Why do people gain all their weight back so often?

JonfromIndiana

All of the comments are spot on. Lifestyle vs. Diet is how you keep from gaining back the weight. When I reached my goal, I was so afraid to go in to maintenance mode in fear that I would start gaining. I changed my settings to Sedentary (Even though I'm very active) to help offset upping my calorie intake. I will never forget all of the hard work and support that it took to make the lifestyle changes to get where I am at today.

postrockandcats

I can only speak for myself here.

I gained back weight in the past because I'd want to lose weight, so I'd restrict and set up food rules that would be impossible to maintain for the long haul. I'd give up and eat how I wanted to eat in vast proportions because I had no idea what healthy eating was and thought that the point was moot; I felt that being fat was just how I was supposed to be. How I eat now is much more sustainable for maintaining weight. In fact I maintained all through the holiday season (this was a goal as I didn't want to worry about losing during those months)! I have a much better relationship with food and no longer see it as the enemy or guilty pleasure. It's just food. If I eat too much, I'll gain. If I eat too little, I'll lose too quickly, feel like crap and end up binging.

tennisdude2004

My answer is: It isn't realistic for MOST of us (there are always the folks that are the exception) to say "I'm going to completely cut X,Y and Z out of my food intake FOREVER so I can be 'skinny'. "

Most of us like at least a few things that are calorie-dense and nutrient poor. We need to learn to eat those in controlled amounts (not the whole cake/pie/bag of chips...whatever) no matter how tasty it is...unless we're prepared to do whatever ridiculous amount of exercise is required to offset the indulgence.

I used to like sweets. I *STILL* like sweets. I am trying to learn to be more moderate...dessert is not an "every night" thing anymore. A pint of Ben and Jerry's is not a "serving" anymore. Some things I am more tempted by so I tend to try and not keep them in the house...if I have to leave the house to have it, the "lazy factor" will keep me from getting it all the time. The occasional ice cream/ etc. isn't going to kill me. I'm also trying to redefine what a "dessert" is to myself. Greek yogurt with granola on top IS sweet...hence it is a dessert. "Dessert" doesn't have to be a hunk of sugar and fat covered in chocolate sauce (sometimes it still is though..I will never again try and say "I'm never eating (X) again!").

In the past, I've always looked at it as "I'm gonna tough this out until I get to the magic number so I can whatever I want again and still look good!" It doesn't really work that way...unless you can live at the gym in between meals. Most of us can't. Now I try to look at it as "I'll make a small change each week and try and make it stick. If I screw it up, I will try again rather than saying 'I guess I can't do it..it's too hard".

So far, I've lost 20 pounds and made it stay off since last October. This is a record for me. I think now that I've given up thinking "One day this will all be OVER..." that it will actually work this time.

More power to your elbow

parkscs

It has nothing to do with "restrictions" in my opinion and rather has to do with a lack of focus on the long-term. People hit their goal and then rest on their laurels. They stop doing what they did to lose weight and instead fall back into their old habits. If you previously gained weight with those old habits, odds are you will gain weight again when you revert to your old ways. It's really as simple as that. It doesn't matter whether you ate pop tarts while losing weight or whether you ate whole foods while losing weight; it comes down to what you do at maintenance.

I agree with this, except that restrictions do play a part in some cases. They think if they give up sugar or something, they will lose weight, and then once they get there, they start eating sugar again. What people fail to realize is that there is no before and after. It's a before and during. Figure out how to eat for the rest of your life, and you can keep the weight off.

Agreed but I think we see the problem here differently. If you cut out most sugar while losing weight and then reintroduce it into your diet, that in and of itself doesn't mean you will gain weight again. If you continue tracking calories while reintroducing sugar into your diet, I see no reason you should expect any weight gain. You're simply readjusting your macros. On the other hand, if you start eating lots of sugar again AND you stop paying attention to the amount of energy you're consuming each day, then yes that's a recipe for undoing all the progress you've made. But sugar or a lack thereof while losing isn't the problem - complacency is.

Josalinn

For the most part, people talk a good talk about "lifestyle change", but fail to actually implement such a change. They hit their goal weight and for them, they've crossed some finish line and they're done...what they don't realize is that they've actually just reached the starting line; hitting that goal weight is just the beginning but that's a concept that people seem to have a really hard time grasping.

"crossing a finish line" is an interesting way to think about it, and actually how I have been thinking about it, probably because of the "prize" I am giving myself when I get to my goal...new, well made clothes.

Maybe a better way to think about this journey is as a relay or "triathlon-style" endeavor. You pass the baton from "weight loss self" to "strength train self" or it isn't really over just because you finished the swimming portion, you still have more to go.

Sorry I know that's a little weird but you got me thinking.

eldamiano

I commonly hear that the vast majority of people who lose weight end up gaining it all back again. Why is that? No matter how gently you lose, there is some amount of sacrifice involved, often over a very long period of time. Why throw all that away?

It seems logical that I can't go back to the eating habits that got me fat in the first place. Also, that my new smaller self will need fewer calories to maintain than my old larger self. I assume those things are self evident to other dieters, so it must be something else. Is it harder to maintain than it is to lose weight?

I'm not at my goal weight yet, but I want to do this right and not fall into the trap that so many seem to stumble into. I don't consider myself smarter than the average person, so I'm concerned I'll make the same mistakes the average dieter makes.

I hoped that those of you successfully maintaining have some insight into the problem and know the pitfalls that you need to avoid.

Because they go on diets which are unsustainable. Eating cabbage only can only be temporary, not a way of life, so when people come off this they go back to old habits.

Kndrf

Nope not because of extreme diets ... its because they have the mentality of over eating not eating to fullness even calorie counting cant solve that .. the best diet out there is eat what u want and listen to what nutrients ur body needs and eat to fullness not to sickness

NiikouruDesu

Because they're not vegan.

SideSteel

Because they're not vegan.

LMAO

p4ulmiller

Because they "diet".

You know what one of the best predictors of weight gain over time is? You guessed it - having dieted at some point.

A person is better understanding the root causes of why they over eat and resolve that rather than weight, Weight is the symptom, not the cause.

Yes. This.

Hbazzell

Perhaps one reason is because you don't ever lose fat cells once they have been created, the cells just shrink with weight loss. Now, it takes less energy for cells to expand than to conduct mitosis and create new fat cells. So, once the cells have been created, or once you gain a significant amount of weight, you will always have those same fat cells from when you were bigger. The only way that I know of to remove fat cells is by surgery, which is dangerous and can damage your body.

Further reading: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20080505/fat-cells-slim-up-but-dont-ship-out

60x60

I kept my 100 pounds off for six years no problem. New habits firmly in place, happy as could be. Then in the past year with no changes of behavior (so I thought) I gained ten pounds. After I, as the manager of my own health, did an assessment of myself, I focused on my January 2013 work assignment change. For one year now, I have a 2 hour a day commute instead of 20 minutes. My dr. also needed to make a minor adjustment in my thyroid medication. I never thought to consider either of those as health factors that might require tweaking of calories and exercise. Now I have and I only have six of those 10 pounds to lose. From now on, I will not gain more than 5 lbs before I do a behavior and lifestyle assessment of myself. Do note that I gained those pounds without losing my focus or my good habits.

Kaylaef

I lost about 60 lbs before, and within 3 years put 50 of it back on. Why? I didn't really lose the weight for me. I lost the weight because I wanted to be more attractive and i was really unhappy with myself. I also did it on a very restrictive diet, which, when I look back was pretty stupid and a massive crash. It cut out a lot of things I love, and I lost it way to quickly. 60 lbs, 5 months. Not the best. Anyways, I finally found myself in a healthy loving relationship. And I gained the weight...because I was happy. We ate, we drank, we travelled, we were merry, and it was lovely and I enjoyed every bit of it. Do I regret having to start the journey again, yes. But now, its coming from a real place of self want. And Im still happy. Unlike what I was when I started before, when I was depressed and filled with self loathing. I felt sexy and beautiful at 210 lbs and I feel sexy and beautiful at 190, and I will feel sexy and beautfiul when I get back down to 175. This time though, its different. Because its not about 'looking good for someone who i don't know'--but rather because I already look good to the person I love--and being healthier means our lives are longer together

MB2MN

The same reason broke people who win the lottery sometimes blow through all their money and end up broke again. Being broke wasn't their real problem. The reason they were broke was. Same with weight usually. Being overweight is a symptom. Not the actual problem.

Spot on analogy.

tennisdude2004

Because they're not vegan.

I couldn't be vegan I'm a self confessed carnivore - that said some of my best friends are herbivores.

I think the problem is there's not one diet (eating style, life style change or whatever the word for it is) that fits everyone.

Some times people will lose vast amounts of weight, despite having to fight their way through their diet (like paddling against the current).

The real problem is that too many people (who I think generally have good intentions) will be so blinded by the fact they have had success eating one style that they almost force it onto to people who haven't made there mind up yet, as opposed to just offering it up a one of many suggestions.

We're all wired differently and have differing levels of will power, get up and go etc.

Find the right eating style and it will travel with you through life.

Sometimes finding that may be a bit of trial an error.

PinkyFett

I would think it's in HOW they lost it. A lot of times people use quick fix diets to lose the weight and then can't maintain long term. Some people have health issues. Some are just unlucky. It's different depending on who you ask.

I was 180 in high school, after I got down to 130-140 and shot to 204, no idea why. Real reason why, hypothyroidism. Then I had 3 kids. I've been all over the place from 130-ish to 234.

MinnieInMaine

I think it's a combination of the restrictive diets that most put themselves on, high expectations (I "only" lost one pound after all that hard work? I give up), over exercising, not thinking long term and goals that aren't adequate enough to keep one motivated.

For me, the restrictions were a bit problem. I tried just about every diet program out there, as well as a few different pills. The pills never worked because they made me feel weird (I can't even take Sudafed without feeling like a spaz). The diets didn't work because I am a foodie and trying to live off salad and fruit and frozen meals just didn't cut it. I need real food that tastes awesome. So this time I eat what I like, in more normal portion sizes and/or with healthy tweaks, allow myself some indulgences, and exercise to make up the difference. It's taking longer but I'm happy and still sticking with it 4 years in!

SEAFOODMAN

easy.....................prob hit a plateau............stop working out and stopped tracking calories..................then said f it!:laugh:

bg192905

From what I've been able to see, there are a few different reasons that people gain the weight back fairly quickly. The biggest reason that comes to mind and the one I've seen a lot of, is that the person was following a restrictive diet without paying much attention to calories or macronutrients, they essentially ended up starving themselves until they lost the weight they wanted, then didn't have a clue as to how to proceed after that. Since they didn't learn much about portion sizes, eating certain foods in moderation, etc. on a self-imposed, heavily-restricted diet, they soon return to their old eating habits, which led to them needing to lose weight in the first place. Rinse and repeat, some people go through that cycle for years and years without getting anywhere.

THIS=ME!! Not this time though!! I am really trying to learn how to eat properly.

Kimmers411

I can tell you for me, it was emotional eating. I am a military wife, and while on shore duty orders (no deployments at all for three years), I worked really hard and lost a lot of weight, getting to my healthy BMI, Body fat %, and waist to height ratio for the first time since my early 20's. I lived 30 miles away from restaurants, and I had trainers and classes at the gym that I LOVED and were only a three minute drive from my house on base. I swore I would never go back, I would never gain the weight back. Then we moved. My husband deployed right away. I didn't have a support system. The gyms here didn't offer the classes I loved from my old duty station, and many were a 20+ minute drive. Fast food everywhere. I reverted back to my old habits of emotional eating on sea duty, because that is how I always use to cope with sea duty life- which is HARD. So over two years of sea duty, I have gained 60 pounds. Through most of it, I literally didn't care because I just wanted to numb myself. Or I would think about how hard it was going to be to start all over again, and i would get depressed and just eat more. I was in denial, really, about how bad I felt physically, until all of a sudden I can't breathe anymore when I bed over to tie my shoes, etc. Plus my husband will have to leave next year again, and I know if I don't fix it now, then I will have an even harder time next year. I got healthy when hubby was home all of the time. Now I need to learn to do it while he is gone. For those of us who are emotional eaters/food addicts, if you don't fix the reasons why you turn to food, then the weight will just come back when life gets really emotionally hard.