Something has occurred to me over the last few weeks and I wanted to share how I feel but it is hard to find the right words to explain it
Do you personally know a lot of people who have successfully lost a lot of weight and maintained? Were they your friends before or did you meet them because your common goal is weight loss. Have you ever told a stranger how much weight you lost only to have them act absolutely amazed like you did the impossible? I wonder how much of the overweight population have successfully lost a large amount of weight and if it really is a common occurrence. Judging by people's reactions of my accomplishment, I honestly don't think they have ever met someone who has done it before.
When we all come here to support each other and vent, we are surrounded by people with a common goal and losing large amounts of weight seems like the "norm" Don't get me wrong, everyone's accomplishments are truly amazing and inspiring but it's almost like we become just a little desensitized to the "wonder" others have about people who can lose a lot of weight because we are surrounded by successful stories. I wonder if I am making any sense LOl
Maybe I just don't know that many people but aside from this forum, I feel pretty unique by losing so much weight. This post was brought on by the fact that I shared my loss with a couple strangers over the last few days. This older man was so happy for me he had to shake my hand. He was absolutely amazed like he almost couldn't believe it. I would surely think he would have seen several people lose weight over his 70 years or so. The other person had a similar reaction. Maybe I am just over thinking things but I wonder if losing a lot of weight is really all that common
Forgive me if I am just rambling LOL I tend to do that sometimes.
I only know one person. She was probably 200 something last time I saw her, and now she's dropped 50lb from an appetite suppresent. Otherwise, I don't know anyone. That is weird!
Yeah, I don't know anyone. People who knew me when I was really fat keep asking me astonishedly what my secret is. I just keep saying "eat less and exercise more". It's amazing how simple it is in theory but how few people actually manage to pull it off. That's why this site is so great- it really makes weight loss seem attainable and even commonplace.
I have met a few people that have lost weight through surgery but one is already gaining weight back (only reason I know because she calls me to complain)
My best girlfriend's college roommate lost over 100 (via surgery) and has kept it off for more than 5 years.
And I have one friend who was thin when I met her 20 years ago (and is still thin) but she says she was overweight in her early 20's. But I don't know how overweight she actually was.
But that's the sum total of all the people I know who have lost weight and kept it off (other than folks here.)
I know people in OA who successfully lost 100+ pounds and kept it off. But outside of that, I don't know anyone else. My mom has battled obesity all her life and I have seen her lose 60+ pounds and regain it several times. Currently she is obese, but not at her highest weight.
I think losing and keeping the weight off is a rare thing. Fortunately, there are plenty of people on 3FC who have done it.
Now that you mention it...I don't know anyone either - except for 4 people who have done it through surgery. That is not very uplifting. I guess we have to change that!!!
I have a friend who lost 150# with surgery, but has gained back about 100#. And I also know a man who lost a lot (don't know how much) with surgery, and another man who lost over 200# (and went on to run the Boston Marathon). I think, in general, it's pretty rare, though. And that's sad considering that 7 out of 10 people are overweight or obese!
I know two other people who have lost as much weight as I have and both had bypass surgery. Other than them I am unique (at least I hope I am and do keep it off but its nearly 10 month since I reached my goal.
My Dad went from 250+ to now maintaining at around 180. He could still stand to lose some more, but he's healthy, decently fit, and, despite his large gut (which was NOT from beer), fine. He's been maintaining for the past five years.
One guy my age went from being a chubby kid to being a slim and fit guy... he's been maintaining for the past two years.
I think I'm the ONLY person I've met who has yoyo'd.
The studies on weight loss and maintenance are depressing. There's a book Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss—and the Myths and Realities of Dieting by Gina Kolata that goes into that. As I recall, the best losers only lose about 10% of their weight and, even then, the majority don't keep it off. The best part of that reading experience, for me, turned out to be reading the discussion about the book that's in the Maintainer's section of 3FC. The book says that they couldn't do what, in fact, most of them had done -- lost weight and kept it off!
One point that was made in the Maintainers thread is that scientific studies on weight loss bring people in, give them a diet and varying amounts of support. They are generally testing either the diet or the type of support. What hasn't been done, because it's too hard to control the variables, is study people who choose their own plans, and then tweak it to suit their own lives. That seems to be a secret to success.
More encouraging news can be gleaned from the success stories at 3FC and the findings at the National Weight Control Registry: http://www.nwcr.ws/
I have lost over 86 pounds and maintained for 18 months, My son has lost over 200 pounds. Go to the maintainers forum, you see a lot of success stories. Also the Success Stories in the Goal Forum is full of fantastic stries of weight loss.
How common is weight loss, strange topic ;)
I've thought about this myself. We are definitely in a unique bubble here at 3FC. Isn't it marvelous?
