Has anyone on here been obese all their life and lost all the weight and kept it off?
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okohjacinda
Posts: 329 Member
I ask because ever since I was little I have been obese. At 5, I was 105...at 13, 240 and at 18, 283. Since my senior year of high school I have been trying to lose all the weight but sabotaging myself every time I lose a good amount. The last time I lost a good bit of weight was last year and I got to onederland at 192 but I was so unhappy with how I looked that I shut down and gained it all back in 8 months.
So now I am back on the losing weight wagon, determined to not only lose all the weight but to keep it off for good. My motivation has changed from mostly vanity reasons to health and longevity reasons (which it should have been from the start but when you're young you think you're invincible) with seeing my mom and grandmother sick and me also becoming sick and I am only 25. It's now really a do or die deal for me.
So how did you do it? What keeps you from going backwards? How has life changed since you lost all of the weight and do people treat you differently?
Also please put stats: HW/SW/CW/Start date and finish date and how long have you maintained.
So now I am back on the losing weight wagon, determined to not only lose all the weight but to keep it off for good. My motivation has changed from mostly vanity reasons to health and longevity reasons (which it should have been from the start but when you're young you think you're invincible) with seeing my mom and grandmother sick and me also becoming sick and I am only 25. It's now really a do or die deal for me.
So how did you do it? What keeps you from going backwards? How has life changed since you lost all of the weight and do people treat you differently?
Also please put stats: HW/SW/CW/Start date and finish date and how long have you maintained.
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Replies
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I have been overweight or obese since I was a child.
I wouldn't say I lost "all the weight" (I would love to lose another 20) but I lost 85lbs over a 2 year span, and have kept it off for over a year and a half.
I had been yo-yo dieting since I was a child. My mom would put me on the same fad diets she would do. Sometimes I would lose some weight, but gain it all back. I think the most I lost was 30lbs on Atkins and I gained it back and then some.
So in my early-mid twenties I was up to 250lbs. I ate whatever I wanted. I ate all the things my mom tried to restrict as a child. And I ate it in excess. I drank a lot of booze, too. And I thought exercise was the most uncool thing ever.
At age 26, I had enough of hating myself and my body and feeling like a lazy POS. I decided I wasn't going to "go on a diet", I was going to change my lifestyle. These are some of the changes I made.
- I went from gorging on cookies, ice cream and nachos each night, to cooking my own meals... grilled chicken, veggies, etc.
- I stopped eating fast food completely. You don't have to do this, but I did.
- I stopped drinking my calories (alcohol or juice, whatever).
- I started paying attention to serving sizes, instead of eating unlimited amounts of whatever I wanted.
- I started walking 3x a week.
Those changes allowed me to lose about 50lbs. After a while I was frustrated that the weight wasn't coming off any more, so I joined MFP and with counting calories and tracking my food intake, I lost another 35lbs.
I am now much more active though. I run and lift weights. I actually enjoy exercise.
I also still love to eat, though... hence why I haven't lost the last 20lbs.21 -
I was obese at 11 (176 lbs) and only gained from there. I started running in high school, which helped temporarily. At 25, I decided to make a change. I was 189 lb. It took the better part of 2 years to get down to 145. I've been hovering within five pounds of that for the past year and a half or so. I still have 10-15 lb to go until I feel comfortable transitioning to maintenance.
To get here, I didn't really do anything special. I track and measure my food on a scale, but I don't limit what I can and can't eat. I've always been active (I was running, still, at 189) and that hasn't changed. I like what I eat and I like my exercise routine, because I pick both--that helps with adherence.
Keep in mind that it takes a long time to change a lifestyle for good, and I still make plenty of mistakes. Take it one step and one day at a time. Motivation is fleeting; determination and rational decision-making will last you through the days when you just want an extra cookie, dammit. (And once in a while, you can have a cookie. Every day, even, if you can work it into your calories.)
Good luck! You've got this.8 -
I've been obese since probably around age 3. My mom also put my sister and I on fad diet after dad diet, but never stuck with it. The first time I remember being put on a "diet" I was in kindergarten. My mom told my teacher (in front of me) that I was on a diet and not to let me get "seconds" at lunch and to replace whatever the desert was with fruit. I was only 5, but I was absolutely embarrassed. Cue unhealthy body image and relationship with food.
At age 12, I weighed 240 lbs. I was quite active, though and was starting to slim down because I was on the basketball team, so the exercise was helping. My mom made me quit about 2 games in and after that I quickly gained more weight.
Last year, I stepped on the scale for the first time in years and was horrified by the number. I was over 400 lbs.
After Christmas I started taking weight loss seriously and actually learned how to do it in a healthy way. I've love 94 lbs and I'm not stopping until I reach a healthy weight. I know I will keep it off once I'm there because I'm learning how to do it. I'm having to work on the psychological aspect of weightloss as well, because of so many years of unhealthy thinking.
I'll send you a friend request... having support has been so important for me.32 -
I've not lost all my weight yet, but my mind has totally changed recently and I've severed my attachment to food and my self sabotaging which has been going on 14 years. I really recommend reading Jon Gabriel's book with an open mind. I was a bit skeptical, seemed a bit airy fairy to me to begin with - but all along it was my mindset that wasn't working for me, and his book just impacted my brain in a strange unconscious way and allowed me to let go.2
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Thanks everyone for sharing and I will keep everything you all said in mind as I face my own battle with weight loss and how to overcome it.2
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I've not lost all my weight yet, but my mind has totally changed recently and I've severed my attachment to food and my self sabotaging which has been going on 14 years. I really recommend reading Jon Gabriel's book with an open mind. I was a bit skeptical, seemed a bit airy fairy to me to begin with - but all along it was my mindset that wasn't working for me, and his book just impacted my brain in a strange unconscious way and allowed me to let go.
I love reading new books especially inspirational books so I will definitely check it out! Thanks!1 -
I'm going to chime in here...
My highest non-pregnant weight was 340 lbs back in 2011.
My start weight back on 11/11/11 was 329 when I joined Weight Watchers.
My start weight for MFP was 294 on 3rd Jan 2013.
My lowest weight was 173, which I maintained for 2 years from mid 2014 - mid 2016.
CW: 227.
What threw me off course and caused me to gain weight back was a medical condition and a combination of medication which made me starving hungry, combined with inability to exercise because of my condition. I have no doubts that I'd still be maintaining if it wasn't for that. I still have the condition but different meds now, so I'm back losing weight again.
Basically everything changed when I lost weight. I didn't realise how bad I felt until losing weight made me feel better. It was tough at times, but establishing good habits made it a whole lot easier. I got really into exercise and became a personal trainer, although I can't train clients right now because I'm waiting for surgery.
Basically I feel a whole lot better when I'm eating good, nutritious food. I have binge eating disorder and occasionally I slip up, but my choice from the start has been to apply moderation. I wanted to create a way of eating that I could stick to, and that means being able to eat chocolate or sugar. Just not all of it. I also forgive myself if not every day is perfect, I just pick myself up the next day and keep going.
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Not me, but I have a peer (trainer) that did. She started off at 280lbs at 5'5" and is now down to 160lbs. She is muscular and physically fit, but she has to train harder than I do and eat much less than I do (in proportion) to maintain her weight and shape.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Fat kid.
But 175 when graduated HS. 6'
About 225 age 23
Lost to about 180 Age 25-31
Age 34-228
Gained steadily for 10 years, top at 285 lbs age 44
Lost to about 215-220 ages 46-56 ( had a medical related bump up to about 238, Problem fixed was back to 215)
Age 56, joined Weight Watchers. Made goal at 184. I've never been over 186 in almost 11 yrs. weighed 176 fully dressed last week. I'm 67 years old.
In answer to your question I think I'm pretty much a yes. I had a few not fat years late teens, late 20s. I never thought I had a grip until my late 50s.5 -
I was always chubby. Then about 10 years ago I went from overweight to obese. I am now down to 180lbs and about 28% body fat... Been losing slowly but steadily for two and a half years.3
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Barring all medical conditions, I will always believe that it's child abuse to allow a child that young to gain that much weight.. 105 at 5! 230 at 13!! It's a parents responsibility to protect their children from all harm.. this includes protecting their health! SS should called in such situations.. I don't mean for "overweight" as kids weights can fluctuate before a growth spurt.. I mean for out right obesity..
If I sound cruel, it's because I still hold resentment towards my own mother for not protecting me and trying to "be my friend" and give me what I wanted to make me happy.. I have struggled with weight since I was 12 thanks to my mothers "remedy" for every situation that arised.. Bad day? Cookies, cake, and ice cream will fix it! Sick? Cookies, cake, and ice cream will fix it! Good grades? ... you get the idea. Remedy for being over weight? Tony little..
I'm obese.. my kids are not. I may have poor self control over my own fate but I full control over my kids futures and I will protect them from the same fate that I suffered from..3 -
GlassAngyl wrote: »Barring all medical conditions, I will always believe that it's child abuse to allow a child that young to gain that much weight.. 105 at 5! 230 at 13!! It's a parents responsibility to protect their children from all harm.. this includes protecting their health! SS should called in such situations.. I don't mean for "overweight" as kids weights can fluctuate before a growth spurt.. I mean for out right obesity..
If I sound cruel, it's because I still hold resentment towards my own mother for not protecting me and trying to "be my friend" and give me what I wanted to make me happy.. I have struggled with weight since I was 12 thanks to my mothers "remedy" for every situation that arised.. Bad day? Cookies, cake, and ice cream will fix it! Sick? Cookies, cake, and ice cream will fix it! Good grades? ... you get the idea. Remedy for being over weight? Tony little..
I'm obese.. my kids are not. I may have poor self control over my own fate but I full control over my kids futures and I will protect them from the same fate that I suffered from..
No I understand. I feel the same way about my mom sometimes but I blame it more on environment than my mom. My mom being a single mother worked a lot so she wasn't there to monitor my eating all the time.
Me and my friends would go to the store everyday and get candy, chips, soda, or chocolate. I also am from the south so that played a major role as well along with genetics. Everyone on my mom's side is overweight or obese. So I don't want to really put any blame on her...my whole family is sort of ignorant to CICO and I was too up until I started researching about it in high school.
Granted I can't blame myself completely for my obesity as a child but once I became a teenager(which was when I became aware I needed to lose some serious weight), I should have started becoming more active and watching what I ate more.
So for me the blame when I was a child is 10% mom, 40% genetics, and 50% environment. Ignorance is bliss in the south.
And there were many times she told me no but I would sneak and eat junk anyways so I blame myself even as a child.1 -
I was a healthy weight (considered slightly underweight) until I got type 1 diabetes at age 9. Treatment methods back then were not nearly as advanced as today, so I gained 20 lbs. in the first month. Within a year, I had doubled my weight. In a couple more years, I weighed triple what I did at age 9. I only continued gaining from there and got type 2 diabetes (so I had both type 1 and type 2 for most of my life) as a teenager. It wasn't until 2016 that I was finally able to get past the clinical criteria for a type 2 diagnosis. Of course, I will always have type 1 (unlike type 2, it is not caused by obesity). I still have about 10 lbs. to lose in order to reach my goal.3
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Me! I don't have deep story. I was chubby - obese all of my life. I never dieted. I worked with my weight and accepted my size until one random day when I had enough. I was pretty healthy so to be honest I wanted to lose weight mostly for vanity.
How did I do it? I took baby steps:
I focused on getting fit. I dreamt of being able to do pushups on my toes or being able to walk without getting winded and sweaty. I started off walking slowly around my neighborhood. Then I was able to go further and further. That gave me motivation to clean up my diet.
I started cooking for myself more and a lot from scratch. I was someone who ate a lot of fast food and takeout so this was something new. After trying new dishes and adding new fruits and veggies to my life I experienced a whole new way of eating that I actually enjoyed.
The combination of exercise and eating better made some weight come off and it inspired me to keep going. As I got fitter, I tried new workouts/activities and I discovered things I enjoyed and didn't enjoy.
During the process I learned so much about myself. What foods triggered me, my eating habits and I found ways to include foods I enjoyed but not go overboard. I did not follow any diet plans and I ate regular food. I also had to deal with my emotional eating and find ways to deal with things besides eating food.
Researching, reading books, learning the science and physiology of fat loss and listening to health & fitness podcasts was and still is important to me. I enjoy learning and discovering new things.
I'm proud to say that now I can do pushups on my toes and I can power walk for a long time and much, much more physically speaking.
I lost 80+ pounds in 15 months and I have been maintaining without any regain for over 4 years. I'm the smallest I've ever been as an adult and in the best shape of my life.
My life has totally changed and it feels like I've lived 2 completely different lives. I really love exercise and being active. When I go on vacation I use the hotel's gym and walk as much as I can instead taking transit or a taxi. I love going shopping for new clothes and workout gear. Sometimes I still ask myself "who is this girl"?
I work hard to maintain my weight. I see so many people regain it's scary. So I will always remain humble, I put in the work everyday and I stay focused. I'm really, really happy with my weight and body, but I will never be "done".
14 -
Brand new here and 120 to lose. This thread was very encouraging! I've been overweight my whole life but this time feels different. Turned down WLS today. I just cannot do it. Too scared.6
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PlacerCounty wrote: »Brand new here and 120 to lose. This thread was very encouraging! I've been overweight my whole life but this time feels different. Turned down WLS today. I just cannot do it. Too scared.
I was offered weight loss surgery twice and turned it down too.
I have been obese my whole life also, from chubby kid through to almost 300lbs by age 21. I just kept getting heavier.
My mother had WLS in 2009, at a lower weight than I was when I was offered it. After watching what she has been through, I decided that I'd rather lose weight without it, and that's what I did. The second time I was offered it was actually after I'd lost some weight already. We moved country and my new GP suggested it and told me I could get it funded. No thank you, I had momentum and I knew I'd lose the rest. That's when I joined MFP.
Weight loss isn't always easy, but it is possible. Do what feels right for you!
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I've been fat my whole life. At 10 years old my dad gave me the deal a meal by Richard Simmons for my birthday. Very unhealthy image of food. Last year I stepped on that scale at 363lbs, I knew then change needed to happen. I'm currently 273lbs, 90lbs lost and still going strong! You can do it! Mind over matter6
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PlacerCounty wrote: »Brand new here and 120 to lose. This thread was very encouraging! I've been overweight my whole life but this time feels different. Turned down WLS today. I just cannot do it. Too scared.
Yes, I too have contemplated weight loss surgery so many times, but what has kept me from going that route is 1) I am broke with no insurance to cover it and 2) I am scared because I have heard so many people getting sick from it five to ten years down the line or gaining most of it back. I refuse to basically mutilate part of my body just to gain all the weight back five years down the line.
This is the first time I am on this journey and feel totally confident that I am going to be successful in getting all of the weight off, but I am just so nervous about being able to maintain it once I lose it all. All I have ever known is being the "fat girl." It will be weird not to be that anymore.1 -
I've been fat my whole life. At 10 years old my dad gave me the deal a meal by Richard Simmons for my birthday. Very unhealthy image of food. Last year I stepped on that scale at 363lbs, I knew then change needed to happen. I'm currently 273lbs, 90lbs lost and still going strong! You can do it! Mind over matter
Wow 90lbs! Congrats on the weight loss so far! That's very inspiring!0 -
rainbow198 wrote: »Me! I don't have deep story. I was chubby - obese all of my life. I never dieted. I worked with my weight and accepted my size until one random day when I had enough. I was pretty healthy so to be honest I wanted to lose weight mostly for vanity.
How did I do it? I took baby steps:
I focused on getting fit. I dreamt of being able to do pushups on my toes or being able to walk without getting winded and sweaty. I started off walking slowly around my neighborhood. Then I was able to go further and further. That gave me motivation to clean up my diet.
I started cooking for myself more and a lot from scratch. I was someone who ate a lot of fast food and takeout so this was something new. After trying new dishes and adding new fruits and veggies to my life I experienced a whole new way of eating that I actually enjoyed.
The combination of exercise and eating better made some weight come off and it inspired me to keep going. As I got fitter, I tried new workouts/activities and I discovered things I enjoyed and didn't enjoy.
During the process I learned so much about myself. What foods triggered me, my eating habits and I found ways to include foods I enjoyed but not go overboard. I did not follow any diet plans and I ate regular food. I also had to deal with my emotional eating and find ways to deal with things besides eating food.
Researching, reading books, learning the science and physiology of fat loss and listening to health & fitness podcasts was and still is important to me. I enjoy learning and discovering new things.
I'm proud to say that now I can do pushups on my toes and I can power walk for a long time and much, much more physically speaking.
I lost 80+ pounds in 15 months and I have been maintaining without any regain for over 4 years. I'm the smallest I've ever been as an adult and in the best shape of my life.
My life has totally changed and it feels like I've lived 2 completely different lives. I really love exercise and being active. When I go on vacation I use the hotel's gym and walk as much as I can instead taking transit or a taxi. I love going shopping for new clothes and workout gear. Sometimes I still ask myself "who is this girl"?
I work hard to maintain my weight. I see so many people regain it's scary. So I will always remain humble, I put in the work everyday and I stay focused. I'm really, really happy with my weight and body, but I will never be "done".
Wow that's very inspiring and gives me so much hope that I will be able to maintain as well once I lose all the weight. I have a lot to lose (125-130lbs) but I am more concerned about the maintenance phase than the dropping the weight phase. I have heard that that is the hardest part about weight loss. So again you have given me so much hope that it is possible by changing your lifestyle completely.
Congrats on all the success!0
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