Why do people gain all their weight back so often?

chezjuan

I lost a bunch of weight in 2006 by watching portion sizes (but not actually counting/logging calories) and exercising. Then I stopped exercising because I mainly did it at home and would come up with excuses. I also slowly stopped watching portion sizes... the though was something like "My weight is fine, why can't I have a double serving of dinner tonight?" And the weight came on slowly enough that it was easy to ignore for a while, and then start justifying with thoughts like "I guess my body just likes 230 lbs." By the time I started on MFP in 2012, I had gained 50 lbs.

While I am not going to say I am never going to gain the weight back, I am definitely looking at things differently. I enjoy working out and keep refining my fitness goals (for example, I enjoy running, so my current goal is to compete in an 8k, and when I do that I am going to start training for a 10k, then a half marathon). When it comes to eating, I don't plan to actually count and log calories all my life, but I do plan to use the techniques regarding portion control and watch my weight so if it does start to increase, I can modify what I am doing.

shaneanigans1

In order to lose weight you need to be in caloric deficit meaning your body is burning more calories than its getting in thus resulting to weight loss!! To maintain your weight you need to figure out your bmr and factor in your activity level so you can figure out your maintenance calories to maintain your weight! It doesn't matter how healthy you eat but if you are still in a caloric surplus you WILL gain weight because you body is getting in more calories than it is burning! If You eat can nothing but green beans all day and somehow still managed to end be eating in a caloric surplus then you will still gain weight!!! Its not necessarily about the quality of the food you eat that matters but the quantity of the food!

A_Fit_Mom

I have lost a good amount of weight 4 times in my life now. 2 times I gained weight back because of a pregnancy. But in 2012 I lost weight and gained it back..because I just got too comfortable and went back to eating out a lot and not weighing my self at all. I gained everything back (20 pounds) in about 4 months. I learned what I had to do to keep it off for good.


So finally, I lost 35 pounds last year. Started in Feb/March and by September I lost 35 pounds. From September till now, I have been maintaining that loss. It has actually been quite easy..even though I didn't exercise. I make better choices on food, and have an understanding on how much I can eat. I didn't track at all...but I weighed my self everyday. I knew that if the scale went up a couple pounds..I needed a few days of eating better and drinking more water...and it would go back down again.


I have decided to come back and lose these last 10 pounds...so I am tracking again. But when I get to that goal weight..I know what to do to maintain.

gemma1675

For me it was that another lifestyle change overrode the initial lifestyle change....

I lost 70 pounds and kept it off for six years.
Then I got pregnant and got out of the healthy eating and exercise habits I had implemented. I lost a lot of the pregnancy weight anyway when I was on maternity leave because I was breast feeding and running around after LO. But when I went back to work the weight started to creep on because I had gotten into new (bad) habits of eating more and moving less.

It's easily done because life is not static.

Allterrain_Lady

Weight is the symptom, not the cause.

Definitely this!!! I might become my mantra...
I guess the main error might be to focus on the weight and not on what caused to gain weight in the first place.

littleburgy

Because life is not static.

I am very aware that getting to my goal is half the battle. Maybe I will be able to maintain with ease for the first year afterwards. But what happens once other life events happen, will I be able to maintain when I have kids? What about after a death? Illness?

I don't think it is either easy, and somehow working towards something is easier than working to maintain something.

EDIT: I just wanted to add that the possibility of gaining weight back in the future does not make this weight gain now less worth it. I was gaining weight before I changed my habits. We only have one day, and that is today. So what we do today is what counts.

I loved this post.

I hope I don't gain anything back, but life will happen, and I'll do the best I can.

The thing about losing or watching our weight is that we are living in the moment and making the best of it. I feel so amazing right now, and I wouldn't feel that way if I hadn't worked for it.

dwalt15110

I lost 140 pounds by cutting out all carbs. Then I hit a plateau and instead of working harder, I added carbs to "shock" my body into thinking things had changed up. Well they did and I just kept adding more and more until the weight returned. This time I hope things will be better, because I am taking a more realistic approach where no 1 food is banned, only limited.

arcticfox04

Its because people think of MFP as a diet instead of a lifestyle change.

This

ebayaddict0127

Lack of self control, unhealthy relationships with food, medications...

I went from 160 to 130 a few years back.. and then I ballooned up to 240. For me - depression, alcohol, lack of self control, using food for comfort, not exercising...

ars1300

Because its always a "diet". Which means people will stick with it for a while then quit. They are usually restricting themselfs for a period of time, not developing better eating habits in general. If you really want to keep the weight off you have to make it a lifestyle change. Learning to eat better in general and finding what balance works for you. It has taken me years to develop my eating habits to the level I have now. You cannot cut everything out at once, you will set yourself up for failure. I enjoy sticking with healthier food just because I can say I feel so much better. I think alot of people dont even realize what it feels liek to feel GOOD. They are usually tired, drained, and with a lack of energy which cant be attributed alot to eating. Too much sugar, carbs and process foods. I can say from my personal experience sugar can be additive, once I give in you want more and more.

ravenstar25

I think most people go for the fast loss. When I look online for stories about people with a lot of weight to lose, it's all stories or tips about "how to lose 20 pounds FAST" or "how I lost 100 pounds in a year" or "how I lost 80 pounds in just one month!" While you can do that healthily, more often people who are going to lose weight and keep it off long term do it a little more slowly, by making some adjustments to their life that they are going to keep in their life rather than thinking of the diet as a "quick fix". No one wants to hear about the person who took 5 years to lose 100 pounds - even if they stay at their new healthy weight for life.

ravenstar25

Is counting, weighing and measuring a diet?

Yes.

ETA: To clarify - a lot of people, maybe most, don't want to sit there and measure out every bite of their food for the rest of their life. Some people find that to be an unhealthy, almost obsessive behavior that takes away from the ability to simply sit and enjoy meals with family. It can be needed sometimes to wake people up to how much they are putting on their plates, but in time you should learn to just not lie to yourself and say "it's just a big spoonful".

PickleJuice9484

I understand what you're saying to a degree. I successfully quit smoking and it was the HARDEST thing I've ever done. It was hard and painful and I still have nightmares. Why would I EVER pick up a cigarette and ruin all of that hard work? I'm stronger than that. BUT...

I lost 100 lbs in just over a year and gained half back. My problem was that I was 100% focused on myself and my healthy lifestyle. During the year that I lost weight, i was single and living at home with a nice big kitchen to keep all my healthy food, plus I had the extra money to spend on my wonderful diet. i also had a super active job working with kids. Then, right when I hit my goal weight, a lot of major life changes happened for me. I no longer had a kitchen to keep my food, or the extra money to spend on a healthy diet, i broke my foot, a death in the family, quitting smoking, a very boring office job plus 2 hours sitting in the car every day, and all kinds of other regular life obstacles. I tried as best I could to maintain with a busy yet nonactive schedule, an injury, a budget, and everything else. But it didn't work. Of course, when you're losing weight and motivated, you're thinking "I'll never gain the weight back!", but it doesn't always work that way. Now that things are calming down, I feel ready to create a lifestyle that is more realistic and long term for me.

95to5percent

:drinker: I also speak only for myself. I have gained and lost 20-30 pounds 5 or 6 times in my life. After a year or so i start gaining a little here and there and then it is 10 pounds and then 15. Here I am again. I believe it is emotional eating for me. If you feed emotions they do not get full. To keep it off you must be mindful of what you are doing. 3 years off is the base line as I understand it-- if you keep it off 3 years you will probably keep it off. This time I am going to use this site for 365 days I hope that will work for me. checking in every month for 1 week would not be a bad plan either. Movement is essential also- and it does not matter what it is at my age just move 60 minutes a day and 10 minutes for every hour of sitting., do a little of everything or anything. chores, free weights, dance walk around, treadmill, stationary bike--- just do it.--the 10 minute rule...good luck persist....every person creates their own plan that works for them if they are successful...

Velum_cado

I don't think it's throwing it away, it's just that the fact of the matter is that it's hard to break a lifetime of bad habits over the course of a few months/years.

NiqueKristan

Bump

95to5percent

:drinker: I also speak only for myself. I have gained and lost 20-30 pounds 5 or 6 times in my life. After a year or so i start gaining a little here and there and then it is 10 pounds and then 15. Here I am again. I believe it is emotional eating for me. If you feed emotions they do not get full. To keep it off you must be mindful of what you are doing. 3 years off is the base line as I understand it-- if you keep it off 3 years you will probably keep it off. This time I am going to use this site for 365 days I hope that will work for me. checking in every month for 1 week would not be a bad plan either. Movement is essential also- and it does not matter what it is at my age just move 60 minutes a day and 10 minutes for every hour of sitting., do a little of everything or anything. chores, free weights, dance walk around, treadmill, stationary bike--- just do it.--the 10 minute rule...good luck persist....every person creates their own plan that works for them if they are successful...

Repeat the behavior repeat the results....

Sabine_Stroehm

I lost 140 pounds by cutting out all carbs. Then I hit a plateau and instead of working harder, I added carbs to "shock" my body into thinking things had changed up. Well they did and I just kept adding more and more until the weight returned. This time I hope things will be better, because I am taking a more realistic approach where no 1 food is banned, only limited.

You gained weight because you ate more calories than you burned, not because you added carbs.

GertrudeHorse

Because life is not static.

I am very aware that getting to my goal is half the battle. Maybe I will be able to maintain with ease for the first year afterwards. But what happens once other life events happen, will I be able to maintain when I have kids? What about after a death? Illness?

I don't think it is either easy, and somehow working towards something is easier than working to maintain something.

EDIT: I just wanted to add that the possibility of gaining weight back in the future does not make this weight gain now less worth it. I was gaining weight before I changed my habits. We only have one day, and that is today. So what we do today is what counts.

I loved this post.

I hope I don't gain anything back, but life will happen, and I'll do the best I can.

The thing about losing or watching our weight is that we are living in the moment and making the best of it. I feel so amazing right now, and I wouldn't feel that way if I hadn't worked for it.

For me it was that another lifestyle change overrode the initial lifestyle change...

A lot of people on this thread have said "lifestyle change" is the answer but since there are many stories of people who change their lifestyle and subsequently change back, this indicates a lifestyle change isn't a complete answer. I think the comments quoted above come closest to the truth. Humans are very skilled at adapting, and one of the ways we adapt to changing circumstances is by gaining and losing weight. Combine this with the unchangeable fact that life is varied and unpredictable (that is, we are unable to learn ahead of time how to cope with every situation life is going to throw at us)...it doesn't bode well. And obviously this is reflected in the statistics that 95% of people will regain all weight lost (often more) within five years of the initial loss. I assume this percentage gets closer to 100% the longer you are monitoring people for.

Which also brings me to my main question which is how do you measure successful maintenance? Does keeping weight off for ten years count? How about twenty? Can you only know if you are "successful" once you die? The outcome will also depend on initial circumstances as well. I dunno...I don't even think there is an answer to this question other than to say we are all human and therefore in a constant state of flux. Nothing is stable and that includes weight, so I guess the best we can hope for it to be moderately healthy to the best of our abilities for as long as we can. And I guess the infinite number of variables involved in that means success is so subjective anyway....

kaseysospacey

My attitude is this is my life style change to eat healthier and maintain exercise.

Any change in diet or exercise habits is a change in lifestyle. But, whether you call it a lifestyle change or a diet, it can still change again. It's rare for anyone not to have several lifestyle changes over the course of their life.

In fact, changes in lifestyle are often what cause people to gain weight. They get married, they have children, they get a sedentary job, they lose a job, they get an injury, etc.

those sound like excuses to me :-)

Excuses are reasons.

no - getting married, having kids - those are EXCUSES

an injury is a REASON

don't confuse the two

Being pregnant,giving birth are huge events in the body that do a lot of damage that takes time to heal as well as hormonal changes that affect you. So....