What happened when I stopped dieting for 7 months?

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After being super committed to the plan for almost a year, I ended up losing just under 40 pounds. From 165 down to 127. I eased into maintenance, then summer came...

I didn't go crazy, but I started eating without counting, plus way more ice cream... a lot of ice cream. So what happened?

I gained 10 pounds. In 7 months. 10.

All of those scary moments during dieting where I felt like my weight loss was going to be completely undone every time I went over my calorie allowance, unnecessary.

So now I will get back to the calorie counting, because I don't want the 10 to slowly turn to 20. Also because all of those size 4 pants are getting way too snug and I threw away all my big clothes.

I hope that this will ease some minds in knowing that all hope is not lost after a bad day or two. But I will say that while dieting, I really stuck to it and it seemed so easy. Now that I am getting back to it, it seems so much harder than I remember. I just need to commit again.

Replies

  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
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    I also took the summer off from maintenance and gained around 10lbs. That actually freaked me out pretty badly because if I hadn't gotten back at it, I would have undone my 50lb loss very quickly (and for me higher weight=higher glucose numbers). It blew my mind that after years of maintenance, and everything I had gone through, that I was able to gain so quickly and easily. Lesson learned, no more maintenance breaks for me :p
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    We live and learn eh.

    What's important is you are back on the horse. Even when we reach goal we still have to keep our eye on the ball.

    It takes a few days to get back into the right frame of mind for eating at deficit but you'll be glad you did.
  • Aetheldreda
    Aetheldreda Posts: 241 Member
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    A similar story here, I was doing really well logging and exercising until grief hit me. Since March this year I gained back almost 19lb! Most of this was piled on from July to October. I am still way under the weight I was when I joined MFP last year :) but I guess for me I will always have to log.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    ach_75 wrote: »
    A similar story here, I was doing really well logging and exercising until grief hit me. Since March this year I gained back almost 19lb! Most of this was piled on from July to October. I am still way under the weight I was when I joined MFP last year :) but I guess for me I will always have to log.

    You might not always have to log, I did initially for first two years at maintenance...then I stopped and no longer need to. I still am mindful though of how much/what I'm eating - that's a good long term habit to keep :smile:
  • maryjay52
    maryjay52 Posts: 557 Member
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    i left the diet industry last year and came back three days ago and found that i lost 16 lbs since i last logged in to myfitnesspal... but im back to dieting and working out now ..i simply did not feel healthy and really need to get this weight off me .