anyone who lost weight and gained it back, but ended up losing it again?

SadDolt

Back in May 2011 i was 256. By Feb 2013 I was 150. My weight loss journey between May 2011 and Feb 2013 was effortless, and was losing maybe 1.5lbs per week on average, even when I wasn't trying to. Then in 2013 I started gaining, and 3 years later I am back to 229. In those 3 years I tried losing weight but it seemed I would always be stuck between losing 4 pounds and gaining them back right after.

I remember back in late 2013 when I was around 166 but couldn't get down to 160. I would always give up because I was so hungry. I honestly don't know what was going on with my head or my body. Anyone else have this problem but overcame it and lost all the weight again??? Why do I feel so damn hungry????? These past 3 years I've from eating 1100 to 1200 to 1600 and even 1700, but nothing seems like enough???!!! When I don't care about how much I eat I always end up eating 2300. When I originally lost weight I was eating 1400-1500 (o whatever I liked), and seemed perfectly fine but now that seems like nothing!!! Recently I've been getting back on track and everything seems fine but I feel like I won't lose anything

K3rB3ar89

Ill be following. 3 years ago i went from 253 to 227.. i then went up too 280! Wtf happened?! In that time i tried fad diets to get back and back then mfp was what worked for me. I think fad diets and then binging got me here now. Lost 10 thank goodness! So im now 270 and fighting like hell to get back! Good luck!

cwolfman13

I always put on about 10 Lbs over winter (I lost 40 total)...I always cut it in Spring.

everher

Yeah, hi, yo-yo dieter here.

The first time I lost weight I lost maybe 70 - 80 lbs? Can't remember what my exact starting weight was but it was somewhere in that ballpark.

Over the years, I slowly gained the weight back. Yeah, sometimes I would "diet" and lose 20 or 30 lbs but I would eventually stop dieting and slowly gain the weight back I lost and some.

When I started this journey I was close to my highest weight ever and that honestly scared the living daylights out of me.

Honestly, I think it's just a mental thing. My best friend said something to me that's very true, "you did it once you can do it again."

I do realize now though that diets don't work. This has to be a forever thing and the weight isn't going to come off overnight.

Compared to previous weight loss attempts I'm losing somewhere in the middle. Not as fast as I did before but not as slow as some attempts either. But most days it doesn't even bother me. I know it's going to take a long time, I expect it to take a long time, and I try not to focus too heavily on how many pounds I'm down this week as long as the overall trend is downward.

codename_steve

I've done that on a smaller scale; I'd lose ten, gain five, lose ten, gain five. One day something clicked in my head and I stopped focusing on weight and started focusing on running (which I absolutely LOVE!!). Once this click happened it was easier to lose.

beckyboo8504

Back in 2011/2012 I lost over 100 pounds and kept it off most of that year. Then I got dumped and found out I was pregnant all within a week, so I went through some pretty deep depression. I gained back all the weight plus 50 additional pounds. I'm starting over again, but I feel confident that this time I can do it.

For me, it really was due to my depression and anxiety. I also developed fibromyalgia after having my daughter, and I wallowed/stress ate. Additionally, I started drinking diet soda (Diet Dr. Pepper specifically) and the sweetener in that can actually make your body crave carbs, and makes you gain weight. If you drink diet soda, it would explain that feeling hungry all the time. I'm in the process of switching to coffee/tea and mostly water.

Last time I only had to walk to lose the weight, I was also a full-time student living on student loans, so it limited how much I could eat. This time is different because my body has changed, my living situation is different, my entire life is different. I have to accommodate to the changes.

victoria_1024

I lost 50 lbs in college, from 190 down to 140. I never really got to the point of maintaining, once I lost the weight I just started gaining again. I started grad school and had significant stress and honestly just stopped caring. I put the weight on slowly throughout grad school so I was up around 200 again once I graduated. Then I had babies, tons of babies (ok, 4) and weight loss wasn't a priority. Got up to 250 when pregnant with one of my kids but was mostly maintaining around 210-215 when not pregnant.

Finally I got some motivation and found mfp and went from 212 to 125. I've been maintaining since April of last year. I feel a lot more in control of my diet than I did the first time around. That time I basically ate as little as I could and exercised as much as I could but wasn't fueling my body, so of course I gave up when I got stressed. Now I eat enough to not be miserable and I haven't cut out the foods I enjoy. I feel confident that I can maintain this loss for a long time.

victoria_1024

beckyboo8504 wrote: »

Back in 2011/2012 I lost over 100 pounds and kept it off most of that year. Then I got dumped and found out I was pregnant all within a week, so I went through some pretty deep depression. I gained back all the weight plus 50 additional pounds. I'm starting over again, but I feel confident that this time I can do it.

For me, it really was due to my depression and anxiety. I also developed fibromyalgia after having my daughter, and I wallowed/stress ate. Additionally, I started drinking diet soda (Diet Dr. Pepper specifically) and the sweetener in that can actually make your body crave carbs, and makes you gain weight. If you drink diet soda, it would explain that feeling hungry all the time. I'm in the process of switching to coffee/tea and mostly water.

Last time I only had to walk to lose the weight, I was also a full-time student living on student loans, so it limited how much I could eat. This time is different because my body has changed, my living situation is different, my entire life is different. I have to accommodate to the changes.

I drink tons of diet soda and I don't feel hungry all the time. Diet soda is not the problem.

khaleesikhaleesi

LOL, I did. Well, am losing, anyway. I had an eating disorder that began when I was 10-12 and weighed 110-120 pounds, but then got pregnant at 22 (which obviously means I started eating, haha) and ballooned up-- I was 225 pounds when I went into labor! Afterwards I dropped down to about 135, 140. Then I broke up with my son's father, who was wildly abusive, and ended up going back up to 190 (well, possibly more. I refused to step on a scale!). Right now I'm down to 156... It was definitely slower when I first started losing, I think? But I just kept chugging along and eventually, I started to see some changes. Your body has to adjust, like anything else! I'm looking forward to shedding the last 15-20 pounds and then toning up.

SadDolt

beckyboo8504 wrote: »

Back in 2011/2012 I lost over 100 pounds and kept it off most of that year. Then I got dumped and found out I was pregnant all within a week, so I went through some pretty deep depression. I gained back all the weight plus 50 additional pounds. I'm starting over again, but I feel confident that this time I can do it.

For me, it really was due to my depression and anxiety. I also developed fibromyalgia after having my daughter, and I wallowed/stress ate. Additionally, I started drinking diet soda (Diet Dr. Pepper specifically) and the sweetener in that can actually make your body crave carbs, and makes you gain weight. If you drink diet soda, it would explain that feeling hungry all the time. I'm in the process of switching to coffee/tea and mostly water.

Last time I only had to walk to lose the weight, I was also a full-time student living on student loans, so it limited how much I could eat. This time is different because my body has changed, my living situation is different, my entire life is different. I have to accommodate to the changes.

oh yeah i def had to cut out diet soda. i had a thing where if i drank soda i wanted to eat something with it so i could enjoy the soda more ...?? i only drink water or apple juice now

TimothyFish

I lost 60 or 70 when I was in college, then gained it back and then lost it a couple of years ago.

bshedwick

That was me. I lost a bunch of weight, but gained it back over a few years after getting lazy. I've almost got back down to my previous goal weight. This time it is staying off for good!

kgeyser

victoria_1024 wrote: »

beckyboo8504 wrote: »

Back in 2011/2012 I lost over 100 pounds and kept it off most of that year. Then I got dumped and found out I was pregnant all within a week, so I went through some pretty deep depression. I gained back all the weight plus 50 additional pounds. I'm starting over again, but I feel confident that this time I can do it.

For me, it really was due to my depression and anxiety. I also developed fibromyalgia after having my daughter, and I wallowed/stress ate. Additionally, I started drinking diet soda (Diet Dr. Pepper specifically) and the sweetener in that can actually make your body crave carbs, and makes you gain weight. If you drink diet soda, it would explain that feeling hungry all the time. I'm in the process of switching to coffee/tea and mostly water.

Last time I only had to walk to lose the weight, I was also a full-time student living on student loans, so it limited how much I could eat. This time is different because my body has changed, my living situation is different, my entire life is different. I have to accommodate to the changes.

I drink tons of diet soda and I don't feel hungry all the time. Diet soda is not the problem.

There's been some research about the sweeteners in diet sodas and food reward pathways, indicating that the sweetness without caloric intake only partially activates the food reward pathways. So there maybe something to notion that some people who ingest diet sodas, particularly if they drink the beverage alone and not with a meal, may actually end up feeling hungry as a result. Which could lead to overeating.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/

ashliedelgado

I too have done this on a smaller scale. Lost 20, gained 10, lost 10 gained, etc etc. Right now, I'm currently +15 from my prepregnancy weight, which is basically everything I gained and it's almost been 3 months! Someone said the mentality to keep is you lost it once, you can do it again.

You have to have the lifestyle mindset. The changes you make have to be ones that you'll keep forever. Or you'll find yourself here again.

russisaacson

Some new research suggests that when you lose a significant amount of weight, your body slows down your metabolism to try and get you back to your original weight (even if you were overweight), and that effect can last for years after the weight is lost. The article below explains and is very interesting. It could help explain why your body is trying to get you back to your original weight.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/health/biggest-loser-weight-loss.html?_r=0

Xiaolongbao

SadDolt wrote: »

oh yeah i def had to cut out diet soda. i had a thing where if i drank soda i wanted to eat something with it so i could enjoy the soda more ...?? i only drink water or apple juice now

This is so true for me too. Like most stuff to do with health I'm sure there are people out there who can drink diet soda without it being a problem but I'm definitely not one of them... which is very sad because I love the stuff and it's the only thing apart from water that I drink. So it's just water for me now.

thelatecomer

I went from 230lb 14 years ago to around 140lb. The weight crept back on and I hit 170lb in August. Since then I've managed to get back to 140lb. So I never put all the weight back on but I was going that way had I not intervened!

missteena88

I've been overweight my entire life. I lost when I was a teenager, then gained it back plus some. Then lost again when I was early 20's and gained it back plus some. And as of today, I'm down 74 pounds in the past year.

I would say closely monitor your calories. If you feel like you're not eating enough, why not work out to allow yourself some more food allowance? Also, I know weight loss is only about a calorie deficit but I would make sure you're getting foods that are keeping you full since that seems to be the issue. Make sure you're getting enough protein and try looking for fulfilling snacks that aren't so calorie dense. Good luck!

metalellie1

In 2009/10 I went from 197 to 140 then started gaining it again straight away. I managed to stay between 154 and 161 for a couple of years with constant attempts to get back to 140 that felt ridiculously hard! I've been up and down a lot and finally got back up to 189, which was my starting weight in August 2016, I've lost 16lbs since then. I've managed to get rid of the 'all or nothing' mentality now and don't stress out if I have a day of higher calories. I'm also exercising a lot more which is making a difference, and scrapping the time limits (reaching goal by a certain date).

If you feel hungry all the time then maybe start at a lower deficit and see how you feel, as little as 100 calories if needs be, and build on it when you feel able. Don't put so much pressure on yourself to do exactly as you did last time as it will never be the same.

Good luck!

nowine4me

In 2012 I went from 220 to 155, but stopped logging and gained it back very quickly. In 2016, I went from 215 to 150 and have had success maintaining since September. It takes hard work to keep it off.

Francl27

Well 2300 doesn't seem excessive to me because it's my maintenance, but I have to be very active to keep that up (I'm 38, 5'5", and have to walk about 12k steps a day to get there).

But I hear you. I lost 80 pounds eating 1600-1700 and it was easy, and maintenance has been really tough. It's actually much harder to eat 2300 now than it was to eat 1600 at the time! But I've maintained my loss (ok, more or less 5 pounds) by keeping a deficit whenever possible - my goal is still 1800. Most days I stick to it, some days I go over (some days way over), but overall, I'm maintaining. And yeah, I have to stay active... there's easily a 800-1000 calorie difference in my TDEE if I take a rest day!

I guess the key is to try to limit 'empty' calories, especially on days when you're hungrier... eat more filling/nutritious foods. If you're less hungry one day and have extra calories, indulge a little bit if you feel like it... if not, save those calories for another day. And just keep a small deficit - 400/500 calories.

For what it's worth though, I still can't lose my last 5 lbs (plus the 5 I've gained back in 2.5 years), so it's definitely not as easy as it sounds. Sigh.

CeeBeeSlim

Yeah. Been there. I get to my goal weight or close and get lazy.
@cwolfman13 - me, too. How/when do you know what you gained is true fat - not water weight?

daniip_la

I had lost 96 lbs two years ago, almost exactly halfway to goal. And then I gained almost all of it back because of reasons.

Now I'm working on losing it again, and getting to goal this time. 70-ish pounds down at the moment.

MamaRiss

I lost 60 pounds in 2014, which is amazing because we moved around the world that year. When I reached my goal weight of 130 ( right in the middle of the healthy BMI range for my height) all I heard anytime anyone saw me for the first time in years was "You're too skinny!!!" "Are you sure you don't have an eating disorder?", and a lot of other back handed compliments. It drained my confidence, I started eating way to much, and went through some intense depression. Over 2015 and 20116, I have regained 30 pounds. Starting January 2nd I have been trying to get myself back in the right mindset. I have a healthy goal weight, a reasonable timeline to accomplish it, and a new quote to live by "Don't beat yourself up, just get back on track".

tomteboda

Francl27 wrote: »

Well 2300 doesn't seem excessive to me because it's my maintenance, but I have to be very active to keep that up (I'm 38, 5'5", and have to walk about 12k steps a day to get there).

But I hear you. I lost 80 pounds eating 1600-1700 and it was easy, and maintenance has been really tough. It's actually much harder to eat 2300 now than it was to eat 1600 at the time! But I've maintained my loss (ok, more or less 5 pounds) by keeping a deficit whenever possible - my goal is still 1800. Most days I stick to it, some days I go over (some days way over), but overall, I'm maintaining. And yeah, I have to stay active... there's easily a 800-1000 calorie difference in my TDEE if I take a rest day!

I guess the key is to try to limit 'empty' calories, especially on days when you're hungrier... eat more filling/nutritious foods. If you're less hungry one day and have extra calories, indulge a little bit if you feel like it... if not, save those calories for another day. And just keep a small deficit - 400/500 calories.

For what it's worth though, I still can't lose my last 5 lbs (plus the 5 I've gained back in 2.5 years), so it's definitely not as easy as it sounds. Sigh.

I get about 14,000 steps a day. I'm 5'9" and maintaining 165 on 1800 cal/day at 38 years old.

OP: I hit 225 in 2000. I got down to 165 in 9 months, then left the weight slowly creep back up. And up. And up. In 2014 I found myself at 260 lbs, and realized that I couldn't let my weight be a problem in my life. I lost much more slowly this time, and am maintaining 165 now. I know I need to track calories for the rest of my life because my appetite is misleading. I'm OK with that... I know I have the tools necessary.

CupcakesMom2

I'm constantly losing weight, regaining it and losing again, have been my whole adult life, the most I have ever lost is 50 pounds, some times its as low as 20 pounds that I need to lose. I feel like I am really really good at gaining weight, pretty good at losing weight, but I am utterly horribly terrible at maintaning weight.

newheavensearth

I lost 50 lbs after having my daughter, then started work, college, and dating again. And according to the losers I kept choosing at the time I was still too fat, so I caved into their broscience, and I couldn't keep up with it and ended up gaining 60ish back. Then I got married, had my son, and needed to lose that weight. Lost 70 lbs, but gained back 10 because I started stress eating again. Thankfully my clothes still fit. I'm working on losing that 10, plus maybe another 15 to 20.

GottaBurnEmAll

tomteboda wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Well 2300 doesn't seem excessive to me because it's my maintenance, but I have to be very active to keep that up (I'm 38, 5'5", and have to walk about 12k steps a day to get there).

But I hear you. I lost 80 pounds eating 1600-1700 and it was easy, and maintenance has been really tough. It's actually much harder to eat 2300 now than it was to eat 1600 at the time! But I've maintained my loss (ok, more or less 5 pounds) by keeping a deficit whenever possible - my goal is still 1800. Most days I stick to it, some days I go over (some days way over), but overall, I'm maintaining. And yeah, I have to stay active... there's easily a 800-1000 calorie difference in my TDEE if I take a rest day!

I guess the key is to try to limit 'empty' calories, especially on days when you're hungrier... eat more filling/nutritious foods. If you're less hungry one day and have extra calories, indulge a little bit if you feel like it... if not, save those calories for another day. And just keep a small deficit - 400/500 calories.

For what it's worth though, I still can't lose my last 5 lbs (plus the 5 I've gained back in 2.5 years), so it's definitely not as easy as it sounds. Sigh.

I get about 14,000 steps a day. I'm 5'9" and maintaining 165 on 1800 cal/day at 38 years old.

OP: I hit 225 in 2000. I got down to 165 in 9 months, then left the weight slowly creep back up. And up. And up. In 2014 I found myself at 260 lbs, and realized that I couldn't let my weight be a problem in my life. I lost much more slowly this time, and am maintaining 165 now. I know I need to track calories for the rest of my life because my appetite is misleading. I'm OK with that... I know I have the tools necessary.

I get 18-20K a day partly because I'm active to keep my arthritic joints happy. I'm trying to lose vanity weight, but my maintenance right now would be around 1,800-2,000 at that activity level. I'm 5'1" and 54 years old. Most of my activity is at a fairly brisk pace, usually with a morning run eating up a decent chunk of those steps.

OP, I've lost and regained weight a lot over the past 40 years. I had reached my highest weight of 210 before coming to MFP. Like tomteboda, I know that I'll need to track calories because I too have an unreliable appetite. There are other strategies I employ to regulate my eating as well like eating on a fairly consistent schedule. I'm okay with all of the habits I've developed -- thrilled with them in fact. I feel in control of food for the first time ever. It's liberating.

spiriteagle99

I've yoyo'ed 30-45 pounds several times in my life. The past five years I've been able to stay within 5-10 pounds of my goal weight by staying very active. I eat a lot, but I exercise a lot too. I'll gain some weight when we travel, if I'm less active and eating out more, but that is very short term. I can lose it just by getting back to normal activity and eating my usual diet.

SymbolismNZ

I've probably had four major weight loss/regain periods over the last 15 years; I had a period of around five to six years where I was able to keep all of the weight off but that was through running marathons and spending three to five days a week in a boxing gym, sparring with professional fighters which is no longer feasible. At my heaviest, I was 310lbs; my normalised body weight is probably in the 195-200lb range as I've always carried a lot of muscle mass.

Like many other people in this thread, I'm of the sentiment my appetite can't be trusted and will also be tracking for the rest of my life.

Francl27

tomteboda wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Well 2300 doesn't seem excessive to me because it's my maintenance, but I have to be very active to keep that up (I'm 38, 5'5", and have to walk about 12k steps a day to get there).

But I hear you. I lost 80 pounds eating 1600-1700 and it was easy, and maintenance has been really tough. It's actually much harder to eat 2300 now than it was to eat 1600 at the time! But I've maintained my loss (ok, more or less 5 pounds) by keeping a deficit whenever possible - my goal is still 1800. Most days I stick to it, some days I go over (some days way over), but overall, I'm maintaining. And yeah, I have to stay active... there's easily a 800-1000 calorie difference in my TDEE if I take a rest day!

I guess the key is to try to limit 'empty' calories, especially on days when you're hungrier... eat more filling/nutritious foods. If you're less hungry one day and have extra calories, indulge a little bit if you feel like it... if not, save those calories for another day. And just keep a small deficit - 400/500 calories.

For what it's worth though, I still can't lose my last 5 lbs (plus the 5 I've gained back in 2.5 years), so it's definitely not as easy as it sounds. Sigh.

I get about 14,000 steps a day. I'm 5'9" and maintaining 165 on 1800 cal/day at 38 years old.

OP: I hit 225 in 2000. I got down to 165 in 9 months, then left the weight slowly creep back up. And up. And up. In 2014 I found myself at 260 lbs, and realized that I couldn't let my weight be a problem in my life. I lost much more slowly this time, and am maintaining 165 now. I know I need to track calories for the rest of my life because my appetite is misleading. I'm OK with that... I know I have the tools necessary.

Do you weigh your food? I have a hard time believing that someone with your stats would maintain on so few calories.