I Have Noticed Many People Returning, Having Regained Their Weight ...

mmapags · August 2017

suzesvelte wrote: »

Angied725 wrote: »

suzesvelte wrote: »

I have lost lots of weight many times, and gradually re-gained some of it over time, everytime. I am not a "crazy" eater gorging on junk food and sweet drinks - never really have been - indeed what I eat is very healthy. It always was mainly based on food I prepped from scratch with lots of fresh ingredients and my intake has been even better quality over the last few years because I was given a terminal cancer diagnosis and decided to use diet and health to extend my life expectancy. I take that very seriously and eat very well.

However we live in a society where food is easily available, and "treats" are piled high almost everywhere we go, so eating within a calorie target takes constant vigilance. I can gain weight by simply eating out once or twice a week, snacking on a few sweet things now and again and adding "too much" oil to my cooking. It's not much but its enough to gradudally pile the pounds back on.

Using MFP to re-focus awareness of portion control and how small a protion of fat has to be to keep calories under control is working for me again. I really WANT this to be the last time, so I am being very serious about learning how maintainers manage to maintain. What the "best" maintainers in here seem to do is KEEP ON IT -> keep weighing yourself regularly and keep monitoring your intake and crank it up if you gain a few pounds to keep on target far more easily than gaining huge amounts before you start again. Basically you cannot stop.

Now that seems like a shock, and rather tedious, but I reckon we have to do that, and realise that THIN people actually do that too. They may not talk about it, but they will have little techniques they use to moderate their intake and compensate for over-indulgence. They might even lie about it, they might say "they can eat anything" - but that is nor true for many people. There might be a few outliers with faster metabolism, etc. Same as some of us maybe have slower metabolisms, but basically in our culture of abundance, being slim requires constant effort.

I have also been reading the Beck Diet Solution which was recommended in these forums. This author is a doctor who helps many fat people. She really gets into the head of a fat person and shows you how "thin" people think and manage to stay slim. I strongly recommend this book if you want to change the way you THINK about food and eating as a maintenance as well as a loss thing. It is very helpful to realise that THIN people DO exert vigilance, even if you don't notice that they do. This book is teaching me to "think like a thin person" .. and it is very enpowering. Most of my "bad" habits are based on faulty logic and a sense of "unfairness" about how hard it is to stay slim. Giving up that sense of injustice might be my biggest step to successful loss and maintenance.

I hope so!

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I have read many articles on holistic and alternative approaches to cancer treatment. A lot of what they say is all about diet and nutrition....it sounds like you're doing an excellent job of giving your body what it needs. Miracles happen everyday. You're wisdom and courage is truly inspiring! God bless you and thanks for sharing!

Thanks for your kindness, but only fair to say -
my terminal diagnosis is a thing of the past, because my secondaries grew so slowly (I think helped by my holisitic self-care stuff) that they later offered my more surgery that they initially wouldn't consider because I had secondary tumours on both lungs at that time .. in the end one of them didn't grow at all - now assumed to have been killed off by chemo and I have had lung surgery on the one that did keep slowly growing and I am actually cancer-free atm, and keep on the programme to stay that way.

So glad to hear this!! I have a daughter who is a survivor of metastatic breast cancer and she is doing great at keeping the cancer at bay with diet and other holistic treatment integrated with the traditional treatment. She was also given a terminal diagnosis but she is gonna be around for awhile!! Congrats to you!

Snooozie · August 2017

I lost around 60 pounds over 2 years here on MFP, and hit my goal weight - then "flunked" maintenance! Like others I had been a yo yo dieter all my life but never actually lost a significant amount til I came here.. Once I hit my goal weight I was so thrilled i had FINALLY lost all the excess weight i'd carried for years..... I Got complacent and I admit also a little bit cocky...like I was "done'. And even when I saw a few pounds creeping up here and there I simply told myself it was just 5 lbs.. no worries.. and of course i avoided the scale... til I finally realized the creeping had turned into 30lbs regained

I never left MFP or my wonderful group - I just used it as a social interaction, forgetting why I came here in the first place. Happily I've found my way again tho and well on the way back to goal weight, and taking the lessons I learned with me!

Melionfire · August 2017

I have lost 50 to 75 pounds three times in my life. This is my fourth time and I have lost 63 of my 85 pound goal. I gained weight really fast during puberty and found myself at 200 pounds at 13 with high blood pressure. This scared me and I went through very unhealthy measure so lose weight. It was the early 90s and all I knew was eat less and workout. So I went to the extreme with both. I kept the weight off tI'll college when the freshman 15 turned into 75. I was miserable and ended up deciding to take a year off of school. I again lost the weight in the same method and kept it off thanks to a physical job cleaning businesses. Then I moved got a muh less active and more stressful job and bam I was 207 by my wedding at which point I discovered mfp and lost 23 pounds before finding out I was pregnant. Decided to forget the fit life and bam I was up to 220 after having my first. Went back on mfp and lost 52 pounds but then started that stressful job and let it take over my life. Gained about half the weight back before finding out I was pregnant again. This time i was 235 after having my baby and felt defeated. But I knew mfp worked and now that I am done having kids I know I can stick to it. My deficit is moderate I workout 30 to 40 minutes a day and educate myself on nutrition and exercise every chance i get. I love that mfp has simplified the process for me. Taking the guesswork out has allowed me to lose the weight the healthy weight and will also help me during maintenance.

perkymommy · August 2017

Would you have stayed on mfp longer, tracking, until you had been in maintenance for a year? I definitely would have hung in there and stayed faithful on MFP.

Would you have lost weight less aggressively so that it was easier to adjust to maintenance? Probably so. I got to goal in less than 6 months last time.

Was your entire focus on the weight loss rather than on changing your entire lifestyle? Yes, for the most part it was. I was trying to get slim real fast before summer got here.

Did something health related come up that caused you to 'fall off the proverbial wagon' ? No.

I learned a couple of things the last time I lost weight and got to goal and it was (1) that I lost the weight way too fast and got to goal in under six months and I should have made it more of a lifestyle change and went slower with the weight loss, and (2) no matter how long I weighed/measured my food I was not ready to just guess at portion sizes just because I reached my goal.

curiouskate · August 2017

Having lost over 100 lb and kept it off for years and gained it back... twice! At this point I think the simple truth is that's the way it is for me. I did treat it as a "lifestyle" the last time, but the truth is, things don't stay the same. Going to the gym 6 times a week and paying attention to every calorie requires an amount of dedication almost nobody can sustain forever. Keeping weight off is hard work- just as hard as losing it. I know myself by now and I know that I will be up and down probably until the day I die. The only other choice is to just stay up.

To be specific, last time, after maintaining a 100+ lb loss for about 4 years through constant vigilance, I started having health problems (back pain, dizziness) that cut into my workout time. Then my beloved cats died and I got pretty depressed and didn't want to do anything. Then the real kicker was being forced to move farther from work and having to commute. It's so much harder to find the time now.

Anyway, not to be a total downer but life is like that- you will think you got it, you can continue for life, but things happen and we aren't robots. I think it's healthier for me to recognize that. I will never maintain a "normal" weight forever. It's always going to be a give and take. And I think it's like that for most of us who have been obese, especially if we first got that way as kids/teens. But almost nobody wants to look at reality. We are all hoping something will be different, a magic solution, a right way.

Sorry, it doesn't exist.

yirara · August 2017

So I wrong above that I gained weight back due to some massive downsides in my life and falling into depression. It wasn't too bad though: I only gained back about 17lbs over 6 months (gosh, 6 months being depressed) while having lost about 40 originally. So no big drama.

7elizamae · August 2017

OliveGirl128 wrote: »

nowine4me wrote: »

OliveGirl128 wrote: »

Great thread Op! There's so much emphasis in the dieting industry about the weight loss phase, but no one talks about what happens 'after ', and that's where most people end up failing. Hopefully threads like this one will help others see some of the potential pit falls that can happen and they can come up with strategies to avoid them

The bottom line....the "after" is the exact same as the "diet" with a handful more calories. So make sure to do it in a way you can live with. Forever.

Yep, the forever part is the biggie-the maintenance phase is for 20, 30, 40+ years vs the weight loss phase, which is a few months to a couple years usually. People don't mentally prepare themselves for what that actually means and only focus on the short term.

Yes to this! I'm here on MFP without ever having been overweight. However, I did put some weight on gradually without even noticing -- from eating mindlessly, mostly. I realized how easy it would be to become overweight, and started keeping track here on MFP. I imagine I'll keep doing so for a long time. I also have a Fitbit -- not perfect, but helpful in keeping me on track.

Without paying attention, I know I'd become overweight; there is just too much food everywhere, all the time nowadays.

joe4975 · August 2017

Gained / lost / gained / all through my mid 40s. At 45, hit 404 lbs. Had weight loss surgery (at 45), lost 200 lbs. Now seven years later, still down 200 lbs, and I use things like MFP to keep it that way. MFP is the best tracker I've used yet. If I don't track, I regain. This last time, I regained to 220, but now am back down at 200 using MFP, and I am still losing. This time I am adding strength training to rebuild lost bulk with muscle. MFP will be a huge part of that.

EnderMako1987 · August 2017

I started at 192, lost 35lbs. Then I got pregnant. After the pregnancy was over I was at 178lbs. Now I have a diabetes risk so I'm really trying to keep the weight down. I'm down to 173. You just have to stay dedicated while in maintenance.

Windrunner666 · August 2017

I stopped because it was hard counting calories and tracking every meal. I didin't put on weight after I quit, but just maintained what I had. Now I am experimenting with portion control and eating less than I think it's enough and I started loosing weight again. It's easier for me this way since I'm not restricting certain food types eg if i want chocholate I will have chocholate.

Unknown · August 2017

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DrewJ74 · August 2017

docc30 wrote: »

I was doing great, losing weight, working with a trainer, and definitely getting in better shape. Then, my daughter had medical issues that put her in the hospital for a week. I was still okay, but slowed down a little. Two months later, my wife was diagnosed with cancer. Then, my son-in-law was killed in a car crash. Lastly, my other daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. During it all, I gained all the weight back. I've been back at it for 40 days. I'll get there again.

Sometimes life throw's you a curve ball or two Docc30, I hope you manage to reach and maintain your goal. By the sounds of it you've had more balls than most thrown at you. Good Luck for tomorrow and every other tomorrow.

mathiseasy · August 2017

This is a great thread.

I've lost 50lb twice in my life and now have to do it again. First was after college, where I gained the freshman 50 (not 15

) and lost it and hit my highest fitness level in my life. Then I got married (+10lb) and then pregnant, where my weight shot up 75lb. Lost 50 of that, then surprise! Pregnant again, and I'm only up 40 from my goal weight now.

The first time I lost weight, I was convinced you had to eat clean and that's how I did it. Cringe. Now using MFP, I can have my cake and eat it too, literally, and still lose weight.

Losing weight is a numbers game to me. I like to count calories because I am a control freak and it gives me a sense of control over my body science

Maxxitt · August 2017

I lost about 50# over 18 months - first half with weight watchers and second half with MFP. I weighed solid food, measured liquid food, determined that to maintain at age 65 (5'6") at 147-153, lifting weights 2-3 times a week and walking ~30 miles a week, I could eat about 1600 calories each day. The data collected over 6 months were pretty compelling. Over the last 18 months, various things have impeded the calories-out side of the equation - an incredibly icy winter that made walks "creeps" and slow, short ones at that, injuries, illness, I have gained back about 20# over 18 months. Sounds drastic, but it's just a bit over a pound a month, which translates into a surplus of 100-150 calories a day. And it crept on. So, I am healthy again, back lifting and walking and weighing every morsel. It is what it is.

okohjacinda · August 2017

I started out at 272 two years ago and lost 80lbs within those two years (so I was down to 192). I still had about 60-70lbs to go but I was so depressed throughout the whole process about how I looked and binged throughout. I would have lost the weight alot faster had I not binged the whole time.

And needless to say I gained it all back plus 2 pounds in less than 8 months. This time around I am focused, not comparing myself to others, and keeping a positive mind and so far have not binged and have lost more weight in the past two months than I have ever lost in my entire life (in 2 months) and I eat pretty much the same just smaller portions and moving a lot more.

What I would advise for anyone who is on a weight loss journey is first, get your mental ready for weight loss because it is as much as being mentally taxing as it is being physically taxing. Second, don't compare yourself to anyone throughout your weight loss. And last but not least, love and take pride in yourself at every step of the way!

grannypuss · August 2017

I'm back again at MFP (maybe my 3rd visit). Lat year I lost maybe 10 kg (23 lbs ish) & felt really good tracking my food & macros etc - & was following a Keto plan. I was enthusiastic & had lots of energy & as well as (road) biking a lot was also going to the gym. My weight loss had plateaued at about 90 kg though & wasnt budging, but then I got sick. Various ailments like vertigo, which led to drug reactions, then a nasty few months with recurring gallbladder attacks, finally surgery. I completely fell off the fitness & eating well wagon, plus its been winter here in NZ, & only now am realising that once again I am back at Square 1. August will be a good month to start, Spring is just around the corner - but I so dont want to keep living my life on this loop. Oh to get past my mindblocking elusive 90kg stumbling block & feel fit & healthy all the time. Lets do this.

KettleTO · August 2017

I started to think "I got this" or "this my new normal". I stopped being so rigorous with logging thinking my activity would cover the extras. I went on vacation that was very active and I could snack and eat dessert every night at dinner. Those habits didn't stop with my return.

I've recommitted to tracking and know that I have to be strict on days where I don't exercise or do little. I only eat ~50-75% of my exercise calories back because I know I'm not perfect with the tracking and weighing/measuring of food. I also weigh myself weekly no matter how I think the week went.

Lastly, I'm more focused on the journey than the process/path. Said less like an affirmation...I focus on fitness and my health, how my clothes fit and less on the number on the scale.

rankinsect · August 2017

Well, it started with a deliberate upping of my calories in order to train harder for one of my fitness goals (which I did in February - I climbed Kilimanjaro on my sabbatical). I knew I'd put on a handful of pounds then, but intended to get back into things in March. Well, March ended up becoming late July, in part due to a lot of stress and work-related travel. Didn't help that my hotel was right between two pretty good cheesesteak restaurants and right next to an excellent frogurt shop, either

. Overall with the stress and travel it was hard to re-establish good habits so a day or two of logging frequently made it no further.

Thankfully, in the grand scheme of things, I gained back 30 pounds out of about 140 I'd initially lost, so I caught things before they slid all the way back.

fiddletime · August 2017

My third time back and almost at goal weight. Same as many others. The first two times I thought "I can do this" and got really tired of constantly logging, so I started mentally guessing calories. That worked for awhile but the slip up meals became more frequent and I started gaining weight so, of course, I stopped weighing myself. When I was up two pants sizes and on the verge of needing new clothes yet again, I came back.

I've always exercised and have done some strenuous activity or another for 40 years (I'm 62). I know that exercising, or not, doesn't affect my weight. It's eating. I also only gain 25 pounds, then hit the breaks, and have done this most of my life. But at 5'2", it's getting harder to lose and I need some healthier habits, and methods for when I do slip up because of life.

curvymegan89 · August 2017

I lost 15kgs (33lbs) 5-6years ago. I was so close to finally leaving the obese range, but have since gained it all back, plus more.
My lifestyle was very different back then, and I lost the weight very quickly. I was still a student, and working part time, which left me with more time to exercise. I also had days where I slept in late, and would save all my calories for the day for a 1100 calorie meal at KFC, then do a 7km walk a couple of hours later.
My goal was on weight loss, and it wasn't sustainable. These days my goal is to be fitter and healthier, and I'm focusing on having a positive relationship with food. I have 30kgs to lose to reach my goal weight.

hiyomi · August 2017

I lost 30 lbs the first time I started MFP and the gym. My mistake was stopping. I stopped because I was lazy or "busy". I've learned I cannot lose weight without using MFP. My only thing I would change is telling myself not to stop, stop making excuses, and stop being lazy!

MelissaLimeKiwi · August 2017

I've been on a yo yo since 2013. Before that I was maintaining pretty effortlessly even though I always wanted to lose 5-10 more pounds but I was at a healthy weight.
I got it in my head that I could stop "dieting" and still maintain. I went crazy with no restrictions. I put on weigh super fast.
I think you have to remember that a healthy diet is something you can't just walk away from once you are comfortable at your weight. You have to make healthy choices for the rest of your life! Once your off restrictions it's hard to go back on them. So that's why I've been yo yo-ing. Like always telling myself I can be healthy "tomorrow".

mmarshall74 · August 2017

I started at 330 and diagnosis of diabetes. I lost 90lbs in little over a year. I felt good (too good) and got lazy with my eating. I had "treats" more often than I should have and allowed one day of eating over to turn into many. I also developed Plantar fasciitis (from running/walking too much too fast) which made walking/running painful. I gained back 60lbs. Also developed a bad pattern of overeating at night after dinner (which oddly never occurred when I was at my heaviest). I'm slowly getting back to it and taking it slower this time. More focus on food and limiting calories... still exercising, but I'm not relying on the exercise for the calorie deficit.

LonniJay · August 2017

Lost 70 lbs then I lost my job, struggled with depression and anxiety, got a new job and lost that one shortly after getting pregnant. I maintained my weight through it all until halfway through my pregnancy. After baby was born I had only gained 20 lbs but went on to gain another 30 lbs while breastfeeding. Anytime I tried cutting calories I'd lose milk production.

Baby weened in March and here I am. I've lost 34 lbs since returning and need to lose 16 lbs more to hit my pre-pregnancy weight. After that I will have 60 - 70 lbs to lose to reach my goal. I can't wait to start hitting new lows and exercise has been better for my depression than any medication (not to say meds aren't needed for some but I suddenly had suicidal thoughts on them so gave them up).

tabletop_joe · August 2017

I am braced to catch a beating for this: Almost all people who lose weight put it back on eventually.

http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302773

There are those who don't re-gain, of course, and I would speculate the odds are higher here because MFP members are actively engaged in long term-weight loss strategy, rather than other more passive/transitory strategies ("I'll just eat less and get to the gym more" or "I'll do this grapefruit diet for a month")--but the hard truth is that we're mostly all just prepping for our next go-around.

curiouskate · August 2017

tabletop_joe wrote: »

I am braced to catch a beating for this: Almost all people who lose weight put it back on eventually.

http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302773

There are those who don't re-gain, of course, and I would speculate the odds are higher here because MFP members are actively engaged in long term-weight loss strategy, rather than other more passive/transitory strategies ("I'll just eat less and get to the gym more" or "I'll do this grapefruit diet for a month")--but the hard truth is that we're mostly all just prepping for our next go-around.

Yes I agree.
And as someone who has lost and regained the same 100 lb multiple times, I would caution people who feel very assured it won't happen to them. It's a real blow to the ego to have to think back on all the times I said to others "nope, won't happen to me because I know x,y, and z." Going at it this time with a lot more humility and compassion.

cass0314 · August 2017

Since I have about 100+lbs to lose, I've lost 15-20 here and there a few times over the years and gained it back. Because I insist on losing in a sustainable way, I average 2lbs lost per week and the sheer magnitude of how long it will take to reach my goals has caused me to just give up a few times. I have struggled with self control and laziness all of my adult life, sadly, but for some reason these last few months I've reached a level of consciousness about my body, my habits, and my choices that has helped me to feel so much more in control of myself. Call it growing up, I guess? Lol. Anyway, I'm down 19.2lbs in 7 weeks and looking forward to following this path of mindfulness all the way to my goals and beyond.

Ohwhynot · August 2017

Plain and simple - I regained the weight because I stopped tracking and went over my calories daily. I was not ready to be on maintenance from a mental standpoint. I went from loss (relatively easy for me with MFP) straight to gain since I didn't take the time to relearn how to eat "normally". I just started binging and overeating again whenever I got upset or stressed.

Chef_Barbell · August 2017

I had a baby a few months ago. Cest la vie.

need2belean · August 2017

docc30 wrote: »

I was doing great, losing weight, working with a trainer, and definitely getting in better shape. Then, my daughter had medical issues that put her in the hospital for a week. I was still okay, but slowed down a little. Two months later, my wife was diagnosed with cancer. Then, my son-in-law was killed in a car crash. Lastly, my other daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. During it all, I gained all the weight back. I've been back at it for 40 days. I'll get there again.

Wow!! Congrats on coming back after that roller coaster you went through. My regards for every single thing that you have had to go through. I hope this puts other peoples hardships in perspective.

I Have Noticed Many People Returning, Having Regained Their Weight ...

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