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

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  • Candyspun
    Candyspun Posts: 370 Member
    I cancelled my account after the privacy breach and started a new account. I had a nasty weight gain due to sickness.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    edited June 2018
    I went down to 140 (my goal weight) in 2016. I did it by tracking on MFP and waking up at 4 am every day to run on a treadmill for an hour. I would get nasty migraines once a week, and each migraine lasted three days. So, half of the time, I had throbbing pain in my head, and everything felt woozy and distorted. My period disappeared for 6 months. Then, I started to get dizzy spells. All while losing weight, I day-dreamed and obsessed about getting to "maintenance", because then I could eat to my maintenance calories (about 1800 calories), and it felt like it would be so freeing and wonderful. I was impatient. I didn't realise maintenance would require discipline and hard work.

    While losing weight, I also had "cheat meals", which were actually binge eating episodes where I would eat until I was stuffed, and then some. I pre-planned and pre-logged these meals, and I made them fit into my calories, so they didn't feel "wrong". I thought I was doing the right thing by rewarding myself. I would have a huge bowl of popcorn with m&m's and a bowl of ice cream, and then I would have my dinner right after, so within one hour, I would consume all 1200 calories of my daily allowance. I didn't realize then that I was still fueling my eating addiction, and it didn't matter whether they were pre-planned or not. The reality was that I was binge-eating all by myself in secret, and it was compulsive and wrong.

    But I looked great. 140 pounds was the lower I had ever weighed in my entire adult life. I was getting compliments. I was finally able to wear whatever I wanted to wear. It wasn't sustainable and I had no idea how to eat less consistently

    I finally had to stop waking up at 4 am to exercise, and it messed with my head. I gained 5 pounds, and then we went on a vacation with the kids. I felt like I was losing control of my eating, and I stopped logging. Another 5 pounds later, I stopped weighing myself. Then, I went into frenzy eating mode where I ate everything and didn't care. In my mind, it was over. I was a fat-*kitten* who was destined to be fat. I ate to punish myself, or to fulfill this self-fulfilling prophecy. Within a matter of months, I regained all the weight, plus 10 pounds.

    Here I am. Back again. Starting weight 180 pounds, and current weight roughly 175.

    That's not so bad. You have only 35 lbs. to lose. You just need to take it slower this time and learn some new habits that are sustainable. (not binging and overexercising). If your period was gone then you were probably eating too little. How long did it take you to lose the 40 lbs.? I've lost 50 since July 2017 and have 50 more to go.
  • walking2running
    walking2running Posts: 140 Member
    lucerorojo wrote: »

    That's not so bad. You have only 35 lbs. to lose. You just need to take it slower this time and learn some new habits that are sustainable. (not binging and overexercising). If your period was gone then you were probably eating too little. How long did it take you to lose the 40 lbs.? I've lost 50 since July 2017 and have 50 more to go.

    It took me 4 months to lose 40 pounds.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    I gained muscle (I get DEXA scans by the way).
    In 2013, I started at 187 pounds and 43% body fat. After crash dieting (no exercise), I was 121 pounds and 27% body fat by 2015. I also have epilepsy by the way. I began heavy lifting and switched to a diet higher in protein/fat and lower in carbs while cycling my calories (I'll literally eat anywhere from 1,100 to 2,500+ calories depending on my activity level and appetite for the day). I'm now 151 pounds and 23% body fat. My waist is even smaller (23 inches) and have abs and a thigh gap. Legs are more solid too. So technically, I "re-gained" weight (30 pounds in 3 years) but it's in the form of muscle.

    I lost 220. Not all through crash dieting, but some. I am trying to bulk now without getting fat again. You are an inspiration!
  • HollaDeckGirl
    HollaDeckGirl Posts: 40 Member
    I too, went through a really difficult time and fitness fell to the bottom of the list as I struggled to lift myself out of that rut. I’m in a much better place now, and know I have the tools I need to once again reach my goal.
  • walking2running
    walking2running Posts: 140 Member
    lucerorojo wrote: »
    lucerorojo wrote: »

    That's not so bad. You have only 35 lbs. to lose. You just need to take it slower this time and learn some new habits that are sustainable. (not binging and overexercising). If your period was gone then you were probably eating too little. How long did it take you to lose the 40 lbs.? I've lost 50 since July 2017 and have 50 more to go.

    It took me 4 months to lose 40 pounds.

    Since you have so little to lose you will probably have an easier time with maintenance if you only set it to lose .5-1 pounds per week. It is very agressive at that weight (180) to lose 10 lbs. per month. That is more than 2 lbs. per week. That is for people who are obese, over 200 lbs. Even when I was losing at 2 lbs. per week, I could only do it for a couple of months. My starting weight was 237 and when I got to 212 it was just too agressive. I had wanted to continue at that rate at least until I reached 199, but I couldn't. If you push to lose beyond 1% of your body weight per week (unless under a doctor's care) then it usually will not be sustainable.

    I definitely do not intend to lose 40 pounds in 4 months. I am currently losing at a rate of 1 pound per week and I find it sustainable. I do want to mention though that at my current weight (175) I AM obese. At the bottom of the obese range, yes, but still obese. So, while I don't want to lose as fast as I did in 2016, I do sense some urgency on my part to get to a healthier weight. 140 pounds would take me to the high point of the normal range. I know I only have 35 pounds to lose, but the 35 pounds will take me from obese to normal weight. Also, once I get to 140 pounds, (in 35 weeks), I may re-evaluate, and try to get to the mid-range of the normal BMI weight range. But, I know it will take me well over a year to do that at a slow pace (1 pound per week for now, and may switch to 0.5 pounds per week as I get closer to 140).
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    I re-gained 10lbs in 5 years. Why? I ate too much and didn't track for months. I'm okay with having to lose 10lbs instead of 80 and let's be honest, a few are just increased glycogen stores because that first week back you drop 3 haha. Not terrible even still
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    lucerorojo wrote: »
    lucerorojo wrote: »

    That's not so bad. You have only 35 lbs. to lose. You just need to take it slower this time and learn some new habits that are sustainable. (not binging and overexercising). If your period was gone then you were probably eating too little. How long did it take you to lose the 40 lbs.? I've lost 50 since July 2017 and have 50 more to go.

    It took me 4 months to lose 40 pounds.

    Since you have so little to lose you will probably have an easier time with maintenance if you only set it to lose .5-1 pounds per week. It is very agressive at that weight (180) to lose 10 lbs. per month. That is more than 2 lbs. per week. That is for people who are obese, over 200 lbs. Even when I was losing at 2 lbs. per week, I could only do it for a couple of months. My starting weight was 237 and when I got to 212 it was just too agressive. I had wanted to continue at that rate at least until I reached 199, but I couldn't. If you push to lose beyond 1% of your body weight per week (unless under a doctor's care) then it usually will not be sustainable.

    I definitely do not intend to lose 40 pounds in 4 months. I am currently losing at a rate of 1 pound per week and I find it sustainable. I do want to mention though that at my current weight (175) I AM obese. At the bottom of the obese range, yes, but still obese. So, while I don't want to lose as fast as I did in 2016, I do sense some urgency on my part to get to a healthier weight. 140 pounds would take me to the high point of the normal range. I know I only have 35 pounds to lose, but the 35 pounds will take me from obese to normal weight. Also, once I get to 140 pounds, (in 35 weeks), I may re-evaluate, and try to get to the mid-range of the normal BMI weight range. But, I know it will take me well over a year to do that at a slow pace (1 pound per week for now, and may switch to 0.5 pounds per week as I get closer to 140).


    Thanks for clarifying. I was referring to your previous loss, when you lost 40 lbs. in 4 months.
    Height makes a difference between obese/overweight. At my height, 175 is overweight, not obese.
  • Snowflake1968
    Snowflake1968 Posts: 6,950 Member
    I have yoyed for years. In the past. I set a goal and then gave myself some room with a range above and below it. I would almost immediately go to the top of the range and increase the range with the top being my "lose back to the bottom" trigger. Then I would put off starting the diet when I got to the top, I am going to start losing soon, so what's a couple of more pounds on top going to change? the next thing I know, I am far enough away from goal that getting back is going to be a big effort again and I put it off more and slide more. I was going from highs in the 215-230 range and lows n the 170-185 range. I am 5'6", so I was going between obese and overweight.

    This time, I chose my goal to be staying below a BMI of 25; as in never hitting it. 164 is 24.9. I got there at the beginning of March and then lost down to 160 and managed to stay close to that for a couple of months, never going over 164. But spikes got uncomfortably close so I lost down into the high 150s. The lowest I have gotten to is 156. I have been below 160 for about 3 weeks. So now I am trying to stay in a range of 155-160 and 164 is my do not ever, ever go over weight. This time I am still tracking everything every day and I am more active. I am more diligent about weighing and reacting to what the scale says. I got rid of my bigger clothes so it isn't easy to just wear a bigger size until I start losing. I lost ~65 pounds to the lowest weight I have been in about 35 years. I have stayed at the low weight long enough to get used to how good it feels. I am hopeful this time I make it work.

    I did that the last time round for me as well. It worked well, when I started gaining I paid attention. I let things get out of hand this past winter when I was unemployed because I wasn't wearing my dress clothes everyday which are more form fitting. When I got a job I struggled through some uncomfortable days but it worked to get me going in the right direction again. Some of my pants are too big now, so I'll be getting rid of another stack soon I think.
  • Jams29
    Jams29 Posts: 108 Member
    Ugh. I was so great at logging my food and dieting, I had lost 10 lbs in a couple months. Work then got stressful and I thought I could keep track without logging every day...the 10 lbs came right back on. I'm back where I started. I changed jobs so now don't feel as much stress and can handle logging again. Here we go again!
  • rosileem
    rosileem Posts: 31 Member
    I lost over 100lbs within a year- in the 7 years it's been I've gained back about 75. The exercise I enjoy is weight work and yoga. But food is my problem and although it's one thing to know food is 80% of the battle, I eat a lot more than I think I'm eating.

    I think it's also worth noting the number on the scale can sometimes be less important than how you feel or your "levels" (BP, cholesterol, sugars) but I'll be the first to admit that scale number really gets to me. And my levels are great (I regularly get checked as diabetes runs in the family). But seeing where I'm at now vs where I was able to commit and work to has been depressing. Interesting side note, I feel the same now as I did then- unhappy with my physical self; so I know my mentality since I made the change hasn't been positive.

    So I may not be returning to MFP but I am to the lifestyle- I just started (literally new- signed up today) because I was realizing my clothes don't fit like they did even a month ago and it must do with what and (I think more specifically) how much I'm eating. Plus I think I need a wider support community and the accountability
  • mymusiccollection
    mymusiccollection Posts: 1 Member
    edited June 2018
    I lost 188# in 20 months and was at my goal. I stopped logging, got complacent and 2 years later I am back having gained 60#.
  • NoExcusesFromNowOn
    NoExcusesFromNowOn Posts: 76 Member
    edited June 2018
    Too many Vegas all you can eat buffets! Not doing that again!!!!
  • HDBKLM
    HDBKLM Posts: 466 Member
    bump
  • Angiefit4life
    Angiefit4life Posts: 210 Member
    I’ve done this twice before using mfp. I’m not saying this is for everyone but this is what I’m doing differently.
    1. health is more important than a number.
    2. I actually already set a weekly reminder to weigh and it says if weigh more than X amount eat less this week. (I’m about 10# from goal weight)
    3. I’m not suggesting this... I know I’m not always going to weigh that slice a cheese or that pack of crackers so I don’t. I’ve lost 12# the past three months by logging entries. I know everything needs to be weighed I just figured I get there slower and yet learning better portion and habits along the way.
  • jrochest
    jrochest Posts: 119 Member
    edited August 2018
    Sorry!