Inspo for people that lost and gained again -post here-

Untilproud11

Im posting this to help some of us that have lost and then fell off the wagon and gained back , for a while I felt miserable thinking that I’m such a looser for for the 20 lbs I have gained back, but then I read here and there that there are actually some people that go through this ...it made me feel that I can do it again
Anyone else experienced this ?

maryc11

Yes. Absolutely. I entered a friendly competition two years ago, finished third and lost a total of 43 pounds. I was exercising daily with extended workouts on weekends. Today I won't even step on a scale. Tons of stress in the real world and no sense of control over real life decisions contributed so I know I am not alone in this. I did it once, I can lose weight, I can get healthy (despite the threat of mysterious viruses being passed through the air) and I will do it again. Right?

Geneveremfp

Just think if you'd never lost it you'd likely be your original weight +20lbs if not more.
I lost about 60lbs (never weighted at my biggest) maintenance for a couple of years and then got pregnant and through pregnancy and breastfeeding put about 40 of it back on. I'm halfway there - 20 left to lose but its actually a bit easier this time because I have evidence that it's possible and I can do it. I'm also healthier now than when I started. I did couch to 5k again and it was much easier. I'm lifting more weight than I did before. You're still further on your journey than when you weighed this much brie.

RelCanonical

Here is my thread talking about my struggle with regain and what I learned from it to help me this time. The first time, I lost 50, regained it all. Now I have lost about 70. The thread is a bit old, I’m at 122 now.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10759145/for-those-who-have-lost-and-gained-and-are-losing-again-what-ive-learned/p1

LogR4Life

I lost 59 pounds in 2015. Over the next 5 years I did this: Gained back 40 pounds, lost 30 pounds, gained 40 pounds. So, doing the math, I over the past five years I have actually lost (and re-gained) 90 pounds. But here I am again. It's time. Sulking about the weight I've regained isn't going to do anything towards getting rid of it again. I have spent the last few months blaming the Covid isolation as why I am gaining weight. But instead of eating I need to use this time to make a better me . . . and, in all honesty, I am retired so REALLY my life hasn't changed that much. I had my arm tattooed last year to remind me to "just keep swimming" and that is what I intend to do!

victorialeigh629

Following! Because I reached my lowest adult weight after my pregnancy (profile pic) and I felt so strong and proud of myself! Took about 9 months. But over about 2-3 years I've managed to gain about 20 pounds. I just finished my first month back tracking and I'm feeling pretty motivated. If I did it once, I can do it again. I hope to reach my goal weight by September.

Untilproud11

You are all so inspiring !

mwirebaugh

It happens to a lot of us. I dropped 45 lbs 5 years ago, and then life got in the way. No time for exercise, and enough stress that I stopped tracking my food intake. I gained back 38 lbs. Just started again and am looking forward to losing it all again. The great thing about this ride is that if you fall off, you can get right back on again!

charmmeth

This is exactly why I am back here. I went from 187lb (85kg) to 154lb (70kg) in 2014-15. the 154lb was just to show I could; I was planning to maintain around 160-165lb (73-75kg). I managed that for about eighteen months, but was then put on meds for acid reflux (off those again now) and menopause happened, and over the past few years my weight has gone steadily back up to where I had started, and then up some more to 195lb (88kg). I have come back to mfp to work out what my new eating patterns need to look like. So glad I am not the only one! Aiming for 165lb (75kg) which gives me a BMI just below 23 and is is a good weight for my height. The first thing has been getting into an exercise routine I can do at home whether or not we are in lockdown, and whether or not the pool is open (which at present it isn't), and now I am looking at food intake.

brenn24179

I lost 40 lbs 5 years ago, got a flu 2 years ago and ate everything in sight after I got better, gained 10 lbs, my scales got off and 10 lbs higher and I got mad and gained another 5, so gained 25 of it back. So depressing, I bought new scales, now I weigh daily, lost all the weight logging and watching carbs, 100 or less and it worked, yep back to my goal weight!

kristingjertsen

That is me. I lost 54 pounds the year before I turned 50. Back to my military weight. Then I had shoulder surgery and a multi-level surgery on my cervical spine in the same year. I gained roughly 15 pounds, but worked back to my goal weight by the end of a year. Then I went into menopause and gained 10 pounds again. Got that under control and was doing okay until I developed serious problems with my thoracic spine and had yet another multi-level spinal fusion. A year out from that now and I weigh 165 pounds (10 pounds again but still 30 pounds lower than my highest weight at 49). Glass is half full for me now and I am glad I didn't gain back all of the weight. I am exercising daily (pilates, yoga, 3 short walks per day to meet a goal of an hour of walking which helps my back stay strong, biking, and hoping to be able to swim laps in our neighborhood pool when it reopens (nervous about this, but the past few years I went right when it opened and there was no one else in the water. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be the same this year. Or swim at 8 p.m. when the pool is empty again.) I have re-set my goal to losing no more that .5 pound per week. That way I can eat a healthy diet, mostly plant based with some chicken and fish without starving myself. My best piece of advice is that, when you gain, don't give up, don't feel like a failure, and keep on trying to do better. My goal is to get to 145 pounds again which would put me in a normal BMI category for weight. Right now I am overweight and with the knowledge that a heavier weight makes Covid-19 more dangerous that is all the motivation I need.

squidgybunny_276

Urgh. I'm here too, lost 20lbs (mostly from my stomach and podgy arms) last year. Gained it back.. oddly enough on my thighs and butt. Now not even my bigger clothes look right as i'm big in different places! Not only super odd but super aggravating Back to loosing again..

P.s has anyone else experienced this odd change in weight distribution?

LyssaJ1

~raising hand~ Ah, yep! This is exactly where I'm at - and considering I've been a 'member' since 2012, it's definitely not my first rodeo. @kristingjertsen I'm kind of glad that I'm not the only one who uses their military history as a reference for where we ought to be. 😉 My back is jacked-up too, but not to your extent, but the VA still won't touch it. They're more like "Here, have some pain meds and have a nice day." Not helpful.

Anyway, this time I was 10lbs off from my highest weight, after having gotten "Quarantine Fluffy" (which is cute on a dog, but not on me.) I am in a constant mental battle, fighting negative self-talk and self-sabotage. Luckily, I have my shrink in my corner and she's helped me set a more-realistic goal for myself, rather than what the military would have had me at. I *know* I can get a handle on this, if only from my profile which I didn't totally delete (thankfully):
Starting weight on 9 Jan 15: 171
Initial goal weight reached on 18 Mar 15: 130
28 Apr 15 weigh-in: 122
13 May 15 weigh-in: 121 (after two weeks of sick, gaining and losing and gaining again, finally lost 1 pound, but hit a goal of 50 pound loss.)
Final goal weight, target date 1 Jul 15: 115

Sad/funny thing, I never made it to the 1 July goal because people in my life said, "You look sick." This time around, I'm just going to tell them to stick it! 😆

charmmeth

squidgybunny_276 wrote: »

P.s has anyone else experienced this odd change in weight distribution?

Yes, definitely, though it sounds as though I have been luckier with it than you. My regained weight is in different places on my body and different consistency (if that makes sense - more moveable). It actually leaves me looking less overweight than I did when I started in 2014 and weighed less then I do now. I think it's because through this I have mostly kept the swimming going (until the pool shut) and some exercise, so there is some muscle under there. I can still get into most of my smaller size clothes, though some of the waistbands are definitely too tight. I have quite a spare tyre though.

danismom3000

yep. I'm right there with you. I lost 28 pounds on my 5' 1" frame which at my age is a lot. I've gained back 16 pounds. Frustrating thing is I've been exercising the ENTIRE time. I've got to re-focus on my food intake and tracking in mfp EVERY day. Today is the first day I focus on Dropping my weight again. Oh, and I ALWAYS gain almost all of my weight directly in my stomach area.

zyxst

Lost a total of 182#. Maintained that for 2ish years. Hit 47 y/o and it's been Gain City Limits for the last 2 years. Put back on 32#. Can only foist the blame on menopause, medication, and Mirena so much before admitting it's just me shoving food in my piehole.

Why does food have to taste good?

vannyn42

In 2009-10 I went from 136 ( my heaviest) to 110. Weight gained due to college/ work stress.
Maintained for a while and the weight slowly came back up due to stress.
In 2015-16 I lost 25 lbs ( I’m 5feet) 124 to 99 lbs.
Maintained and slowly went back up due to stress, work, illness , taking care of elderly family who were ill.

May 9 2020, I weighed myself for the first time in almost 2 years and I was 134 lbs. Started OMAD and low carb that day and I’m at 128 lbs today.

Trying to reduce as much stress as possible to keep myself on track and continue the weight loss. But at 40 with thyroid issues, it’s extremely hard.

yasai75

Yep. I lost about 45lb about 9 or 10 years ago using MFP. I stopped doing it and regained all the weight back. So here I am again, my first month has come and gone and I've lost 8lb. I'm excited to be doing this again and taking it seriously!

digestibleplastic

Me!

125-140 lbs 1998 - 2015ish
200 lbs August 2017
148 lbs April 2018
174 lbs May 2020

I lost 52 lbs in 8 months.

For me, losing more than 1.5 lb a week over that period of time was too fast for my body.

I haven't changed my diet but slowed my exercise because I sustained an overuse injury, and the lbs crept back.

My ultimate goal is around 130 lbs, I'd be overjoyed with 140 lbs. I can't even seem to lose 1 lb at this point. So, I feel ya.

Slow and steady wins at keeping it off for the long term I suppose!! 🐢

Chooklet57

Yep. This is me! I lost 36kgs in 2015.Went frrom 112kgs ro 76kgs. Felt soooo good! I kept it off for a year even had shoulder surgery.. gradually regained from 2017 -2019 to 90 kgs. Covid has seen me gain another 8kgs, oh bother! Gym shut! (my segue between work and home - replaced with 5pm drinksat home!
Oh well Its time to start again. 98kgs and 20 to lose. Dont wait until you regain the lot!
I've joined the June 2020 challenge. Bestw ishes everyone!

Laviegurl25

Ooh yes. I gained a ton while dating my husband. We ate out a lot! I lost about 30lbs and then an additional 20 before our wedding being at the lightest in my adult life.
I got pregnAnt and gained it all back and more.
Lost it all within two years just to gain it all back with my second pregnancy. 😪 .... 5 years later I only lost 25lbs of the 60lbs gained.
Fa la la!
I still live a healthy life style. Exercise 5-6 times a week, my vegetables and fruits. I just have a sweet tooth and a bad habit of snacking at night.
I now suffer some health problems so of course I need to lose an additional 30lbs.

Untilproud11

Bump for inspiration ❤️
We can do it again💪💪💪💪

sarebearr

Yes I can completely relate to this. In 2018 I was in probably the best shape of my life. It was my senior year of college, living by myself and I had all the time in the world to focus on my health. I lived in the gym, it was my escape for a couple hours every day. Mentally and physically I felt better than I ever have. I ate generally healthy and used this app to track my food intake. I looked amazing but most importantly felt amazing. Fast forward two years and I'm settled into my career and my life at home with my boyfriend and our dog. We're happy and we're comfortable but I've let my personal health and wellbeing slip. I never gave up on it, every few months I'd try a new diet or workout routine, but then the pandemic hit. I watch everyone on social media commit to their goals during this time and goodness me, I've been too exhausted and depressed to do it. But I had a great talk with one of my longtime best friends yesterday and I feel so inspired to do this thing again. If I did it before, I can do it again. It will be harder this time around. I have more to lose. But I need to be kinder to myself in setting smaller expectations.

Starting today and throughout this week my main goal is to be mindful of what I'm putting into my body and tracking what I eat, but not stressing too much if something is "bad" or over my limit. We'll work on that next week. I want to get back into the healthy habits. I am also setting a goal to move my body 3 times a week. Thinking of starting up Couch to 5K again!

The point is, you're not alone. It happens to the best of us. But I know in my core that we can all do this again. Our bodies have already proven to be capable! How incredible is that? Let's hold each other accountable and stick with it. Be gentler on yourself, it's okay.

hmaddpear

I'm another one! I lost 80lb in 2013/14 with MFP. Over the next few years I lost and gained a little, before putting half of what I'd lost back on. Grr. So I'm back to lose the last 40lb again. I'm not doing too badly, I came back in January (as a Resolutioner!) and have lost 29lb so far.

I once read on the forums that you're not a failure if you keep picking yourself up and getting back on track, regardless of the number of setbacks. So yeah, we're not failing here, we're being awesome. Mind you, I'd like to personally keep the number of setbacks to minimum!

Untilproud11

Good luck to all of you
We can do this !
Feel free to add me

lnswest312

Hi there!

I have a story along the same lines as everyone here. I've always been a yoyo dieter for as long as I can remember. played sports in high school so it didn't really matter what I ate and I stayed fairly fit. College hit and I abruptly stop playing sport and gained 2xs the freshman 15. Not to long after college had my son, gained about 50lbs which put me at 220 ppd. In 2015 I got the motivation to lose about 40lbs over 5months. Queue another 2yrs of gaining and losing the same 10-15lbs and eventually creeping up to 190. I then entered a competition at my gym and I lost 35lbs in 8 weeks (I know its crazy and some was water weight at the end, I wanted to win and I did! so it was probably net 28lbs total weight loss).

I only got to enjoy that loss for about 1yr an I had my 2nd son. Fast Forward to now, I gained about 50lbs. It took me some time to get back on track, a lot of stops and starts. Now I am actively working on getting back to where I was. so far I've lost 17lbs.

All of that to say, the gaining and losing cycles are all just part of the journey. The best thing to do is to try and stay positive. Start with small changes and continue to do them, even if it's not done perfectly...eventually you will start to see the change that you want to see.

merph518

I lost 110 lbs in 2009-2010 going from 330 lbs to 220 lbs. Gained that back and more after I "fell off the wagon." Started up again at the beginning of 2019 and I've gone from 387 lbs to 271 lbs so far since then.

sardelsa

I've been up and down since 2013.

-Gained 40lbs (first pregnancy) 2013
-Lost 50lbs (got too lean) 2014
-Gained 10lbs (first bulk), lost 3lbs (small cut) 2015
-Gained 35lbs (second pregnancy), Lost 35lbs, 2016
-Gained 12lbs (second bulk), then lost 8lbs (cut), 2018
-Gained 15lbs (third bulk), then lost 12lbs (cut), 2019
-Gained 30lbs (third pregnancy), lost 30lbs, 2020
-Now I'm maintaining until I run another bulk.

Seeing that all written out just looks exhausting

Z10Rtza

It's so nice to read all of you. I'm also in the same boat.
I had a stomach surgery (gastric sleeve ) in 2008 and I went to a really good weight. Or at least I was more than happy with that weight. But they didn't controle my hormones and other stuff and I'm back to the weight I was before.
Now I wanna do it without a surgery.

laurosaurusrex

Ugh yes! 4 years ago I lost 30 pounds (went from 150 to 120). I was this beacon of health. But it got so obsessive and I crashed hard. Over the past 2 years, I put on 50 pounds (now 170) and have still been working through feelings of just utter shame and disappointment. I'm only 2 weeks back in the saddle, but I know I did it before (not as much weight), so I know I can do it again.

Really focusing on the words I choose when I talk to myself because for so long, it's just been negative. I'm trying to be different this time so I can make it a life long change with sustainable efforts.

Honestly, the hardest part was / is dealing with that complete shift in identities. I went from being SO healthy to being SO unhealthy. I could see and feel how people would treat me differently. "She really let herself go" is ALL I could hear.

I'm doing something about it now, so I know I'm heading in the right direction. Still sucks knowing I did this to myself !

Untilproud11

laurosaurusrex wrote: »

Ugh yes! 4 years ago I lost 30 pounds (went from 150 to 120). I was this beacon of health. But it got so obsessive and I crashed hard. Over the past 2 years, I put on 50 pounds (now 170) and have still been working through feelings of just utter shame and disappointment. I'm only 2 weeks back in the saddle, but I know I did it before (not as much weight), so I know I can do it again.

Really focusing on the words I choose when I talk to myself because for so long, it's just been negative. I'm trying to be different this time so I can make it a life long change with sustainable efforts.

Honestly, the hardest part was / is dealing with that complete shift in identities. I went from being SO healthy to being SO unhealthy. I could see and feel how people would treat me differently. "She really let herself go" is ALL I could hear.

I'm doing something about it now, so I know I'm heading in the right direction. Still sucks knowing I did this to myself !

You didn’t do this to urself , life did it , it happens as you can see to all of us , don’t blame urself , im sure there are a lot of amazing things that make people be unique and wonderful its not just about losing weight.
Reading ur words reminded me of myself , I’ve done this to myself too , but you know what ? We deserve better !
You can do it , you are already a success just for being here and trying ! You rock !