What happened when I stopped dieting for 7 months?

crb426

After being super committed to the plan for almost a year, I ended up losing just under 40 pounds. From 165 down to 127. I eased into maintenance, then summer came...

I didn't go crazy, but I started eating without counting, plus way more ice cream... a lot of ice cream. So what happened?

I gained 10 pounds. In 7 months. 10.

All of those scary moments during dieting where I felt like my weight loss was going to be completely undone every time I went over my calorie allowance, unnecessary.

So now I will get back to the calorie counting, because I don't want the 10 to slowly turn to 20. Also because all of those size 4 pants are getting way too snug and I threw away all my big clothes.

I hope that this will ease some minds in knowing that all hope is not lost after a bad day or two. But I will say that while dieting, I really stuck to it and it seemed so easy. Now that I am getting back to it, it seems so much harder than I remember. I just need to commit again.

crzycatlady1

I also took the summer off from maintenance and gained around 10lbs. That actually freaked me out pretty badly because if I hadn't gotten back at it, I would have undone my 50lb loss very quickly (and for me higher weight=higher glucose numbers). It blew my mind that after years of maintenance, and everything I had gone through, that I was able to gain so quickly and easily. Lesson learned, no more maintenance breaks for me

LivingtheLeanDream

We live and learn eh.

What's important is you are back on the horse. Even when we reach goal we still have to keep our eye on the ball.

It takes a few days to get back into the right frame of mind for eating at deficit but you'll be glad you did.

Aetheldreda

A similar story here, I was doing really well logging and exercising until grief hit me. Since March this year I gained back almost 19lb! Most of this was piled on from July to October. I am still way under the weight I was when I joined MFP last year but I guess for me I will always have to log.

LivingtheLeanDream

ach_75 wrote: »

A similar story here, I was doing really well logging and exercising until grief hit me. Since March this year I gained back almost 19lb! Most of this was piled on from July to October. I am still way under the weight I was when I joined MFP last year but I guess for me I will always have to log.

You might not always have to log, I did initially for first two years at maintenance...then I stopped and no longer need to. I still am mindful though of how much/what I'm eating - that's a good long term habit to keep

maryjay52

i left the diet industry last year and came back three days ago and found that i lost 16 lbs since i last logged in to myfitnesspal... but im back to dieting and working out now ..i simply did not feel healthy and really need to get this weight off me .