 4 times before and this is the 5th. My challenge is this last time I went up over 200 lbs over my goal. So now at age 69 I still have another 100 #s to loose. I am busier than I have ever been with work and yes I work at this age. Should be retired but with the recession that didn't happen. So I'm like misterhub I know how to loose weight it just doing it and keeping it off. I have been stable for 2 years but that's not good enough at my age. I need to get this last 115 lbs off. So these are the things that make this time different this time around. I am motivated to get this done but in the same breath I am really busy.

countcurt

What makes maintenance so difficult?

Here's what...getting one's head around the idea that 'lifetime' means exactly that. It never ends. Mechanically, maintenance is as easy or easier, because you don't need to eat fewer calories than your body needs, you just need to average a caloric intake that matches your body's needs.

Several people in this group have opined about the benefits of slower, more gradual loss. Which is more doable because the caloric deficit isn't as great on a daily basis. The flip side of that is it only allows for a small increase in intake when you move to maintenance.

What's made it work this time around [so far] has been recognizing how much I want this success and that, for the most part, the factors that drive my resistance have been in-check. And, that I don't need to do it perfectly to succeed. Just need to do it really well much more often than I don't.

myallforjcbill

I agree I can't say with certainty that this time is different. I do draw some confidence from the fact that I do seem to learn as I go and I tend to think of things from a rest of my life perspective or maintenance type. My new battle with chronic back pain has caused me to stall this this year a bit. But I have come to realize that this isn't going away, so I have to find a way of not letting me get totally distracted. That approach helped get me moving downward again, slower by more consistently these last few months. I also only go to lifetimers meetings which help maintain more of a lifestyle approach, versus just a lose the weight approach.

gadgetgirlIL

I've been weight stable (below goal) for nearly 4 1/2 years. I've never had that type of weight stability in my entire life before. My weight battle started around age 7 or 8. But somehow at age 50 I finally figured out how to maintain.

What is different this time? Support and accountability that started with WW at Work and has morphed over the years to connections (like this group) with other like-minded individuals. Combine this with finally learning to put boundaries on my time and energy when it comes to work-related matters, and I'm in a better place mentally most days. For me it was getting the "stinking thinking" fixed. And shedding an all-or-nothing approach to many things in life, including dietary adherence.

Or as was more eloquently stated above:

countcurt wrote: »

And, that I don't need to do it perfectly to succeed. Just need to do it really well much more often than I don't.

Jimb376mfp

My age made a big difference, I began this time at age 65 and knew this would be my last chance. I got down to 299 from 376 and was happy. I got to -100 and was happy. I Did NOT gain weight for a year but lost only -16 for 2015. That was the first time I did not gain back after losing a large amount.
2016 I decided to get serious and have lost 34# and plan to reach Twoterville sometime next year.
It's different THIS TIME b/c I have a new Lifestyle. I know how to eat healthy, I exercise, I don't feel deprived and I know I will never go back to my old habits because they do not appeal to me.

linmueller

I've learned so much this time around! Maybe most importantly is that there is no end. If I want to weigh a healthy weight, I need to eat differently then what comes naturally. And I believe it's worth it!

minimyzeme

I don't think any of my few previous times were legitimate attempts. I think I went into them to lose X # of pounds without the understanding of how to sustainably take the weight off and more importantly, keep it off. I can't say for sure this time is different (and that might be part of its success, if I live that long).

The concept of losing via the 'onward and downward' concept worked for me this time. Instead of racing to some numeric finish line, within the structure of my allotted point allocation thru WW, I focused much more on my behaviors around food. Previous attempts were solely about eating less or eating certain kinds of food, largely without me being more mindful of how I was using food. As expected, I achieved short-term losses, but ended up putting the weight back on as soon as I turned my back on the 'diets'.

It had been well over 10 years since any of those attempts when I started WW. I was inspired by my sister who had done WW for almost two years before I started. I was impressed with her transformation--not only physically but emotionally. She really blossomed as the weight came off. Finally, more of the world was open to her because she felt better about herself and because she was physically able to do more. It was really gratifying to see her growth and progress!

This time around for me is different because I have the proper perspective. I'm not racing toward a number, ready to ring the bell when I reach 'goal', then drop my guard. Through WW and with what I learned here on GOAD, I got my head straight about the plan for success. I was fine with very gradual weight loss (that even went up some weeks). The WW point system structure was/is very helpful to me; tracking has been key. Understanding better why I eat / use food has been insightful. I've developed new strategies to deal with situations that used to lead to mindless eating.

Maybe most importantly though is the perspective that GOAD helped me with early on: this is for the rest of my life. Holy *kitten*, really???? Once I got over the initial shock of that reality, I got my mind right to settle in on it one day at a time. That's how I take it. No ringing the bell and going back to how I used to eat. No proclamations that the weight is 'gone forever'. No regrets. I don't feel deprived because I have gained way more in physical ability and confidence while reducing medical red flags than all the beer and burgers ever satisfied. I accept the tradeoffs, gladly (most days).

I can't say this is my last attempt, but it's the one I'll use today and tomorrow. If I keep doing that, I'll be fine...

leeless511

My "last" round with WW was when PointsPlus started and ultimately achieved goal. And what brought me back was "free" bananas. At least that was the first thing that peaked my interest. The reason I believe I was successful is I fully committed because at the time life was a bit stressful, my husband was travelling extensively for work and my elderly parents were becoming much more dependent on me and I worked full time. I felt like taking care of myself was the one thing I could control. I also think because the hubs was not home most of the week it was easier to make low point meals and I only had to satisfy my needs versus cooking for the 2 of us. That was a great learning period for me. Once his travel slowed down, he adopted the new lifestyle and loves our meals etc. After the first 6 weeks passed and I was consistently losing, that fueled my ongoing efforts. I found the overall process fairly easy. I added running after I dropped about 1/2 of what I wanted to lose and that took things full circle. I now identified myself as a healthy eater who exercises, something I always wanted to be consistently. It was most definitely a mental win. I feel blessed for how it all went.

spospo1

I also did this before but never got to goal. I did get close. Previously, my focus was on losing weight as fast as possible. Now it is almost the opposite. Slow & steady, change/adjust my lifestyle to one that healthier, eating wise. Incorporate regular exercise and the weight will take care of itself....

goldenfrisbee

I've tried 3 times in my adult life to drop down to a healthy weight.
#1 HerbalLife - Total bomb out after a few weeks with the feelings of deprivation
#2 Doing it on my own by limiting intake - Lost 40 lbs before the deprivation kicked in and then it was a food orgy.
#3 WW - Dropped 50 lbs in about 6 months and then stalled (because I was eating too much) for 6 months and then back to a food orgy. Gained back most of what I lost
#4 Tracking on MFP and participating on this forum - I'm down almost 20 lbs and am enjoying the freedom to eat whatever I want but staying within my daily goal. I thought tracking would be very cumbersome, but finding that not to be the case.

When something is "new" for me I can embrace it for awhile with excitement and vigor. But once the newness wears off, that is when I get in trouble. Trying to take this a day at a time like Kim @minimyzeme always talks about.

countcurt

goldenfrisbee wrote: »

When something is "new" for me I can embrace it for awhile with excitement and vigor. But once the newness wears off, that is when I get in trouble. Trying to take this a day at a time like Kim @minimyzeme always talks about.

If you managed to figure out how to stay married after the honeymoon ended, you have the skill set needed. Time to retool.

podkey

Late to the party (in New York last week). What's different? My attitude transplant.

Oh and NO EXCITEMENT or HOOPLA. What's the point of that??