Until 5 years ago, I was in the 95%. I had lost weight and regained, at least 3 times (50+ lbs a shot).
This time, I actually sat down and said "self, why can you lose weight, but always regain?"
I looked at every one of my weight loss experiences and recognized they all ended the same way "I quit and went back to eating normally."
That, my friends, is what you call a lightbulb moment.
One lifestyle overhaul later and I am about 2 weeks from my 5 year maintenance anniversary. July 2010 will be 6 years from the day I changed my life.
What changed? Everything. I honestly don't eat one thing on a regular basis that I used to eat on a regular basis. From my breakfast transformation from a huge muffin and a venti latte to a fat free yogurt with chopped fresh fruit to always ordering the smallest non fat sugar free latte at Starbucks, everything is different!
I love my new body. I got married on Saturday. Wedding dress shopping was a joy. Zipping up my beautiful dress, sliding on my skinny mother's wedding garter, looking at pictures - all joy.
What I told myself, when looking at that grim statistic, was that, hey a **** of a lot of people lose weight. How many millions of people do you think lose weight? OK, what's five percent of that? That's actually quite a few people. And, yes, to what everybody has said about understanding that this does not end. I don't actually WANT to return to my old habits, I am not just gritting my teeth and getting through this -- I am actually enjoying the process. I like what I am doing. I like it much, much more than what I was doing before. I've had a lot of time to adjust to living like this as the weight has been coming off, and that time has been used in consistently building up new habits.
So, yes, 95% of people gaining back all the weight they've lost is a horrible, depressing statistic to contemplate, but it's not so bad that it makes me want to just give up and call it hopeless.
I don't know how many women earn master's degrees in the United States, but I'm pretty sure it's also far less than 10%. Of all the women who do not have degrees, I would not assume that most did not have the ability.
Compared to losing weight, earning my master's degree was a breeze, but I think losing weight has a lot more in common with earning a master's degree than it does being hit by a bus.
Fewer than 5% of the population skydive - but that doesn't make skydiving impossible.
Everyone of us beats the odds in some way. Most of us do something that most other people do not do (yet we don't think the task impossible).
I really, truly believe that together, we can beat the statistics. If someone is struggling, the very best thing they can do is come here to 3FC and post for help. There are dozens of hands here to pull us up, tough love, hugs, and support. For many of us, permanent weight loss is one of the hardest things we'll ever do, but together we can rewrite the book on weight loss and beat the odds.
Meg - Thank you! I have lose weight FOUR times in the last 20 years and gained it all back each time. Your post makes me feel so much better about keeping the weight off permenantly.
I don't actually WANT to return to my old habits, I am not just gritting my teeth and getting through this -- I am actually enjoying the process. I like what I am doing. I like it much, much more than what I was doing before. I've had a lot of time to adjust to living like this as the weight has been coming off, and that time has been used in consistently building up new habits.
So, yes, 95% of people gaining back all the weight they've lost is a horrible, depressing statistic to contemplate, but it's not so bad that it makes me want to just give up and call it hopeless.
Catherine, I feel the same way. During this journey, I've been able to really work on my emotions involving food and gain many healthy habits. Habits I plan to continue. I'm pretty new to maintenance. I agree that it's alot like losing, without the perks of watching the scale go down or buying ever increasingly smaller clothes. But dang it--I feel GOOD, AWESOME in fact. I don't want to lose this feeling, ever. My family has hit some bumps recently--DH was laid off earlier this month. In the past I would have used this as an excuse to eat. But now I don't feel that way. I feel that by continuing my lifestyle that I am more prepared to help DH and my kids, and myself. We are the 5%.
I don't feel like "Yay! Now I can eat with reckless abandon again!". But maybe people get complacent as time goes on. I dunno... THAT is scary. However, I also have learned healthy eating habits during my almost-year-long journey. I've learned not to turn to food when I'm going through an emotional swing. I STILL can't wait for the springtime so I can go jogging. I can't wait to learn my maintenance body. I love it and I'm excited to take care of it. :-)
In order for me to regain, I'd have to go backwards emotionally I think...and forget everything I've learned. I'm praying that doesn't happen and I honestly can't imagine that happening. But, I can't say the idea doesn't scare me.
do you think the 95% of people who regain the weight actually change their eating habits for life, making conscious decisions about food, and still gain it back? i would think not.
true education will beat statistics.
and it's in our own hands to choose which side of the grass we'll live in.
i personally am convinced that i will be the 5%. i know it, i feel it. no matter what, i will put my wellbeing first, and yes, i will not do it for looks. i do it for health!
I keep trying to remind myself that I am not "on" a diet, I have made a lifestyle change and I need to eat this way and move this much for the rest of my life in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and body.
I've also been nodding in agreement with everything that mandilinn posted about maintenance. Not that losing the weight is easy for me, but I am already planning on changing that little bit of text below my user name to read "Now comes the hard part!" when I get to goal.
TO the original post... I think only 5% keep it because people tend to make unrealistic goals. It is not possilble to go from 300 lbs to 115 lbs - there is not reason why a adult over 5'2" should only weight 115 lbs just to look good - it is not even healthy
the important thing is to be healthy and fit and not starving to just look like a model.
I don't feel like "Yay! Now I can eat with reckless abandon again!". But maybe people get complacent as time goes on. I dunno... THAT is scary. However, I also have learned healthy eating habits during my almost-year-long journey. I've learned not to turn to food when I'm going through an emotional swing. I STILL can't wait for the springtime so I can go jogging. I can't wait to learn my maintenance body. I love it and I'm excited to take care of it. :-)
In order for me to regain, I'd have to go backwards emotionally I think...and forget everything I've learned. I'm praying that doesn't happen and I honestly can't imagine that happening. But, I can't say the idea doesn't scare me.
Very well said!!! Congratulations on your weight loss.
I was sure I was going to die obese. I was positive. I had tried for decades to lose weight and failed. I was sure I was part of the 95% who would fail and never get to a normal weight.
Something clicked for me in 2003 and here I am, almost 7 years later and maintaining a weight that is 1/2 of my highest weight ever for the last 5 years. And trust me, I'm nothing special. Anyone can do it. It's hard, but it is do-able.
And I'm suspect of those numbers, anyway. Where do they get that number? Take a look at the maintainer's forum here. Google weight loss & weight maintenance blogs. Talk to people, there are far more people that have lost weight and kept it off than you might think.
I seriously doubt that there has been any study done of this at all. If so, how was it done? Did they put 100 people on some sort of crash diet, made them lose 20 pounds, then noted the results when 95% of them gained it back in 3 months? Did they count people who made a lasting change in the way they eat? I want to see the study this "Fact" is based off of.
I'm not a HUGE loser, but I've maintained my 40+ loss for over 5 years by just being anal retentive and keeping SOME goal in my head.. If it's not weight, maybe it's pushups, pullups, running a certain goal, etc. After so long it seems the ol' bod is used to being here, but I remain vigilant! :P
