Yo-yoing, but want to lose it for good this time

stephaniejoypm
stephaniejoypm Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've lost almost 20kg,
But gained back almost half
Then lost some again
And gained it back all over again.
I want to reach my goal this time
Without faltering!

Replies

  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 674 Member
    Think to yourself, "What am I going to do when I'm done losing weight and getting fit?"

    Now let go of that notion completely. You live in your body your entire life. Reconcile the eating and exercise that you want with the eating and exercise that will fuel the kind of life you want. I've done a decade of yoyo dieting, and that's what I've figured out.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I did that for about 40 years. And about 3 or so years ago, I thought, "enough of this *kitten*!"

    So, what I did was change the way I live. I figured out the best way for me to eat long term - no gimmicks, no fancy language, just basic nutrition and moderation; portion control and calorie counting, weighing and measuring, getting a sense of what worked and what didn't, not starving myself, not eating stuff I hate, enjoying what I do eat, not beating myself up for not meeting some sort of time frame, eliminating personality traits from my food.

    I eliminated value judgments about what I eat, how much I eat, when I eat, if I eat, how little I eat, where I eat.

    I started thinking about the rest of my life so that my entire focus was not on food, diet, my weight - loss or gain. In other words, I got a life.

    Then, or at the same time, I got active again - and stayed active.

    It took me a year to lose about 30 pounds. I've kept it off for over 2 years. When I reached goal, which was for me, 127 at 5'3", I gave myself a range of topping out at 130lb, which I rarely get to. At that time, I wore a size 8, which was my target size. Over the next two years, I lost two more sizes without losing a single pound because in the process of getting active, I also got physically fit.

    I also, don't do any activity I hate. I approach my movement and workouts the same way as my food. And, I don't run, I don't lift in the gym. I do ride a bike - for fun and commuting.

    I do a variety of group fitness classes, except now for two days a week where I audio taped my instructor and do her class by myself because my schedule has changed.

    I wish you luck. Over 90% of people who lose weight, gain it back in about a year or two. About 60% or more of American people live sedentary lives and the country is in a health crisis because of it. It ain't easy to change, but it is possible if you want to. It's about making yourself a priority.

    My life today is not about food, or diets, or my weight. It's about my friends, and my own activities, what's important to me and what brings me joy.
  • stephaniejoypm
    stephaniejoypm Posts: 4 Member
    @Vune I never really got to that point wherein I ask myself what should I do when Im done losing weight because I had never really achieved my goal weight. EVER! Before my goal was just to reach the normal range of my BMI, and I was a pound away when I started spiraling down because I lost my workout buddy due to conflicting schedule. I gained a few then maintained at that, however I had a long vacation and gained a few more kilos. I worked out again and lost some then stopped and gained some again. It's an endless cycle actually. But now I don't want to settle for just barely making it to normal, I want to get pass that and really get fit.

    Your words however made me wonder and ask myself that question and my immediate thought was to celebrate and eat some favorite food Ive been avoiding.. And I guess that mentality is the beginning of another downfall. I guess I really need some reflection and mind setting.. Thanks!
  • stephaniejoypm
    stephaniejoypm Posts: 4 Member
    @47Jacqueline I've heard Travis Stork repeatedly said that Fitness is a lifetime battle and it has been my sort of mantra whenever I'm struggling working out. Getting active is not really my number one problem, and so is controlling myself. It's actually peer pressure. My family, specially my cousins, who I frequently hang out with, are not into controlled calorie diet. I don't do fancy diets especially skipping meals because I go berserk when my tummy aches. I have gastric ulcer so it's not as tolerable as my premorbid days. They usually talk me into eating more and it really kills the mood of our get-togethers whenever they notice me limiting my intake or refusing to eat junk foods and sugary foods. They talk me into it and it's like me choosing my diet or our quality time. Doing it repeatedly tips off my balance and flushes out in the drain my weeks of conditioning and hard work. When I'm trying to get back to eating healthy, I try to avoid them, but I cant avoid them forever that's why it's an endless cycle for me.

    I hope I'll find the real balance between my family time and my health. Thanks for sharing your weight loss journey! It truly is inspiring. Knowing that people have been struggling with the same ordeal and yet they're able to surpass it, and continuously battling it one day at a time, it's quite empowering.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 674 Member
    stephaniejoypm wrote: »
    @Vune I never really got to that point wherein I ask myself what should I do when Im done losing weight because I had never really achieved my goal weight. EVER! Before my goal was just to reach the normal range of my BMI, and I was a pound away when I started spiraling down because I lost my workout buddy due to conflicting schedule. I gained a few then maintained at that, however I had a long vacation and gained a few more kilos. I worked out again and lost some then stopped and gained some again. It's an endless cycle actually. But now I don't want to settle for just barely making it to normal, I want to get pass that and really get fit.

    Your words however made me wonder and ask myself that question and my immediate thought was to celebrate and eat some favorite food Ive been avoiding.. And I guess that mentality is the beginning of another downfall. I guess I really need some reflection and mind setting.. Thanks!

    Glad that I could help you on your path! My boyfriend and I love to eat, and after I put on 30 pounds in six weeks last summer (zyprexa caused violent sugar cravings), he followed suit over the course of the winter and gained at least 20. Oops! We've both lost the weight, but we've bickered about what methods to use and what foods to eat. When my doctor suggested an elimination diet for ongoing stomach pain, he was hurt at first that I refused to eat things or take unaccounted bites, but he got over it when he realized I was a whole lot happier for it.

    Eat with your family! Maybe not everything that they eat in the portions that they eat, but keep the ritual. If you like cooking, find things that you can eat with your family. My roommate and I keep entirely different diets, but we always agree on taco night and fruit salad! Keep in mind that it's okay to eat a cookie, and you don't have to feel guilty for saying no to a second. I mean, unless they're really tiny cookies. I'm talking about cookies a lot because I just ate a cookie, and I still need to tell myself that I don't need a second. Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is eat like a saint at home, so you have some extra calories for social time!

    If they still aren't on board with your moderation, use the ulcer card. Not only have I been yoyo dieting for ten years, but I managed to destroy my gallbladder. It's not entirely related, but it's enough that I don't want to go back to over feeding myself. Besides, I want my body to make new tissue out of foods that make my skin look nicer and my hair grow faster. Wanting to look healthy is not the same as being vain!

    Good luck! Add me as a friend, and maybe you'll be able to avoid some of my pitfalls!
  • Simply_Yulz
    Simply_Yulz Posts: 35 Member
    I'm with you girl! I lost 10 last year. Then had to spend my summer studying for my law exam. So I didn't go anywhere. Gained the 10 back plus about another 30. So from needed to lose 25. I now need to lose 50....
    I have so much troubles sticking to it nowadays to where my boyfriend won't believe that I'll Stick to it till he sees results.
    re joined the gym and am going today.
    But I have bad issues with sticking to it even though my clothing doesn't fit and I hate looking in the mirror and not making excuses ....
    I need help!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Stop dieting and make a lifestyle change.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Only worked for me because as I was cutting calories I was considering what I would have to do in maintenance

    I made maintenance my goal

    It's actually only 250 calories a day extra...not a whole lot ...so not thinking that I get to a number and wham! But I get to a number and I have to keep all of this up but I get an extra bowl of icecream or another snack and that's all

    Make the dieting work for you and plan for maintenance
  • stephaniejoypm
    stephaniejoypm Posts: 4 Member
    @Simply_Yulz I guess we all do have some difficulty sticking to a healthy diet and lifestyle specially when we're used to the opposite of it. I've been to the gym since last January to lose the unbelievable holiday weight gain. and true enough, I was able to shed it plus more. but when April came and we had a two-week long family reunion(unbelievable? well, its really possible specially when your relatives live continents away) wherein there's like a feast daily, my hard work for 3 months went down the drain like nothing... So now, Im just tired of the cycle.. I really need to change and get all the help that I can... let's do this!
  • Simply_Yulz
    Simply_Yulz Posts: 35 Member
    stephaniejoypm wrote: »
    @Simply_Yulz I guess we all do have some difficulty sticking to a healthy diet and lifestyle specially when we're used to the opposite of it. I've been to the gym since last January to lose the unbelievable holiday weight gain. and true enough, I was able to shed it plus more. but when April came and we had a two-week long family reunion(unbelievable? well, its really possible specially when your relatives live continents away) wherein there's like a feast daily, my hard work for 3 months went down the drain like nothing... So now, Im just tired of the cycle.. I really need to change and get all the help that I can... let's do this!
    We'll kick *kitten*!!!! I signed up for 2 dietbets for additional motivation and so far so gooD!!!

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