I was trying to say how nice it is to "see" everyone again too but not under these circumstances. This will be the last time we all chat on THIS thread.

I look upon it as part of the journey, whether we have gained back 20 to 30 pounds or whatever. I know for me although I suffered a setback, I have learned from it about some of my weaknesses, and hopefully how to treat them.

And I am still nearly 100 pounds less than when I started, and nearly 70 while on IP. I am lighter, happier, healthier and still FIGHTING. What more could I want at this point? I will still get back up if I falter because I am human and I did not get where I was by knowing myself and my body.

While packing things up for a move in several months, I came across a rare photo of me with my four sibs when we were visiting our now deceased parents. I was beaming, totally unaware of how large I had gotten.

Looking back at the photo, I cannot recognize myself. I was clueless! A big round red face atop a huge neck and chest - thank goodness the camera went not much further down!

So I relish the fact that I can SEE what that weight looked like and remember what it felt like. Now I know why I was often 'invisible' to people because I was HUGE. I know I am well beyond that now and so I will tackle my extra regained pounds knowing I can and will do it, however many times it takes.

Amen!! Well said!!!

I'm totally in awe of the maintainers who keep it all off.

I'm starting a planned reboot after my Hawaiian vacation. The good news is that I didn't create myself stomach upset on this vacation that I had done in the past (better overall choices). Boy-oh-boy, I cannot eat things I used to eat! It is almost as if I've had weight loss surgery, although I have not. But I surely have a sensitive gut!

I weigh-in tomorrow, after some of the biggest vacation/travel bloat is gone (mostly from adult bevs). And I'm thinking of joining a January 1 Diet Bet for further monitoring (I did best when I was going to a weekly clinic WI)

Hope to see some of you in the 100% thread. This is the only way I could ever shed the weight. Otherwise, I just make too many excuses/exceptions.

I agree Hgamroth this is the LAST time. lets do this

It's so important to avoid that nasty "final phase" of almost any diet. I admit that I fell prey to that ... but I am bound and determined to have ultimate success this time around!



Wishing everyone here good vibes on getting it off and keeping it off!

Lisa, what's a january 1 diet bet? Sounds intriguing!

Hi all!! Haven't checked in as much as I should, it's been a bit of a bumpy road the last week and a half. I made some allowances for myself over the holiday, and DID NOT overindulge...but I did go off plan here and there. Been watching the scale, and I am maintaining at my current weight, no extra gains over the holidays, so I'll take that as a small victory!

Hope you have all enjoyed your holidays..though maybe not TOO much!!

I wouldn't take maintaining over the holidays a small victory, I would say it is a large victory. That is the goal of all this to lose the weight and then live life and not gain it all back. Congratulations. It will be all over soon! :carrot

I have yet to see one. Most can keep it off for a year or even two (I was one of those), but boy can it sneak up on you. I have two Facebook groups I am part of from ladies I met on 3FatChicks. The first group is my original group from 2010 (about 15 of us) all from the maintenance thread...every single person gained it all and some (except me) and at this point, there is zero conversation and everyone is frustrated.

The second group is from while I was on maintenance in 2011 and that group is a little more active. Everyone in that group has gained, but not all of it (most have gained as much as half back), but I would say that we are trying.

I just had my "holiday maintenance" period...stayed in ketosis but indulged in champagne and steaks and lobster with butter. I have 3 more weeks until I phase off on January 24th. I have 7 more pounds and I am back at my goal weight...hoping to hit it by the 24th.

I did actually get 7 pounds below my goal weight and I will attempt to do that and maybe another 5-6 sometime mid-April. I have a lot of travels from February to April so going to try to follow phase 4 faithfully.

This is so interesting, esp in terms of the time involved.

I do know that some have been able to keep it off -- I have seen a number on this board -- although I don't know what the success rate is like over multiple years. Maintaining is hard -- that's always been a troublesome area for me.

But congrats on your great effort Darbs -- you are my hero!

When I initially chose to "try" IP, it was my last resort prior to WL surgery. But the maintenance track record for any of the numerous procedures available isn't any better than losing on a WL diet plan. The thing that gets everyone is trying to go back to a former lifestyle. It only took me a short while of not monitoring to move into the next size up

From my reading (thanks to Maile) on the maintainers thread, it seems the fomerly overweight who are most successful are ever-diligent. Even if they "slack" for a couple weeks for a holiday or vacation, or whatever, most of the time they are monitoring weight and intake, or they gain.

As much as we (the collective "we") don't want this to be the case, it is.
One thing that has helped me is that many "foods" I used to overeat now give me horrible stomach aches. Particularly junky starches and sugary items (really, edible non-foods). And, I seem to only be able to handle 2 drinks before my stomach revolts. I don't "get sick" but I sure wish I would when I feel like that!

People I know who have had WL procedures tend to experience the same thing. And I didn't even need to go under the knife for it!

i am back on IP again...after losing 113 pounds before and gaining a large portion of that back.

i see there are many of my previous friends from the IP threads....also facing the same issues...albeit with lower weight issues than myself.

there are also friends from the IP threads that have lost and managed to successfully maintain their losses...

my question is: what is it that makes one successful over another in maintaining weight loss?? or face regain?

i found this study online

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...901/so....here

...quite hard to read through...but in the conclusion it says...

"In conclusion, we found that increases in two behaviors (frequency of self-weighing and physical activity) along with increases in dietary restraint and decreases in disinhibition, hunger, and depressive symptomatology were associated with improved weight loss maintenance."

Disinhibition is the tendency to overeat in response to different stimuli, and can occur in a variety of circumstances such as when an individual is presented with an array of palatable foods or is under emotional distress.

Restraint is the conscious restriction of food intake to prevent weight gain or promote weight loss, and hunger is the susceptibility to eat in response to perceived physiological symptoms that signal the need for food

the more weight i gained back, the less active i was...that is true. and the more weight i gained, the more i hid from the scales, not wanting to face the reality. that is true...

so all of you wonderful maintainers, who are having success...what do you think is YOUR best successful advice for me and others...because i want this time to be the time i learn to maintain for the long term.

thanks for your advice and support

Hi Rainbow,
Happy and healthy 2015 to you! Glad to see you are back. I'm still in the process of working to goal so I don't have any input on your question. That said, I am hoping that I can be a successful maintainer by educating myself in advance to pitfalls so your post was very helpful " food for thought".So thanks for it and also thanks for all the recipes- you have been a big player in my success to date because I had such delish dishes!

This is a great question that I'm sure many of us are wondering about. I too had great success on the program and then found myself regaining - have caught myself before I undid it all but it is frustrating a little heartbreaking. I found myself feeling pretty defeatist and then decided it was time to reboot. So here I am.

I've been reading a lot about emotional eating and know that has been my life's challenge. I went to see a therapist to start the conversation but the one I went to was not supportive of continuing on a diet of any kind. I would love to be an intuitive eater but not at the weight that I am.

Looking forward to hearing advice about what works after a fall that was full of what doesn't.

Best wishes for 2015 all of you!