Weight loss help after extreme weight gain

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ashleysevadjian
ashleysevadjian Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone!

So a little about me-

When I was 17 my weight peaked at 335lbs. Then I changed my lifestyle and without realising it I was becoming healthier every day. Something clicked inside my head so I didn't have that little voice in my head fixating on food all the time. Then by the time I was 19 I weighed 190lbs. That was just from walking to lose the first 80lbs then introducing a more intense workout routine including spin, yoga, Pilates and running. When I changed jobs and moved house again I managed to maintain my weight with running and sensible eating. Then when I was 21 I began to gain weight at a steady pace after starting a relationship. Also this was a very stressful time as my family all moved back to the U.S. and I moved in with my boyfriend. My lifestyle completely changed and I didn't rise to the challenge of balancing my lifestyle. At first I didn't mind a little weight gain because I was happy. Then over the next 4 years (up to now) all the weight creeped back on. I wasn't walking regularly and completely stopped running. I went to the doctor a couple of times for help but often the advice is 'do what you did before!' But what made the routine stick is - my mindset clicked, my lifestyle worked well with hours of free time, I hadn't already set the bar for myself, and I lived in a different area with more accessible classes/gyms/hiking trails etc. The main problem I have is the little addict in me constantly eating little extras throughout the day without thinking. Some people will know what I mean by saying 'without thinking' because it feels like you have no control. I've done month long bootcamps only to gain straight after again. I actually love exercise but feel humiliated in the gym and tend to hide in my house. I have started walking again but have still been experiencing steady gain. I'm worried for myself because even though I'm persistent I'm not consistent enough and I lose heart easily. I'm constantly thinking of how I've let myself down by gaining 110 lbs back. I don't know when it will stop.

Replies

  • JenniferIsLosingIt
    JenniferIsLosingIt Posts: 595 Member
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    Stop it right now. You are here arent you? That means you know where to begin. Go back and look at pics of you when you were at your lowest. Remember that feeling??? Good. Now, set a few goals and stick to your guns and get it done! You can DO THIS! You did it before :)
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
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    I've been there, got down to 150lbs and went back up to over 200lbs. Working on getting back down. It's a struggle. I find that I eat better when I exercise more. Diet will produce more results but personally if I feel better I make more conscious choices.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    If you have health insurance, or have some money saved, you can see a nutritionist. I would really advise doing that if you can. When they lay out a plan for you, you're not lost and confused any more, and they show you food solutions you'd never thought of to stay satisfied while losing. Here's my big one: I replaced my "bad" snacks with raw vegetables. You can make healthy dips using plain yogurt and herbs if you like, just watch the amount. Or hummus, again in moderation, but the raw vegetables you can eat a LOT. and a moderate amount of fruit. Stop buying any kind of junk food and keep cut up vegetables and pieces of fruit on hand for your snacks. For dessert, I stew cut up peeled cored Fuji apples with cinnamon and a little allspice. no sugar needed. Please don't be ashamed. Half the country is fat. You are not alone and there are people here to help you through it.
  • neekmichelle922
    neekmichelle922 Posts: 71 Member
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    You'll get down again you have to believe & love yourself first <3 try eating carrots and celery as your extras they do get you full once u start eating them:) you can do at home workouts until you feel comfortable enough but honestly you shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed to go workout ! I can't imagine anyone thinking badly about someone getting healthy
  • PenelopeJoye
    PenelopeJoye Posts: 8
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    If it makes you feel any better 95% of people gain weight they lost all back or more. Maybe not over a few months maybe not for years but eventually most people gain it all back (not to say you cant loose it again and keep it off for years though)
  • ashleysevadjian
    ashleysevadjian Posts: 11 Member
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    Haha that's a depressing thought! I read that somewhere actually. You really don't have good odds when you're battling to get down to a healthy weight. I've tried asking the doctor if I can get the gastric band or bypass on the NHS but they say I don't 'qualify'. That's a drastic choice anyway but still disheartening. I just want this monkey off my back. Been obese since I was a kid then finally got 'skinny' (for me!) then gained it all back and got depressed. Will try the low cal snacks again though. Thanks guys
  • lolly715
    lolly715 Posts: 106
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    This is my third time losing weight. I didn't gain it all back each time, but enough of a chunk to notice. You can do it! Just make as many changes as your current lifestyle allows. The bulk of it is diet rather than exercise though, so it doesn't involve much more of a time commitment.

    I was (probably always will be) an emotional binge eater. I get around this by not having anything other than my meal food in the house. It's been a couple of months and I'm only just starting to reintroduce a "treat tub" but everything has to be wrapped in individual portion sizes still and there's no more than a week's worth there.

    Also since you do love exercise, get some DVDs and exercise at home if you can't face going to the gym yet. I've actually never set foot in a real gym, but I'm obsessed with my Jillian Michaels DVD collection. And it doesn't take that long when you don't have to factor in travel to/from the gym. I tend to do my workout as I'm waiting for dinner to cook. That's why I love the JM ones, never more than half an hour. Even with a full time job and a long commute, I can make time for this.
  • ashleysevadjian
    ashleysevadjian Posts: 11 Member
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    Me too! I'm such an emotional eater! On good days I will hardly think of food then when I'm stressed or sad or feeling blah I just eat and eat. It's good to hear that it's possible to gain it back and lose it again though. That's awesome what you accomplished. I think that I should clarify I love exercise and find the fact that I struggle to run even a 15 minute mile (as an example) a hard pill to swallow so I get disheartened easily. I will pick up an activity then one day feel so self conscious that I stop and make excuses/build it up in my mind until I just never go back. But it's crazy I know! It's all in my head and at least I recognise that I make excuses. I think that my failure had made me define myself as a self-sabatogeing quitter. Ya know? I'm sure lots of people have been there so I think my main struggles are mental. What was your biggest problem when you had to lose again?

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