Is it impossible to keep weight off?

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Replies

  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    I have kept off over 100 pounds for 4 years now. I do fluctuate, but nothing too crazy. I work out almost every day, but that is because I like too and feel "blah" when I don't. I do not obsess about what I eat, but I do eat pretty healthy most of the time, just from routine from losing the weight. I indulge more than I should, but I seem to have found a maintenance place that is pretty good for me....too bad I would like to lose a little more.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    I read an article that says that if I want to keep the weight off, I have to obsess about food and exercise, and it really discouraged me. Who has kept the weight off? What do you do to keep it off? I just don't want to gain it all back...

    I've maintained my loss for about 2 years now. I no longer track my intake, but my entire lifestyle has changed pretty dramatically since about 3 years ago. I exercise almost daily (weight lifting, running, yoga) and I eat differently. The majority of my intake consists of meat & veggies with lots of fats (avocado, coconut, butter). I do eat some "junk foods" (chips, candy, ice cream, french fries) occasionally, but treat them as a treat and don't eat them daily. Some people may eat those foods daily and be fine, but it's easier for me to get in a lot of vegetables, if I don't eat those foods daily. I don't obsess, this is just how I live.
  • lstew57
    lstew57 Posts: 4 Member
    When you set your goal to lose weight you are given a certain amount of calories to consume in order to lose. You can do the same thing to maintain. Anything you do for 90 days becomes a habit. I never stress about food, I just maintain the calorie requirements, but I eat whatever I want. You learn how to manipulate your calories so you can enjoy the foods you like and never feel deprived. :drinker:
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I read an article that says that if I want to keep the weight off, I have to obsess about food and exercise, and it really discouraged me. Who has kept the weight off? What do you do to keep it off? I just don't want to gain it all back...

    You don't have to "obsess" about food and exercise...you do have to be mindful of what you are consuming and by and large are going to have to develop healthful eating habits...it's pretty hard to maintain a healthy weight if you eat the SAD.

    Regular exercise goes a long way in helping you maintain a healthy weight as well. Mind you, it doesn't have to be all crazy balls to the wall P30DX or whatever...I ride my bike 4x weekly for an hour or so and hit the weight room a few days per week and that's about it.

    I've maintained my weight for over a year now without logging, but I have very healthy eating habits and I'm consciously mindful of what I'm consuming. If you just mindlessly eat and don't exercise, it's pretty likely you will put the weight back on...but I personally think there's a huge difference between "obsessing" about your food and being mindful of what you eat....also a big difference between obsessing about exercise and just making sure you're doing a little something most days.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    I dont obsess I pay attention to what I eat and my portion sizes and I try to excercise on a regular basis. Hmmm like everyone should do. Excercise just means move your body.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    I am into this over 3 years. I lost over 70 and was doing quite well. Then I stopped logging, then had cancer surgery and BAM I put on about 12 pounds in a manner of months. I am back at it, but it is not easy. You need to change your life, and keep doing it.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    All that and only 12 pounds regained? THAT is impressive! Congratulations.
  • skutnikj
    skutnikj Posts: 11 Member
    If you truly make a lifestyle change there is nothing to obsess about... because eating well and healthy and daily exercise is part of your routine - they are THINGS you WANT AND LOVE to do.... because you enjoy them, because they make you feel good.. etc etc
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    I'm definitely not obsessed but I am mindful. I've been maintaining my 110 pound loss for almost 3 years now. I don't log food anymore but I've got my new lifestyle dialed in. I've even maintained my weight loss during a 4 month long hiatus from all exercise. I broke my foot and can't walk or get to the gym. I've gained zero back and just by being mindful.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I've kept off my loss for over 2 years now. I don't obsess over anything. I made a whole bunch of small, sustainable changes over the course of the year I lost the weight. Keep it all simple and it's easy.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    I admit it: I'm not thrilled that I'll have to be conscious pretty much forever of what I eat to keep at a weight I like. I'd much rather there was some magic that allowed me to eat and drink anything I wanted and stay at a good weight. However, I know it's not true (or none of us would have had to lose the weight in the first place, now would we?) And sometimes I get cross about it.

    But at this point, it's worth to me to have salad for lunch if I want pasta for dinner. If it stops being worthwhile, at least being a plump but well-fed gourmet will be a choice.
  • timbrom
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
    In addition to the other bits of good advice on here, whether or not you get to a good/healthy weight (or, more accurately, body fat percentage) also seems to play a major role. Most studies that show that weight loss is not sustainable, if you dig into the data you'll find that most of the participants were still overweight even at their lowest weight. People who actually get down to a lower body fat percentage seem to have a much easier time keeping the weight off.

    This is likely due to a combination of several factors. There are hormonal changes that occur when your level of adipose tissue goes below certain thresholds. People who are motivated enough to actually lose that last 20-30 lbs are probably more likely to remain motivated than those that run out of steam. There are probably other issues at play here too.

    Speaking from experience, coming from about 50 lbs overweight, losing the first 20-30 lbs is not easy, but really it's not all _that_ hard either. This seems to be fairly true for most otherwise healthy adults. It takes some effort, for sure, and I'm not trying to belittle anyone's effort because losing those 20-30 lbs is a great thing, but all it takes is some moderation in food intake and some exercise. Getting rid of that last bit of weight is much, much harder (I know, I'm still working on it). But, anecdotally, losing that last bit of weight seems to make it much easier to keep the weight off long-term.
  • StylishMomof2
    StylishMomof2 Posts: 4
    You need to realize it's a LIFESTYLE change, not a temporary fix.

    All these people doing stupid restrictive or fad diets are going to rebound soon or later (usually sooner - immediately)

    I totally agree! Many of my friends try a new diet each month, while I continue to work out and count calories. I lose the weight (slowly - which is the healthy way) and they may lose 5 lbs in a week, but they gain it right back. Just stick to your new lifestyle! (and of course allow yourself to cheat once in a while!)
  • gabi_me
    gabi_me Posts: 1
    I've lost 40 lbs and have kept it off (and lost) for over 2 years. It's very simple. Exercise very strenuously and do it at least 3 days a week. When I say strenuously, I mean so hard you think you will die. People do not exercise hard enough and convince themselves they are doing something useful.

    It's really fun and once you are fit it is easier to tolerate. Don't be a baby. YOU NEED TO SUFFER.

    (also, I lost most of my weight in the winter with a very low exercise level. It is very hard to lose weight when you are exercising hard, you just get too hungry and you can't control what you want.)

    Don't go out to eat.
    don't "celebrate' food, it's just fuel
    eat raw
    have lot's of sex (it's just fun)
  • redzgal
    redzgal Posts: 255 Member
    It's not obsession. It's lifestyle change..the key is for life. If not, you're going to end up right back where you started. Nothing worth having comes easy. It's going to take some effort. You don't have to obsess BUT you need to be aware. You can't do what you've done before or you will have the same results. So, it's really up to you how far you take it. You're going to fail if you think you can lose the weight and then just go back to what you did before. Just strive to do something that you can sustain and you will be successful...it's not about deprivation or killing yourself in the gym. Find a happy medium and you will be successful. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • lee91356
    lee91356 Posts: 330 Member
    Its not obsession more like conscious, mindfulness. But I think thats for any healthy person whether its weight loss or better eating, its about looking at the food options and making choices not just eating mindlessly.

    Best tips I can give for maintenance (I've only been doing it for 1 year with some minor fluctuation):
    1. ALWAYS be mindful of what you eat and pay attention to triggers and old habits creeping in
    2. Weigh daily or every other day (some say that obsessive but I say its the best tool for prevention - if I see the scale move up I know I need to reign it in)
    3. Log as best as you can - it gets hard and tiring to "always" log but try
    4. Stick to the same basic foods/ meals - you know the calories and macros
    5. Make a "calorie splurge" worth it - so many times I eat something only to later regret it on the scale and in taste buds and I learned that unless its really something special or I really crave it, its not worth it.
    6. On a daily basis try not to eat too much processed foods - once you start on them it can open the flood gates and its hard to kick the habit.

    These are my daily "rules" and it does focus more on my eating, because I agree that like weight loss its more about what you eat than the exercise.
  • AdventureManatee
    AdventureManatee Posts: 14 Member
    You don't have to obsess about it to keep the weight off. Just calculate your TDEE for maintaining your current weight, and try not to eat many more calories than that number too often.
  • my_2_cents
    my_2_cents Posts: 109 Member
    I've lost 40 lbs and have kept it off (and lost) for over 2 years. It's very simple. Exercise very strenuously and do it at least 3 days a week. When I say strenuously, I mean so hard you think you will die. People do not exercise hard enough and convince themselves they are doing something useful.

    It's really fun and once you are fit it is easier to tolerate. Don't be a baby. YOU NEED TO SUFFER.

    (also, I lost most of my weight in the winter with a very low exercise level. It is very hard to lose weight when you are exercising hard, you just get too hungry and you can't control what you want.)

    Don't go out to eat.
    don't "celebrate' food, it's just fuel
    eat raw
    have lot's of sex (it's just fun)

    I don't think viewing food strictly as fuel without any enjoyment is sustainable. We're programmed to enjoy food, otherwise our ancestors would forget to eat due to other priorities, and would starve or be eaten by a predator. Food is enjoyable, we need to accept that. Also, eating out is often as much a social event as it is an eating event. We can't shun our friends simply to avoid eating the foods. Learning to make positive choices, or factor some "cheats" into our nutrition is a part of learning to maintain the weight loss. I definitely agree with the last line though. Also, all exercise is beneficial, your style has some merits for some people...personally it just makes me hate exercise even more.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member


    I don't think viewing food strictly as fuel without any enjoyment is sustainable. We're programmed to enjoy food, otherwise our ancestors would forget to eat due to other priorities, and would starve or be eaten by a predator. Food is enjoyable, we need to accept that. Also, eating out is often as much a social event as it is an eating event. We can't shun our friends simply to avoid eating the foods. Learning to make positive choices, or factor some "cheats" into our nutrition is a part of learning to maintain the weight loss. I definitely agree with the last line though. Also, all exercise is beneficial, your style has some merits for some people...personally it just makes me hate exercise even more.

    I have no issue with enjoying nourishing foods. I get in trouble when I eat non-nourishing foods simply because they are enjoyable.

    One is a good survival strategy (rarely does food that has gone bad taste good), the other is the opposite (at least in times of plentiful calories).

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