Having trouble keeping it off...

madelaine_xo

Hey everyone !!

So basically this time last year was the "start" of my weight loss journey. I'm 5'2 and I was 153lbs, since Nov 2017 I worked my butt off mentally, telling myself to get in shape for the summer of 2018. Well, I somewhat did that, by July 2018 I weighed 128lbs. My goal was to be 120lbs so I didn't quite reach my goal but for the most part, I felt pretty great. The problem was that once I looked "good" in my opinion, I basically gave up... why did I not think I would gain it back, I am now back up to 140lbs, a 12lb difference.

So that's the backstory and I'm sorry it's so long but basically what I'm asking is how do you stay motivated? Has this ever happened to you? If so how did you get back into it? I was obsessed with my diet and now I'm back to it not phasing me and me eating copious amounts of food. Please help !!

Chainbreaker

It's a great question because so many people struggle with this issue! I invite you to discard all the answers about lifting/cardio/or workouts and keto/vegan/paleo/whatever diets which may follow, and any noise about needing more 'motivation' and whatnot.

It's all about what programming is running in our heads. The only way to effect changes on the outside which have evaded us, is to address and resolve the limiting programming on the inside. This is far easier than most think.

Also, having a great community of support helps us move forward through any challenge.
*anyone, feel free to add me here or reach out if I can be of assistance.

You can do this!

iowalinda

madelaine_xo wrote: »

Hey everyone !!

So basically this time last year was the "start" of my weight loss journey. I'm 5'2 and I was 153lbs, since Nov 2017 I worked my butt off mentally, telling myself to get in shape for the summer of 2018. Well, I somewhat did that, by July 2018 I weighed 128lbs. My goal was to be 120lbs so I didn't quite reach my goal but for the most part, I felt pretty great. The problem was that once I looked "good" in my opinion, I basically gave up... why did I not think I would gain it back, I am now back up to 140lbs, a 12lb difference.

So that's the backstory and I'm sorry it's so long but basically what I'm asking is how do you stay motivated? Has this ever happened to you? If so how did you get back into it? I was obsessed with my diet and now I'm back to it not phasing me and me eating copious amounts of food. Please help !!

I weigh myself every day and do not allow myself to ignore the situation when my weight starts to go up. It's easier to correct when it's just a few pounds than if you stick your head in the sand until your clothes don't fit. Wishing you all the best. You can do this

DaisyHamilton

I've been there. It's a struggle for a lot of people, I think, learning to diet vs learning to make a lifestyle change. You have to permanently change your eating/exercise habits.

manderson27

I think a lot of us have been where you are now. It is hard to get going again.

I lost 32 pounds using MFP, maintained for 2 years, then quit smoking, gained it all back, developed Arthritis and generally just lay on the couch feeling sorry for myself.

Then I looked at myself and said it is time to get back to it. So I just went back to basics, set up again on MFP started fresh, started being more active on the forums, more supportive to my friends on here.

But most importantly I started being more honest about how much I was eating, logging properly again really focused my mind,

The next step is to get back to heavy lifting that made a huge difference to the shape of my body last time. I am at the same weight but my stomach is much more flabby than it was when I was lifting.

I have lost the weight I gained back and am now heading down to a new goal. I struggle with pain in my joints but I am going to keep trying to work out more, starting slowly and building up.

You just have to make those little changes that you did the first time, start over and get those good habits going again.

garystrickland357

A number of years ago I lost weight and then after a few years gained it all back.

This time is much different for two reasons:
First, I have not made any changes that I am unwilling to continue indefinitely. I’ll ask myself, “Will I be willing to do this when I’m 75?” If the answer is “no” I don’t do it.
Second, I have realized obesity is a disease. If you have high blood pressure you get a prescription and make life changes to get it under control. Once your BP comes down, do you go off meds? No, of course not.

Weight management is no different. Once you lose the weight you can’t abandon the habits that got you there. “Permanent results require permanent changes.”

AnvilHead

This is the cause of the vast majority of weight loss failures. People view "a diet" as something they have to do to lose weight, then they can go back to eating like they did before. If we eat like we did before, we'll be overweight like we were before - that's how we got fat in the first place.

As others have already said, you have to view it as a permanent change in your lifestyle, not a temporary thing. Make changes that are sustainable, and sustain them.

LivingtheLeanDream

When we lose the weight we want to we can't go back to old ways or we would regain. Maintaining our weight is no different than when losing, we just get more calories to work with. If we don't keep an eye on our calorie intake and we keep on eating over maintenance cals/TDEE then gain happens.

If you truly want to keep the weight off it means being consistent at staying within your maintenance calories.

Its also a good idea to have a maintenance weight range - I have a +/-5lb weight range in maintenance, if I see myself going too much either way after a few weeks I start to reduce my calories again until I'm back within that range.

Its also a good idea to use a trending weight app. The trends don't lie.

(I've been at maintenance over 5 years and keeping my eye on my weight and taking action never stops - that's maintenance and its worth the effort .)

All the best - you lost the weight before, you will do it again.

Francl27

I gained back 25 lbs in 4 years (out of 80).. partly because of health issues... but I can honestly say that I'm happier too. I'm so miserable trying to keep a low weight. I still exercise because that's the easy part for me, but food has always been a struggle (after 5 years I'm just sick of frozen veggies and chicken breast, and the idea of eggs for breakfast makes me gag).

But if you want to keep the weight off, it's the same thing as losing, you just get to eat a little more - but you have to keep the same mindset.

carolintally

For me, weighing myself every single morning after I get up is crucial. I record the weight every morning on MFP. Otherwise, I start to slide into denial about my eating. If I catch myself making excuses about why I'm not stepping on the scale or recording the results, it's a sure indicator that I'm heading towards deep denial and am eating too much. Denial, not lack of know-how, plays a major role in regaining weight.

nowine4me

I’ve yo-yo’d as much as 75#, so I know exactly how it feels. I’m now 2 solid years maintaining and it’s still not easy. Re-stating what’s above in very basic steps:
1. Establish your maintance calories
2. Set a weight range
3. Weigh daily
4. Adjust your calories up or down when you get outside your range

Hang in there!

MelanieCN77

nowine4me wrote: »

I’ve yo-yo’d as much as 75#, so I know exactly how it feels. I’m now 2 solid years maintaining and it’s still not easy. Re-stating what’s above in very basic steps:
1. Establish your maintance calories
2. Set a weight range
3. Weigh daily
4. Adjust your calories up or down when you get outside your range

Hang in there!

This, plus logging and tracking just like I did when losing.

kgb6days

I have found losing weight to be the easiest part. Maintaining that weight loss has been pretty impossible for me because I do what you did and start overeating again. *sigh*

xbowhunter

maintaining for 6 months now.

What is working for me is routine and meal planning. I eat the same volume of food most days for Breakfast & lunch. For dinner I can eat a little more & am satisfied most days. I still drink beer & wine & continue to maintain.

One thing for me is I don't eat pasta, bread & high calorie sweets. They are loaded with impurities that don't go in to my body. If I eat these simple carb filled foods I crave more of them and BAM! weight gain. I will not fall victim to this again!!

I have found maintenance to be a piece of cake with-out the cake...

hikinggal11

All of the advice has been spot on. I would like to add just one more thing that keeps me going in matinance. That is not letting myself go back into the mindset that caused me to fail before: "oh, I can enjoy eating ( fill in the blank) and just diet tomorrow." Tomorrow often times did not come and before I knew it I gained back all of my weight. Now when I am over the weight I am happy with by even just a few pounds I cut my calories until I am where I need to be. Good luck!!

nicholahmola

I have nothing of value to add over and above previous replies but wanted to say I could have written the OP myself. I am in the exact same situation - even weights and dates are nearly identical. I feel ya. When I start getting in the groove of logging again it will last a few days then I fall of the rails and get a little further away from my desired maintenance range each time. It’s a struggle.

fiddletime

I’m 5’2” and have lost 25# over and over between regaining. Now I’ve been maintaining for over a year. My goal is 125 but I know Halloween to Christmas is tough for me- so many really yummy foods.

I’m up 4# in a month and my maintenance range is 1-3# so here I am again, like a nooby, logging and weighing. Hang in there. Maintenance takes practice and this third time on MFP I’m determined to keep maintaining rather than gaining 20-25#. You need to get back down to goal weight and keep working on getting the hang of maintenance.

hesn92

Truth is maintaining your weight is about as much effort as losing. I think most of us have been where you are. At some point it will hopefully click that this is a lifestyle change and not a temporary diet in order to reach an end goal. It helps to have other fitness related goals to work towards. I've been more or less maintaining my weight for the last year and a half. There are times where I kind of say F it and eat all the foods but for the most part I stay on track. However about 7 years ago I lost weight then gained it all back plus some over the next several years (pregnancy included in that time-frame but I gained weight before that too)

elisa123gal

OP I'm in the same boat.. I've worked my rear off this year successfully taking off 40 pounds and loving my new body and clothes.. I enjoyed the process and my new way of eating. To spite that, this past six weeks, the weight is creeping back. It started with a long vacation ... and I never got back on my healthy eating plan.

I will admit it here and could never say it out loud .. .. I wish the holiday season was just over. It is like navigating a minefield, and I'd rather have my fit body than my usual holiday fun, which means tons of eating out events, drinking one celebration after another.

What I'm doing is facing the facts .. ramping up my working out each day and doing me best to keep on track with regular meals. I still slip up..but less and less...and trying is better than not exercising and thinking waiting until the new year to eat right I'm not going down that slippery slope again.

bigbandjohn

madelaine_xo wrote: »

Hey everyone !!

So basically this time last year was the "start" of my weight loss journey. I'm 5'2 and I was 153lbs, since Nov 2017 I worked my butt off mentally, telling myself to get in shape for the summer of 2018. Well, I somewhat did that, by July 2018 I weighed 128lbs. My goal was to be 120lbs so I didn't quite reach my goal but for the most part, I felt pretty great. The problem was that once I looked "good" in my opinion, I basically gave up... why did I not think I would gain it back, I am now back up to 140lbs, a 12lb difference.

So that's the backstory and I'm sorry it's so long but basically what I'm asking is how do you stay motivated? Has this ever happened to you? If so how did you get back into it? I was obsessed with my diet and now I'm back to it not phasing me and me eating copious amounts of food. Please help !!

It's the story of my life so far. I have made the commitment this time to check my weight once a week once I reach my goal. Once I gain a certain amount, I will get strict and lose it back. I'll give myself a 10 lb range to be in. It's too hard to be exactly one weight all the time, so stressing that much would be counterproductive IMHO.

Rather than totally going off once you lose it again, stick with the app for a month or two in "maintain weight" mode. Don't worry if some days you go over, just work on keeping the average all the time. Once you get use to what you can eat for your activity level and such for yourself, you can try going without the app again, but check on yourself regularly.

Perhaps you want to keep a smaller range than me (I'm settling in around 200 lbs, which is about right for my height and build). Perhaps 7 lbs. I'm not sure for your build what would most drastically affect the clothes you wear. At the same time, if things start feeling a bit tight, you may want to exercise more or diet a bit. You may also weigh more if you add muscle and not fat, so weight gain may not require a diet if that's the cause. I know I'm probably stating the obvious, but none of us are perfect, so don't be upset with yourself about the gaining. Just take it for a lesson learned and move forward positively. You succeeded before, you can again.

ncfitbit

I agree with others who say it's not about motivation. Don't wait for it. It's a lot more about whether you are willing right now to do the work to stick to a deficit, whether through eating less or moving more or a combination of the two. You can draw a line in the sand right now and decide whether you are content to keep doing what you're doing now and most likely gaining back even more weight or whether you'd like to turn things around and get back to losing the weight you lost before. Whatever you do, realize and accept that you are making a decision either way.