PLEASE HELP!!!

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santd
santd Posts: 234 Member
in Motivation and Support
Every time I lose weight in my life (4 times now) I never finish getting to the correct weight for my height & build. I'm finding it really difficult to lose those last pounds. Please, please someone help. My story is, I keep losing between 12-14 stones(196 pounds) 4 times in my adult life, but never lose those last 14-20 pounds. Then gain it all back on due to feeling a failure.

I weight out and usually bar scan my food in so calorie counting is accurate. I try to keep to 1200. I changed my diet to low carb after Christmas which has helps with controlling cravings and feeling full. But after a 2 stone weight loss from Christmas my weight just keeps going up and down 4 pounds aarrhhhh...... I walk around 20 K steps per day.

Any help to kick start my weight loss and to get to 139 pounds would be great I'm 159 pounds again, and again. HELP!!

Replies

  • Modern_athena
    Modern_athena Posts: 81 Member
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    Have you tried intermittent fasting?
  • santd
    santd Posts: 234 Member
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    I find I eat more the day afterwards, because of my hunger.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    Stop beating yourself up over what you have not accomplished YET. Okay so the last few pounds are hard to loose. People on here say it all of the time. You just have to be patient. Be proud of what you have accomplished and accept that you will never be perfect. Seriously while I understand that you want to be a certain weight, keep in mind that many of use out in the world have much much bigger struggles. We would love to have your particular problem.

  • santd
    santd Posts: 234 Member
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    I was looking for help!! and perhaps suggestions...I don't want to be perfect but if I'm not a certain weight then my knee operations will get worse, and to be honest I don't wish to discuss my disabilities with anyone, or the operations I've had either. Yes we've all got problems, I'm not taking about those, just looking for some help on diet tips .....that's what MFP is about isn't it!!! So sahadowfox-c11 sorry I seem to have offended but please don't make assumptions I don't have any other struggles than my weight problem....
  • Sandcastles61
    Sandcastles61 Posts: 506 Member
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    First off, congratulations on such a fabulous loss :) I can attest to the fact the final pounds seem to be painfully slow...... For me that is about half pound every2-3weeks if I am lucky :/ Don't give up! I have had several friends move to maintenance calories for a couple weeks then back down to their deficit to tackle the last few pounds. It might be worth a try??
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    what you need is a last 20/25 lbs plan that deals with all your previous mistakes and incorporates the tips that everyone else uses. You clearly know how to lose weight, but you should also have another plan for maintenance ready imo thats the bigger issue considering your history.

    For the last 20lbs it always involves tighetning your logging.
    Checking your eatback from burns or burns are accurate.
    Being patient realistic and consistent.

    Be aware your feeling of failure is counterproductive, so you are going to have to change your mindset. If you are at a consistent accurate deficit you will lose. You just have to stick with it.
  • julielittle51
    julielittle51 Posts: 21 Member
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    Have you tried changing up or adding to your exercise? I'm not to the last few pounds yet so I don't know what that's like, the frustration. But when I hit a spell where I'm level or gaining a few pounds, I change up my workout. Maybe it isn't what's helping but it keeps me going.
  • kellycasey5
    kellycasey5 Posts: 486 Member
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    Then gain it all back on due to feeling a failure..... THIS is the issue here.

    You know how to lose weight. You have lost enormous amounts of weight multiple times. You don't need to "kickstart" the weightloss. A plain old fashioned slow and steady plan will work just fine!

    I would suggest looking into that (the gain due to feeling a failure) and working on that. Losing 196 pounds is FANTASTIC! To not lose another 12 pounds derails you after this "failure"? My dear we differ on our opinion of failure!

    Find someone (coach, counsellor, dear friend, psychiatrist, psychologist, motivational speaker, doctor, whoever it is you trust and will really work with) and get to the bottom of this. If this has happened 4 times, you can be fairly certain nothing will change the 5th time unless you do.

    Work on redefining your ideas of success, work on the underlying issue about the last 12-14 pounds (because it really isn't ever about the pound weight issue), maybe work on changing the ultimate goal if necessary and try that out. It isn't the easiest, and involves being honest with yourself about yourself.

    Perhaps a support group for those that are overweight may be of benefit.

    Just a few thoughts....because you have worked so hard and that scale can be a real PITA sometimes :)
  • dinobomp
    dinobomp Posts: 170 Member
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    I agree with Kelly above. There is a deep issue here, if you have done close to 200# FOUR times!!!!! You need a special person to keep you motivated for those last pounds, and reevaluate if those last pounds are worth this agony!!! Could you maybe maintain where you are and be happy??? You have been truly successful, don't throw all that work away again,PLEASE!!!
    If you must lose the additional weight, try LCHF. Studies prove that it works, and it might be just what you need to finish this up. (Just google "low carb high fat diet" and you will find multiple sites to go to.) I believe diet doctor.com also supports LCHF. My son lost over 100# on it in mere months...
    Diane
  • dinobomp
    dinobomp Posts: 170 Member
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    P.S. I would give all my earthly possessions to weigh 159# again!!!! I'll bet you look great!!!
  • reeves45
    reeves45 Posts: 55 Member
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    I agree with the above posts. What an amazing job, how hard was losing that weight. Maybe talking to some one would help. Congrats on your hard work, sounds like you kind of sabotage yourself, maybe it is a challenge to lose the weight, maybe that is why you gain it back, you keep looking for a challenge.
  • emmaps55
    emmaps55 Posts: 54 Member
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    I guess my question would be, why do you "gain it all back due to feeling a failure?" Everyone here -- and I join them -- think wow, what a success story! You've lost a huge amount of weight, and you've managed to do it 4 times-- more gumption than I know I would have. I know you've said you need to get to your goal because of your knees. Okay, so the first step would be: How to prevent the regain? How do you maintain the loss you have made so far -- all but the last 14-20 lbs, without starting to gain it back. The key thing would be how to give yourself the time/platform to stabilize that loss while you prepare to make the final push downwards.

    Here's what I might suggest you think about: What if you called the weight you reached (the 14-20 lbs above your final goal) your "temporary goal weight" ) 1) you're already a success, you've reached your temporary goal weight! 2) decide how long you want to work to maintain that temporary goal weight. Maybe 3 months or 6 months, whatever it takes to maintain that weight. 3) at the end of that time period, go back into diet mode -- decrease your calories or increase your exercise to get a reasonable deficit that will let you lose 2-3 lbs a month (ie, 233 calories deficit a day will get you 2 lbs a month) 4) allow yourself a good length of time (6-10 months) to slowly move down towards your final goal.

    The reason I suggest this is that I have lost the same 15-20 lbs multiple times in my life. THis time I'm going o do it differently, so that I NEVER again regain that weight. So I am looking very carefully at a plan to handle the whole question of maintenance.

    While I'm losing now, I'm gathering a lot of data on what it takes to lose this weight, what kind of deficit per week/month etc. So that when I get to the point of maintaining my weight, I am going to have a very clear idea of what numbers I need to hit each week to maintain it.

    And along the way, I have set up "mini-goals" (ie, lose 4 lbs in the 4 weeks till my sister visits) -- so as I achieve each mini-goal, I know I am a success at it!

    Anyway, wishing you the very best!
  • santd
    santd Posts: 234 Member
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    Thank you for your constructive suggestions. It's given me a lot to consider. At least I'm aware of my weaknesses, I just need to find a way mentally, rather than dietary.
  • BumbleBreeBuzz
    BumbleBreeBuzz Posts: 83 Member
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    Sometimes our body gets into a groove. I would suggest changing up what you eat. Still stick to 1200 calories a day but may try some new recipes if you always eat the same thing. Instead of walking, try cycling or something different. It could just be that your body is comfortable maintaining what you have been doing and you need to mix it up a bit!
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,204 Member
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    Definitely try changing things up. Eat a little more, ramp up the exercise a couple days a week. Do different exercises. Do it at different times. It always worked when I got stuck. I have kept mine off for 3 years.
  • gothicfires
    gothicfires Posts: 240 Member
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    The one thing I want to suggest that has nothing to do with loosing more weight, be proud of the weight you have lost. Remember keeping that off is a life time commitment. The reason it gets harder to lose weight as you get closer to your goal is because the less you weigh the less calories your body needs and the less calories your exercise expends. So just aim to stay healthy with the way you eat and exercise and let the weight come off when it comes off.
  • santd
    santd Posts: 234 Member
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    Thank you all, it's working. I've mixed it up and doing it all different, and I'm losing again thank you.
  • Martymchugh
    Martymchugh Posts: 1 Member
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    Just stay consistant do what youve been doing to get to where you are. for the last few punds tighten up on your calorie counting and slowely reduce calories, or increase exersise to tip the equation in your favour
  • santd
    santd Posts: 234 Member
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    Consistency & determination is the combination for the end, that's where I've always given up. But I have determination now. I think I got disappointed with small or no results. But I'm smaller now that's to be expected. Thanks again, I've found it really helpful.

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