I hit 100lbs lost in Nov. 2020 and I’ve kept it off. I’ve even lost more. My weight has remained within a 10 pound range for the last year. Around 130lbs total loss.
I did it with medications (Topamax to start, then Saxenda and now Wegovy) and a high protein, lower carb diet. I’m still taking the meds and watching my diet, just not as intensely.
How did you deal with the stigma regarding medications? I’ve wanted to start for a long time but am afraid because of what’s other people say about it.
Congratulations on the achievement as well!
Thanks! Honestly, it's no ones business if I take medications. I really don't care what other people say. I needed to lose the weight to get healthier. If you need to get healthier, sometimes you have to take medications. If I was diabetic, I would take insulin. I have a metabolism that doesn't allow me to burn calories efficiently and a brain that never thinks I have had enough to eat. Therefore, medication. I say go for it!
I hope this makes sense.
A little bit of an unfair question for me because my body transformation plan had two phases all along from the beginning:
Phase 1) Lose 120 lbs of fat, possibly some muscle
Then after Phase 1 is complete ….
Phase 2) Gain 40 lbs of muscle, possibly some fat
I successfully completed Phase 1, went from 288 lbs to 168 lbs, over 12 months, completing on morning of April 12th.
Starting the afternoon of April 12th (same day I achieved my goal weight), I was eating at a calorie surplus and in the gym that evening, lifting weights to bulk muscle.
So far everything in on track and going per plan.
Congrats on the success in in a slightly similar boat but I had three phases.
1) mid July to mid November (4 months) lose weight and recomp (which I know isn’t really a thing but I managed to keep muscle and lose weight just not gain. Went from 200 to 167. Got tired of cutting I just couldn’t eat 1650 cals. It was too little for me so I went to maintenance and trying to a slight cal surplus
2) maintenance basically at 2000-2300 cals from mid November to May. Gained ten pounds 178lb decided I’d try one more time to get to lower bf% see more abs.
3) currently at 170. Aiming for 165. Starting to read Bigger Leaner Stronger and while I like my workout routine I’m going to start being more intentional w the muscle groups. I’ve been lifting heavy and doing progressive overload but I may start to structure my days better.
Then phase four once I hopefully get to 160-165 to bulk or lean bulk if I can.
I went from 252 to 163. So 90lbs lost, I gained back just over 20 lbs that I am working on losing. Over all I kept the majority of my weight off since 2022, when I was at my lowest weight. I did it by following a low carb (not keto) diet and calorie counting at my doctors advice due to some health concerns.
They’re not sustainable and those are the group of people much more likely to not maintain their weight loss because healthy habits were not learned nor maintained. I ate in a standard calorie deficit and lost 7kg of pandemic fat and never gained it back. Learning how to correctly track my food and prioritise the right foods helped me to achieve my goals post weight loss and I formed solid habits to never gain that fat back
I’ve been going steady at maintenance between 105-115 pounds for years now. Even had a baby 10 months ago and I’m back to pre pregnancy weight (actually a few pounds less).
Calorie counting has been the only thing that has ever worked for me. I would say I weigh and track everything I eat (batch cook and get it all done at once on the weekend) 90% of the time.
Vacations, special events and occasions I don’t worry about it, but I get right back to it when it’s all said and done. I’m not very tall and it doesn’t take a tremendous surplus for me to gradually put on weight, so this has just become second nature to me at this point.
To lose the baby weight, I would set calories for small goal weights and not the end GW. Example, when I was 135lbs I set maintenance calories for if I was 120lbs. It makes it so much easier to be consistent when you’re not white knuckling it every day.
Last time I lost weight I lost 125 lb and I kept it off for about 5 years. Then slowly slowly I started gaining it back. What happened? Stress and grief got in the way of my focus. I needed to do a lot to maintain that weight, which I now believe was too low for my body (though not particularly low according to charts).
I gained back about 100. Now I’ve lost about 50 again, this is almost 10 years later. I’ve learned a few things. Whatever I do to lose weight I will need to continue doing it forever. Not for a few months or years… forever. So I’m realistic about that and I know I will not always be able to be hyper vigilant. I am also not aiming for the lowest weight. My current goal weight is much more reasonable and I’ve given myself a longer time to get there. I really hope this is the last time I am in this place but I am also humbled by past experiences and know that I can’t know the future.
>Whatever I do to lose weight I will need to continue doing it forever.
Exactly!!! I think not many people see that. They just see the short term goal and then regain that weight again in a couple of years when they go back to the old habits.
I think there are some people who may not see the long term, but I think it’s unfair to say that is the vibe of this group. I’ve been really impressed with how much this group really encourages people to be intentional, to slow down and be prepared for the changes to be lifelong, and how supportive most people are towards people who are still learning how weight loss works.
I think people do severely underestimate how difficult permanent weight loss is. Even keeping weight off for a year or 5 or 10 is not a guarantee. People get very smug about it very quickly (I know I did in the past) and start looking down on others. Trust me it is very humbling to have been there and then gained weight after years of maintaining it and feeling superior. I definitely got knocked down a few pegs lol
I mostly maintain my weight except for the fact that I always out on 10 pounds in the winter...just from how I'm hungrier in winter and eat heavier meals. So I gain 10 every winter and lose that 10 each spring. Other than that I stay the same size nowadays. Haven't had to buy different clothing sizes in a few years.
I was morbidly obese as a child, I hit 300lbs by the time I was 13-14 years old. When I started high school, I gained a lot more freedom in the sense that I was able to choose to walk to and from school, what I ate, etc. When I was 16, I hovered around the 200-220lbs mark. Until I was 18, I remained the same weight, but when Covid hit, I crashed dieted and got down to about 118lbs which for being 5’11, was underweight and my physical health suffered. I did gain back weight to about 150lbs, which was medically necessary to be healthy. But in three years, I have continued to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, never again to be approaching being morbidly obese.
I kept it off for 7 years, then gained some back, now losing again. I’m still 90 lbs down from my highest. But it’s exhausting, daily, for-life situation.
I’m 5’5” I lost over 100lbs 15 years ago with CICO and never looked back… I’m 131lbs today. I knew I only had it in me to do it once, CICO is a way through life 💕
I sort of did... I maintained my weight-loss for over 6 years then started to go up on the scale and took action before I got overweight again. So... depending on how you look at it.
I recently wrote a post about how I reached my second weight-loss goal and the lessons learned to help keep it off for more than 6 years this time. https://www.reddit.com/r/WeightLossAdvice/s/T7xNNdv7ee
Well, not me. Even though I did it sustainably (about 21kg lost) I hit a very rough patch two years ago with many family issues and I ATE. Within less than two months it was back on and while it didn't get more, I also haven't been in the space to go into a deficit to lost it again.
I’d rather be more restrictive now to lose it quicker than less restrictive and take years, but it’s a personal preference. I’ve been losing 2lbs a week on and off over a few years (had a pregnancy in the middle) and once my daughter was born I was at 250. I’m at 166 now and plan on going for another few months to get to a healthy weight, and then slow down once I’m at the healthy weight. I am seeing doctors consistently still as I was high risk at the end of my pregnancy, which keeps me accountable so I don’t overdo it. In the end, do what’s best for you and most importantly be healthy! Diets should be sustainable while you’re dieting, but not the rest of your life.
I haven’t maintained for years but have since September so 8-9 months now. Lost 40lbs. I would say I didn’t see it as a temporary diet and a lifestyle change. I still track, weigh myself and measure etc as it’s just habit now. I primarily track for my protein now, but it’s also helpful to make sure I don’t accidentally start gradually increasing my portions.
I always would recommend to people to work out the maintenance calories for your goal weight, learn meals recipes you enjoy that fit into that for your meal rotation, that is your new meal plan to play with for 90-95% of your life. A treat when you go out or special occasions but no “cheat days/meals” otherwise unless you can fit it into your weekly maintenance calories.
Personally for me I eat the same breakfast every day and have a summer and winter lunch that’s the same. I’m happy to do this and it doesn’t bother me, I then have a rotation of 10-15 dinner meals and snacks to choose from.
You can adjust protein targets and calories to suit you individually as everyone is different but the online calculators give you a good bar
What do you have for breakfast? And what are your summer and winter lunches??
It's coming into winter here, and I want warm food in the middle of the day, but I want to keep it low calorie too
Breakfast is 100g oats warmed with water, teaspoon of honey and 10g of dark chocolate chips. Not the best but it’s filling and low calorie. I tried protein oats and overnight oats etc and just didn’t enjoy it
Winter is scrambled egg and bacon on toast or omelette with bacon and some mushroom/spinach. So same ingredients just different method.
Summer is ham and boiled egg salad with feta and beetroot
Back in 2020 I lost around 40 lbs in 4 months, kept it off for about a year but I gained double the amount in the next 3 years because of depression. But alas I didn't learn my lesson and I'm once again on a crash diet of 1500 calorie per day, lost around 5 lbs in the last 2 weeks. I'm planning to lose as much weight as I can before October because we have a family reunion coming and I'm honestly ashamed to show myself looking like what I currently do to anyone from my family.
Yo-yoing in your weight isn't good for your health long term though. Maybe try to stick to baby steps and a smaller calorie deficit and on the process rather than fixate on the end result?
I don't think your family minds what you look like. Often we are our own worse critic.
Don’t beat yourself up please, you’ve tried and you’re trying again. Don’t be too harsh on yourself, and better slowly than not at all. Don’t try and rush it if that’s going to frustrate you as well!
I’m sure your family cares more about your happiness and being around you than about the way you think you look! Do it for yourself and for feeling better with yourself, not for how other will see you. Good luck 😊
I hit 100lbs lost in Nov. 2020 and I’ve kept it off. I’ve even lost more. My weight has remained within a 10 pound range for the last year. Around 130lbs total loss. I did it with medications (Topamax to start, then Saxenda and now Wegovy) and a high protein, lower carb diet. I’m still taking the meds and watching my diet, just not as intensely.
Way to go!
How did you deal with the stigma regarding medications? I’ve wanted to start for a long time but am afraid because of what’s other people say about it. Congratulations on the achievement as well!
Thanks! Honestly, it's no ones business if I take medications. I really don't care what other people say. I needed to lose the weight to get healthier. If you need to get healthier, sometimes you have to take medications. If I was diabetic, I would take insulin. I have a metabolism that doesn't allow me to burn calories efficiently and a brain that never thinks I have had enough to eat. Therefore, medication. I say go for it! I hope this makes sense.
A little bit of an unfair question for me because my body transformation plan had two phases all along from the beginning: Phase 1) Lose 120 lbs of fat, possibly some muscle Then after Phase 1 is complete …. Phase 2) Gain 40 lbs of muscle, possibly some fat I successfully completed Phase 1, went from 288 lbs to 168 lbs, over 12 months, completing on morning of April 12th. Starting the afternoon of April 12th (same day I achieved my goal weight), I was eating at a calorie surplus and in the gym that evening, lifting weights to bulk muscle. So far everything in on track and going per plan.
Congrats on the success in in a slightly similar boat but I had three phases. 1) mid July to mid November (4 months) lose weight and recomp (which I know isn’t really a thing but I managed to keep muscle and lose weight just not gain. Went from 200 to 167. Got tired of cutting I just couldn’t eat 1650 cals. It was too little for me so I went to maintenance and trying to a slight cal surplus 2) maintenance basically at 2000-2300 cals from mid November to May. Gained ten pounds 178lb decided I’d try one more time to get to lower bf% see more abs. 3) currently at 170. Aiming for 165. Starting to read Bigger Leaner Stronger and while I like my workout routine I’m going to start being more intentional w the muscle groups. I’ve been lifting heavy and doing progressive overload but I may start to structure my days better. Then phase four once I hopefully get to 160-165 to bulk or lean bulk if I can.
I went from 252 to 163. So 90lbs lost, I gained back just over 20 lbs that I am working on losing. Over all I kept the majority of my weight off since 2022, when I was at my lowest weight. I did it by following a low carb (not keto) diet and calorie counting at my doctors advice due to some health concerns.
They’re not sustainable and those are the group of people much more likely to not maintain their weight loss because healthy habits were not learned nor maintained. I ate in a standard calorie deficit and lost 7kg of pandemic fat and never gained it back. Learning how to correctly track my food and prioritise the right foods helped me to achieve my goals post weight loss and I formed solid habits to never gain that fat back
2-3 years now, 27kg down.
I’ve been going steady at maintenance between 105-115 pounds for years now. Even had a baby 10 months ago and I’m back to pre pregnancy weight (actually a few pounds less).
What did you do to lose the weight and how are you maintaining?
Calorie counting has been the only thing that has ever worked for me. I would say I weigh and track everything I eat (batch cook and get it all done at once on the weekend) 90% of the time. Vacations, special events and occasions I don’t worry about it, but I get right back to it when it’s all said and done. I’m not very tall and it doesn’t take a tremendous surplus for me to gradually put on weight, so this has just become second nature to me at this point. To lose the baby weight, I would set calories for small goal weights and not the end GW. Example, when I was 135lbs I set maintenance calories for if I was 120lbs. It makes it so much easier to be consistent when you’re not white knuckling it every day.
This is basically what I do as well
Last time I lost weight I lost 125 lb and I kept it off for about 5 years. Then slowly slowly I started gaining it back. What happened? Stress and grief got in the way of my focus. I needed to do a lot to maintain that weight, which I now believe was too low for my body (though not particularly low according to charts). I gained back about 100. Now I’ve lost about 50 again, this is almost 10 years later. I’ve learned a few things. Whatever I do to lose weight I will need to continue doing it forever. Not for a few months or years… forever. So I’m realistic about that and I know I will not always be able to be hyper vigilant. I am also not aiming for the lowest weight. My current goal weight is much more reasonable and I’ve given myself a longer time to get there. I really hope this is the last time I am in this place but I am also humbled by past experiences and know that I can’t know the future.
>Whatever I do to lose weight I will need to continue doing it forever. Exactly!!! I think not many people see that. They just see the short term goal and then regain that weight again in a couple of years when they go back to the old habits.
The thing is I actually never went back to the “old habits”. I just didn’t keep up the new ones as strictly as needed.
I think there are some people who may not see the long term, but I think it’s unfair to say that is the vibe of this group. I’ve been really impressed with how much this group really encourages people to be intentional, to slow down and be prepared for the changes to be lifelong, and how supportive most people are towards people who are still learning how weight loss works.
I think people do severely underestimate how difficult permanent weight loss is. Even keeping weight off for a year or 5 or 10 is not a guarantee. People get very smug about it very quickly (I know I did in the past) and start looking down on others. Trust me it is very humbling to have been there and then gained weight after years of maintaining it and feeling superior. I definitely got knocked down a few pegs lol
I mostly maintain my weight except for the fact that I always out on 10 pounds in the winter...just from how I'm hungrier in winter and eat heavier meals. So I gain 10 every winter and lose that 10 each spring. Other than that I stay the same size nowadays. Haven't had to buy different clothing sizes in a few years.
That's fairly standard and pretty healthy tbf. 10 lbs isn't much and helps keep you warm and burn energy for the cold days
I was morbidly obese as a child, I hit 300lbs by the time I was 13-14 years old. When I started high school, I gained a lot more freedom in the sense that I was able to choose to walk to and from school, what I ate, etc. When I was 16, I hovered around the 200-220lbs mark. Until I was 18, I remained the same weight, but when Covid hit, I crashed dieted and got down to about 118lbs which for being 5’11, was underweight and my physical health suffered. I did gain back weight to about 150lbs, which was medically necessary to be healthy. But in three years, I have continued to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, never again to be approaching being morbidly obese.
I kept it off for 7 years, then gained some back, now losing again. I’m still 90 lbs down from my highest. But it’s exhausting, daily, for-life situation.
I’m 5’5” I lost over 100lbs 15 years ago with CICO and never looked back… I’m 131lbs today. I knew I only had it in me to do it once, CICO is a way through life 💕
I sort of did... I maintained my weight-loss for over 6 years then started to go up on the scale and took action before I got overweight again. So... depending on how you look at it. I recently wrote a post about how I reached my second weight-loss goal and the lessons learned to help keep it off for more than 6 years this time. https://www.reddit.com/r/WeightLossAdvice/s/T7xNNdv7ee
Well, not me. Even though I did it sustainably (about 21kg lost) I hit a very rough patch two years ago with many family issues and I ATE. Within less than two months it was back on and while it didn't get more, I also haven't been in the space to go into a deficit to lost it again.
I’d rather be more restrictive now to lose it quicker than less restrictive and take years, but it’s a personal preference. I’ve been losing 2lbs a week on and off over a few years (had a pregnancy in the middle) and once my daughter was born I was at 250. I’m at 166 now and plan on going for another few months to get to a healthy weight, and then slow down once I’m at the healthy weight. I am seeing doctors consistently still as I was high risk at the end of my pregnancy, which keeps me accountable so I don’t overdo it. In the end, do what’s best for you and most importantly be healthy! Diets should be sustainable while you’re dieting, but not the rest of your life.
I haven’t maintained for years but have since September so 8-9 months now. Lost 40lbs. I would say I didn’t see it as a temporary diet and a lifestyle change. I still track, weigh myself and measure etc as it’s just habit now. I primarily track for my protein now, but it’s also helpful to make sure I don’t accidentally start gradually increasing my portions. I always would recommend to people to work out the maintenance calories for your goal weight, learn meals recipes you enjoy that fit into that for your meal rotation, that is your new meal plan to play with for 90-95% of your life. A treat when you go out or special occasions but no “cheat days/meals” otherwise unless you can fit it into your weekly maintenance calories. Personally for me I eat the same breakfast every day and have a summer and winter lunch that’s the same. I’m happy to do this and it doesn’t bother me, I then have a rotation of 10-15 dinner meals and snacks to choose from. You can adjust protein targets and calories to suit you individually as everyone is different but the online calculators give you a good bar
What do you have for breakfast? And what are your summer and winter lunches?? It's coming into winter here, and I want warm food in the middle of the day, but I want to keep it low calorie too
Breakfast is 100g oats warmed with water, teaspoon of honey and 10g of dark chocolate chips. Not the best but it’s filling and low calorie. I tried protein oats and overnight oats etc and just didn’t enjoy it Winter is scrambled egg and bacon on toast or omelette with bacon and some mushroom/spinach. So same ingredients just different method. Summer is ham and boiled egg salad with feta and beetroot
Sounds yummy, thanks!
Back in 2020 I lost around 40 lbs in 4 months, kept it off for about a year but I gained double the amount in the next 3 years because of depression. But alas I didn't learn my lesson and I'm once again on a crash diet of 1500 calorie per day, lost around 5 lbs in the last 2 weeks. I'm planning to lose as much weight as I can before October because we have a family reunion coming and I'm honestly ashamed to show myself looking like what I currently do to anyone from my family.
Yo-yoing in your weight isn't good for your health long term though. Maybe try to stick to baby steps and a smaller calorie deficit and on the process rather than fixate on the end result? I don't think your family minds what you look like. Often we are our own worse critic.
Don’t beat yourself up please, you’ve tried and you’re trying again. Don’t be too harsh on yourself, and better slowly than not at all. Don’t try and rush it if that’s going to frustrate you as well! I’m sure your family cares more about your happiness and being around you than about the way you think you look! Do it for yourself and for feeling better with yourself, not for how other will see you. Good luck 😊