What's different this time?

I don't have a previous history with yoyo-dieting, only two previous attempts a number of years ago.

The differences this time?

- no 'eating clean' bodybuilder style, eating purely for nutrition and LOTS of protein (lots of eggs, lots of chicken, quark/cottage cheese, nuts). I followed the advice given on a fitness/bodybuilding forum but the food was so bland and boring. And I absolutely hate quark/cottage cheese, so that didn't help
=> I now eat foods I enjoy (including treats every day) in appropriate quantities and just pay attention to having a sufficient amount of protein (but not excessive). This is infinitely more sustainable since I can eat this way for the rest of my life.

- again, as advised by the people on the fitness forum I was active on: I ate lots of smaller meals throughout the day, supposedly ramping up my metabolism. Eating more frequently just made me eat more since I still needed a fairly large meal to feel full.
=> I now eat two 'proper' meals a day and a snack in the evening. Sometimes a small breakfast and very rarely a small afternoon snack. This works a lot better for me.

- I've never had rapid weight loss ambitions, but I definitely feel choosing the slow but steady approach works for me on MFP (a weight loss rate of 0.5lbs per week, even when I started out at 208 lbs and a BMI of 34). Combined with still eating the foods I enjoy, a small deficit ensures that I don't feel deprived, which is a big help in sticking to my calorie goal.

- The method is different. Whereas before I was just focusing on 'eating clean', eating less and moving more, I had no real idea of what I was doing. Calorie counting is a lot more precise.

- My level of knowledge is different: I didn't have a clue what I was doing for my previous weight loss attempts. I now know about CICO and I also understand the scale fluctations much better. I know about the ups and down of water weight, potential weight gain through muscle gain, etc. I can assess my weight loss journey much better and therefore won't give up as easily.

I've yo-yo'd my whole life. Up 30, down 30, up 40, down 20, up 45, down 35, up 50, ad nauseum. This is the first time in my entire life I've stuck with it for more than a few months. Coming up on a year on June 9.

Three differences this time:

1. No matter what happens - day off, wild f'ing binge, whatever - I get right back on the horse the next morning. Out of bed, feet on scale, body on exercise machine, MFP open to Diary and every calorie logged. I have binged, but I have stuck to this. ALLLLLLLL my previous efforts ended when one bad day turned into a second bad day and then a bad week/month/year/decade and I have FINALLY learned.

2. I'm doing IF this time. I'm a person who needs structure. I can't come up with a rational reason at 2 pm why I shouldn't have 4 peanut m&m's, which then turn into 200 peanut m&m's, but even my obese-person brain can process "the rule is, no food after 7 pm)" and I've stuck to it.

3. I stopped being an all or nothing person. In all previous efforts, I was either ON or I was OFF. If I went over a hundred calories, then that was an off day and I may as well go for broke and have that pizza, and cookies, and at 3 am just throwing cheese on bread and chucking it in the oven, because after all, the day is shot - and then the next day, the week is shot, and so on. I have become a total pro at saying to myself "200 calories over for the day, eh, that's not so bad, still losing weight, I'll have one more chip and stop" and then STOPPING. Or, "wow blew that day, over by 600, sucks to be me, annnyyyywaayy I think I'll go to sleep so I don't compound the damage" and then getting back on plan the instant I wake up. Or "God, this pasta is great - I want another ladelful which will put me 250 over for the day, and then I'm going to stop" and then stopping. This is the hardest won food skill I've ever had & I think it's made a huge difference. Just ... rolling with the calorie punches a little instead of making it binary dieting vs binging thing.