Why did/didn't you regain weight?

funkyspunky872

Lost 120 pounds eating 1200 calories a day, which is not appropriate for a teen at my size or hardly anyone in the first place. My obsession with calorie counting grew worse and I started restricting down to 500 calories a day or sometimes none at all. Add on countless hours of over-exercising to the point of exhaustion and 25 more pounds lost... and that's when the bingeing and purging started. My first attempt at bulimia recovery in January turned into a feeding frenzy. I couldn't stop eating because I have deprived myself for so long. I was taking in 5,000-7,000 calories a day, purging 3-4 times a day, but keeping in enough junk food and calories in to gain back 50 pounds in about 3 months.

ninakir88

I am constantly logging my food and exercising regularly. I also weigh myself at least once a week, when I see the number higher than usual then I know to watch myself.

Ge0rgiana

Not everyone is identical with respect to weight loss / gain. My regains are usually one thing: edema. I've NEVER gained steadily in my life. It's always in at least 10lb spurts. And never just one spurt at a time. Then again, I have metabolic issues. My hormones get right, the weight drops off pretty quickly too. (Though it's never as fast as the gain, dammit.) If you don't have these sort of issues, then that's not going to be your concern. Just my $0.02...

fbmandy55

I started off on MFP on 1300 calories. I lost consistently for about 8 months, a total of 50lbs. Then I plateaued for months and over the course of the next year, couldn't lose but actually gained back about 20.lbs

I wasn't eating enough. This is why I stress to newbies on the the 1200 calorie diet that just because it seems like it is working, it isn't. I am now eating 2600 calories a day trying to repair my metabolism.

Beckyloo80

i lost 37 pounds so far and have not regained anything. I think it's because i learned how to properly fuel my body and I learned what are better food choices. I learned a lot about food and my body and that is partially why I have not regained. I have not stopped being active just because I have reached my goal. I still am as active as when I was trying to reach my goal.

hkry3250

In simple terms, most people who went back to the "unheathy" way of life did gain the weight back, but those who took this as an experience to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle didn't. Healthy living is not some "fad" diet, or a qucik fix, it is a way of life. When you take the time to lose the weight, with diet and exercise, you've shown yourself that you DO have that spare time to get in some exercise, or prepare a healthy meal instead of grabbing a burger from McD's, or picking up a pizza on the way home to feed the kids. Also, most people think that once the weight is gone, they have the metabolism of every other skinny person they see that can eat anything and not gain weight. But on the contrary, your metabolism was actually higher as a bigger person.

cmpollard01

At my heaviest, I was 240. i started trying to lose some of the weight on my own before having transplant surgery with my sister two years ago. Got down to 207...and then 196 after surgery (pancreatitis is awful-I feel for those that have the continual disease!). Slowly, it started coming back up. It hurt to workout...heck, it hurt to exist some days.

Then, last February, my grandfather went into the hospital for a broken hip. My grandmother fell and broke her pelvis 8 days later. And from March 2011 through August 2011, the vast majority of my time was spent between hospitals, nursing facilities, and hospice units. I started dropping the gym lower and lower on my prority list, and ate fast food or just ate late every night. We lost my grandfather in May, grandmother in August. My sister and I were very close to them, and that kind of broke both of us. Of course, a bit of depression hit, and this March I was back up to 239.

Now, after 6 months, I'm down to around 190. I've waffled back and forth 3-4 pounds, but I haven't put any serious weight back on. I'm looking at things more realistically this time around. Sure, I'd love to weigh 155lbs again, but I'm more concerned with being healthy. I'd be most satisfied with 20-22% body fat. And I know my weak points, so I try not to keep peanut butter cups and goodies like that in the house. If my bf wants them, he knows he has to hide them where I won't find them-out of sight, out of mind.

Personally, it's very easy to give in to my old habits-eat the ENTIRE box of mac and cheese instead of the serving size, etc. I've had to learn that I can eat things I like (I'm so picky-my boss tells me I eat like an 8 year old!), but not in the massive quantities I used to. So far, that has worked out well. Ask me next year this time-I only have 35 pounds to go, but the scale hasn't moved in 2 months. Thankfully, the measuring tape has!

kathyms13

In simple terms, most people who went back to the "unheathy" way of life did gain the weight back, but those who took this as an experience to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle didn't. Healthy living is not some "fad" diet, or a qucik fix, it is a way of life. When you take the time to lose the weight, with diet and exercise, you've shown yourself that you DO have that spare time to get in some exercise, or prepare a healthy meal instead of grabbing a burger from McD's, or picking up a pizza on the way home to feed the kids. Also, most people think that once the weight is gone, they have the metabolism of every other skinny person they see that can eat anything and not gain weight. But on the contrary, your metabolism was actually higher as a bigger person.

absolutely right, we over eat we put on weight this is a life time change.

californiagirl2012

It's something that I've been thinking about over the last week even though I've never regained any weight, probably because I haven't even finished losing it yet. I read a lot of posts about people who have lost weight, put it back on, and are now losing it again. But none of them ever explained why.

So naturally I did a little research and found so many conflicting answers. Some sources saying that 80-90% of people who lose weight will put all of it back on and then some more. So my question to you is, did you put on weight after you finished losing? If so, was it because you just gave in to your old lifestyle or because of your metabolism?

I did all the various diets and found they are not sustainable and I found they hurt me in the long run, delayed my success.

These were the diets I tried and failed and did the diet yo-yo with for 15 years:

Low fat high carb, Slim-Fast, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Organic, Weston Price Diet, The Schwarzbein Principle, Eat Fat Lose Fat, The Ultimate PH Solution, The Makers Diet, A friends diet from a personal trainer/dietician

I was the most obese when I was 100% organic, with bowls of soaking grains, fermenting foods, homemade cheese, and food experiments all over my kitchen. LOL proof that too much clean food makes you just as fat as junk food.

I finally just got sick of it all and made up my own diet with healthy foods I enjoy and smaller portions. I ate my meals from small desert plates and bowls. I stopped eating in the evenings (not that when you eat matters.) I started calling what I did mini-meals and mini-fasts and I lost 40 lbs. Then I found Eat Stop Eat and learned why it worked and everything took off for me at that point.

Eat what you want, eat what you like, mostly healthy. Don’t deprive yourself of foods you love unless there is a serious health risk. Depriving yourself of food you love and creating extensive good food and bad food lists at some point borders on a mental disorder. It will drive you insane. The Anything Goes Diet helped me with my mindset and let go of all my extensive good food bad food lists. It's not a diet so the title is misleading, and it's not about advocating junk food, it's just a mindset that helped me recover from all the various diets.

Beckyloo80

In simple terms, most people who went back to the "unheathy" way of life did gain the weight back, but those who took this as an experience to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle didn't. Healthy living is not some "fad" diet, or a qucik fix, it is a way of life. When you take the time to lose the weight, with diet and exercise, you've shown yourself that you DO have that spare time to get in some exercise, or prepare a healthy meal instead of grabbing a burger from McD's, or picking up a pizza on the way home to feed the kids. Also, most people think that once the weight is gone, they have the metabolism of every other skinny person they see that can eat anything and not gain weight. But on the contrary, your metabolism was actually higher as a bigger person.

^^^^^ This right here. If you revert back to old ways, you will gain the weight back. changing the lifestyle is the key, opposed to "dieting"

Jesstruhan

i've been nudging back up because I stopped paying attention, and got lax with choosing healthier foods. Eating more calories (even under my maintenance ones) made me feel "free" like I can eat anything. Not so. I just need to pay closer attention.

kimad

I lost the same 40 lbs 2-3 times, becuase I would lose the weight using some program (like weight watchers), then I would go back to my old habits.

This time I tried to make lifestyle changes that i could stick too (I don't deprive myself) and I also took up exercising.
Not only have I lost the most weight I ever have, but I have been at it the longest.

Trust me I struggle BIG TIME, you would think after 87lbs and 1.5 years I would have it in the bag but I don't. I haven't really lost in awhile, I flop around with the same 5lbs, but I hope the fact I am still on here, and that I can say HEY I SUCK AT THIS RIGHT NOW, that I am being accountable enought to keep on it.

CJ_Holmes

I've never been overweight, but I have on occasion gained 10 pounds in a year because of work conditions: Boring and stressful job, long hours, convenient vending machines, free food, too tired or depressed to work out. When the situation ended, I usually could lose the weight fairly easily, but as I've aged, my metabolism has slowed down and it's gotten increasingly harder.

That's why it's important for a middle-aged person to manage his or her weight. If you gain too much, there may come a point when you can't easily get it off.

really your goal is to lose 2.5 pounds? And you once gained 10lbs in a year.. OMG. Not. Get off this site, seriously!

Hey, what's your problem? Who says someone has to have large amounts of weight to lose to be a part of this community? Tracking and support are helpful to everyone who is seeking optimum health, and people who are maintaining a healthy weight are valuable sources of advice. And as the poster said, as they get older, maintaining is harder. Good for them for wanting to be aware and for being part of MFP.

kenazfehu

The biggest reason is because I went "on a diet", lost the weight, then returned to "normal" eating habits. My problem hasn't been junk food as much as it has been huge portions. My husband has a physically demanding job that burns a lot of calories, so he eats a lot, and I was eating like him.

I also eat a lot when I'm stressed, and there is no end to stress, ever. About two months ago, I realized that I wasn't out of control, I was stuffing myself to the point of misery every day on purpose because it prevented me from facing other truths in my life - like the fact that my son was on drugs and using us rather than us "helping" him.

I've cried a lot since then, but now that I know I have the control (most of the time), I don't go into the kitchen to eat my feelings to the point of stuffed self-loathing, unable to think or act. Also, this time I am not "on a diet". I am finding the happy balance between good eating/exercise habits and a good, healthy weight/personal fitness.

ladybug91254

I joined MFP Feb. 2010 and I lost 115 lbs. I have gained about 40 of that back. I am still trying to figure out what happened. I haven't been great at logging lately ... because I go so discouraged. But that wasn't what started the weight gain. I was logging, exercising staying within calories and still not losing AND at some point started gaining. So I played around with my calories, up, down etc. I played with my exercise. I THINK it may have been because I started with menopause...but not sure. I managed to somewhat maintain around the 180 mark for awhile. Then in the spring (this year) I started being REALLY tired like I had a bug...no energy, quit working out, had a couple of infections in the summer and have just not felt good since. SOOOOO my exercise has been almost non existent, my eating has gone to pot and I am now at 212. I am trying to do some different things and if nothing else will go to the doctor for a complete check up after the 1st of the year (I have a HUGE deductible so don't want to start that this late). Bottom line, I just don't know what my problem is. I AM open to any suggestions.

Cyclink

In the simplest of terms:
I gained weight when I was not paying attention to what I was eating, usually at the same time that I was not training much.
I lost weight when i was paying attention to what I was eating, usually at the same time that I was training regularly.

I've never used a fad diet or a weight loss supplement and I've never given up Cherry Coke.

aleatha5

When I graduated from high school I weighed the most I have ever weighed in my life (excepting pregnancy) because I didn't realize anything about counting calories/exercising. I was a real studious student and did a bunch of thinking clubs (student government, honors society, etc) and was really not active. In my first year of college, I committed to learning how to lose weight healthily. I lost 45 pounds and got down to a healthy BMI, weighed about 138. I did regain about 5-10 pounds over the next decade from being not super careful. But, did pretty well maintaining that weight the whole way through my 20s.

I am back now (I still weigh less than when I graduated from High School) but having had 2 kids in 2 years in my 30s has certainly taken its toll. I know that I wasn't as careful as I could be when pregnant, but I was so sick at the start that by the time I could eat (week 20) I made poor eating choices which resulted in some weight that went to me and not baby. I am finding it slower losing this time around maybe because I am older or because I have less time/energy to devote to exercise with really young children.

BubblySharon

I quit smoking and turned 40 around the same time... metabolism took a huge hit and I kept eating like I always did... never added extra food, but still gained 100 lbs over 2 yrs. Scary. So now I am changing things... eating more healthy, and watching how much I eat. Counting calories and walking more.

rebasporty

I quit journaling my caloric intake, slowed down on my exercise and spent way too much time on my computer...I now journal, exercise 4-5 times a week and limit the time on I spend on my computer....my body is now getting smaller again!! Yeah!!! :happy:

Jain

I've yo-yoed up & down the scales just about all my adult life. Usually I manage to keep the weight off for a few months/years then the bad old habits start again and I stop weighting myself. Or someone will comment on my weightloss & I think 'okay 'they've' noticed, I can give up now.:ohwell:
I've finally admited to myself that I can't do this on my own & I need help so am about to start with a therapist to try & break the cycle.