[shelby897]

So, I've been doing pretty well with my WW -- but I'm having a hard time convincing myself this time is going to be "the one". Along with almost everyone, I've diet before, done really well and then fallen completely off the "wagon" only to start again and on and on and on......

So, you did you know "this was the one", the "last time", the "one that will work"?

[Meg]

I still don't know that this is "the last time"! And it's been more than five years since I reached goal. All I know is that I can't ever let down my guard and relax. There's never going to be a time that I feel safe from regaining the weight, so I work it every day, one day at a time.

[Lekhika]

Originally Posted by Meg

I still don't know that this is "the last time"! And it's been more than five years since I reached goal. All I know is that I can't ever let down my guard and relax. There's never going to be a time that I feel safe from regaining the weight, so I work it every day, one day at a time.

I totally agree here. If you go into it expecting anything other than success you've sort of already set yourself up for failure. Y'know?

[rockinrobin]

Originally Posted by Lekhika

If you go into it expecting anything other than success you've sort of already set yourself up for failure. Y'know?

I'm not so sure about this statement. I don't see hope and being hopeful and confident, no matter what the turnout as setting oneself up for failure. But that's just me.

Shelby, to get to your question, I think Meg's got the right idea. But I will tell you for me, and I know this is not the norm, so please don't "go by it", I knew for CERTAIN that this "was my time." There was no doubt in my mind I was going to llose the weight. I just didn't want to be fat any longer and I was willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of the weight.

Now that being said, I still have the fear that it can come back - and quickly at any second. There are certainly no guarantees. There are very few things in life we know for certain, so don't wait around for that to happen. I myself will have to be super vigilent every day of my life. My weight and my health are always on the forefront of my mind. I don't see that changing 10 months from now or 10 years. Don't let that scare you off though. It's worth it. The struggles of getting fit and trim and then remaining there, are way better then the struggles of being morbidly obese. By about a million, trillion percent - and then some.

[hellokitty81668]

I agree with Meg,
I don't know if this is the last time, I think it is more important that I am able to understand that this is for life, and learn from what I am doing.
cheryl

[LittleMoonRabbit]

I actually ask myself the same question. A few years ago, I was doing so well with weight loss- I had lost 10 lbs almost effortlessly, and I was on my way... but since then, I have gained back what I lost and 10 lbs over THAT. However, I think it all comes down to your mindset... I think it's when you realize that this isn't just a "diet", but a lifestyle change that will last forever... I think that is when it feels different. That's how it is for me.

[bargoo]

Shelby, I understand what you mean, I know for me I want to get off the diet/gain/diet merrygoround. I plan to follow Meg's advice. I think I am beginning to "get it" maintenance has to be an ongoing process.

[midwife]

I've done this before. Dropped 35 pounds through healthy eating and regular exercise and then....I just stop, and it comes back on.

This time is going to be different, for a couple of reasons. First, I am terrified that I am killing my metabolism. I don't know the science behind "yo-yo-ing" and metabolism and I don't really want to know. If I jacked up my metabolism, I'd rather be in denial right now.

Second, I am 35. I want the rest of my life to be healthy and active. I have a lot planned, both in the short term and the long term. I have faced my mortality!

Third, I am so d#$& tired of seeing the same d$*% numbers on the scale. I have beaten the 200s, the 190s, the 180s, and nearly conquered the 170s twice before. It is disheartening that here I am having to do it AGAIN! I'm very irritated with myself about it (sometimes!).

But here's another reason I believe (I know!) this is the last time. I look at my previous efforts as practice, rather than failure. I have learned that if I eat junk and don't exercise, I gain weight. That is a fact I will have to respect every day for the rest of my life. I have a choice about that. I control what goes in my mouth. I control what my body does on a certain day.

And the MOST important reason that I know this is my last time, is because I know how to do it "right"!!!! Reading the best of the Maintainers over and over, reading Meg's and Glory's, and the other maintainers' daily intake and exercise, that makes it crystal clear that it has GOT to be a lifestyle change.

I have started this last round of weightloss and I am down to 191 this morning. When I am comfortably in the 180s, I will never see 190 again, barring pregnancy (but even then!!!). I will maintain the loss I have achieved this past 6 weeks. If nothing else, I will maintain that!!!

I will not stop, but I have drawn the line in the sand. I will not be here again. Somehow I just know it in a way I've never known it before. I'm done. I am on my way. I know how to maintain. I will make daily decisions to do so. I will not be in denial of my weight.

[OnceUponADrive]

I try and fail time and time again. I have never seen any results of all my efforts whether it be dieting alone, exercise alone, or both together. I have discovered that my body type falls into the endomorph category and learned that it is characteristic for this type to have a lot more trouble losing weight than the others. I have gone months with diet and exercise programs with little to no results and felt so frustrated that I end up saying "screw this" I might as well eat what I want and be lazy. Of course that's not the answer at all, and I end up gaining a LOT more weight because I'm also predisposed to gain easily. It IS really hard to stay motivated, especially when you can't seem to lose more than 10 pounds. I feel that if I could see those results, I'd have no problem sticking to a strict diet and exercise regimen. I've never been thin, or even an average weight. I've always been at least 30 pounds overweight. Anyway, I'm just ranting. I know that I have to get my butt out there and do tons of cario every day.

[nelie]

I really didn't know that "this was it" until I got below 300 of course at that point I stopped losing weight but I knew I was just maintaining until I decided to lose weight again. After I got under 300, I knew I was never going back.

[PeggyP]

For me, I know this is the last time. I too, am not thinking of this as a "diet" anymore. It is a way of life. "Diets" never did anything but make me gain more after I went "off" of them. Once I am out of the 200's, I KNOW I won't see that anymore. BUT, like others have said, I have to keep my guard up at all times. I also believe it will be for the rest of my life.
When I look at my aunts and uncles, I see strong tendencies for obesity. I don't want to be their age and have to deal with that. I'm approaching 50 and it's surely not going to get any easier. I have to do it now.
When Midwife said,

I have a choice about that. I control what goes in my mouth. I control what my body does on a certain day.

she was so right. I have that control. And I WILL control the food....it will NOT control me!!!!

[Trazey34]

I don't know for sure, I'm just cautiously optimistic because I've made changes that I've never made before and they seem to be working. I think the key to success is hyper vigilence! We've all seen people quit smoking and even 2 or 3 years later start up again, same with alcohol or drugs - food is no different in my opinion -- a few bad breaks, a life change, any number of things could send a person straight back to bad habits.

The big change I've made that I think makes me believe "this is it" is ditching the idea of "dieting" and the "all or nothing" mentality. That has been key (again,just for ME - everyone is different) in making me feel like a normal person, a grown up, an adult in control of food choices and not a spoiled whiney little brat who shoves whatever she wants into her face LOL

Find what works, commit to it, and don't let your guard down!

[Schmoodle]

I don't know for sure either. But my history is a little different because I've never really tried too hard to lose the weight before. 20 years ago I lost 40 lbs on the T-factor diet, and then a year later, 7 lbs. on Jenny Craig. That was pretty much it until now. But I do think I've made some permanent changes now, because it's more about learning a way of eating this time than "dieting". I found a plan that I can really live with (SBD) that addresses my issues. My whole family eats this way now (because I am the cook!), and they love that they get home-cooked meals every day. DD had a friend staying over recently, and her friend asked what I was making for dinner. I overheard DD tell her "I don't know but whatever it is, you'll love it. My mom is a great cook." That made me so happy. I don't know for sure that I'll never gain weight again, but I feel like I have the tools now to deal with it, which I never did before. I've got it in my signature, it's a journey, and we're all on it, day by day.

[kaplods]

I think I finally realized there will never be a "last time." I think that was my biggest downfall of diets in the past. Each time I vowed "this will be the last time," thinking that there would eventually be a time when there would be an end to the diet, or at the very least a time would come when I had reached such wonderful control of my eating and exercise that it became second nature.

I think this time IS different, because I look at it differently. I look at the changes I am making in my life as things I plan on doing for the rest of my life. I think the only thing different about "this time" is that I don't see giving up as an option. No matter how badlly I fail, whether that be in a day, a week, a month, or a year, I have promised myself that I will not see it as a reason to give up.

This time has been different, in that I have never gone this long without regaining all of the weight back and then a heaping bunch extra for good measure. On the other hand, I've never lost weight so slooooooowly before either. In fact, for a bunch of reasons, some legitimate, some just laziness, I've been idling for a long time. But in a sense, even that has been progress, as I've never "plateued" or "maintained" a weight (even one as high as this one) before.

Change is very, very difficult, and you have to realize that and not be too hard on yourself. The moment you see change as impossible, you've taken that first step towards giving up.

[royalsfan1]

I agree with those who commented that there is no "last" time...but only a lifetime. I don't see that there is a point where my awareness of what I'm putting in my mouth can end. I have entered a lifelong process.

However, I think that it really hit me that it is working and I CAN do this was when I finally dropped below 200 pounds for the first time in 11 years. That's when I knew that I'm doing what's right and when I do it, it works.