Successful weight loss from yoyo dieters? What did it for you?

hiyomi
hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
edited March 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been on the yo-yo diet train for over 5 years now. I've lost weight and gained it over and over again through the years. I've been bouncing up and down between 250-290 lbs. I see a lot of success stories from people, but I wanted to also find success stories for people with the same problem as me. I also want to know what finally made you all your weight and how you kept it off. I know some people will say its just willpower etc, but anyone coming from a yo-yo diet past will know its not always that easy. So what did it for you that helped you finally lose and keep off your weight after years of yoyo dieting?

I know my issues, I know what I do wrong, I know how to stop it, but I continually go back to unhealthy eating and gaining weight over and over again, how can I stop it?..

Its hard to tell myself that I will count calories and exercise and keep my weight off after knowing that I have failed so many times in the past. :/
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Replies

  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    fascha wrote: »
    Understanding the mechanics of why I was losing weight on fad diets (CICO). I didn't KNOW what was behind my weight loss when I followed someone's plan or program. Now that I know it's impossible to screw up lol

    That's one thing I don't do though, I do not follow any fad diets, I simply count calories and eat what I like as long as its within in my calorie range. Until I stop...and then gain weight again.. I know my problems/issues, its stopping them that I can't seem to do.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    @fascha wrote what I was going to say. Once I figured out what to focus on (a calorie deficit), it became much easier.

    No need for a plan, no need for a program (although if you find one you like, you can use one). Just consistently meet your calorie goal, pay attention to what types of foods and meal timings help you consistently meet that goal, and enjoy your life.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    it's not willpower, it's finding what works for you...for me it's LCHF which keeps cravings away and makes me feel satisfied on fewer calories.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    I'm not yet a success, but am on my longest streak since I got on this yo-yo train three years ago. Six months as of yesterday! The thing that is different this time is location. I moved from a food culture in Las Vegas to an outdoors culture in the suburbs of Reno. Changing my environment made it suddenly easy. I know moving to the mountains is not a practical solution for most people, but looking at what in your life is throwing up barriers to your weight loss could help. For me it was the delicious food everywhere and always an excuse to celebrate anything or to skip cooking dinner. Just because I was surrounded by great food didn't mean I needed to eat out more than once a week or couldn't choose wisely when I did. For me it took moving across the state to realize what my problem was. I hope you can gain some introspection without any major life changes.
  • DietPrada
    DietPrada Posts: 1,171 Member
    I yoyo dieted for 20 years. I can't remember a time when I couldn't tell you how many calories were in everything. I tracked my food and then caved because I couldn't deal with the hunger anymore, and then stopped tracking until I'd gained back everything I lost and then some. I would have done this 500 times, easily. Every time I hated myself a bit more. I could not stop eating, I would be good all day and then go back and forth to the fridge from dinner to bed time. I'm a smart educated woman, I know all of the theory behind losing weight, the ways to deal with binging, all of it. But I could not put it into practice.

    Low carb honestly changed my life. That feeling after a few day where that gnawing hunger goes away and you finally have control of your appetite is the most liberating thing I've ever felt. 4 years ago I decided to drop my carbs to 20g a day or less, and eat a diet consisting of meat, dairy, and green veg. I've never looked back. And I'm 80lbs lighter.
  • susb
    susb Posts: 90 Member
    I dropped the term I'm going on a diet. Instead, I thought of it more as I am going to set up a healthy eating plan in order to lose weight. Once I lost every lost pound, I added 300-400 calories to my plan to maintain my healthy weight. Whenever I gain a few pounds, I revert to the deficit in my healthy eating plan and I am soon on my way back to where I want to be. I never say, I am on a diet. To me, this is like setting myself up for failure. I tell myself instead that I am eating correctly in order to lose weight and afterwards, to maintain it.
  • mjffey
    mjffey Posts: 72 Member
    These might not pertain to you but, just in case, I will mention them. My mother has been a yo-yoer for the last 40 years but she has maintained for almost two years now and this is what she did differently this time -

    She lost much slower. She actually set her daily calorie goal to what it would be at her desired maintenance weight and lost quite slowly - but she has had a much easier time keeping it off.

    She never added extra exercise to meet a goal. In the past she would meet her weekly goals by working out until she hit them (she was v. inspired by the Biggest Loser style weight loss). This last time around she only did what exercise she thought she could maintain on a regular basis.

    And third- and I think this was the biggest one - she took diet breaks. She would maintain at the level she was at for a few weeks to a couple of months at a time. It took her almost 3 years to lose 70 pounds (1 year to lose the last 10) - but she has maintained for two years now.


  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    edited March 2017
    Yo yo dieting taught me that it's tiring, ineffective, time consuming, depressing, expensive in some cases, not sustainable and it doesn't work. Mfp has sincerely been the ONLY weight loss journey im dedicated to and excited about. These forums help me tremendously, thanks to everyone that posts :smile:
  • GYATagain
    GYATagain Posts: 141 Member
    I yo-yo'd for more than 30 years. I have done them all... crash diet, all the fad diets, all the commercial plans -- I wish I had back all the $$$$ I spent over the years on books, plans, and foods. It truly is a mindset - not a; I will only eat 1 lettuce leaf until I reach my goal weight - then I will Know how to keep it off. Not so! Changing my brain is what has kept the weight off now going on 4 years. Yes, I still must be vigilant - that depressed me for a while and I fell off - no, jumped off the rails. Now I know my health is what is important. My change of brain came after being so incredibly tired of being sick and tired. Now, life is GREAT! I eat high calorie buttery fatty sugary things now and then - before it was all the time - constant. However, if I thought I could never ever ever have tortilla chips/salsa or Oreos again -- forget about it! My brain change was what can I ADD to my diet to optimize my health - not what do I need to give up. Adding loads of veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean protein is so much easier on the brain and body than "giving up" everything and so much more filling.
  • LisaTcan
    LisaTcan Posts: 410 Member
    I never was a real yoyo'er, but I have lost and regained a couple of times, and generally struggled with weight. I've maintained a healthy weight for 29 months now. This is what I have done:
    I stopped relying on willpower. I work with my instincts and wants, not against them. I'm not eating food I don't like, just because it's supposed to be "healthy".
    I stopped demonizing food. Now I eat whatever I want, but in moderate amounts.
    I experimented with meal patterns. A lot of different setups have worked. 3 meals per day is the easiest
    I plan my meals and only buy what I need for those meals.

    Agreed. I found strategies that make it easier for me to burn more calories and stay below my calorie limit. So there is less need for willpower.

    - Three meals a day, no snacks
    - More protein, less carbs (not because this is necessary, just because it keeps me full)
    - Finding exercise that I genuinely liked doing (cycling/lifting/walking) and incorporating it into my daily life.