Losing Weight ALL OVER AGAIN?! Frustrating!

mountainlady802 · May 2013

Hey Everyone! I've never posted in here before...but wanted to see how common yoyo-ing was for anyone else. I went from 176 lbs to 140 lbs by eating healthy and exercising, and then gained back every single pound. I'm back to exactly 176 lbs again...

The trouble is...I don't feel like I have the motivation to do it all over again. It is defeating that I am starting from square one again. Is anyone else experiencing more difficulty with losing weight for a second time? Please share your frustrations and any tips you may have! I feel like I have been "starting over" every month for the past 6 months now. HELP!

Thank you!

anabita15 · May 2013

You're definitely not alone in this. The problem is that you can't lose the weight, and then keep it off just through healthy eating alone, or altogether reverting to your original habits. You have to keep the workout regime and be mindful of everything you eat. The body is very good at putting on lost weight the moment a habit has stopped. Working out in itself DOES become a habit after long enough.

It's not fun starting all over. It's quite discouraging. But if you did it once, you KNOW you could do it again. And now you know how to do it RIGHT!

You'll do just fine!

mountainlady802 · May 2013

Thank you. : )

EllaIsNotEnchanted · May 2013

The changes you make have to be committed for a lifetime.
Make sure the changes you do (cutting calories, type of exercise) is a nice mellow transition and something you can keep up for your entire life.
It is good to find something you will truly fall in love with. Weight lifting--you can do this to participate in games like crossfit, running--so you can participate in all those 5ks,10ks, marathons, etc...

Or try some recreational sports. There are many adult leagues and some features on meet-ups at certain sites.

The dieting will be the hardest transition.
If you deny yourself something and crave it, it's going to have you just want it more and more until you go to that craving and binge like crazy (well for me at least).

The main thing, to stop yo-yoing... you got to make it a lifetime effort.

melaniefave41 · May 2013

I'm curious to know if you would mind sharing what you did or stopped doing that caused yourself to gain it all back? Was it gradual or did it happen fast? Maybe by sharing you can help some others from backsliding.

Also, chin up. You are reaching out and being honest, those are NOT the actions of someone who is ready to give up. Remember that it needs to be a lifestyle change, not just a diet or experiment with exercise. You can do this, add me as a friend if you need some extra support.

trbilbao · May 2013

I too have gained back weight that I worked hard to lose. SO FRUSTRATING!! I just started tracking and working out again this week. I think I have realized that the most important thing for me is to TRACK EVERYTHING. I stopped and little by little the pounds came back. Even though I thought I was eating the same stuff, I was obviously adding more calories to my diet most likely through snacking and larger portions.

My husband lost a lot of weight a few years ago and he still tracks to keep the weight off. I believe it is true that it is a lifestyle change not a fix.

Goof luck - friend me and we can work to get the weight off AGAIN. :happy:

mountainlady802 · May 2013

Thanks everyone! This is really helpful. I appreciate all the support here! : ) Whenever I come up with reasons for gaining it all back - it sounds like excuses in my head. But realistically, I thought I had everything under control once I'd lost it all, and began slipping into my old habits - such as eating whatever my boyfriend ate, not writing anything I ate down, drinking alcohol more casually, etc.

I think what really kick started my bad habits was when I began working from home. That killed me - I ate all the time whatever I wanted at home. And it continued.. I also moved in with my boyfriend and began eating whatever he ate all the time. Basically, one day I stepped on the scale and I'd gained 10 of it back without even noticing...and did nothing to change that. It just kept climbing back...and I was too afraid to admit to myself that I was sabotaging my own efforts...

Anyways here I am. Back at it for round 2 two years later...WOOP!

ALSO: HUGE QUESTION. Does anyone do the "i'll start Monday...or I'll start fresh on the first of next month" mentality? I've been doing this for the past few months and it has been terribly ineffective. How do you guys "start" or "get into" your new healthy routines again? I'm having a hard time getting this to stick for more than 1-2 weeks.

Thanks, everyone! :flowerforyou:

marygoodnight007 · May 2013

Thanks everyone! This is really helpful. I appreciate all the support here! : ) Whenever I come up with reasons for gaining it all back - it sounds like excuses in my head. But realistically, I thought I had everything under control once I'd lost it all, and began slipping into my old habits - such as eating whatever my boyfriend ate, not writing anything I ate down, drinking alcohol more casually, etc.

I think what really kick started my bad habits was when I began working from home. That killed me - I ate all the time whatever I wanted at home. And it continued.. I also moved in with my boyfriend and began eating whatever he ate all the time. Basically, one day I stepped on the scale and I'd gained 10 of it back without even noticing...and did nothing to change that. It just kept climbing back...and I was too afraid to admit to myself that I was sabotaging my own efforts...

Anyways here I am. Back at it for round 2 two years later...WOOP!

ALSO: HUGE QUESTION. Does anyone do the "i'll start Monday...or I'll start fresh on the first of next month" mentality? I've been doing this for the past few months and it has been terribly ineffective. How do you guys "start" or "get into" your new healthy routines again? I'm having a hard time getting this to stick for more than 1-2 weeks.

Thanks, everyone! :flowerforyou:

I start gradually. I went to the gym for a week and saw I lost weight. Encouraged by that I kept a food journal. I added weight training to my cardio another week etc etc the whole time I was losing weight because i was breaking bad habits but I didn't dive in (which would caused me to burn out)

ohnoetry · May 2013

No, you're not alone. I lost (unhealthily) about thirty pounds and then gained it all back and then some. It was frustrating when I was losing the same thirty pounds again. BUT I wish I didn't let that get to me the way it did because I feel like I didn't get to enjoy it as much because I kept thinking "I could be at my ultimate goal by now". The point is to learn from why you gained it back in the first place, and deciding on why you're choosing to lose it again. Is it to gain health and athleticism, to look good, to fix your relationship with food? Something's gotta get you to lose the weight AND keep it off. It's a struggle, but you're not alone! Good luck

mountainlady802 · June 2013

Thanks, ohnoetry! Its really frustrating for sure but right now I'm trying to not have an all or nothing attitude. such as "oh i didn't lose any weight this week like i should have i'll start over in july" but rather - I'm trying to be a little easier on myself so that I can continue to lose weight slowly but steadily.

Phew! Once I get back down to 160s I will be so proud of myself. When what you're doing starts working its really exciting to keep going. Hope it is going well for you!!! : )

Thanks everyone for your support and tips!

USMCnetty90 · June 2013

I decided about two years ago that I needed to lose weight - I had been out of work for a couple months and I was to the point that i could feel my middle when my arms were at my sides... So I started going to the gym a little at a time and managed to lose 30 lbs. eventually worked up to going 4 days a week at 545am and I was also watching what I ate, trying to stay away from fast food and so on... That was in January - although I kept up my work out regime I let my eating habits go back to the way they were... I gained back 15lbs and have not been able to shed them. It is so very frustrating. I feel your pain.

I just decided that I too need to get back on track. So am on MFP - and an loving it.

I think you have made a great start deciding that you want to make a change and get down to make yourself feel better AND the MFP community has so many people who are more than happy to keep you motivated..

The days when I find myself cheating - I tell myself that tomorrow is a new day and I will try to do better tomorrow! Just dont beat yourself up about it -

Losing Weight ALL OVER AGAIN?! Frustrating!

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