Is it impossible to keep weight off?

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  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
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    Obsession? No. Maintaining good habits for life? Yes. If I need a tool like this site to help me maintain my good habits, then so be it. I obviously haven't done very well on my own up to this point. We are worth the effort don't you think?

    Agreed. Besides, I think of MFP as a tool to teach good habits. If you use it long enough, eventually you'll learn how much to eat without having to use the app. We are creatures of habit, after all, and MFP teaches good habits.

    Take it from someone who was obsessed for a very long time... there is a lot of difference between being mindful and being obsessed. Being obsessed with the numbers was pure... you get where I'm going.
  • oneloopygirl
    oneloopygirl Posts: 151 Member
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    The biggest change for me was to stop reading pop culture diet and exercise articles

    Everyone needs to do this!!! Some of the stuff out there is beyond idiotic.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I know people who have done studies like that. I am in the National Weight Loss Registry, who studies who can do it.

    I don't know. I've been at this weight for a year (3 pound range). It seems like it gets easier and easier to maintain without thinking about it. I'm hoping to succeed long term.

    I don't obsess about it more than obsess about brushing my teeth, but I do that twice a day too. i weigh every morning when I get up. I log my food (which I enjoy doing). I eat lots of food I enjoy. I try to get 10,000 steps a day.

    The most obsessive thing I do is check in on this forum, but that's just a bad habit from when I was losing. :smile:
  • CarolinkaCjj
    CarolinkaCjj Posts: 622 Member
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    The biggest change for me was to stop reading pop culture diet and exercise articles

    +1 and this is nothing new. I should have paid more attention to my mum but it is not too late. My mum starting logging her calories and doing aerobics 40 years ago when she turned 50. She maintained her weight between 120 and 130 for 30 years, When her weight crept up, out came the log. When she hit 80, it stopped being necessary for her to track (she has to work now to stay at 100 pounds) but at 90, she is doing pretty darn good. Is transitioning just this year from aerobics to silver sneakers for exercise. If she can do it, so can I and so can you.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Have a read of this:

    http://www.weightymatters.ca/2014/06/more-on-almost-impossible-feat-of.html


    8 years later, 11% of participants have kept off more than 15% of their weight.

    And 73% had kept off some. They don't say how much they had to lose to start with.

    What I liked about that article was that it said the participants were probably advantaged because they were trying to manage diabetes and weren't motivated by aesthetics. I find that interesting because I'm 55 and this is my first weight loss attempt. I had never been motivated to control my diet by trying to look good. What got my going this time was trying to avoid the diabetes that runs in my family. Now THAT was something I was willing to work for.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    Have a read of this:

    http://www.weightymatters.ca/2014/06/more-on-almost-impossible-feat-of.html


    8 years later, 11% of participants have kept off more than 15% of their weight.

    And 73% had kept off some. They don't say how much they had to lose to start with.

    What I liked about that article was that it said the participants were probably advantaged because they were trying to manage diabetes and weren't motivated by aesthetics. I find that interesting because I'm 55 and this is my first weight loss attempt. I had never been motivated to control my diet by trying to look good. What got my going this time was trying to avoid the diabetes that runs in my family. Now THAT was something I was willing to work for.
    Same here--there is diabetes in my family, but I also knew losing weight would take the pressure off my aching joints. I am motivated to keep the weight off because I feel so darned fantastic and energetic, and my joints no longer ache.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
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    I don't think it's helpful to call it "obsessive. " I think that in our food culture nowadays, one does need to make an effort to be careful. A passive approach (i.e. just eating what comes one's way) would lead to weight gain for most people.

    Not obsession -- just good sense.

    Totally this. I need to log my food and exercise to avoid gaining weight.
    I also need a budget to avoid overspending, and I need an alarm clock so that I don't sleep through my morning workout.

    I see these things as structures that will give me the results I want, and tools to keep me accountable.

    If you're really obsessing or spending too much of your energy on your diet and exercise, you may be trying to achieve a level of fitness or a size that is not a good fit with your other priorities, and you may want to re-consider your goals or approach. Good luck in your maintenance- I hope you find a balance that is joyful and sustainable!
  • ScottDowell
    ScottDowell Posts: 95 Member
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    Why do you feeling like that. Food and exercise plays an important role in weight gaining and losing. Do not do too much exercise, but if you want to maintain your fitness, you have to do exercise regularly.
  • 64mustangsue
    64mustangsue Posts: 27 Member
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    No it is not impossible and you do not need to obsess. I have been at my goal weight for 2 1/2 years now. I do still track what I eat, but I don't obsess. I gain weight easily so I have to be conscious of what I put in my mouth. As others have said, it is a lifestyle change not a diet.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    We don't obsess about these things, but we do THINK about them ....... we plan what we eat & how much ...... we plan on getting exercise & how much. I've lost 40 lbs and kept it off for years ...... and there are many people here who've lost way more than that & kept it off as well.

    Don't set yourself up for failure before you even begin ...... no excuses, just do it.

    This. If you decide it's not worth it once you get there, you can always turn around and go back the way you came.
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    I have kept off over 100 pounds for 4 years now. I do fluctuate, but nothing too crazy. I work out almost every day, but that is because I like too and feel "blah" when I don't. I do not obsess about what I eat, but I do eat pretty healthy most of the time, just from routine from losing the weight. I indulge more than I should, but I seem to have found a maintenance place that is pretty good for me....too bad I would like to lose a little more.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
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    I read an article that says that if I want to keep the weight off, I have to obsess about food and exercise, and it really discouraged me. Who has kept the weight off? What do you do to keep it off? I just don't want to gain it all back...

    I've maintained my loss for about 2 years now. I no longer track my intake, but my entire lifestyle has changed pretty dramatically since about 3 years ago. I exercise almost daily (weight lifting, running, yoga) and I eat differently. The majority of my intake consists of meat & veggies with lots of fats (avocado, coconut, butter). I do eat some "junk foods" (chips, candy, ice cream, french fries) occasionally, but treat them as a treat and don't eat them daily. Some people may eat those foods daily and be fine, but it's easier for me to get in a lot of vegetables, if I don't eat those foods daily. I don't obsess, this is just how I live.
  • lstew57
    lstew57 Posts: 4 Member
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    When you set your goal to lose weight you are given a certain amount of calories to consume in order to lose. You can do the same thing to maintain. Anything you do for 90 days becomes a habit. I never stress about food, I just maintain the calorie requirements, but I eat whatever I want. You learn how to manipulate your calories so you can enjoy the foods you like and never feel deprived. :drinker:
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I read an article that says that if I want to keep the weight off, I have to obsess about food and exercise, and it really discouraged me. Who has kept the weight off? What do you do to keep it off? I just don't want to gain it all back...

    You don't have to "obsess" about food and exercise...you do have to be mindful of what you are consuming and by and large are going to have to develop healthful eating habits...it's pretty hard to maintain a healthy weight if you eat the SAD.

    Regular exercise goes a long way in helping you maintain a healthy weight as well. Mind you, it doesn't have to be all crazy balls to the wall P30DX or whatever...I ride my bike 4x weekly for an hour or so and hit the weight room a few days per week and that's about it.

    I've maintained my weight for over a year now without logging, but I have very healthy eating habits and I'm consciously mindful of what I'm consuming. If you just mindlessly eat and don't exercise, it's pretty likely you will put the weight back on...but I personally think there's a huge difference between "obsessing" about your food and being mindful of what you eat....also a big difference between obsessing about exercise and just making sure you're doing a little something most days.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    I dont obsess I pay attention to what I eat and my portion sizes and I try to excercise on a regular basis. Hmmm like everyone should do. Excercise just means move your body.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,821 Member
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    I am into this over 3 years. I lost over 70 and was doing quite well. Then I stopped logging, then had cancer surgery and BAM I put on about 12 pounds in a manner of months. I am back at it, but it is not easy. You need to change your life, and keep doing it.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    All that and only 12 pounds regained? THAT is impressive! Congratulations.
  • skutnikj
    skutnikj Posts: 11 Member
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    If you truly make a lifestyle change there is nothing to obsess about... because eating well and healthy and daily exercise is part of your routine - they are THINGS you WANT AND LOVE to do.... because you enjoy them, because they make you feel good.. etc etc
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
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    I'm definitely not obsessed but I am mindful. I've been maintaining my 110 pound loss for almost 3 years now. I don't log food anymore but I've got my new lifestyle dialed in. I've even maintained my weight loss during a 4 month long hiatus from all exercise. I broke my foot and can't walk or get to the gym. I've gained zero back and just by being mindful.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    I've kept off my loss for over 2 years now. I don't obsess over anything. I made a whole bunch of small, sustainable changes over the course of the year I lost the weight. Keep it all simple and it's easy.

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