Why Did You Regain?
 

If you lost weight previously, why did you gain it back? I think that is a very important question and the answers might help us toward a more satisfactory maintenance. After surgery last year I was down to 182. I maintained that for 6 months until I needed another surgery in December. After that, I started to gain. I knew it was happening, but kept ignoring it. I had part of my intestines removed, and the doctor put me on a diet that limited meat and fiber. Most veggies are high in fiber, so they were out. I ate a lot of pasta and other starchy foods. Pancakes, waffles. That was only until I healed inside, but once I got a taste of all these foods, I couldn't get back to eating healthy again. It wasn't until the scale got very close to going over 200 that I snapped out of it. So now I'm losing, but it's depressing that I am losing weight that I had lost before. It would have been so much better if I had been able to follow the doctor's orders without gaining.

I know why I regained, stopped following everything I knew along with a lot of inactivity following surgery. I had surgery in December, was down to 182 on the day I went in, then had about 8 weeks recovery where I spent a lot of time in bed, husband doing the shopping and cooking and slowly started to go back to old habits. Tried to get back on track on my own a few months ago and wasn't able to do I re-joined, I need meetings to keep me going. Also was on a bunch of medication and hormones that didn't help with the weight gain, the first few weeks I was gaining 5 pounds a week :( BUT back on track!!

I did not have surgery I just got lazy. A pound here a pound there and before I knew it in the space of a year I was back up to my starting weight. I am happy to say it has taken me another year to get it back off and I am maintaining but it seems to be a constant struggle. I stay within 3-4 pounds but I would really like to drop another 15.

It is so easy to gain weight LOL

Yes, it is very easy to gain! I only lost 1/2 lb this past week, and I think it was because I wasn't eating the big salad every day I had been eating the first couple weeks. I really want to make this a lifestyle change.

I've never had surgery either but have lost significant amounts of weight only to gain it back. The main reason is that I treated my weight loss as a "diet" to be endured until I met my goal. Once there, I relaxed my attitude and went back to the same old (bad) habits.

This time, the difference is that I have found methods that I can live with forever. I allow myself a few of the old pleasures but I make sure that I've accurately accounted for it and compensated in a day or two (I'm a calorie counter). Sure, I'll be happy to meet my ultimate goal, but from then on I will be mindful of the balance between eating and exercise.

I agree that this is how it has to be. What and how we ate before is what got us in trouble. This has to be a lifetime comittment. I have been on WW Points Plus for 3 weeks. My husband will ask about some of the things I eat, but I tell him, as long as I track it in my points for the day I should be able to eat it. You do have to be aware that if you eat something high in points you are going to have to cut something out the rest of the day, and decide if you want that food bad enough to make that sacrifice. This applies to calorie counters, too. I can't say that I will never eat pizza the rest of my life, but I can have 1 slice of pizza and a salad along with it.

This was me. This is my third time on WW and I think I failed and regained in the past because I tried it as a diet or only temporary.

This time, though, I know that this is a lifelong journey. Not just losing the weight, but maintaining. It really is a lifestyle change and adopting healthy habits. So I don't sacrifice foods, because I can't say I'm never going to eat ice cream or chocolate ever again. Instead I have to find the balance to make this something I can live with for the rest of my life.

I let work take priority over taking care of myself.
I look back over the last few years and the thing that strikes me is that I simply didn't focus on myself and my health, then as the weight creeped on I didn't want to focus on that aspect of my life.
Now I'm in a different job, with a regular schedule, making sure I'm eating healthy and moving more, it seems like it should have been a no-brainer.

I can't take care of anybody else if I don't take care of me.
Hope I don't sound negative, I'm feeling so much better, just look back I'm like how did you let that happen...oh well, shoulda, coulda, woulda...we're doing something about it now, right?! :goodvibes

:sunny:

Jogger - Looks like we can all look back at what we should have done differently. I started this thread so we can each be honest with ourselves about why we regained what we lost before in an effort to preventing that from happening again. It's a struggle for me, but each time I see that scale go up even 1 pount I get more determined not to let it continue.

When I worked, I spent so much money in the snack machines! And that was in addition to my lunch. I thought I would lose so much weight (and save money, too) after I retired, but I guess I just made up the calories somewhere else. We don't keep snack food in the house, and it doesn't really interest me, but it seems like at work I had to have it, just because it was there. Now I am trying to snack on veggies when I get a snack attack.

I would always lose weight in the winter - it was easy. The kids had a regular schedule so I'd get to bed in time to get up at 5AM and hit the gym. And when I'm working out, I eat better. Then when school let out, all exercise and eating healthy would go out the window until the following January. It was nuts. This time around, I tried something new. Joined WW in December and of course, I lost during the winter and spring. When summer rolled around I made it my goal to stick to being under 160, but didn't "think" about losing weight. At the end of the summer, just maintaining, I got down to 152. So that's what I'm going to try to do for the rest of my life - maintain overall healthy habits, treat myself without gorging myself and enjoying food and life.

I got pregnant with my third child, which brought on "I'm pregnant so I can eat for two...or three...or FOUR" syndrome. And that's what I did. And here I am, back at it.

I got lazy and I got happy. I used to say that I gained the weight the first time from grief, when I lost my mum suddenly. That was true, but, well, here I am again, and the only additional big thing that's happened since the last time is that I found a WONDERFUL relationship and am super happy. So yeah...happy and lazy. I gained roughly 36 pounds back in three years. VERY easy to do.:o

For me, it's head hunger. I know I shouldn't put it in my mouth, my body doesn't need it, but my head says I need it...and the head wins. I guess it all boils down to food addiction and learning to overcome it to cure everything. Dr Furhman (Eat to Live) has an emotional eating counseling program that I would love to try, but it's very expensive. I'll just have to figure it out on my own. :)

Jennifer, I so hear you. Some days my head will not shut up, even though my tummy is full. A member on the Support board recommended this book. http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Over...1-1&tag=vig-20 I have ordered it, but not received it yet. If you look at the doctor's website, it looks very good. I would love to take counselling from her, but like you, it is not going to happen. Thought you might be interested in the book.

I struggle with that too and come from a history of binge/disordered eating, so every day I have to work really really hard to rewire my brain.

I started school :(

Same with me, I find it so hard to maintain after I reach my goal. Classic yoyo dieter and growing up around people that dont care about their health. Just today I was in line to get food at school and I said I’m on a diet idk what to get with my friend. The girl jokingly said get over yourself then a girl i didnt even know walked by and said "for real.” And these are girls going into the health profession! Then I got my haircut by the same person I always get it cut by and he offered me donuts, apple cider, chips and candy (it was halloween) it was yummy of course and nice of him but when I left he sent me off with a handful of candy bars. He wouldnt take no for an answer haha

This is my story.
I joined WW online 3 days before we were pregnant with #1. After DS I joined WW@ work and it was great. Plateaued hard at max allowable so after 6 weeks declared it goal and made it thru maintenance to LT.

While pregnant w DD, I gained 55. She's now 16 months old and I need to get the last 5-8 off. And frankly I would like to get past the top end of 'ok weight.' But apparently I am not wanting it enough :o because I can't focus away from poor choices/emotional eating long enough to put a good week together. Much less a good month. I am one of those where the meetings really helped.

I'm a big emotional eater. It doesn't have to be bad emotions, any emotions. I eat when I'm bored, happy, depressed.

When I'm depressed I eat the most, somehow the act of chewing and swollowing some how pushes the bad emotions back in the background for awhile but only while I'm eating....well that's not good.

I also get lazy, tired of tracking, tired of weighing everything. Tired of not having the treats that people bring into the office. (Which is just not right thinking, if I plan for treats I can have them, just because it's there isn't a good reason to have a treat and a treat is one serving not 2 or more. )

I regain because of the same reasons as Sarahu...I am weak when it comes to food and I binge so darn easily.. that is is disgusting...I can't even say no to that voice that says Hey eat me I am in the pantry.. I am serious.. I start off ok....get my walking in and boom around afternoon.. the binge monster for any reason attacks...

Wish there was a pill for that..

Another thing that throws me is completely giving up the foods I enjoy. If I could learn to incorporate a single serving of chips, or high fat foods or high sugar foods, enjoy it then stop.

I did South Beach for a while and had great sucess, but after a couple years white rice started calling my name and I really didn't like white rice that much before I gave it up.

I think for me, I need to learn to incorporate all these changes and really make lifestyle shift in thinking and eating I can live with forever.

I lost 125 pounds doing low carb.. then that plan no matter what I did, stopped working...so I switched to WW and now I have this low carb mind set... it's actually kind of weird...I just as you said, I need the portion control...but I don't know when to stop...also on WW I need to make better choices for a better bang for my points...such a battle, I swear..

I too binge eat and I am not hungry at all wish I could get it all together. so I am trying WW again and I hope it works for me what one do you all like the PP or Momentum? I need all the help I can get!!!
Do you all know how to change the line to change my weight since I have gain more than that???

I regain when I don't making losing weight and maintaining weight loss my number one focus. It also doesn't help if I have a long plateau.

The trigger to regaining is usually being a situation where following the program becomes difficult.

Many years ago I got to lifetime and was doing fine. I had some jaw surgery where I couldn't eat solid food for a couple of months. Just as I was getting back to eating solid food (which I was really craving) I had to go out of town for work for 2 weeks where I was eating out with other people 3 times a day. And this was long before restaurants made any effort to have any healthy or lower calorie foods. The combination of the craving and the trip caused me to gain enough that when I got home I realized I was about 5 pounds over goal. I was too embarrassed to weigh in while that much over goal so said I would go back when I got back to goal. I eventually did go back years later but was nowhere near goal.

The other example is from earlier this year. I had been doing well and had lost 44 pounds. First I got stuck on a plateau which was very frustrating. Then we got involved with buying a new house and moving. The area we were looking at was 60 miles from where we lived so we would drive up and look at houses and then be starving so would eat out. Couple that with packing and crazy schedules and not being able to find anything...and I gained 10 pounds. Again...not so bad. And for the past several months I've bounced up another 10 pounds and then I lose it and then I bounce up. Basically once I had gained the 10 pounds I was demoralized by it and just didn't want to focus on weight loss so...I didn't.

Judy, have you read any from that book yet? It looks interesting! I bookmarked it for now.

To change your ticker, click o User CP at the top of the website, then click on change signature. Scroll down below the ticker to the box where your signature is typed in and change the number.

I think the best plan is the one you will follow. When I did Momentum, I don't think my mindset was good. I just wasn't into it. My points would be gone by noon! I did better with PP. I am no longer following the program, but I have maintained my weight so far. Everyday I intend to get back on program, but my carb portions have been growing and that's my downfall. I think my success was due to filling up on veggies and eating very small portions of carbs. I would have no starchy carbs at breakfast or lunch, but I knew I could then have a portion of them at dinner, so that knowledge got me through the day. It worked, and I need to get back to it while I'm still maintaining. Regaining right now would be disasterous for my frame of mind.

Ive been struggling like mad for the last 6 months abouts (maybe even longer) to stay on track... I was eating well like i normally have been to lose the weight i have and then... BOOM - Plateau! So... ive been up and down 3-4lbs fluctuating the whole time. I got into this major rut... like... "I cant do this! Im losin the battle! Well, im just going to gain it back again next week!" etc. I just decided to put my foot down. No More... "BLT's = Bites, Licks, and Tastes" as my leader calls them. And true... this week i did not go into temptation to "taste" anything. I lost 4.5lbs this week and finally FINALLY broke into the 160's!!!!!! So ive decided to go 1 week at a time, and not try to think further ahead of myself. Get thru 1 day at a time, 1 week at a time. Its so hard to get that motivation back after feeling like someone has been pushin ya backwards! Ugh

Its been about 10 year now since I first lost 55 lbs on WW. I loved WW then - had a great leader, liked meetings. But then I moved across town, got focused on other things, never found another WW leader I liked.

Lots of life changes...marriage, children....

And then my former WW success came to be reminder of my current failure. And since I gained the weight back (plus more) it plants seeds of doubt in my head about ever being able to lose the weight and keep it off.

Short answer....I re/gain weight when I lose focus on my weight related goals.

The last 4 years of my life have been one huge roller coaster. I lost about 50 pounds (I was hovering right around 200 at the end) and was thrilled with it - but then? I quit my job (to be a SAHM) and my husband and I hit a financially horrible time. I hit a huge depression and just couldn't come out of it. Resulting in a gain of almost 100 lbs **EEK**

So now that my life is in a FAR better place, I'm finally ready to change my life, this time for good.

Is is so difficult when stressful situations come into your life. Food provides comfort. It does! But it's temporary comfort. The stressful problems don't go away...the food just smooths things over for a while. Then the weight gain causes more stress. Somehow, we need to learn how to manage our stress without turning to food. Learn to stop and think before each and every morsel goes into our mouth! We can do this. We can!

It's always the same reasons for me - celebrating too soon or plateau and giving up. I'm a yoyo but I really don't want to be. I hate it that I'm always losing and gaining the same few pounds.

Food provides not only comfort, but pleasure. It's how we humans are designed. I think my several 30-to-60-pound regains boil down to making a subliminal decision, at some point, that I would rather be heavier and eat liberally than be thin and eat moderately. This is the longest I've ever maintained a loss (over a year), and I'm not sure what's different, other than the two new behaviours I've incorporated -- exercising several times a week and weighing myself several times a week.

F.

I was put on Zoloft back in August and was told I may gain weight. Here I am almost 40lbs heavier in just a few short months. I exercise everyday and do 2 to 3 classes which are super intense. My eating hasn't been the best and I've had some binge days because my anxiety had been really bad.

2013 is going to be MY year, I'm getting to goal! I was 5lbs away at one point and I refuse to let this gain stop me.

I gained my weight back mainly from losing hours at work and sitting around most of the day, mixed with a little depression. Then I fell pregnant, but managed to lose 9kg afterward, but then my husband stopped smoking and he started eating and bringing home junk food and I gained too. This time when I lose it I will have to maintain it and not eat everything in sight without a second thought. Eating is easy, losing is damn hard.

I regained weight after getting married (10 pounds), having a baby (25 pounds), another baby (10 pounds) and another baby (15 pounds). These events occurred as I worked a full-time office job for the first time since I'd lost weight (which occurred while I was a grad student and had a flexible schedule to make room for exercise and meal planning).

There were a lot of ups and downs not reflected in those numbers, but I think what my weight gain boiled down to was being overwhelmed by no longer having (or making) time to take care of myself and just sort of putting it aside. I've been on a sort of exploration to find a plan that works for me, and finally not being a perfectionist about it.

I attend WW on a weekly basis for the weigh-in now, no matter what. One really hard lesson I learned was that once I start skipping weigh-ins or hide the scale, is when the weight comes rushing on.

Amy, you are exactly right about the scale and weigh-ins. If you make yourself get on that scale regularly, even if you think you have gained, you will see it right in front of your face and hopefully get it back off before it gets out of hand. I know that getting weighed at WW can be so important to keeping you on track, but I just can't afford the monthly fee. It is working wonderfully for my DIL.

Freelance - I also think lifestyle changes are key to maintenance. If you choose an eating plan that you think you can live with the rest of your life, success will come much easier. Diets are something we do for a period of time and then stop. That's setting yourself up to regain, IMO.

I lost 40 Lbs, and gained it all back because I was doing everything in extreme. One day I would be extremely focused and intense at the gym, and the next week I would be extremely negative about my ability to change my behaviours.

I would attend the gym 5 days a week, work out hard for a solid hour and a half, and then would make poor food choices. My weight didn't move. For 4 months, and I gave up. I just wasn't ready to be honest with myself.

That brings us to present day, and I've never been more real with myself, and owning up to my behaviours has been hugely eye-opening.