Seeking tips from those who lost 50+ and kept it off

fresh_start59
fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
in Motivation and Support
Other than the obvious, "Keep doing what you did to lose the weight" and "Don't go back to your old habits," what are some tips for getting our head right to not only lose, but keep the weight off.

I saw a touching video from David Elmore Smith (aka: 650 pound virgin) after he regained 300 of the pounds he publicly shed. In that video, he said he wasn't mentally prepared to keep the weight off, that he was a "mess". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTlvDMBDIxQ

He says, "As much as you work on the outside, you have to work on the inside."

I would love to know what others who lost a good amount of weight -- and kept it off -- did to work on the inside.

Replies

  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    Bumping up in hopes of getting a reply from the evening crowd.
  • steamingcoffee
    steamingcoffee Posts: 55 Member
    I'd also love to know, if anyone has any good advice
  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    Thought I would give this a bump before going to sleep. I hope I wake up to some wonderful advice.
  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    Last try ...
    Is there really no one on MFP that has lost 50 or more pounds and kept it off??????
  • soontobemomma
    soontobemomma Posts: 57
    Please share!!!!!!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I've lose 49lbs since I started. I was basically maintaining from late November to late April. I still have some weight to lose, but during that time I wasn't actively trying to lose. I managed to maintain within 1lbs +/- during that time.

    The only thing I can say is that life is better now. That may piss some people off, but for me it's true. I have energy, I feel good, I look good. My sex life is better. I'm fit and can do anything I want to do. Want to go rock climbing? Sure! Shopping in any store? Absolutely. Riding roller coasters or going to a water park? Sign me up!

    Exercise is my lifestyle. I enjoy being fit and active so much that I could never, ever imagine going back. It's not even a consideration. When I was overweight, I *thought* I was fine. I thought I felt pretty good. It's taken me getting to where I am now to realize how crappy I actually felt. How tired and sore I always was. How winded I got from walking up a flight of stairs. Now that I feel good, I don't ever want to let it go.

    I don't know that I will always track calories - but I know that I will for at least a few years. And if the weight goes up a little, I know exactly what I need to do to get it to go back down. It's pretty simple now that I've figured it out, so I don't imagine that I'll have any issue maintaining for the long term.
  • soontobemomma
    soontobemomma Posts: 57
    Thank you so much for sharing! I know many people say that maintaining is hard but according to me .. when you you are already reaping benefits of a healthy lifestyle (if you have done it in a healthy, sustainable way) why would you ever want to go back? That is why I have chosen to lose these 60 pounds over a period of 2 years. I want to enjoy this journey :flowerforyou:
    And again congrats for maintaining !!!
  • jnewstadt
    jnewstadt Posts: 8 Member
    Hi there - I took an excellent class last fall at my local hospital/medical center and one of the instructors talked at length on the recipe for success among those who have maintained weight loss for more than 5 years. Apparently, the daily logging of one's exercise, food consumption, and weight is more common among these folks than any other positive behaviors that they might be engaging in.

    Bottom line: if it gets measured, it gets managed.

    Good luck and keep it up!
  • ryanthemagi
    ryanthemagi Posts: 1
    I went from 230 to my current 187 (about 43 pounds), so here's my take on it. If I'm able to lose that much weight via hard work, a focused diet, and a large commitment to being healthy, then I would have to work just as hard to revert back to my old lifestyle. Exercising and being in shape is a lifestyle for me. I always hated working out or watching what I ate - now I can't imagine it otherwise. Even when I'm completely booked for a day, I always find a way to exercise in some fashion whether it's pushups, pullups, or some core work. It's much more than a mindset of losing weight. It is about changing your life for the better. I can honestly say I have never had a more positive outlook in life since changing my unhealthy habits.

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