Gained it all back!

Last year I lost a bunch of weight. I started at 185 and got down to 158. Like you I stopped worrying about calories and weighing my food. I started eating fast food on the regular. Before I knew it my weight had creeped back up to 185. I decided I needed to make this a lifestyle. In April I started back at it again. Starting weight was around 187. As of today I'm back down to 161 (hopefully lower once TOM is gone). I don't really have any advice as it's going to be a test for me. I just need to have the strength to make it a lifestyle change once and for all.

This is me exactly, total yo-yo dieter. This time I'm taking it slowly, tracking everything I eat, exercising more and generally just making healthier choices. I think I will need to always use MFP even once I reach target, to maintain, but that's ok. This time I also aim to keep weighing myself regularly to keep myself in check, rather than falling off the wagon hard and living in denial!

heathershaw4785 wrote: »

I am writing this with the hopes of getting the support I need to succeed again. I am 31 years old and started my weight loss journey at 23 when I lost thirty pounds the first time. I had gone from a size 14 to a size 8 and did okay for a while. I reverted back to my old habits (not tracking, large portions, regular alcohol consumption, dessert nightly...) and a few years later I was in the same boat, another 20+ pounds to lose. That was in 2012 and I decided to join weight watchers. A year later I had met my goal weight four months shy of my wedding. Now fast forward three years later and I am a few pounds away from my heaviest... again.

I stopped attending weight watcher meetings after I reached my lifetime goal because I wanted to focus on eating healthy not just counting points. That didn't last long and I began eating big portions and not making smart choices. However, I was still weighing myself and getting moderate exercise. Well that has all gone out the window as well. I stepped on the scale today for the first time in months and am right back where I was all those years ago when this journey started.

Today is a brand new day and I intend to start off fresh. My intention is to track everything I eat and step up my workout game. Have any of you had to start over with your weight loss journey? Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated!

Oh God... I have had to restart many times. At my heaviest I was 268 lbs. An now 195 and have found that mfp really DOES work.... But I do have to weigh daily to keep on track.

How many lb/kg are you hoping to lose, btw? I suspect we may be similar.

heathershaw4785 wrote: »

I am writing this with the hopes of getting the support I need to succeed again. I am 31 years old and started my weight loss journey at 23 when I lost thirty pounds the first time. I had gone from a size 14 to a size 8 and did okay for a while. I reverted back to my old habits (not tracking, large portions, regular alcohol consumption, dessert nightly...) and a few years later I was in the same boat, another 20+ pounds to lose. That was in 2012 and I decided to join weight watchers. A year later I had met my goal weight four months shy of my wedding. Now fast forward three years later and I am a few pounds away from my heaviest... again.

I stopped attending weight watcher meetings after I reached my lifetime goal because I wanted to focus on eating healthy not just counting points. That didn't last long and I began eating big portions and not making smart choices. However, I was still weighing myself and getting moderate exercise. Well that has all gone out the window as well. I stepped on the scale today for the first time in months and am right back where I was all those years ago when this journey started.

Today is a brand new day and I intend to start off fresh. My intention is to track everything I eat and step up my workout game. Have any of you had to start over with your weight loss journey? Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated!

I think you just told my life story...I am in the same boat and have been in this boat too many times. I am focused at working hard to lose it and this time keep it off. MFP is a great tool and is keeping me on track. I have about 65 lbs to lose. I am trying to do it slow and making lifestyle changes I know I can continue. My weight is kind of at a standstill after losing the last 2 weeks. I feel lighter, but the scale is not reflecting it. I trying to focus off the number and go with how I feel. Ordered a tape measure to do some measurements.....WE CAN DO THIS!! Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like!

-Tena

I do find maintenance kind of harder than weight loss, but also when you're at maintenance you have already reached a goal and come a long way. Make sure you never forget all the work you did, and make sure whatever you decide to do, you can do for the rest of your life. Balancing calories for people struggling with weight is somehow not as intituitive as it is for "naturally" slim people. I do believe in many cases it is necessary to track permanently because it is the only way to have a sense of what your energy intake actually is. And that is the key of weight management.

I've been doing the up and down my whole life. This changed when I joined MFP. I'm not saying MFP is what changed it. Rather, it was my mindset. Tracking calories is not the goal. It's just a way of measuring while you figure out how to eat better. I find it to be a lot of rethinking my relationship with food. Here are some examples of what changed for me. When I sit down to a meal now, the first thing I do is take stock of what will be served. If I don't see, I'll ask. My wife knows that I always ask if she has any surprises lined up. This way, if there's a desert I really like, I'll eat a bit less during the meal. I also make sure never to be full if there's another course coming up. I used to eat whatever was put in front of me. Now, I'll decide before I start eating what I will eat and what I'll leave over. Another thing is not to put too much in my plate. For example, if I'm eating a steak at a BBQ, I'll put half in my plate and half in middle of the table. If I want more, I will take some more guilt free. But that way I don't eat it all if I'm already full.
Living with this mindset helps you feel satisfied after every meal. I never feel deprived or even that I want more after a meal. Quite the opposite. I used to feel horrible after overeating at a big meal. I feel so much better now.
Another thing is that I don't cut out any food that I really like. I have ice cream about once in two weeks. I plan for it and eat it guilt free.

Bottom line, don't let counting calories be the end goal. Use it to know that you're eating the right amount.

I'm 5'7'' too and was aiming for about 136lb to 140lb, which is where I've been before and felt and looked a lot better (all my weight goes on my stomach and legs). This time I may stop at being a little heavier as I'd like to tone up and add some slight muscle definition so I'll see how I get on. This time I reached 168lb, which was my heaviest, and am currently just over 154lb, so about half way there I guess. It's all a bit rough as I tend to weigh in kg.