Currently lost 5 stone but putting it all back on again.

gemziwoo

I lost 5 stone a year ago and now its coming back on... i must admit im eating more but i cannot for the life of me get motivated all of u lovely people with your success stories how do u manage to keep it off and keep motivated please help and well done for your amazing work 💪

Jackie9003

Find some pictures of when you were at your heaviest, compare them to how you look now and choose which you prefer.
Think about all you can do now that you couldn't do then, do you want to go back there?

I've lost 4st over nearly 3 years, and have at least the same again to lose, but no way do I want to regain what I've lost.

Don't undo your fantastic achievement, go back to basics for a while.

whmscll

I regained half the weight I lost 7 years ago and it sucked! I regretted it every day. All that hard work wasted. Back to usually being unhappy with how I looked. Back to trying everything on every time I got dressed to see what fit, and changing clothes several times until I was satisfied with what I was wearing (not happy with it, just satisfied.) This year I finally got motivated to lose the weight again, and it was just as hard as the first time. Now that I’ve done it, I never want to do it again! I am thrilled with how I look now and I marvel whenever I look in the mirror. I love how this feels and it feels 1,000 times better than when I was overweight. That’s my motivation.

glovepuppet

What's changed in your life, and what's changed in you? If I'm blue, motivation to do anything eludes me. Have you been really honest with yourself about what's making it harder, and what you need to change to make it easier?

SueSueDio

glovepuppet wrote: »

What's changed in your life, and what's changed in you? If I'm blue, motivation to do anything eludes me. Have you been really honest with yourself about what's making it harder, and what you need to change to make it easier?

This is the issue I've been having. I lost around 75lbs, and since October I've regained about 16 of them. Most of that has been more recent, after losing two of my beloved cats and my job in less than two months, and I'm finding that depression is making it very difficult for me to get back on track. I hate that I let myself down, but I don't seem to be able to get back on the wagon. Even though I was unemployed when I lost the original weight, I think it's the other losses this time that are making it so hard to pull myself back up.

So, @gemziwoo , take heart from the fact that you're not alone! Many of us go through this, and at least you realise that it's happening so you have a chance to rein it in before it gets too bad.

For me personally, although I'm not fond of the idea of tracking my calories for the rest of my life I have to accept that it might be what's needed to keep my weight down. If I stop tracking I start eating slightly bigger portions, an extra treat or two (or three!), "one more slice of toast won't hurt", etc., and before I know it the pounds are creeping back. I hope that one day I might be able to control my intake without having to weigh food all the time, but for now it's what I need to do.

Motivation is very hard to come by some days, and sometimes I just have to take it one day at a time and try to at least not go over my maintenance level if I can't manage a deficit that day. A lot of people say that you can't rely on "motivation" and have to just DO the things you need to do, like brushing your teeth or paying your bills - few people are really motivated to do those things, but they have to be done anyway. Same with keeping an eye on your portions and weight.

glovepuppet

SueSueDio wrote: »

glovepuppet wrote: »

What's changed in your life, and what's changed in you? If I'm blue, motivation to do anything eludes me. Have you been really honest with yourself about what's making it harder, and what you need to change to make it easier?

This is the issue I've been having. I lost around 75lbs, and since October I've regained about 16 of them. Most of that has been more recent, after losing two of my beloved cats and my job in less than two months, and I'm finding that depression is making it very difficult for me to get back on track. I hate that I let myself down, but I don't seem to be able to get back on the wagon. Even though I was unemployed when I lost the original weight, I think it's the other losses this time that are making it so hard to pull myself back up.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Jobs can be replaced, but the grief of losing a beloved pet is hard to bear. I wish I had the words to make it easier xx

SueSueDio

glovepuppet wrote: »

SueSueDio wrote: »

glovepuppet wrote: »

What's changed in your life, and what's changed in you? If I'm blue, motivation to do anything eludes me. Have you been really honest with yourself about what's making it harder, and what you need to change to make it easier?

This is the issue I've been having. I lost around 75lbs, and since October I've regained about 16 of them. Most of that has been more recent, after losing two of my beloved cats and my job in less than two months, and I'm finding that depression is making it very difficult for me to get back on track. I hate that I let myself down, but I don't seem to be able to get back on the wagon. Even though I was unemployed when I lost the original weight, I think it's the other losses this time that are making it so hard to pull myself back up.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Jobs can be replaced, but the grief of losing a beloved pet is hard to bear. I wish I had the words to make it easier xx

Aww... thank you, I appreciate that. One of them was sick anyway, although we hoped he'd hang on a while, but the other was unexpected. Unfortunately with the current economy here, replacing the job is not as easy as it might be!

aspirations345

I can relate.This is what my efforts to lose weight looks like since June 2012! They are right about losing a bit and gaining a lot more back at every attempt!

Wendyanneroberts

I agree with a lot of previous comments, sharing my story hoping it my help.

As I've also managed to lose, then regain, lose, then regain a significant amount of weight, multiple times over the past 30 years. With a few months of being at a healthy weight in between.

There were multiple reasons, pregnancies, ill health and physical disability. Each time I lost weight in the past, I followed "diets" ie WW. But stopped being so focused, each time I hit goal. Dispite telling myself it would be the last.

I always gradually slipped out of my good habits and back to bad ones. With each set back I always gained. Never having more than a few weeks at any set weight. Looking back I can see that it was always through the difficult parts of my life, I gained weight. (Less focus on what I ate). Dieting during easier times. Always telling myself that after this difficulty passed I could start again. (For the last time). I always restarted but it never lasted.

Having regained, almost back to my highest weight. Approaching 50, female, physically disabled, in a wheelchair and unable to "exercise" in the general sense. With additional health scares, something needed to change.

Being introduced MFP changed my life. For the first time, despite my diet history, I started counting calories. I weighed and logged everything, everyday. Keeping notes, over time to see what worked for me. Looking at and balancing my macros also helped.

It seemed hard at first, but has now become a daily habit (like brushing my teeth). That I can honestly say has changed my life.

I now have a 1,206 day streak. Lost 52lbs, was bordering severely obese and am now in the healthy weight range (If at the upper end).

But most importantly for me, this time round, I lost gradually. With changes to my diet and lifestyle I could live with for life. Which in turn has enabled me to maintained this healthy weight for over 2 years! AND
still going strong.

Because I have found MY maintainance calorie target.
Using calorie cycling allows me to work in special occasions, birthday meals etc. But balance calories (much like a cheque book), in the longer term.

I'm asked how or why I would want to log for life. Or could be happy doing so.

I will and enjoy doing so because I am finally in control of my weight. Have turned a lot of my health markers around. Feel so much better in general. BUT I can still remember all those years of struggle and so glad it's in my past. So why stop now.

I still have "difficulties" But I'm happier knowing I still have control. Logging everything helps me keep that control. A bad day or a week or two, can be rebalanced. Without it spiralling aa it always had in the past.

lciciotti3

Great testimony! Thank you!