How to avoid gaining it all back?

frankensteen

Hey everyone! I'm new to MFP and have only just dove head first into this whole weight loss thing. I'm still adjusting to my new calorie budgets, saying no to junk and things like that. I find that since I haven't yet made this lifestyle a 'habit', I've been worrying a lot about what happens after I've reached my happy weight.

Where do I go from there? What I'm mostly interested in is what the factors are that contribute to yoyo dieting and gaining back all the weight (and sometimes more). How can I avoid this? Do age, gender, etc. have anything to do with the chance of re-gaining?

If anyone has some info about this or links to any good articles, I'd love to read them! Thank you so much - you guys are all INCREDIBLE!

ctooch99

Personally, I feel it is about attitude and the way you make changes - just my personal experience. If you see this step of using MFP as a negative one - in the sense of "being on a diet" or restricting yourself or punishing yourself, then you are doomed to stop and return to old habits.

I (and tons of other really fit people on here) see this as a lifestyle change. In January I committed to good health, that means that I got it in my head that I would never return to certain habits once I committed to changing. So far I have not. For me the reason I have not is because I do not see my choices as restrictions or punishment. I don't have cheat days because I don't feel the need to have them. Everything I currently eat, I really enjoy plus I also know is helping my health and helping me to keep my weight consistent.

I think how you see your quest is the key to success. If you see it as a "diet" then it is implied that you will eventually go off that diet. My intent is never to change the way I eat and exercise currently and if anything improve upon it more a little bit each week.

emnk5308

If you are worried about it, stay on MFP for a while You can go change your goals, and switch from losing to 'Maintain my weight'.

McLifterPants

Personally, I pretty much plan on tracking what I eat forever, haha. It's very, very easy to slip back in to bad habits if you stop paying attention (take it from someone who lose 35 lbs and then put it ALL back on!). The thing to remember is that diets don't work, lifestyle changes do. If you "diet" and lose weight and then go back to what you were doing before, you will 100% guaranteed put all of that weight right back on.

Athijade

Don't try to lose too fast. Slow and steady weight loss is not only healthier, but easier to maintain.

Don't deprive yourself. For many people this can lead to binging and giving up.

Learn your portions! This is something that will carry on into maintenance!

Remember, this is a change to your lifestyle. Dieting doesn't work because diets are temporary. Do what works for you and what you can KEEP doing.