Living Maintenance - Could you have lost/maintained without 3FC?

I really love seeing the new people here on 3FC who have lost or are maintaining a significant loss even before they got here. My own success is so driven by the tools and knowledge here on 3FC that I think I would still be spinning my wheels if I hadn't come here.

I've had myths shattered in my time here at 3FC and I learned the principles that have facilitated my success. Things like, nutrition counts, food is 90% of loss, weightlifting & HIIT rock, that major weight loss and SUSTAINED maintenance are possible, and that the changes must stick. There is no going back.

I was looking at some old pictures of me 50# ago and I am so very happy to be 50 pounds less, plus be in great shape. I'm a little nostalgic (it was my birthday yesterday) and I am so grateful to be healthier at 37 than I was at 27, and I owe so much of it to 3FC.

So could you have done it without 3FC? I'm not sure I could have.

Oh, I have lost many times without 3FC, but I was never able to maintain that loss. Here I have learned the tools to keep it off and the thing is the concept is so simple. I am not saying to maintain your loss is simple but the concept to maintain is ridiculously simple. When I came here wondering how to do it I learned you keep it off the same way you took it off . What an amazing idea !!! And it works !!!

I don't know. I've lost before and maintained for a year or so, but then started gaining it all back (and then some). Honestly, for me, it's been kind of a lonely journey and I don't know if I'd have stuck with the "losing" part for so long without 3FC. And I feel like I have learned secrets about maintenance that I didn't really realize before (even though it makes perfect sense). So the answer is.....maybe I could have done it without 3FC, but I'm glad I don't have to.

No I dont think I would be this successful in my weight loss. I needed support and I get it here EVERYTIME I log into the site! I get recipes, moral support, tips, tricks, relatabe stories that helps me stay on track. Had I not found the site I would still be wandering around trying to figure out where to find different types of foods while eating the same thing day in and day out as I had done in the past as well as hearing other viewpoints that are needed when making decisions that have to do w/ my health.

COULD I have? Undoubtedly. I had all the knowledge and tools.

BUT...would I have? I honestly don't think so. Without the support, encouragement, advice, and tips from everyone here, sticking with what I did, and even more, getting to a place where I ENJOY what I did so I could stick to it for life...I don't think that would have happened. Which would have, as we all know, led to regain.

I'm so grateful for what we have here!

I had already lost a little weight when I first found 3FC, but not much. I had several lose and regain experiences in my past at that time, too. Could I have continued to lose two years ago? Sure. I would have done it with slim fast bars instead of breakfast and lunch, would have kept filling myself full of artificial sweeteners and would likely never have tried a salad. My only exercise was the elliptical. Would I have been able to maintain? Not for long.

I found so many things here - answers to questions, recipes, support when I was down, reinforcement when I was up, exercise suggestions... So many things. I would never have tried weight lifting without 3FC, and I wouldn't be considering a half marathon in March. 3FC has been an important part of my maintenance without a doubt.

I lost without 3FC.

I maintained with 3FC. I was so lost when I found this place and I'm so thankful that I did. I had so many emotions and thoughts and no one to share them with. Not lonely anymore!

Lost weight? Yes. I had done it before. I did know what to do and how to do it. I have great friends and family members as a support group.

Maintain the loss? Probably not. I have never been successful at long-term maintenance. Previously, I hit goal, maintained the loss for a while and slowly - old habits crept back into my life.

I absolutely believe that i WILL maintain this weight - BECAUSE of what I have learned from all of you.
Maintenance was never on my radar in the past. I always believed that losing the weight was what I needed to focus on. I now know that lifestyle changes that I can continue long-term are a key component of maintenance. Thus, I have made the commitment to continue to do the things that helped me lose weight.

In a nutshell:
Without 3FC, I would no longer count calories, exercise as consistently, or as intensely as I do. I would not weigh myself daily. I would not have joined the NWCR. I would not eat as cleanly, and I definitely would not have found such inspirational mentors and weight-loss friends.

No, I could not have had the success I have had in my journey without 3FC. When I found this place, I was under the misguided belief that less was best when it came to caloric intake. I have learned so so much from all you wonderful people here and I keep learning. I love 3FC and everyone here ♥

What a great question! I actually found 3FC at a wonderful time, I was just reaching maintenance. I had been posting a lot on the Shape forums while I was actively losing (what happened to the Shape regulars - anyone know? they abandoned the new Shape boards and I lost them in cyberspace).

I kind of had some ideas about how to maintain by not my "diet" but 3FC was a huge positive - a whole board of people who get me! Who have similar issues and victories and have great recipes. Who pick me up when I need it and kick my butt when I need it and say nice things when I post pictures of my mom.

LOVE.

I never ever even considered the concept of maintaining.
Losing weight was something a person did and then STOPPED when they were DONE.

3fc taught me that losing weight is a continuous function.



ITA! I would never have gotten to this point without 3fc! I found all of you lovely chickies early on in my journey and I'm addicted. My IRL friends and family don't really "get" how much this has changed my life. But you all do! I get all kinds of ideas, tips, new food suggestions and most importantly support here.

I don't know. I've lost before and maintained for a year or so, but then started gaining it all back (and then some). Honestly, for me, it's been kind of a lonely journey and I don't know if I'd have stuck with the "losing" part for so long without 3FC. And I feel like I have learned secrets about maintenance that I didn't really realize before (even though it makes perfect sense). So the answer is.....maybe I could have done it without 3FC, but I'm glad I don't have to.

hear hear! I have lost w/out 3FC by going to WW meetings and talking with other friends on the internet before 3FC was really the place to be. i maintained before and during 3FC but I gained and kept gaining during a period where I used NONE of my resources really... and I think most likely I could have kept it to a minimum had I been here but that wasn't the case.

so yeah, I probably could, but I'm glad I don't have to. I'm not leaving here again, that is a promise!!

Well....

HAPPY 'late" BIRTHDAY BABY CATCHER!
:bday2you:

I'm another who would've lost all this weight without 3fc.

But maintaining is another story. I am new to maintaining, and I don't know what it would look like without 3fc. I am seriously grateful to learn from others' past experiences. So many people write how they re-gained, for example, doing what I might've done if not for these boards. And coming here regularly will help me keep weight maintenance a priority.

I don't want to find out the answer to that question. Are you trying to tell us something????

I did know when I started this journey that it was forever. Actually I knew prior to making the commitment that it would have to be a permanent lifestyle change. I was looking for an on line support group fairly early into my journey and G-d was good to me and steered me towards this place. I know it's been incredible to "speak" with like minded people. I get great ideas, insights, recipes and camaraderie here. I also find it very valuable, now that I've lost the weight, to mete out advice (whether they take it or not) to others. Keeps reinforcing the "right" behaviors in my own brain. Being here also helps to keep my weight and my health a number one priority and focus.

Happy Belated Birthday Midwife. I LOVE Saturday birthdays. I hope you had a good one. :)

Awww....thanks for the birthday wishes, guys!

No, Robin, I'm not trying to say anything that wasn't in the post, I promise!! I was just thinking back on all my preconceived notions about "dieting" in the past---punitive, based on denying oneself, Frankenfoods like Glory calls them, eating barely enough to keep a goldfish alive, and looking forward to the end, cause all "dieting" attempts were by default temporary and then I could go back to eating "like everyone else".

I think that all the tools and knowledge that I've gained here at 3FC are out there in other places in the universe, but this is a "one-stop shopping" for theory, examples of practice, support and butt-kicking. As an added bonus, these themes are reviewed over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again, which is really good for a fairly oblivious, stubborn, and obtuse person like myself who needs to be hit over the head with a 2X4 on multiple occasions before certain lessons actually sink in.

At this point in my journey I am sliding into the daily grind of maintenance, the nuts and bolts and the work involved and this place is still a goldmine of inspiration and support.

Being a long time maintainer, I also could have maintained without 3 fat chicks, but it has made it a lot easier and pleasant. Even when I am MIA from posting I stop by and read to renew my spirit.

This site is important to my journey & everyones input, inspires me.

I honestly don't know if I would have reached my goal w/o 3FC. Maybe, because I was very committed when I found 3FC, (at -60). I do however feel that I would have not been able to maintain the loss, (4 months now!!) w/o 3FC. I've NEVER maintained a total loss. Not even for a month. I've kept off portions of a loss for a few months and even a year once, but never the entire amount....the scale has always slowly crept (usually quickly) upward.

It's great to be around like minded people, people who understand. I found 3FC when I knew I was beginning to annoy my hubby and friends with "diet" talk. ;) Most people, (especially overweight friends) DO NOT like to hear about how many calories are in a slice of cheesecake! I am so happy to be apart of this awesome group.

I do feel bad though for all the people who have come and gone. You know, the New Years Resolutioners, the folk who come in desperate and post long enough to get a ticker and never post again...the poor people who post once and never come back...it makes me really sad. I often wonder about some past posters and wonder what made them give up and hope their lives are somehow better.

Could I have lost weight without 3FC? Sure.

Could I have maintained my loss without 3FC? Maybe--at least as well as I have done.

3FC was very useful to me when I was losing, though, because it helped me to stay on track and to feel as though others understood my struggles. 3FC members were basically my support group--I had some support IRL, of course--but not to the extent that I could go to at any time of the day or night. Plus there are things one doesn't want to share with others who don't understand being obese.

That said, there comes a time when you've pretty much seen everything on 3FC. What does it say over there on the left? 2004? Yeah, that's a pretty long time that I've been around. I have seen dozens of discussions about water weight, dozens of posts by teenagers and others wanting to look hot in a bikini, dozens from brides-to-be who want to fit into a sexy wedding dress... You get the picture. Although all of these posters have very real concerns and motivations, my interest has waned. Most of the posters (not all) who were around during my weight loss aren't checking in anymore--and I'm posting less and less myself. I think this is a natural progression with just about any focused-discussion website.

I don't think we can assume that all the people who have posted for awhile and then disappeared have "given up." We just don't know what happens to them. Sure, a lot of them probably did give up--but others may have joined a real-life support group, or found another way, such as a counselor or trainer, or just proceeded on their own. There's no way to tell. I wish everyone success, whether they come here or not.

So, I guess my bottom line is that yes, 3FC really did help me a lot, and I'm glad it was here when I came looking. :hug: :hug: :hug: And, life goes on...

Jay

I wonder about all those people, too. But hey--some of the New Year's Resolutioners are still here; I am one of them! :)

I honestly don't know if I would have known it was really possible to lose all that I want to lose. I probably would have become discouraged by now because I'm a slow loser. As for maintenance--we'll see when I get there, but I suspect that this place will be key for me when I get into maintenance.

I don't think we can assume that all the people who have posted for awhile and then disappeared have "given up." We just don't know what happens to them. Sure, a lot of them probably did give up--but others may have joined a real-life support group, or found another way, such as a counselor or trainer, or just proceeded on their own. There's no way to tell. I wish everyone success, whether they come here or not.
Jay

You are right, of course we have no way to know if they "gave up" with their weight loss. Statistically 2-5% of the maintaince population is a pretty big number, I'm sure many people (at least 2-5% of them) are doing well, but just moved on.

I think I could have lost without 3FC---but it wouldn't have been near as much fun!

I think I could have lost without 3FC---but it wouldn't have been near as much fun!

Amen to that!

I found 3FC about 15 pounds into my journey and have been here ever since. I find the support outstanding and the camaraderie wonderful.

I think I could have lost without 3FC---but it wouldn't have been near as much fun!

Yes. Exactly. That sums it up nicely! I'm certain I could have lost/maintained without 3FC, but gosh it's a much better, more enjoyable ride WITH it. :smug: And Midwife says we have nothing to fear about going it solo;).

About the disappearing posters, wasn't there an email list someone was setting up? Sort of a 'where you've been, still hanging in there?' reminder, nudge-nudge kind of system? I'd like to get on that, too. The only email I check regularly is in my full name, which might be why I didn't jump on that earlier, but if it's just other posters in charge of a private list instead of a public listing ...?

I think the PM system takes care of that, doesn't it? There is an option to receive notification by email if someone sends you a PM on 3FC. It's under Edit Options in User CP.

Jay

No. I firmly believe that without 3FC, I would not have lost and maintained. I might have lost, but probably not as much as I did. I would not have maintained.

Why would I not have maintained? Because before 3FC, I didn't know that maintenance existed. Despite having lost and regained in the past, I honestly thought that once I got to my goal weight I was "done." I now know that that is pretty much a guarantee to regain.

I took a couple months off from 3FC in there somewhere. When I stopped posting here, I gained. Accountability really is very important to me, and keeping my weight on the top of my mind helps me out a lot for maintenance.

I lost a lot before I joined 3FC, and I managed to gain a good portion back by ignoring it. :) I've learned a lot about maintenance here, and am losing back to my goal slowly.

I lost ~70 lbs on WW but never moved to their lifetime/maintenance mode as my goal was not what they said it should be. Nonetheless, I was happy where I was and managed to maintain for about 2 years without knowing exactly what I should be doing. Gradually I gave up my good habits and then got sidelined from running by an injury. Took me another couple years to be ready to lose what I'd gained back. But 3FC sustains me even - or especially - when the going gets tough. :)

I lost the weight before I found 3FC -and had done so many times before - but was never successful at maintaining for any length of time. I don't think I would have been as successful in maintaining without the wisdom and encouragement here.

This summer was a case in point. I had been drifting upward on the scale, and gained some vacation weight on top of it. In years past this would have been the danger point for regain - over a year out from reaching goal, tired of the eternal vigilence, and it would have been SO easy to ignore the scale and backslide into old bad habits. This time, I was able to gather my resolve, go back to weight loss mode and kick those extra pounds back out before they invited too many friends over.

I am now approaching 2 years of maintenance, and I am truly at my goal weight, and not drifting back up. That's new ground for me, and I don't know that I would have achieved the same level of success without all of you. :hug:

Seeing as I haven't been visiting 3fc in the last couple months and woops! I've gained 10 lbs back, I'd say no. At least not at this stage in my life.

Support is very important to weight loss and maintaining. Unfortunately, I don't have a ton of support in my daily non-cyber space life right now. So, I'm back!

3fc was so pivotal in my weight loss journey. I love all the great support and advice that all you "chicks" provide!

No, no. no. I really think I would not have had the success that I have had. I did know that I would take off the extra weight when I was "ready," whenever that would be. Luckily I became ready at about the same time I found 3fc.
As I was nearing my goal I was very loud in my applause for the amazing women (and men) at 3fc. This thread reminds me that it's been a while since I acknowleged exactly how important certain individuals and this forum as a whole have been.

*muchas gracias* :):):):):)

Today I will the time to express my gratitude and understanding of the vital role 3fc played and continues to play in my wellness. This morning, I was again, unable to access 3fc and knowing about the takeover I began to think scary and discomforting thoughts about losing you all. I pretty much felt panic.

Have great on plan day 3fcers! You all rock!

There's no way I could have successfully navigated 10 months on this project without the 24/7 ability to log in and share with people on the same path. Family and friends are sick of hearing about it, the loss is slowing, and I can't say I've ever had to maintain before. I don't have the attention span to pull this off by myself. 3FC helps me keep my health front and center.

I don`t know.

I have been in another weight loss board before, where I was more active than I am here, and I lost nothing.

I think it`s the combination of things for me (right time in life, right motivation, time and space to do it, etc) and 3FC was an important part of it.

I do not have a large support network here (most people were either tired of hearing that I`m going to lose weight or really not bothered) and the support I get here definitely helps! Not that my whole life revolves around losing weight, but now and then, I do want to discuss some weight loss-related things and here, I have a space to do it! If someone else has not already started the topic!

Thanks 3FC!

The way I totally think about this whole losing weight thing and maintaining wouldn't have come about if I never came here :)