I've lost and regained the same 10 pounds for 10 years now. How to a break this cycle?

Perriwen
Perriwen Posts: 32 Member
in Motivation and Support
I started when I was 24. I'm now 34, and quickly approaching the point where my doctors tell me 'losing weight gets really hard, if not impossible'. Problem is, I feel like I'm already there and the idea of it getting even harder scares the crap out of me.

Every time, I got from 315, and seem to just plateau off at 304. Then those 10 pounds come right back before I know it. I'm back down to 304 again, but hope is really hard to come by. I don't think I can afford to regain, and the idea of losing another 100+ when 10 has been a long struggle kind of terrifies me...

Replies

  • AndreaTamira
    AndreaTamira Posts: 272 Member
    I think that the trick might be stubborn consistency and staying alert. Weighing in every week, maybe forever, tracking food for a long time. Being ready to take actions as soon as the weight creeps up again, not months later, but directly. Knowing what tools to use if actions have to be taken.

    At least that's what I imagine I will have to do when I loose the weight. Staying on track of things so that I won't be able to allow the weight to sneak up on me this time.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    losing weight is not hard. its simple science. What IS hard is the patience and time it takes. People want instant results, and when they don't have it within a few weeks, they give up.

    Our weight is not stagnate. It fluctuates. Variables such as food, movement, water weight, hormones (for women), etc.

    Motivation comes from within. No one can do that for you. I lost 130 pounds. It took about 2 years. many weeks I did not have a loss on the scale. its normal. water retention from working out (either a new routine or increasing intensity) or having a meal out can mask weight loss for a week or two.

    patience, young jedi. :)
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    Don't think of your goal as weight loss. Think of your goal as consuming X calories per day or to average X calories per day over the course of a week. As long as you consume fewer calories than your body uses over time, you'll lose weight over time. You'll lose weight as long as you stay consistent. Not perfect, but overall consistent.

    You can have success every day no matter what the scale says if you measure success by your behavior (which is under your control) rather than by outside information like today's weight. Scales just give a snapshot and water weight varies so much that the snapshot is a landscape portrait rather than a closeup.

    If you go off track, restart your plan immediately. Don't start fresh tomorrow or Monday. The next thing that enters your mouth should be back on plan.

    Experiment to find a way of eating that works for you now and has the potential to work for you for the rest of your life. Smaller bodies require fewer calories so your weight loss calorie goal now may be close to what ends up being your final maintenance calorie amount. Eating for the weight that you want will get you to that weight eventually and then allow you to stay there.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    You obviously get overwhelmed at the thought of having to lose 110 pounds. So..don't look at it that way.

    Seems like you're very good at losing 10 pounds. So do that 11 times..

    Break your goal down to 10 pound increments.. Set your goal at 10 pounds less than you are right now. When you get there.. go down another ten.

    Don't overwhelm yourself and fall into a trap that keeps you overweight the rest of your life. It takes some work to get used to eating differently.. but once you do. your life is going to improve so much and you're going to be so happy..feel so healthy and feel powerful. You can do this!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    Lack of CONSISTENCY is the usually culprit. If you don't stay consistent, you WON'T yield results. And if there's something mentally blocking you from continuing, then take the time to actually talk it out with a therapist or professional. You may be surprised at what may be holding you back.

    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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  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    With regard to oscillating up and down 10lbs: also the story of my life! I have to cut back regularly to maintain the weight I prefer. A few years back, I decided to go for it and lose a larger amount of weight (about 20% of my max weight), and I still regularly need to correct to get back to my goal. It's a life-long requirement for many of us, harder or easier depending on a number of factors.

    This is a hard problem. If you are ready for a real change, it probably will involve many aspects of your life, and you need to bring all your resources to bear. Can you get help? Can you afford some combination of a dietician, trainer/PT, psychologist, life coach? That can be incredibly helpful.

    But, change can be good. Best of luck!
  • suzesvelte
    suzesvelte Posts: 134 Member
    edited January 2021
    Well. You could see it as losing the same 10lb repeatedly.

    Or you could see it as keeping yourself from adding 10lb a year and being 200lb overweight right now. Embrace that as an achievement in itself!

    I know what you mean, and I understand your anguish. I’m twice your age now and in my 20s weighed over 250lbs. I lost most of my excess back then, and have been up and down by various amounts ever since. I’ve never really hit my “target” but I have been strong and healthy and mostly not unhappy being slightly overweight. I have used nutrition to survive cancer which was twice designated as “incurable”. I believe in research and information about food. It can be much more than just nutrition, and that might be a better focus. Health, not just weight.

    So, do you really want to change? If so, maybe it’s time to do something different.

    First thing is realising that THIN people do manage their weight too. It’s not a problem unique to us. Everyone has to pay attention to it in this calorie laden land we live in. Give up the feeling that “it’s not fair” and recognise that everyone has to pay attention.
    OK there are complicating factors that make it harder for some of us, but we’re not uniquely hard done to.

    I strongly recommend you read Judith Beck’s book “diet solution: train your brain to think like a thin person” to support yourself in re-shaping your own psychology. It’s very practical and inspired me.

    Secondly. Consider doing a different sort of eating plan. Educate yourself about some of the fake science that supported the low-fat diet that’s been peddled for the last 60 years and fuelled an absolute epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Watch “Fat Fiction” and documentaries by Dr Michael Mosley. Read his Fast800 book. We’ve been conned over the years. If you choose to learn from these things you can start an eating plan that doesn’t leave you constantly hungry because of crashing blood sugars. And backed up with a stronger psychological methods to support yourself you might choose to change your life.

    But it is a way of life. You will always have to pay attention. Good luck with it.

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