What will you do differently this time?

lthames0810
lthames0810 Posts: 722 Member
in Motivation and Support
I read here all the time about people that have lost weight and later gained it back, sometimes numerous times. Well now I'm one of them. I've only done this once so I figure I'm not a yo-yo dieter. Just a yo.

If I couldn't keep my weight off, then my method must have had some flaws. I've had to think back on what made me stop doing what I was doing. Was there a particular thing I did that was so unpleasant that it was the first to go when the wheels came off?

I've come to the conclusion that I have a limited capacity for being responsible and doing what I'm supposed to do. Getting up in the morning when I'd rather sleep in uses up a slice. Working a stressful job uses up a big chunk. Household and family duties take up a share. Eating right and getting exercise pretty much maxed me out. Just as soon as something changed in my life that added to the demands on my limited supply of discipline, the first thing to go was exercise followed closely by monitoring my calories.

So, to get back to losing weight again, I have to reduce the amount of drag the process takes on my life. It needs to become easier. I have taken the blasphemous step of not worrying so much about good nutrition and just eating what I eat when I'm off the weight loss wagon, just smaller portions. I'm not flogging myself to work out when I don't feel like it. It's working so far...I've lost 15 pounds and it feels effortless. I guess time will tell if this was a good idea or not.

I'm interested to know what others think about their own past weight loss failures and what you're changing this time around.

Replies

  • lisamerrison
    lisamerrison Posts: 90 Member
    In the past I have put on weight when I have returned to my old eating habits essentially. I have been "dieting" for the last 2 years this time. However, I like to think that I am not "dieting" I have changed my lifestyle to eating healthy and being more aware of what calories I am consuming. Over the first year I pretty much lost 2 stone. In the past this would have piled back on in no time and some more to boot! Although I want to lose more weight I am happy to say that I have maintained the 2 stone loss and I am 1kg lighter than I was a year ago! I have weight fluctuations, sometimes as much as 7lb if I have been on holiday but then I am more strict with myself and get it back off again. What I need to do now is to keep the regime going so that I continue to shed the pounds. I have been overweight for 25 years so I can't expect it to come off quickly. This is a lifetime, lifestyle change and slowly, slowly I hope to catch the monkey so to speak.
  • Madwife2009
    Madwife2009 Posts: 1,369 Member
    I always used to lose weight for a particular event - getting married is an example. As a result, once the event had gone, I just went back to my old habits of over-eating and under-exercising.

    This time, I have, and am continuing to, lose weight for me, for my health and hopefully longevity. I have also just been diagnosed with a chronic condition which will be eased by getting to my goal weight (38lbs to go) and maintaining an active life.

    I am learning about nutrition and what I personally need in my diet to maintain MY health.

    I have changed my outlook and habits. I no longer crave foods and no longer see it as "living to eat". I "eat to live".

    I love exercise so that won't be hard to maintain over the long term.

    A lot of it is psychological and this time I was totally ready to do this. I haven't changed that mindset over the last year and cannot see it changing in the future. My health is way too important to be swayed by a chocolate bar, or dropping exercise.
  • mysticatgal1
    mysticatgal1 Posts: 106 Member
    Ready to do this for life! I don't care if I log the rest of my life, I can't look the way I do any longer. I know when I lose weight I can't keep doing what I was and be OK. I know that not eating one bite of something isn't saving me a ton of calories and a hike isn't going to burn the calories of a meal. I had so many cheats in my head that would work temporary but I'm done fooling myself and I'm really done with the way I am. My kids are not going to suffer because I'm too big or tired to play with them and they are going to see me eating well so they have a better understanding of how to be healthy.

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