Non-first timers -- what happened?
Replies
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I got really sick and ended up on all sorts of medications, including steroids that made me eat everything that wasn't nailed down. This happened to me twice.0
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First time it took me 3 months to lose 60 pounds.
I liked where I was, and riding my bike for an hour and a half in winter seattle weather (aka non-stop rain) sucked, so I just stopped and started living normally.
It took 5 years to gain back those 60 pounds - and so here I am losing them again! Though I'm going for a slower weight loss this time because the first time was seriously hard work to get it off so fast. I don't mind working for it, just not *that* hard.
But this time I want to lose 100 pounds, gain some muscles so I can 'oooo' and 'ahhh' over myself in the mirror, and ride a skateboard with my kids. So I plan on making it a lifestyle change. Which really hasn't been that tough so far, and I don't see why I couldn't keep it up permanently.0 -
First time, I ate about 1000 calories a day until I got down to a pretty low weight. Then I was so pleased with my accomplishment I just kept on binge-eating forever. Gained 30 lbs back and then more.
I tried getting back on track and had a real life gym/MFP buddy. Then they stopped caring and I found it hard to motivate myself so I gained some more weight back.
Now I have a wonderful MFP support group (that's helped a lot) and I've realized I can eat more than 1000 calories to lose weight, so what I'm doing now is more sustainable.
A lot of times I would have a depressive episode and stop caring, eat all the food, and lay in bed all day doing nothing. That hasn't happened in a long time and I hope it will never happen again.0 -
I didn't gain it all back, but I lost 30 lbs and gained about half of it back. I was under a lot of stress, extremely depressed. I stopped tracking and ate a lot of popcorn.
Things are going better now and I'm back tracking.0 -
I am a first timer, but one year in.
Here's what I see - people go on extreme diets, classify foods as good/bad and cut all the 'bad' ones out of their diet. They then either reach their goals and go back to their old way of eating, or fail to abstain from the 'bad' foods (because they are usually the tastiest).
Either way, because they never learned to properly incorporate those foods into their everyday diet, they end up putting the weight back on.
Personally subscribe to the IIFYM philosophy, and if you are worried about being able to stick to this long term, I believe the best way is to adopt in stages. I wrote a post about it recently -
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1101562-a-tiered-approach-to-lifestyle-change?hl=a+tiered+approach'#posts-17004975
In short my approach involves adopting the habits that give the greatest benefit first (calorie restriction) and then building on that. In that way, if you fail at any point, you don't go right back to how you were eating originally. It's not for everyone - I suggest it for people that struggle to stick with the 'all or nothing' approaches I've seen others pushing.0 -
I am not even sure when I started but I know I would get down to where I was getting compliments and then I stopped caring. I would "treat" myself one day a week, then 2 days a week and soon I had all my old bad habits back. I stopped tracking my food and did't really care what the scale said. I had a scare from a physician who put the onus on me to lose weight to feel better. It wasn't my regular doctor and she was blunt. It took me 24 hours to get over the shock and outrage and now 5 months later I am at least 1/3 of the way to my goal. I needed to hear the message; not be killed with kindness!!0
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My problems with food are closely tied with emotions. In the past I would get serious and lose weight by restricting calories, working out diligently, etc., but whenever life threw me a curve ball, as life is wont to do, I would cope with the stress/sadness/boredom/anxiety by overeating....then I would feel guilty, punish myself by eating more, get depressed, stop trying, and the cycle would repeat itself. I HOPE I'm doing it right this time by working with a therapist, learning better coping skills, and realizing that sometimes life just sucks sweaty balls.0
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I got pregnant with my 4th baby and figured since I was pregnant I could eat whatever I wanted. I was thrilled not to have to count calories for awhile lol.. but I wish I would've stayed in the habit of eating healthy because it has been a struggle getting myself back in the mind set, so to speak.0
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Got cocky, i guess.0
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Stopped logging third trimester of pregnancy. After baby I couldn't work out for a few months because of some tearing and I just didn't get back into it. I didn't care because my husband was deployed for a year and wouldn't see me anyways.0
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I fell hardcore into someone else's plan that you need to cut 100 calories each month from the initial goal to keep the body guessing (I knew nothing about weight loss, it had never concerned me before). Eventually I was down to around 700 calories a day. Naturally, I wound up about -40 pounds, and completely miserable. I had one binge, then another, then another, started feeling like a total failure, and quit.
I literally had no education on nutrition, exercise, or weight loss before, and I got suckered into other people's plans instead of my own. This time, I know I can eat more than just celery and more calories. Its a very different, and much more enjoyable experience.
ETA; and I gained about 50 back0 -
This is hard for me, because in alot of ways I'm a first-timer, but I've been a member since 2008.
September 11, 2008 I gave birth to my beautiful daughter. At the end of my pregnancy I was 204 lbs. After having her, I dropped down to 186. Pre-pregnancy I was somewhere between 165-173, I really don't remember, lol. So, after getting my 6 week post-partum checkup, I decided it was time to work my way back down to pre-pregnancy. So I signed up on MFP November 2008. I was given 1200 calories as my daily goal. Of course, I didn't really know what I was doing, nor did I factor in that I was breast-feeding. But it didn't really matter anyway, because I didn't really have much of a chance after signing up to actually USE MFP. Shortly after I began.. probably within 2 weeks about, I got a really bad ear infection which landed me with Bell's Palsy (half my face was paralyzed). My daughter was probably 8-9 weeks old at that point. I had to get CAT scans done. I had to visit an ENT every other day for like 6 weeks. It took me 3-4 months to recover fully. All while being a first-time mom. I had to be put on medication for it, and although I was on medication that was safe for breast-feeding, my supply completely tanked. I was eating Peanut butter oatmeal cookies ALL DAY, just trying to get my supply up. I was taking 12 pills of Fenugreek. I was severely depressed because I felt like a failure as a mother for not being able to breastfeed my baby. Finally, at 6 months old, I switched her to formula, because I was barely producing half an ounce. I have to say, it was an extremely low point for me. I think I cried everyday for a week. Now, I wish I hadn't been so hard on myself. But I felt like a failure. The peanut butter cookies didn't help with my weight either, lol. After that, I shelved losing weight. I knew I needed to lose weight, but at that point in my life, I just wasn't ready. The past 5 years have been culminating and building up to where I am. My daughter just started Pre-K this month, and I decided enough was enough. I NEED to lose weight. I promised myself over 15 years ago, when I was in high school, I would never allow myself to go over 200 lbs. I'm only 5'2, so it really shows on me even more. Well, I weighed in and I was 211. Obviously, I wasn't happy about that. So, after having our yearly memorial party for my deceased father-in-law, I vowed the Monday following (when everyone goes back to their own homes & states) I was doing something about it. I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to do it. So June 10th I started, and I haven't stopped. I'm approaching 110 days sometime this week. And you know what? I'm so glad I decided to change things. I feel so much better about myself. I'm losing weight at a healthy & steady pace. And my hubby said when I get down to 155 lbs, we can try for baby #2. I've been wanting another since my daughter was like a year and a half old, lol. So it's a long time coming. I know that even once we're at the TTC point, I'll continue with the logging and being active. Once we've actually conceived (whenever that is), I'll go into maintenance mode and then pick right back up where I was afterwards. I know what I need to do to succeed now, so there's just no stopping me.
That's not to say there won't be bumps. I know there will. But in the grand scheme of things, it's nothing. I can take it now. 0 -
I read somewhere the pounds don't race back on they creep back on if you have been eating at 1200 cal a day when you up your intake to 1300 you will start putting wieght back on. That is why slim fast, jenny craig and other diets fail.0
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Pregnancy, and then caring for a baby with significant health issues, exclusively pumping (which takes 2x as long as either bfing or formula feeding) and then 5 months later my mom passing away unexpectedly. Lots of stuff got shoved to the wayside, including healthy habits.0
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i dropped 10kg in my first attempt, then i got in to a car accident and wrote off my wifes car. no one was injured but it was my fault and it got into my headspace.
since then ive tried a couple of times but never really was "into it"
if you read my thread about getting an ECG, you will see why this time will be different "i hope"0 -
I stopped logging, and then I got nervous so I stopped weighing because I was afraid of seeing how much I gained. Then I went back to eating how I had before I started trying. I let other things take my primary focus away from my health and wellness. So now I have done more research, have more life experience, know that I have to keep doing this to lose weight and the keep it off.0
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Last time I didn't do it right. I didn't eat enough, I worked out far too hard, and it wasn't sustainable. When chaos erupted in my life and I wasn't in healthy patterns, and then I got injured, my default was not to eat well and treat my body right. It was to eat too much crap then feel guilty and not eat and end up eating and feel like I was a failure because I had dinner.
This time, I'm MFP'ing and it's magic.0 -
I lost 50kg over two years but focused too much on the 'how's' of losing and not enough on the "why" I had been so big to begin with. I may have been able to maintain or lessen the gain but I also had knee surgery that took me from doing 2 hours exercise everyday to unable to do anything. So I gained back 20kg in about 6 months and maintained that weight for a long time but during that period finally got to the bottom of my overeating/binging and started to refocus on my health.
Then life got in the way, I had three pregnancies, and two slipped discs in my back that left me unable to use my leg properly, chronic back pain and a whole truck load of emotional and relationship battles over 5 years that left me turning to food and regaining another 20kg. I knew in my head what I needed to do to get healthy but I've been physically limited and mentally resistant to going back to calorie counting and the dedication it takes to stay on track until recently when things have clicked.
Now it's just the physical limitations that are in the way but they're also my motivation to get healthy and improve my mobility and I know my head needs to get back into that 100% motivated zone but that will only come with seeing the numbers drop! which they are slowly but surely.
I believe that majority of people regain because they don't do the emotional work to figure out why they overeat and that those issues remain in the subconscious and resurface pretty quickly when stress happens in life. There's a lot of mental blocks that people need to overcome and a lot of it for me came down to accepting myself warts and all and recognising my self worth regardless of what I weigh, because my weight doesn't define who I am.0 -
Tips for pitfalls? Avoid 'em.
I Copy/paste this everywhere, but these tips might help:
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
Take the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable to stay on.0 -
I'm a second-timer. The first time was while my husband was deployed. I lost 30 pounds, and when he got back in June (2011) we ate all kinds of foods he had been missing, did all kinds of fun things. I tried for a little while (maybe 2 months) to keep logging, but I slowly stopped. First I stopped logging on the weekends. Then it was that I stopped working out as much. Then I stopped working out altogether because "I am just tired of trying so hard". Then it was that I just decided I could maintain for a little while and then start again when I "found some motivation". Before I knew it, I was only 6 pounds away from my highest weight.
Then I saw a picture of myself someone tagged me in on facebook. Was I really that fat again? So in November 2012, I started again and it has been SO MUCH DIFFERENT this time. It isn't a diet, I only do exercises that I love, I establish fitness goals separate from weight loss, I eat foods I love, I'm active with my family, I log every.single.thing, and I ENJOY it. It isn't a "job" this time...it's something I want to do, that I LOVE doing. This time, I follow IIFYM and don't try to eat as little as possible and burn as much as possible. Something just clicked this time and I learned SO MUCH from other MFPers on the forums (thank you, thank you, a million times over). It has been a true learning experience, and I have grown to love the ride.0 -
Tips for pitfalls? Avoid 'em.
I Copy/paste this everywhere, but these tips might help:
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
Take the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable to stay on.
Every time I see this, I love it more0 -
I started dieting when I was 8 and ever dince then it's been a way of dealing with emotions and depression. It's how I isolate myself and feel safe. Part of me is scared to or doesn't want to reach my target because I wont be able to use this coping mechanism. So when I felt I didn't need it anymore, I'd "stop caring" and let it creep back on. I can't count how many times I've lost weight. I'd like to think I don't need all that anymore and haven't dieted as much in recent years... but then I took up a drinking habit which made me fat. Not positive what I'm gonna do about that except hopefully drink less and log it. I'm also going to weigh regularly instead of avoiding it.0
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bump0
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I didn't get far when I started in January (I think 10 or 15 pounds?), but I stopped exercising and logging when the **** hit the fan in my marriage -- I only had so much energy to devote to keeping sane. I realize now that I probably would have coped better if I had kept logging and started exercising, as those have been keys to maintaining mental health now that I live alone, but at the time I was overwhelmed by a lot of feelings.
Luckily, I didn't really gain or lose when I wasn't logging, but I kick myself for all the wasted time (from February until August).0 -
bump0
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First time, lost 4 stone, I was 11 years old. People hassled me for being "too thin" (5 foot 5 and my lowest,at 14, I then was 127lbs, perfect weight! I wish I'd never listened to those fools), so I put on a stone by the time I was 16. Yo yo'd for awhile, tried stupid fads, by the time I was 18 I'd gained another 16lbs, tried to lose it but couldn't, by this time I'd started drinking, so things were about to get tough. Went back to my original weight gradually. Lost it all again when I was 23, kept it off for 3 years. My job ended 14 months ago, between having less money for food and none for gym membership, coupled with not having my active job, I gained that tricky 10lbs back and working on that now.
Some people struggle with weight.
Simple as.0 -
My weight is tied in closely with my depression. There have been periods of my life where I literally can't function beyond the bare minimum, and I can't even consider taking care of myself. I've always gained weight during these periods, which feeds the depression. Then I come out of it and am able to start taking care of myself again, and I lose the weight, which helps me feel better, until the whole cycle starts all over again. It's exhausting. I'm hoping this is the last time, but that depression is a killer.0
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I was not a first timer. I joined Mfp in 2011 after having my daughter. I barely lasted a month. I was breastfeeding, my hormones weren't back to normal, by body hurt when I exercised. I used these all as excuses to not stick to it. I did lose my pregnancy weight, but then gained back several pounds.
When I came back this year, I was fed up with myself. I was disgusted by the fact that I had let myself get so out of shape. I had to get control now. I want my daughter to see me healthy and strong, and know that she can be too.0 -
This is an awesome subject!!0
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I lost 50 pounds (215 to 165) in 5 months. People close to me said, "You're too skinny!" And... I listened. I stopped tracking what I ate, and went back to my old, comfortable habits.
I've lost 30 pounds so far this time. I've had people start to say "skinny" again. I blatantly (and over-dramatically) plug my ears with my fingers and say "la la la la, I'm not listening!."
If you're going to listen... listen to your body.0
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