If the stats on long term weight loss are so bad, why bother?

joe4975

Realize this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Seek not to judge anyone else on their physical condition. They are at liberty to decide for themselves how much they want to eat, how much they want to weigh. Use your liberty to seek out the fitness level you want for yourself. The final step is to stop judging yourself as well.

GottaBurnEmAll

tk2222 wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

[quote="Jruzer;c-40170949"

It should be noted that the real success rate is not the oft-quoted 5% rate, but closer to 20%.

Source on that?

ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/222S.long

tk2222

Thanks! I do wish there were other sources to draw from than the National Weight Loss Registry thoough, feels like a skewed sample, although I haven't looked into the research enough to articulate that beyond the true-at-all-times nag of inference from a single data-set.

GottaBurnEmAll

Did you read the full paper? They referenced more studies than the NWCR. It's not just one data point.

tk2222

Yeah, read it now. They do reference other studies in the intro, but only analyse the NWCR (naturally - that is their dataset and paper). Their analysis of maintenance regimes is certainly interesting, but they don't mention the maintenance calorie-consumption rates (rather, they lump together the still-losing and maintaining at a self reported 1300, assume it's underreported and come up with 1800 as the post-weight-loss number. I can't tell if that's with or without the still-losing group!).

I kind of want a more definite theorization of weight-loss and post-weight-loss behaviour (probably a different paper though), beyond the identification of weight-loss-like behaviours post-weight-loss. (I mean, if I'm going to the question of successful and unsuccessful long-term maintenance of weightloss re this thread.) These behaviours cannot be identical, or people would still be losing, and yet are differentiated from never-lost-weight behaviours, right? Or are they similar or close to similar?

tk2222

You know, browsing through other weight-loss-maintenance studies, one thing that doesn't really pop up much is the famous yo-yo paradigm, at least that I'm seeing. People do, by and large, appear to regain weight, but typically up to about 50% of weight lost - rarely all the way back to the start weight and further. (I wonder if its because these studies are on those who initially succeeded at weight loss, which they measure as at least a 5% body weight loss, and the yo-yo dieters tend to relapse before hitting that...but 5% seems like a pretty low bar...)

Curse my love for a good literature review...I really have other things to be doing!!

• Dombrowski, S. U., Knittle, K., Avenell, A., Araújo-Soares, V., & Sniehotta, F. F. (2014). Long term maintenance of weight loss with non-surgical interventions in obese adults: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 348, g2646. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g2646
• Fildes, A., Charlton, J., Rudisill, C., Littlejohns, P., Prevost, A. T., & Gulliford, M. C. (2015). Probability of an Obese Person Attaining Normal Body Weight: Cohort Study Using Electronic Health Records. American Journal of Public Health, 105(9), e54–e59. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302773
• MacLean, P. S., Wing, R. R., Davidson, T., Epstein, L., Goodpaster, B., Hall, K. D., … Ryan, D. (2015). NIH working group report: Innovative research to improve maintenance of weight loss. Obesity, 23(1), 7–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20967

curiouskate

I thought the article was pretty great.
As a life long yo yo dieter, I always wonder if there is a health benefit (or detriment) to losing weight even if you gain it back. I wish there would be more studies done on that question. My opinion is that it must be beneficial on some level so I keep doing it. Over and over.

tk2222

Speaking of the NWCR, I realized that I now fit the criteria (over 30 pounds lost, maintained for over a year)(JUST!) and signed up. For n= and for Science!!!

Apparently they send you questionnaires and things...in the mail? Like, the post? Like, what? C'mon. Science.

Gallowmere1984

tk2222 wrote: »

Speaking of the NWCR, I realized that I now fit the criteria (over 30 pounds lost, maintained for over a year)(JUST!) and signed up. For n= and for Science!!!

Apparently they send you questionnaires and things...in the mail? Like, the post? Like, what? C'mon. Science.

Yeap, and they will also want either photographic evidence or medical records of your loss and maintenance periods, so I hope you kept progress pics, or go to the doctor fairly often. xD

ninerbuff

VintageFeline wrote: »

I do wonder if those who use MFP (or similar) and especially those who engage in the forums and do indeed find other goals out of simply chasing a number on scale or a dress/clothing size have more success than others.

For me it was a desire not to have both chronic mental illnesses and physical problems (though I've somewhat come a cropper there but it's not my fault and developmental). There are many drivers and I'm not sure if it being solely vanity can lead to long term success.

But these are just the musings of an amateur.

Most people look to extrinsic reasons to lose weight. When it becomes intrinsic, I believe that's where the drive is much more sustainable.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/588404/intrinsic-or-extrinsic-which-are-you/p1

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

runningforthetrain

Bump for above "intrinsic" or extrinsic.

lucerorojo

I agree that most people probably revert back to old eating habits after losing weight. I was at a decent weight after losing, for about 6 years, but then I moved, and had a lot of life changes. I started eating "whatever" and the weight came back and I weigh more than I ever have and ever thought I would. So far, since I started MFP, about 6 weeks ago, I've lost 10 lbs., with about 90 to go! I find the MFP helpful because it lists not just calories and tracks exercise. I realize once I started tracking my food (my doctor's idea) that I was eating about 2x as much as I should have been, and so it hasn't been hard to cut back, since I'm now aware. I had digestive issues as well, and since I started to eat less and overall more whole foods (less processed and take-out) they have disappeared. If I have to track my food for the rest of my life once I reach my weight loss goal I will do it! I had reached a weight that was too much and I'm healthy and don't have to take any meds, but cannot do the physical stuff I once could. It really was a point of no return to me--that I had to do something about it--doing nothing and continuing the way I was going, I would have continued to gain and I just couldn't accept that. I could deal with the bigger clothes and looking fat but not with being unable to run, play sports, have stamina and energy, walk up and down stairs, etc.

OliveGirl128

tk2222 wrote: »

Speaking of the NWCR, I realized that I now fit the criteria (over 30 pounds lost, maintained for over a year)(JUST!) and signed up. For n= and for Science!!!

Apparently they send you questionnaires and things...in the mail? Like, the post? Like, what? C'mon. Science.

I've been a participant for a few years, they'll send you emails with links to the different questionnaires.

ugofatcat

I see those struggling to lose weight very similar to alcoholics and others struggling with addiction. I had to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (for nursing school) and thought it was really interesting when one of the members said, "I know lots of people who get sober. I don't know very many who stay sober."

I think losing and maintaining weight is extremely difficult. I also feel getting and staying sober, quitting smoking, and other major changes are extremely difficult. As the wise Bob Kelso once said, "Nothing ever worth having in this world comes easy."

perkymommy

nvmomketo wrote: »

Interesting article.
Could be right. Maybe.

I think some of it is that fat is becoming normal. Most people are overweight or very overweight. I think maybe there is less desire to change when you already fit in. Maybe?

I agree with this.

Plus, it's easier to look at others around us who are overweight and think about how they don't do it either so why should I. Or hey look at that person who is 100 lbs bigger than me. I'm not so bad after all kind of thinking. It's the easy way out to just stay where we are and not try hard to be healthier or thinner. It's hard work and most people have an excuse as to why they can't do it because it's just easier that way.

ahoy_m8

4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »

This is a viewpoint that often annoys me. People take isolated events and draw lots of conclusions from them. Then they want to compare their own lives to that situation. You have no idea of those people's back story, but it is so easy to fall into the trap of "it is so easy for everyone else" when in reality you have no idea the ease of their situation.

Yes! I had a similar thought at that part of the story. You just don't know what someone else had to overcome or to get through to be standing where they are today. I do agree with other commenters that it really is possible to change one's behavior. Not easy, but certainly possible with dedicated effort!

STEVE142142

I've been on many diets in my life. I never approached it the right way until last time. When you look at it diet they absolutely suck you give up stuff you like and you're miserable all the time. When you're miserable it's not going to work it has to be a sustainable.

I lost 80 lb over 8 months. As crazy as this sounds it's the easiest thing I ever did in my life. I've been maintaining that weight loss for approximately one year.

The difference from me this time:

First something clicked and my whole attitude changed. I believe for weight loss to be successful and to maintain that success it has to be a mental decision. Once you make that decision it's a piece of cake. I tell people the toughest part of my workout is walking into the gym once I'm in the gym it's easy

Second I educated myself as far as weight loss and this mfp app really helped a lot. As crazy as it sounds it's simple cico. When people ask me what I ate and I tell him whatever I want they don't believe me. During my weight loss phase I still had Wendy's hamburgers beers on the beach and pizza. It's just a matter of fitting the calories into your daily goals.

distinctlybeautiful

I relate to this author so very much. I recently found myself googling some pretty ridiculous things in my desperation to take control of my intake and weight. I recognized the insanity of this and then googled "how to eat intuitively" and came across an article that really struck a chord with me. I started reading more of this person's blog and became more and more intrigued.

She posits this idea of mental restriction, that if you're afraid of eating certain things or too much, that if you think in terms of how much exercise you have to do to burn something off, that if you give yourself permission to eat because you've worked out, that if you decide to let yourself eat with abandon now with the intention of "getting back on track" tomorrow or whenever, that all these things are a form of restriction and that they contribute to the inevitable return to bingeing.

She puts forth the terrifying (for lifelong weight-/food-obsessed people) idea of allowing yourself to eat what you want, when you want, as much as you want, recognizing and accepting that you may gain weight in pursuit of doing away with restriction, actual and mental, and once you remove your fear from food and weight gain, the idea is that your eating habits will balance out.

I understand that this approach isn't for everyone. I don't have any science or studies to back it up. I've only just started trying it myself, and moving away from a decades-long obsession with what to eat and calories and weight loss is not without its challenges. But man, has it been a beautiful thing to start to experience some freedom from these things. The crazy part? I haven't binged once. When I take away the "I'm going to let myself eat whatever I want because I'm going to get back on track" thought and other similarly restrictive / moral thoughts about food, the urgency and desire to eat large quantities of everything just isn't there.

This is coming from someone who spent almost two years losing and maintaining weight loss. I thought I had it figured out. I was regularly eating more food than I ever had before and was the leanest I'd ever been and close to my lowest weight ever, and I didn't feel restricted. Until I found myself unable to do it anymore. I spent the last year trying and failing and feeling terrible about it. Now I realize that even during those two successful years, I was food-obsessed. Ugh, I just want to eat. I just want to let it go. So that's what I'm trying.

I know I've probably gone way off on a tangent, and I'm also guessing this won't be very well-received on a calorie counting and weight loss website that I know some people use very successfully. It's just that this woman's desperation and loss at what to do feels so familiar.

SezxyStef

Because I am not a number.

I yo yo'd for years...when it clicked it was for health.

I found MFP looking for 30 DS Results, setup my profile, found a few groups and then the forums. Got re-educated and realized what I had been doing wrong..the rest is history.

50+lb lost over 18 months...and I have kept it off since 2014...

I keep it off for a few reasons.

1. Health
2. People are just waiting for me to get fat again so they can say yup I knew it wouldn't last
3. my Step mother just died at 55 from a massive heart attack from poor eating, no exercise and smoking...55...let me repeat that again 55...I am 45...
4. I love my husband and he is younger and I want to be with him as long as I can since I only found him 8 years ago.
5. I want to hold grand children
6. I want to live.

how's that for intrinsic (mainly)

ETA: this ticks me off just another excuse for those who are looking for reason's not to do the one thing in their life that could extend it for those who love them..smh.

asviles

To answer the question in simple terms. To heck with the odds. I want to show my children that their father was strong enough to lose the weight and keep it off in spite of every study out there. If they ever get as big as their dad or face any type of insurmountable challenge I want them to remember my struggle and my victory and my vigilance. Of course the whole world is against you, otherwise it wouldn't be a fair fight.