That makes sense!

Yup, I think that's the trick of it.

I suspect I'll be calorie counting for life. Right now I'm eating 2100 per day, which I suspect will drop down at my next DXA scan depending how much lean mass I've maintained. When I get down to my goal weight I plan to keep counting indefinitely, and keep rewarding myself for logging consistently.

As an aside, looking at your chart I don't feel better (not that I feel bad exactly, but I guess I mean to say I'm not surprised or horrified or anything)... between age 20 and 28 I jumped from 180 to 300 lbs, so my weight gain was a LOT faster than yours. There were two times I lost over 40 lbs in that time period, too. But then again, I'm 5'10 and I think I just work in bigger numbers, in general. *shrugs*

You're hardly alone. These trends have been the story of my life, as well. My data lies in the photos throughout the years. If you read the maintainers posts carefully, you see those who are successful don't take breaks. They monitor every day. It is definitely a lifestyle.

Lots of great advice and experience on this thread (and agree with someone else who suggested we should re-name it the "Rebooters" thread hahaha)!

So, so true....all the previous posts!!! This is a LIFETIME commitment!! We cannot be either "on" or "off", we need to be "on our game" AT ALL TIMES.....FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!!!

IP is the ONLY diet (and I have done EVERYTHING) that got me to goal (since my early 20's.....I'm 50 now)!! And I worked thru ALL FOUR PHASES. As I was nearing the next Phase I'd do research to be prepared.....sample meals, etc. It's all about being AWARE.

Those of us who have fallen off.....we are back up, brushed off, learned lessons along the way (ALWAYS learning along the way actually) ....and are better prepared for what lies ahead!!

Here's to our future my friends!!
...and the future is looking AWESOME (as are YOU)!!

Oh and a SHOUT OUT to Maintainers....YOU ROCK!! Thank you for your support!!

I think a lot of us are the same way. I can stick with the diet when I put my mind to it and stay within the structure. But, once off it comes back. I think age also plays into it for me. Each decade my upper amount goes up, I have more to lose, and it's harder given my metabolism, amount to lose, demands on my time, etc. Also, after having kids I gained in places that weren't normally my problem areas so now I have an overall problem everywhere!

I have not read this whole thread, but enough to know that this is exactly how I feel. I lost nearly 110 pounds with IP and was almost to goal (most friends and family thought I was at goal and wanted me to stop). I needed a break and phased off properly, with the help of my coach. I slowly crept up, but nothing like the last couple of months when some very hard times when I have been hit with serious health problems of my family, me being the caretaker. THEN my husband and I went on a cruise, just returning Sunday. It was ridiculous that I ate everything that was't nailed down. I am a small framed person who can gain at an alarming rate.

I am back on IP as of Tuesday, and my official weigh-in that day on our doctor's scale we have (I am doing it on my own and not at the clinic with alternatives and a couple favorite IP products from eBay) showed all told I gained back close to 40 pounds. Which means I am still more than 70 pounds less than when I initially started, so why do I feel heavier than I was then?? I donated so many clothes and I was down to Mediums mostly and size 10-12 in pants, and I can wear the 12s and all the 14s I still can find, but they obviously don't look good (and some need zipping up as I lay on my back on the bed ), and I wear the loosest tops I can find. But when I look at myself, I think I am at size 22 or 24. I did have a few things I found that were larger sizes in a closet and they are way too big on me, but I think my psyche is all screwed up right now.

I am bound and determined to get over my shame at this whole thing and get back to feeling better physically and psychologically. I have my favorite veggies prepared, and have no problem getting back into the IP eating. I had a bad headache for Day 2 and 3, but that is gone, so I hope I am into ketosis and can cook along. I know the losses won't be like the first time, but I am determined.

Thanks for anyone who read all of that. I appreciate this forum, and love seeing some of the people here I have admired in the past, such as Scorbett and Lisa here.

Lisa-- thanks for pointing out that the successful maintainers adopted a lifestyle change. I agree.

And, when I am at a goal weight I always think I will do that too and I do watch what a I eat. Then I slip some, then more, more and boom....gotta go back to strict eating. I re-gain fast.

NSV- last night I went out with some girlfriends and had a great time. I drank ice water and they drank wonderful looking cocktails and ate yummy smelling food. I was offered sips and bites which I declined. I acknowledged to them that I was really okay and I am really committed to my eating plan. There is an awkwardness to being a complete non-joiner. I know I could have a different kind of drink but I either wanted to drink alcohol or get my water intake.

lisa, shasta, and workingit ... yes, good comments! I agree it has to be a lifestyle change or all bets are off.

That's what I've been thinking too. It will always be a diet. When I look at people who are thin (and I assume naturally, but you can't tell from like looking), they seem to eat more restrictive than I'd have thought.

I'm writing this from my phone and it sucks!

I wonder how many people on this forum are first time dieters?
My guess is that at least 8 out of 10 have lost weight and regained it before, at least once..... maybe with IP, but if not, most of us have lost weight with some other diet program. (For me, it takes more than one hand to count all the diets I have followed, lost some weight, and regained all that I lost, and gained extra each time.)

My point is that many of us have lost and then regained those lost pounds, and everyone of us who has, has felt the shame and self-blame that accompanies watching ourselves balloon back up again.

Overcoming that shame, and dealing with the feeling of having thrown away all the hard work we put in to lose those pounds in the first place is a HUGE obstacle to deal with.

I cannot pass up this opportunity to commend everyone who has signed on here and taken steps to face head-on the challenge to lose the weight again. It takes courage and persistence to do this. Let's pat ourselves on the back for committing and taking action to lose weight again, and let's really work to apply the lessons we have learned so we might avoid making the same mistakes again.

Just like Lisa's closing quote says...

Well said!!

WOW, wise words....when I think about its true we are realizing our weakness with food, and facing it and turning it around......that takes guts and grit!! Its hard to face our problems in the face sometimes, but I think that is what will make us stronger to get over the bumps along the way.

I remember before how great it felt when I lost like 50 lbs....I am trying to focus on how that felt, and it was nice not to wonder if I was always the biggest person when ever I went out....

I have a new boyfriend, well one year, and I cant wait till he sees some of the results. He is very supportive but told me he loves me as I am....I told him but I need to love me too.....and feel good. As humans we have so many areas to make us complete.....My son also has just me, so I want to live healther and be there for him as long as possible. His father died young from cancer, so I want to be my best for the future.

All of this is so true:

I was heavy all through my 20's (had my daughter at 19) and gained up to 275 then I did a weight watcher type diet at age 30 and lost to around 210, maintained for a little while but over 5 years gained to 245-250, then just stuck there for 3 years until IP, I did IP 5 years ago and lost to 175 and maintained at 180ish for 3.5 years and then last 10 months shot up to 209.8.

I did a video for myself to remind me how to maintain. For those 3.5 years I revisited the four phases over and over and kept the weight off. As soon as I stopped rebooting, bam! Weight starting coming back on. I am less than 1 pound away from the 180's and feeling great. Back into my size 10 pants and large shirts...now to get back to the 8's and mediums.

Great job Darbs!!!

I see we are still on this march together...I am about a pound behind you. But I am phasing off December 15th for 3 weeks. So that will not be a loss period. Just maintain hopefully.

I plan to start back again January 3rd with phase 1 for 4 more weeks. I hope that gets me between 165-170. Then I have a ton things planned (a cruise in February, a major conference at a casino in March, and a week off in April). I hope to maintain well through that time period and then try phase one again from mid-April to mid-May to get to 155ish. But no matter what phase 4 by Memorial Day.