Anybody who has lost weight and gained it back?

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2

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  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    Watching my scale has been like watching a ping-pong match. Got down to roughly 15 pounds away from my ideal goal, then had family drama and fell off the wagon. Got back on. Dropped some more weight. Stopped tracking. Assumed I'd gained a few pounds. Gained, like, 20. *sigh*

    Like one of the other posters, I am paying very careful attention to calories eaten, calories burned, not trying to do this at 1200+exercise, committing to actually reach the goal I set of doing a 5K mud race in April (which I canNOT get out of), so that keeps me on track as far as working out.

    This time I am NOT setting unrealistic expectations for myself, i.e. I MUST be at the gym at 5:00 a.m. every single morning before work, because I know, that as a night owl, this is not happening. I KNOW that I work out better in the late afternoon/early evening, and I know that I don't like the gym setting, and do so much better when left to my own devices.

    I also found workouts that aren't super simple right out of the gate...I like to make things progressively challenging.

    Realizing that what works for a lot of people doesn't work for me really has helped this time around, as well.
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
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    I've been there too. I lost 30 pounds, gained it back plus 10, and have just now lost it all again - FOR THE LAST TIME!

    Two key lessons:

    1. Do a nutrition and fitness plan you can do forever. The last time I did an extreme program, and by the time I reached my goal I was so exhausted and fed up that I just went completely off the wagon. The program I'm doing now has me working out 6 days a week and doing MFP 6 days a week with a very reasonable goal (was 1 lb weight-loss a week, is now 1/2 pound for maintenance) followed by a "free day" where I rest and eat whatever I feel like eating. That helps because I don't feel deprived - I can eat anything, I just have to wait until my free day to have it. During the week, I eat "mini meals" throughout the day which helps keep my blood sugar and metabolism stable so I'm not hungry and have good energy all day long.

    2. Understand the math. Know your BMR and your TDEE and what these numbers mean. This time around, I did that... and counted up all the calories I was eating in a typical day. That number was at least 600 calories OVER my TDEE, even with exercise. I used to complain that I was cursed with bad genetics or a slow metabolism or a bad thyroid or whatever. The truth is, I was just eating too damn much! It's simple math once you know the numbers.

    So now I fundamentally understand that I can't eat that much without becoming very overweight. So I'm never going to eat like that again.

    The nice thing I'm discovering is that when you go into maintenance mode, you actually have to eat a LOT in order to fuel your muscles. It's not like a "free day" gluttony but I'm definitely never hungry. If I'm hungry, I'm doing something wrong!
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 412 Member
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    In 2007/2008, I dropped 85 pounds and then gained it all back by 2009 I tried again in 2010 to lose it and it seemed that the weight just didn't want to come off and I got frustrated and quit. When I started again this month, it seemed to be the same thing and then I started reviewing my old blog and realized 2 things.

    First, it took me almost a month the first time to start seeing regular weight loss. I was remembering my success and not the struggle.

    Second, I was working a lot harder at it in 2007 than I did in 2010.

    I pulled out my old exercise routines and reviewed my old diet journals and after a couple weeks started to see the losses like I remembered.
  • JulieBGoood
    JulieBGoood Posts: 120 Member
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    I lost 60 lbs in the past & gained about 25 back :(
  • PennStateChick
    PennStateChick Posts: 327 Member
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    I lost 67 pounds in 2009ish on Weight Watchers. I gained about 50-55 of that back before I caught myself. Now, this time around I've lost almost 20. It does seem A LOT harder this time. Successes don't feel as frequent. And it doesn't seem to be happening as quickly. But i'm sticking to it and hoping to lost about 40 more before going to the beach in July.
  • brewedtea
    brewedtea Posts: 19 Member
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    I lost 70lbs, and have gained 30 of it back, and I was definitely on track to steadily gain it all back until I got myself back in check, which was only 2 weeks ago. Yes, it definitely FEELS harder to lose it again. I don't know if it's just because I'm so angry with myself for gaining it back so I'm more critical of myself or I'm just tired from the back and forth struggle, but I do know how you feel. I'm just going to keep at it and stay motivated regardless of how slow the loss is, if I did it once I can do it again and so can you! :)
  • imtrinat
    imtrinat Posts: 153 Member
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    I'm such a yo-yoer. I've gained and lost the same 25 lbs 3 times in the past 10 years. The last time, I hit my lowest ever adult weight and immediately packed on 15 lbs. That was my breaking point. I've taught myself how to eat since then and I've been working out fairly consistently for the past year. Most importantly, I finally learned that there really is no such thing as a "diet". I had to make small changes over a long period of time that I can live with forever. I've been stuck at my weight for the past year, but at least I'm seeing some changes in my body composition. It gets harder every time to keep the weight off.
  • Pet03
    Pet03 Posts: 38 Member
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    I lost about 25 pounds in high school which was back in the late 80's. Then gained alot of weight after I got out of the Marine Corps and had two children. I started trying to lose weight last year lost 22 pounds then my mother died and gained back 10 pounds back and now I am trying to get back into the swing of things to lose it al. I ultimately want to lose about 70 pounds so it is going to be a long journey. The only thing you can really do is set your mind to loosing the weight and proceed. You will have good and bad days but take them in stride and tell yourself it is not the end of the world and keep going. It is going to be difficult but you can and will do it.
  • JamieM8168
    JamieM8168 Posts: 248 Member
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    I went from 250 to 169 then up to 195. Now I'm at 180 hoping to lose another 20 lbs
  • jzebracki
    jzebracki Posts: 112 Member
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    This is my third go-around with weight loss! I am determined that this will be the LAST TIME because I am making it a life-style change and NOT a diet. My first big weight loss was in my early 30's. Then I did it again in my mid 40's. Now I am almost 52 and doing it again. This last time was the most I ever weighed. I was 257 when I started on May 7, 2012. I have lost 47 pounds so far, and I have 40 more to go. With each decade of time, it has gotten incredibly harder, and with each time it has been slower to come off. BUT - YOU Can do it! Do it the right way this time and change your life rather than thinking this is a temporary thing! Good luck to you!
  • MystikPixie
    MystikPixie Posts: 342 Member
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    Yes, a little over ten years ago I went from about 220 to 120 my goal weight. Ate smaller portions cut out soda and fried foods, exercised like a mad woman and made goal. Then life happened and unfortunatley not the good parts to life and I gave up on myself. Now I'm over 260, alone, and worse off than I was then. I've got it in my head that I need to lose weight, I just don't have any reason too. I don't have kids or anyone to live for so it's not like it's that big a deal. So I'm not doing so well with losing the weight this time.

    As far as advice goes, just keep swimming.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I was always big as a teenager, but lost loads of weight at university and then at age 24/25 I was my thinnest. I started to put on weight when I did my teacher training, but never got as big as I had been, then I lost loads for my wedding in 2008. I got pregnant straight after and put on maybe 40lbs, lost it all in a year then got pregnant again, and put on even more! Now my youngest is 20 months and I'm nearly as thin as I was 10 years ago. When I reach my goal (another 13lbs to go) I will be the thinnest I have ever been!

    This time I have done it right. I have always exercised, but I had the 1200 calories a day mentality. Now I eat 1500 and I strength train. My personal trainer says that as I have lost it slowly and built muscle it is more likely to stay off, even if I get pregnant again.
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
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    Yep lost 50lbs back in 04' and gained it all back and a bonus 20. I lost it the first time on Atkins. This time I lost it on a more balanced healthy approach and I step on that scale twice a day to make sure it stays gone this time.
  • jesykalei
    jesykalei Posts: 9
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    Yes I lost 25 lbs counting calories and exercising, then spent a summer eating and drinking and not doing much exercise, so I gained it all back and then some. This time I am looking at it as lifelong commitment that I am ready to make. I also do WW which I really like because I don't feel deprived, but I like tracking actual calories and nutrients too. I do have to say that my knowledge about nutrition, health and exercise has evolved over the last 2 years or so that I think I can make this a lasting change
  • ShannonECTD
    ShannonECTD Posts: 203 Member
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    I lost about 25lbs with MFP back in 09' and then i gained it back plus 12lbs.
  • LadyBeryl
    LadyBeryl Posts: 344 Member
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    Many many times over the years... I tried many things from Atkins to simple calorie counting and CONSISTENT calorie counting has been the most effective for me.

    The last time, I lost over 100 lbs logging everything I ate and kept it off for many years just logging my intake on my Palmpilot and later my smartphone. My father passed away and I stopped logging. At first I got sick and lost a lot of weight. After a couple days in the hospital, I gained all of the weight I lost before and more (of course)

    Tomorrow will be 1 year on MFP logging my intake and I'm on the the right track. This is the track I plan to stay on for the rest of my life. I will log everything - good or bad. Over time, I should get my weight where it should be and keep it there.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,540 Member
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    The average person diets about 7 times in their lifetime to lose weight.

    Why do they gain it back? Because they dieted and chances are that they cut back on actual things they like to eat. When the goal is met (or for many just within reach) they revert back to how they used to eat.

    Weight will always fluctuate, and there will ALWAYS be days that one will exceed. The key is NOT to do it everyday and stay somewhat consistent.

    Learn your TDEE and don't consume more than it if you're at goal.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Molly08
    Molly08 Posts: 153 Member
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    Yes!! I lost nearly 70lbs in 2011. Then in 2012 I gained back (so now I'm 32lbs under my heaviest). The first time I lost 60lbs in 8mths. This time has been brutal. I'm losing so slowly. But I think a little bit bc I'm so focused on how much I have to lose to get back to where I was. I'm not really losing slower. I'm just more impatient? Maybe self sabatoging! You are definitively NOT alone!
  • tamaramsay
    tamaramsay Posts: 10 Member
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    I lost over 40 pounds during my junior year in college, I gained everything back when I took a year break. Lost 20 pounds last year because I went on a juice fast, but gained it all back. I finally started doing it right and lost 5 pounds this month due to proper exercise and eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner (something I have never done before). I actually smile when I'm going to the gym because I genuinely enjoy it. You will see progress, slow progress but I think this time around the weight will stay off because I am losing 1 pound a week, the healthy way.
  • juliecat1
    juliecat1 Posts: 3,455 Member
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    Me. I lost 106 pounds in 2011. Something clicked and it wasn't hard and I was loving my new body. Then I stalled due to some major life drama. I managed to stay within 20pounds of my lowest weight the first half of the year. Then the last half I just went off course majorly. I became that emotional eater I fought back against so hard. I'm fighting her back again and doing okay. I'm struggling with going to the gym and being much more out if shape then I was. I hate that I can't burn 1000 calories or run as much anymore. It messes with my head. I've been in a slight denial about how much I regained (nearly half). But seriously. We KNOW how to do it.... Weve done it! Start taking those baby steps again. It'll happen again.

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