Hi everyone!

I'm back on 3FC after a long absence and have spent a few days lurking around various places before feeling comfortable enough to post again. I've chosen the maintainers forum after reading the sticky on relapsing. Last time I was here I didn't feel like I "belonged" in the maintainer forum yet. Now, I see that I need to start the maintaining mindset now even though I have weight to lose.

I've relapsed terribly. I lost 40 lbs between 2002-2003 and lost about 10 more lbs between 2004-2005. I was able to keep the initial 40 lbs off for 3 years or so. In 2006, I started teaching again and I've allowed my weight to ever so slowly creep back up to my initial starting weight. This was/is devastating to me because I had been so certain that I had finally done it; I had finally gotten rid of the weight demon for life. I was (still am?) profoundly disappointed in myself and it took me quite some time to get myself back to the state of mental clarity and commitment I needed to give this thing another try. A permanent, final try.

I know how to lose weight. I AM losing weight, and have been for about 2 months now. Losing isn't the issue. I know I'll get back to my goal weight, it will just take time and continued commitment. Maintaining is my issue.

So here I am . I'm looking forward to reading, posting, and learning from everyone here.

Kate

back, Kate! It's good to see you again. Lose one pound and keep it off, you're a maintainer.

You might like the maintainers' weekly chat thread. They talk about dogs *a lot* there. Dog behaviour, problems, breeds, toys, things I don't understand. No basset hounds there yet, I think.
And they talk about maintaining a bit.

Join in wherever you fancy. I'm mostly in the Operation 5-10lbs or more thread. There are at least two of us who are in the 'or more' category.

Hi Kate!
Yes, we do talk about dogs a great deal. I'm one of the guilty ones!
I currently have a Great Dane (age 7) and a Doxie puppy (age 6 months).

My dh's family had Bassets so I'm very familiar with them and their slobberiness!!

Welcome back, Kate (I remember you!).

You aren't alone. I lost 120+ pounds, kept it off for a couple of years and then it started coming back. About 50 pounds of it came back!

So, you are in good company

I feel ya, Kate, and would like to second Silver's invitation to the Operation 5-10 or more thread. I could have written your post myself (except for the teaching part).

Thanks for the warm welcome . Looking forward to getting to know folks!

Kate, I responded to one of your posts on another thread, but I'll reiterate here that I could have written your post. I, too, teach. About six years ago, I had lost 45 lbs. and was wearing a 4/6. I really, really, thought that that was it for me---that I would never regain (as I had done so many times in the past). Well, I, too, got a new teaching job, got stressed out, and regained all the weight I lost. It completely discouraged me, and it has taken me six years to get back the motivation to try again.

We can do this! I feel differently now that I ever have before. Right now, anything I do is preceded by this question: "Am I willing to do this for life?" If my answer is "no," then I'm not doing it to lose weight either even if it means I lose at a slower rate. In other words, this is a lifetime commitment for me now. I'm encouraged because that is not the mindset I previously had. Even when I was thin, I used to throw inner temper tantrums about what I had to do to keep off the weight (e.g., workout for 1.5 hours at the gym 5-6 days a week). Now I realize that I cannot do that for life, so I am not even attempting to do it now.

Hi Lin,

It's so nice to hear I'm not alone! Teaching really did a number on me weight-wise (I'm on sabbatical this year and trying to decide if I really want to go back). I noticed a pattern the other day. I've left teaching twice (not including this time). Each time, I've lost a significant amount of weight. I've returned to teaching twice. Each time I've gained a significant amount of weight. I'm beginning to think I need to leave teaching permanently for my health.

Thanks for your support and for sharing your experiences and wisdom .

Welcome, Kate! Definitely hang out and chat with us!

Hey - welcome back! I have found that I need 3FC to be successful. The support and daily accountability is really key for me. Any time I drift away, my weight goes up. So, I've made daily check-ins with 3FC part of my maintenance plan.