Anybody LOST a lot of weight then GAINED it all back?

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  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
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    I lost 38lbs then had to go on prednisone for health issues and ended up gaining about 25 back. My appetite was insane and I couldn't workout. Then I just kept eating. I'm back on track and I know I can do this. It's really not that hard, you just have to want it bad enough, take the time to PLAN meals and move more.
    I'm already down a few, feel MUCH better and look forward to having it off again.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    I think one problem is that many people do not realize that when you lose weight, you have less weight to move around, therefore your body doesn't burn as many calories as it did before.

    You CANNOT go back to the calorie level you maintained your weight on before, or you will go back to that weight again.

    You have to either eat less, move more, or a combination of the 2. Your 'diet' is never over.
  • missjones513
    missjones513 Posts: 345 Member
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    I lost 30 and gained it back. I had stopped planning my meals and ended up eating fast food a lot. Then I started studying for the CPA exam so I wasn't exercising like I should have been.
  • binkylooloo
    binkylooloo Posts: 6 Member
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    Yes - I lost 6 stone in 6 months 2 years ago. at the end of this period I got a new job which was very stressfull - I maintained for 7 months, then suddenly put on at least 5 stone in 3 months due to stress. It happened so quickly I cant see how! NOw I have to start again :-( and still have crappy stressful job
  • binkylooloo
    binkylooloo Posts: 6 Member
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    I lost 60 pounds from 2011 to 2012 and then in 2013 I gained 40 of it back. I started to not feel well mentally and physically and all it took was a few months of that and I spiraled out of control. Stopped working out...stopped tracking....stopped caring...then got more depressed with each pound I gained back. So here I am in 2014 trying to start again...one day at a time.

    I feel your pain! Good luck with your weight loss this year x
  • maryjay52
    maryjay52 Posts: 557 Member
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    I see a common , positive note in this thread .... everyone is back on track.. keep up the great work!
  • Sarasjourney
    Sarasjourney Posts: 24
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    In 2012 I lost 60lbs but then my weight stalled and even though I was still eating clean and exercising it started to go back up. Eventually I gave up and just resumed old habits and gained 100lbs in a year's time. Ended up having serious issues with my body so I started up again to do it right. I think this time around I can succeed since I've been there already and I'm not going to be super strict with myself or put myself down for wanting a nibble of a chocolate bar or something silly. Just have to take it one day at a time.
  • spoiledpuppies
    spoiledpuppies Posts: 675 Member
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    Thankfully, not really. I lost 50 pounds 10 years ago. Only in the last few years, I regained about 10 pounds of that. It really happened for me--like others--when I took my focus off of things and stopped weighing every day. I know weighing every day helps me a lot to stay mindful. So I came to MFP to lose it and then some. I've exceeded my original MFP plans by almost 25 pounds now--kept resetting my goal weight as the pounds kept dropping. I know what I need to do to keep it off!
  • ChristiH4000
    ChristiH4000 Posts: 531 Member
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    I yo-yo'd pretty much my whole life, but my biggest bounce was when I lost about 40lbs in 2003 and gained all but 5 back by 2007. I kept it until 2009-2010 when I lost 50lbs and kept it off until 2012. In two years I've gained 20lbs back with quitting smoking, being in a LTR, and not keeping my eating in line. However, instead of waiting until I gain it all back, I'm going to fix it now.
    I've tracked all along, on paper from 2010-2012, here since 2012, which is IMO a big part of why I haven't gained more back. I've also kept a steady and regular exercise regimen this time which really shows me that understanding and keeping mindful of my eating habits is the largest part of finding lasting success for me.
  • FattyFatsoMcTubby
    FattyFatsoMcTubby Posts: 170 Member
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    I am unfortunately a member of the lost it - gain it back (and more) club. I lost 110 pounds several years ago. I reached my goal and reverted back to the old behaviors and 'slowly' gained it all back plus another 50 lbs. For me, I can not stop tracking ever. I'm taking it off slower this time and my wife is working with me to change our lifestyle. We don't have any meals, even restaurant meals, without figuring out the calorie count first. It's actually been fun to do together.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    That would be about 85% of all dieters out there who used a "diet program" to do it. They gain back because the program was just that, a program and not a lifestyle that they could live with happily.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    Agreed. They gain it back because it wasn't a lifestyle they could live with happily.
    Now there's another good thread: who's kept it off five years or more and how. How did they lose it, and how to they maintain.

    I'd also be curious as THIS thread progresses how many folks lost via MFP and who lost via another approach.
  • msmarlette
    msmarlette Posts: 18 Member
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    Me too. I've been disgusted with myself for having to do this AGAIN. I can't believe I'm almost where I started. I felt so good/looked pretty darn good too. I had muscles, flat abs.

    Oct 2011 I weighed 207 and started Dukan diet. I was at my lowest (158) June 2012...down 39 lbs. I might have maintained for 3 months & then I began the dance -- Add 5, lose 2, add 10, lose 5.

    I began to feel a difference doing yoga (not good). Squatting down to line up a putt, Wasn't as effortless; I could feel the roll around my waist. Clothes were getting tighter.

    I gave away all of my fat clothes so then had to buy a few key pieces. I refuse to buy anything more.

    I will lose this weight & get back into my beautiful clothes hanging in my closet.

    This time it's about calories in, calories out. I am allowed healthy carbs, fruits & veggies.

    Sigh...

    Thanks for sharing all of your stories. I'm not alone. Gotta forgive myself & look forward!
  • Americannabis
    Americannabis Posts: 46
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    Sort of. I didn't lose "a lot", I ended up reaching 205 pounds back (so a 30 pound loss, give or take a few) in 2012 through vigorous measuring and tracking, and... I'm not sure what happened, but I stopped tracking things and gave into all of my previously subdued cravings and ended up gaining 45 pounds. I'm now back to tracking things and I've lost 10 pounds in a month or so, and I'm hoping to keep it that way from now on, because I'm tired of the gain-loss cycle.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    This is actually the first time I have been successful at losing weight. For me, I look at my relationship with food like an addiction, something I will have to be vigilant about the rest of my life. If this means counting every calorie, weighing and measuring everything, then that is what I will do.
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
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    I see a common , positive note in this thread .... everyone is back on track.. keep up the great work!

    We all get stronger and learn from our mistakes... It's great that so many people are opening up their stories about falling off the wagon and returning with a renewed vow and goal.

    Lets not despair or feel ashamed about regaining weight! It happens to the best of us!
  • marciebrian
    marciebrian Posts: 853 Member
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    I didn't just commenting that I love the PIG ;-)
  • michael1976_ca
    michael1976_ca Posts: 3,488 Member
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    yeah my first go around i lose 57 pounds in 8 months then i got supor upset with thing and emotions i gained 37 pounds back easy. this is my third time i'm ready. i can't let my emotions controlle my food choices... its harder this time because i work out at home but it will come of eventually
  • FromFlabToFurious
    FromFlabToFurious Posts: 355 Member
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    When I was younger, I was actually one of the biggest in my year at school. I was bullied and teased for it so long story short, I decided to lose weight and I did. I was 18st back when I started and I lost it til I was down to 15st 10lb. However, college started and with college, I had stress not only from my course but from the people there. So I slipped back and started comfort-eating. Not the best idea I had. Then after gaining a little and realising. I started losing a bit of weight again and feeling good about myself. However, stress got the better of me once again in the form of my ex-girlfriend who lied about some pretty heavy things. So again, I turned to food to make me feel better and since then, I've pretty much been damaged by it.

    It took me so long to get over my ex but the damage was done. I put all the weight back on with an extra couple of pounds. I started getting upset and depressed so that was when I decided to do something about it. I joined the gym and worked my *kitten* off and I've lost weight. The scales will say I've not lost a lot but there is a physical change so I'm happy with that.

    But yeah, for me, it's mostly stress or being very down and so, to make me feel better, I comfort-eat.
  • 80sFanatic88
    80sFanatic88 Posts: 70 Member
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    Lost 50 lbs once before, but slipped back into old habits because I had to move back in with my mom after college, and now I'm back to where I started. Also had lost 20 lbs early last year because I was sticking to this so site so well, but then I had a bad cold, got super busy, and had parties and things to go to, so I forgot about the site for a while. I find it hard to stick with things when I have changes in my routine, I guess.
  • Gingerspice45
    Gingerspice45 Posts: 137 Member
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    I lost 30 and am now trying to lose again with an additional 30 lbs to lose...so now I'm up to 100 lbs to lose. I stopped tracking my food intake and ate too high of an amount of calories and didn't continue to exercise. I have found that I am an emotional and stress eater and have to track my food to be successful.

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