How many times have you tried to lose weight?

Options
Jenny9000
Jenny9000 Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How many times have you tried to lose weight?
How many times with MFP?
What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?
What is making this time different for you?

I'm interested, as I am currently trying to answer these questions for myself :)
«13

Replies

  • K3rB3ar89
    K3rB3ar89 Posts: 263 Member
    Options
    Umm serious? Twice
    Both times here! Lost 30 pounds the first time before I met my fiancé and stopped caring.
    I'm not sure what makes it diff it still sucks but I know if I stick with it it will be worth it. I'm lacking motivation this time:(

    I hope I can keep with it it's frustrating when you don't see the scale move:(
  • daaaaaanielle
    daaaaaanielle Posts: 114 Member
    Options
    I've tried twice including the current attempt. Used MFP both times. The failure the first time was caused by the fact that I wasn't making my own meals and ate out a lot so my calorie estimations were all over the place and I quickly grew bored of trying to calculate them. This time, I buy and cook all of my own food, eat out much less and weigh everything as I go along. Makes it miles easier to keep up with it.
  • Jenny9000
    Jenny9000 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    K3rB3ar89 wrote: »
    Umm serious? Twice
    Both times here! Lost 30 pounds the first time before I met my fiancé and stopped caring.
    I'm not sure what makes it diff it still sucks but I know if I stick with it it will be worth it. I'm lacking motivation this time:(

    I hope I can keep with it it's frustrating when you don't see the scale move:(

    I try to look at that as it is not moving UP ;)
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?

    This is only my 2nd time. I've always been naturally slim and active. I don't even have much to lose (10-15 lbs) but I want to do it in a healthy sustainable way.

    How many times with MFP?

    This is my 2nd time with MFP.

    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?

    My laziness & complacency.

    What is making this time different for you?

    I wanted to do a lifestyle change, I want to look better naked cuz I'm a little vain, it's not as hard as I thought it was going to be.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    First time was when I was 20 with a dietitian who put me in that weird elimination diet (you cut everything but veggies and 'fromage blanc' then reintroduce foods every 2 weeks). I lost 20 pounds or so (to a good weight), then I started a new job and could not follow it anymore because it was too restrictive and I couldn't bring my own food, and I gained all the weight back plus some. Maybe if I had been able to keep going I would have learned to follow a healthier diet but let's be honest, I grew up on cheese, croissants and pastries, and cutting those out was just not going to happen.

    This is my second time. Not cutting anything out, tracking calories so I eat things in moderation seems to work much better for me (I've been maintaining 3 pounds from my goal weight for almost a year).

    Notice that it took me 14 years to be ready to do it again, because I didn't want to yoyo more (I got the stretch marks from it), and I needed to be mentally ready to do a lifelong change this time.
  • imthelobster
    imthelobster Posts: 179 Member
    Options
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?

    This is the third 'on' time, I've kept the majority of the weight that I lost off, but have been waffling between 200-215lbs for about a year now.

    How many times with MFP?

    Been on MFP since 2012, I think? Again, off and on. This is the third 'on' time.

    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?

    Stress, life, depression.

    What is making this time different for you?

    Hopefully this time will be different with a settling down of life, and trying to kick the depression.
  • MikeLeTwigg
    MikeLeTwigg Posts: 162 Member
    Options
    Twice

    This time with MFP

    Last time got a cold and just lost all motivation.

    This time on focusing more on what I eat than training (already passed the cold test), which is where MFP joins the equation. Most successful I've ever been and still motivated.
  • moribunny
    moribunny Posts: 417 Member
    Options
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?
    Seriously try? This is my second time.
    How many times with MFP?
    I made a MFP account awhile back, but I never actually used it to keep track of calories or anything. This is my first time truly using it.
    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?
    "Life" as many people call it led me to not trying much at the gym anymore and eat more sweets for awhile. But I've had it with that.
    What is making this time different for you?
    I want to be healthier and look better for myself. In the past, I'd often make up excuses, feel bad for myself, and so on. But life is better when you stop with the excuses and change what makes you unhappy. And now that I'm actually practicing what I believe, I'm doing much better, and I'm happier overall.
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,416 Member
    Options
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?

    I've dropped about 10 lbs every summer since I was a teenager.

    How many times with MFP?

    This is probably my third go-round with MFP.

    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?

    1. Thyroid disorder causing EPIC edema and other... issues... (TREATED!)
    2. Pregnancy (SPAWN EVICTED!)
    3. Megaloblastic anemia (TREATED!)
    4. ASIA/SIIS (SOLVED!)

    What is making this time different for you?

    I know how to lose weight, and I do it reliably and steadily over my own predictable timeline. It works when I'm not trying to destroy myself with an interesting new auto-immune problem. When my "system" stops working because I'm too tired to work out, too insomniac to rest, in too much pain, or just retaining OMG WATER ON MY FEET for NO GOOD REASON, then I need to go to the doctor. Having the log created by MFP and my fitbit helps me convince my doctors faster that I am NOT crazy, I DO eat pretty healthy/not too much, and I DO get sufficient exercise that my XYZ measurement JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. At this point, I feel like I should stay on MFP for logging purposes forever, even after I hit my goal weight, just so that I can get everything under control more rapidly the next time something goes off. Because it will. And I don't want to have to suffer and put on 30-50 lbs over a year or 6 months before figuring everything out this time.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Options
    Oh shoot, this is a hard question. I had many times when I gave weight loss a halfhearted attempt. But truly working at it? I'd say 4 times.

    This is the first time using MFP.

    I've always been successful when I tried but then backslid (not this time though ;)) due to various reasons. The first time, I just became way less active and didn't adjust my eating. The next time, I got pregnant and had to cut out activity for medical reasons and found weight management while growing a person to be difficult. The next time, I was still breastfeeding my daughter and between slow progress and utter exhaustion I just kind of gave up.

    This time it's different because I'm more determined plus I just haven't had any problems. I'm older and more stubborn and I think I'm more determined.
  • K3rB3ar89
    K3rB3ar89 Posts: 263 Member
    Options
    Jenny9000 wrote: »
    K3rB3ar89 wrote: »
    Umm serious? Twice
    Both times here! Lost 30 pounds the first time before I met my fiancé and stopped caring.
    I'm not sure what makes it diff it still sucks but I know if I stick with it it will be worth it. I'm lacking motivation this time:(

    I hope I can keep with it it's frustrating when you don't see the scale move:(

    I try to look at that as it is not moving UP ;)

    Lol it's all over the place most weeks lol
  • HarleyQuinn34
    HarleyQuinn34 Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?
    countless haha

    How many times with MFP?
    third

    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?
    laziness...working...excuses

    What is making this time different for you?
    tired of being overweight.....when i was in my 20's i did successfully lose weight and kept it off for years. so i know what being healthy feels like and i want that back again
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    Options
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?
    Once...I did do Atkins for about 3 days way back when to try to drop a couple Lbs, but I wouldn't exactly call that trying and I was already very lean at the time anyway
    How many times with MFP?
    this is it
    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?
    hasn't happened yet...I'm going on three years; I lost 40 Lbs in a bit over 9 months and I've maintained that loss for over 2 years...I logged when I was losing, but not for maintenance
    What is making this time different for you?
    I'm committed to living a healthful lifestyle...it really doesn't have anything to do with the scale...I want to be healthy and fit. losing the weight and maintaining that weight are a bi-product of doing the things that one should be doing to be healthy and fit...eating well...eating in appropriate quantities...exercising regularly...moving more in general....getting plenty of rest



  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    Jenny9000 wrote: »
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?

    Twice
    How many times with MFP?

    Once
    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?

    Don't know. I lost 60 lbs and maintained it for about 5 years, but then stopped being active and lost all motivation. Both times I seriously tried to lose weight I was successful, though.

    I guess I tried to get myself to start for a few years before doing it again this time, with MFP. I think I wasn't successful because I wasn't ready, wasn't willing to weigh myself and set serious goals, etc. I just vaguely thought "I will eat less and start being more active and once I feel better about my weight I'll be willing to get on a scale," which simply doesn't work for me, I need to make things more concrete.
    What is making this time different for you?

    The weight loss part really wasn't, although I found MFP's tool and the community helpful and motivating. I am trying to think through the maintenance part so I don't lose it again.
  • punkuate
    punkuate Posts: 127 Member
    Options
    Twice.

    Twice.

    Phone broke and couldn't log food for a while.

    Using IF as a tool to maintain deficit.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    Options
    Jenny9000 wrote: »
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?
    How many times with MFP?
    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?
    What is making this time different for you?

    I'm interested, as I am currently trying to answer these questions for myself :)

    Tough to answer the first question. I noticed weight gain in 2007, but was focused on getting pregnant (and had my 1st child in 2009). I made minor attempts to lose the weight, but not much and had baby #2 in 2012. Didn't put a lot of effort then either

    I signed up with MFP about 2 years ago but manually entered calories and didn't stick with it for long. I really don't know why. But even without MFP, I started getting serious 2 years ago and slowly lost 20 lbs. Then I went up and down by a few lbs for about a year+

    In January I got serious again, motivated by a friend's charity (I promised her a dollar for every mile I ran until her marathon in March) and starting logging about 2 months ago.

    Logging (and not just estimating) is the key difference.

  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,779 Member
    Options
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?

    I half-asssed it loads of times, got fed up and quit.

    How many times with MFP?

    This is the first. The longest I've stuck to something, too.

    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?

    Not seeing results right away. And I always did stupid and unsustainable things.

    What is making this time different for you?

    I'm taking an analytical approach. I have accepted that I am eating X amount of calories, not guessing that I am eating under X. I am setting fitness goals.

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    Options
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Jenny9000 wrote: »
    How many times have you tried to lose weight?

    Twice
    How many times with MFP?

    Once
    What has caused you to fail/stop in the past?

    Don't know. I lost 60 lbs and maintained it for about 5 years, but then stopped being active and lost all motivation. Both times I seriously tried to lose weight I was successful, though.

    I guess I tried to get myself to start for a few years before doing it again this time, with MFP. I think I wasn't successful because I wasn't ready, wasn't willing to weigh myself and set serious goals, etc. I just vaguely thought "I will eat less and start being more active and once I feel better about my weight I'll be willing to get on a scale," which simply doesn't work for me, I need to make things more concrete.
    What is making this time different for you?

    The weight loss part really wasn't, although I found MFP's tool and the community helpful and motivating. I am trying to think through the maintenance part so I don't lose it again.

    I think the trickiest part of maintenance is just dealing with life's twists and turns. Ever changing schedules can make things tough...right now my wife and I are trying to hash out new exercise schedules for ourselves because we have a life event coming up that is going to alter our current course.

    The way I'm basically approaching this stuff is to acknowledge that things just aren't static and that I have to learn to go with the flow but with some planning, adjustments can be made if it's important enough to me. It might mean hitting the weight room at 5 AM rather than evenings after work, but if that's what it takes, that's the way I will roll.

Categories