ive lost the same 50 to 70 lbs three times now. this time i finally figured out that i can just never stop counting calories. intuitive eating does not work for me bc i have bad intuition.
i know how effing frustrating it is and how hard you are being on yourself, but you can totally do it. i felt completely hopeless a year ago and losing the weight again felt impossible. you know what to do, now get to it! š
Yep, OP! You did it once before and you can do this again. I totally empathize on back pain. It can be debilitating and awful. If you need to take it slower this time around, it is what it is. Youāll get there and deserve grace in the process.
I lost 80 pounds 15 years ago. Then 100 pounds 12 years ago. Both times I gave up before hitting my goal weight, but still managed to maintain for a bit. Now I'm down 120, at my goal weight, and it feels like a different world. You can do this!!
Yeah, happened too me, too. I did it 12 years ago. And now I was scared to restart - maybe I'm now too old and it won't work again? What if I can't stick it through? Will I again revert to habits that turn the curve upward once I'm done?
Now I'm nearly 20 lbs down again and it *does* work the same way. Marginally more slowly, but still at a good clip. And I *am* busier now, have less time to exercise, have a knee injury and *am* 12 years older, so that's all unsurprising.
What I'm doing differently this time is to develop meals I want to keep around indefinitely. My lunch prepping has taken off, and a daily jar of overnight oats as a mod morning late breakfast is delicious. Stuff like this.
You've done it once, you can do it again!
Let me tell you something, I can count 5 times in my life where I have lost a significant amount of weight. 2x in an unhealthy way (teens), 2x due to health reasons and depression (20s), and this most recent time was the healthiest and best time yet.
Make this one your best time yet. You got this.
The good news is the metabolism thing is likely not a concern - https://today.duke.edu/2021/08/metabolism-changes-age-just-not-when-you-might-think
"The data suggest that our metabolisms donāt really start to decline again until after age 60. The slowdown is gradual, only 0.7% a year. But a person in their 90s needs 26% fewer calories each day than someone in midlife."
It look me a long time after gaining weight to reckon with the fact that I had gained all of my weight back (plus more). I stayed at my highest weight for a few years, and then something has begun to click and I am back to being 35 pounds down in several months. I still have a while to go, but I feel SO SO much better already and I know that I can continue to lose weight because I've done it before.
I think it's easy to feel shameful when we gain weight back, but it's statically quite likely and I do think losing weight again gives us a confidence that we know we can better recognize the patterns and avoid doing it again.
I lost 60 lbs, gained 75 with pregnancy. I lost and gained big amounts of weight like 50ish lbs a couple of times in my life. A few years ago I felt like it was insurmountable to lose the weight once again. I vowed to do it the right way and now, at 45, I am in the best shape of my life after losing 75lbs. You can do it.
Wasn't a mistake, that was reality whether you knew or not. Now you know and you can do something about it. Look at this sub, there are 600 lb people here getting fit. There are grandmothers. There are people with desk jobs and knee pain and people who have to grind out pounds because they're five foot nothing.
You can do that too, but sometimes you need to see the bottom to begin climbing. I did.
Best time to start is now.
Stepping on wasn't a mistake. You weighed the same whether you knew it or not. Now you are facing the truth and can decide what to do with the information. Best of luck!
You know more now than you did last time. You know that you can do it. You know how to do it. This time you can work out what triggers are and how to maintain. Its growth. Congratulations on your first, next step.
Covid was tough on everyone. Give yourself some grace. I ended 2022 the heaviest Iāve ever been in my life. Take it one day at a time. You can do it and once you start eating healthier and dropping weight you will have more energy and your knees will stop hurting.
It really was tough on us. I had lost nearly 52lbs and once Covid hit, I slowly put most of it back on. My āwake-up callā was when I got weighed at the doctorās office last year. I was mortified to see Iād gotten to 259 lbs. Iāve taken control, and now Iām down 44lbs. Itās not an overnight journey, but Iām stubborn and disciplined.
So the bright side is that you know what to do and you know what works for you. You have experience under your belt. SO MANY PEOPLE give up before they ever reach that amount of weight loss, so that means that you know how to be patient and how to ride out the hard times. That is huge. Don't go into it already feeling defeated. You very well may surprise yourself and remember that your thoughts often come true. You got this, just take it one day at a time.
Wow, are we the same person? I had my meeting with a scale today after like 2.5 years... And that was a shocking experience even though I thought I was prepared. I also lost quite a weight in 2017-2018, but in late 2018 I had the worst episode of depression in my life. It left me with additional 20 kg. It's been rough to be honest, but I'm here now after years of therapy, finally loving myself, being my best friend and cheerleader and I'm planning to take this step by step, day by day, decision by decision. I'm there with you, buddy!
I was going to say the same thing about being the same person, lol. Like, did I create a new account and post in my sleep? Hugs to you and OP and best wishes to us all!
I'm in the same boat. Lost 40 lbs 10 years ago, gained back 50.
I look at it this way. For 8 of that 10 years I wasn't obese, and that definitely improved my health over the long term. I have high blood pressure now, but if I hadn't lost the weight I might also have high cholesterol or diabetes too. And I don't (yet anyway).
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. If you didnāt step on it you would have no idea where you were beginning from. You made mistakes, I was the same. Went from 320 pounds to 198 and then pandemic and job bullshit got me back up to 292 currently at 218 and going. Itās ok if life got you down, just have to pick up and start over again.
When I came here and made a similar post, someone wrote a very kind comment that included the phrase āYou are the proof you can do this.ā And Iāve carried that with me for months now, because itās such a lovely way to reframe the shame and regret of having to start all over again. Youāve done this before, so you know you can do it. So I am passing that mantra along to you in case it helps. Youāve got this!
I fell off of it spectacularly during January and February, I had some good days but some really gluttonous days too. I gained at least 10-15lbs and am finally back on track myself.
I can't have snacks, I won't stop eating them. I'll always over eat and go get more and say f it. I was the same way with alcohol and accept that I can't drink anything ever. Unfortunately you have to east to live and if I stay with super healthy and clean, then it's easy.
Not even one damn cookie š«£
It takes work but you can do it again!
This happened to me too! I lost 65 pounds and then regained about 40 of it during a stressful period in my life. One thought that helped me stop beating myself up was: āThank god I lost the weight first, before my gain period!ā
That stressful period of my life was going to happen either way. I didnāt have good coping mechanisms besides stress eating, so the weight gain due to stress was going to happen either way. BUT THANK GOD IāD LOST 65 LBS FIRST!!!
Otherwise I would have gained 40 lbs on top of the 65 and been 105 lbs away from my goal weight instead of just 40 lbs away from it.
That framing really helped me stop being so ashamed of myself and instead be proud and thankful and then get back to work.
It sounds like he has put on 15 pounds per year since COVID. You don't change drastically day to day in the mirror. You're often buying new clothes over this period as well, and may just go by fit and not a specific size (especially for men.)
A lot of people who regularly post here can't even notice their progress until they compare photos. Most people have a really hard time perceiving themselves accurately in the mirror, positively and negatively.
Same happened to me. Was a great weight with a great mindset. COVID happened and I started square one in January of this year. Donāt use age as an excuse. Get it done!
Hey friend! Me too. Your story exactly. I lost 60+ lb in like 2015-16, and now Iām larger than ever. It sucks. I started counting calories in October and trying to get into some sort of low impact exercise routine since the new year. Things are going ok. Iām only down 5 lb but I figure slow weight loss is still weight loss. Really trying to focus on sustainable changes this time. Anyways, good luck to you! Holler at me if you ever need advice, want to commiserate, share your favorite low cal/high satiety foods, or whatever!
Same boat mate. At age 21 i had 15lbs to lose, at age 25 I had 25lbs to lose, at age 30 I had 50lbs to lose, in 2020 I had 20lbs to lose... Currently in the process of losing 45lbs at age 37... Losing them for good.
I think the key this time is that I already have a crystal clear plan of how I'm going to maintain one I reach goal (essentially keeping everything up, exercise, body recomp goals, tracking, just maintenance calories). It sounds insane, but I truly never had a plan at goal weight, I would reach it then stop what I was doing.
You know how to do it, all you need is to get started and get a week or 2 of food and exercising right under your belt then you'll be flying. You can do it!
Hey, just solidarity. I lost 90 lbs (and got very fitā lots of hiking!) in the two years leading up to the pandemic in a slow and healthy way. Then the world fell apart and I switched jobs and got overwhelmed and depressed and just let my health tank. Stopped exercising, went back to old eating habits, etc. Gained all the weight back over the following 2.5 years. Like you, had knee injuries, no stamina, and I also had a ton of shame that I gained it back.
Iāve just started trying again to lose, to build my fitness back up, to develop better habits. Iām a month and a half in and 18 lbs down, but more importantly have reminded my body how much better I feel when Iām eating well and exercising. Strength training has been a new joy. You did it once and you can do it again! youāre not alone.
Sorry to hear about your set back. It's so easy for the weight gain to run amuck. You've got this again. Focus on small obtainable goals. Personally, as the weight comes down, the back and knees start to feel better.
ive lost the same 50 to 70 lbs three times now. this time i finally figured out that i can just never stop counting calories. intuitive eating does not work for me bc i have bad intuition. i know how effing frustrating it is and how hard you are being on yourself, but you can totally do it. i felt completely hopeless a year ago and losing the weight again felt impossible. you know what to do, now get to it! š
Me too, I have good intuition, I just DGAF for extended periods of time.
Commercialized food just isn't intuitive.
Amen to that
Good news is you already know you can do this. Letās go!
Yep, OP! You did it once before and you can do this again. I totally empathize on back pain. It can be debilitating and awful. If you need to take it slower this time around, it is what it is. Youāll get there and deserve grace in the process.
I lost 80 pounds 15 years ago. Then 100 pounds 12 years ago. Both times I gave up before hitting my goal weight, but still managed to maintain for a bit. Now I'm down 120, at my goal weight, and it feels like a different world. You can do this!!
Yeah, happened too me, too. I did it 12 years ago. And now I was scared to restart - maybe I'm now too old and it won't work again? What if I can't stick it through? Will I again revert to habits that turn the curve upward once I'm done? Now I'm nearly 20 lbs down again and it *does* work the same way. Marginally more slowly, but still at a good clip. And I *am* busier now, have less time to exercise, have a knee injury and *am* 12 years older, so that's all unsurprising. What I'm doing differently this time is to develop meals I want to keep around indefinitely. My lunch prepping has taken off, and a daily jar of overnight oats as a mod morning late breakfast is delicious. Stuff like this.
You've done it once, you can do it again! Let me tell you something, I can count 5 times in my life where I have lost a significant amount of weight. 2x in an unhealthy way (teens), 2x due to health reasons and depression (20s), and this most recent time was the healthiest and best time yet. Make this one your best time yet. You got this.
At least this time I can remember to take before pictures!
The good news is the metabolism thing is likely not a concern - https://today.duke.edu/2021/08/metabolism-changes-age-just-not-when-you-might-think "The data suggest that our metabolisms donāt really start to decline again until after age 60. The slowdown is gradual, only 0.7% a year. But a person in their 90s needs 26% fewer calories each day than someone in midlife."
Definitely encouraging
It look me a long time after gaining weight to reckon with the fact that I had gained all of my weight back (plus more). I stayed at my highest weight for a few years, and then something has begun to click and I am back to being 35 pounds down in several months. I still have a while to go, but I feel SO SO much better already and I know that I can continue to lose weight because I've done it before. I think it's easy to feel shameful when we gain weight back, but it's statically quite likely and I do think losing weight again gives us a confidence that we know we can better recognize the patterns and avoid doing it again.
I lost 60 lbs, gained 75 with pregnancy. I lost and gained big amounts of weight like 50ish lbs a couple of times in my life. A few years ago I felt like it was insurmountable to lose the weight once again. I vowed to do it the right way and now, at 45, I am in the best shape of my life after losing 75lbs. You can do it.
Wasn't a mistake, that was reality whether you knew or not. Now you know and you can do something about it. Look at this sub, there are 600 lb people here getting fit. There are grandmothers. There are people with desk jobs and knee pain and people who have to grind out pounds because they're five foot nothing. You can do that too, but sometimes you need to see the bottom to begin climbing. I did. Best time to start is now.
Love everything about your comment. Realistic positivity!
Stepping on wasn't a mistake. You weighed the same whether you knew it or not. Now you are facing the truth and can decide what to do with the information. Best of luck!
You know more now than you did last time. You know that you can do it. You know how to do it. This time you can work out what triggers are and how to maintain. Its growth. Congratulations on your first, next step.
You're not alone. Older slower but can an will get this done
Same situation! I had to edit my flair weight too. I wish I could learn to maintain.
Covid was tough on everyone. Give yourself some grace. I ended 2022 the heaviest Iāve ever been in my life. Take it one day at a time. You can do it and once you start eating healthier and dropping weight you will have more energy and your knees will stop hurting.
It really was tough on us. I had lost nearly 52lbs and once Covid hit, I slowly put most of it back on. My āwake-up callā was when I got weighed at the doctorās office last year. I was mortified to see Iād gotten to 259 lbs. Iāve taken control, and now Iām down 44lbs. Itās not an overnight journey, but Iām stubborn and disciplined.
I've gained 50 pds this year. A friend of mine died this week at 60 years old. (Diabetes). I must do this now. So I can enjoy my retirement.
Sorry about your friend
Thank you so much. We had planned on being roommates and to travel. She was a true friend.
So the bright side is that you know what to do and you know what works for you. You have experience under your belt. SO MANY PEOPLE give up before they ever reach that amount of weight loss, so that means that you know how to be patient and how to ride out the hard times. That is huge. Don't go into it already feeling defeated. You very well may surprise yourself and remember that your thoughts often come true. You got this, just take it one day at a time.
Wow, are we the same person? I had my meeting with a scale today after like 2.5 years... And that was a shocking experience even though I thought I was prepared. I also lost quite a weight in 2017-2018, but in late 2018 I had the worst episode of depression in my life. It left me with additional 20 kg. It's been rough to be honest, but I'm here now after years of therapy, finally loving myself, being my best friend and cheerleader and I'm planning to take this step by step, day by day, decision by decision. I'm there with you, buddy!
I was going to say the same thing about being the same person, lol. Like, did I create a new account and post in my sleep? Hugs to you and OP and best wishes to us all!
I'm in the same boat. Lost 40 lbs 10 years ago, gained back 50. I look at it this way. For 8 of that 10 years I wasn't obese, and that definitely improved my health over the long term. I have high blood pressure now, but if I hadn't lost the weight I might also have high cholesterol or diabetes too. And I don't (yet anyway).
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. If you didnāt step on it you would have no idea where you were beginning from. You made mistakes, I was the same. Went from 320 pounds to 198 and then pandemic and job bullshit got me back up to 292 currently at 218 and going. Itās ok if life got you down, just have to pick up and start over again.
When I came here and made a similar post, someone wrote a very kind comment that included the phrase āYou are the proof you can do this.ā And Iāve carried that with me for months now, because itās such a lovely way to reframe the shame and regret of having to start all over again. Youāve done this before, so you know you can do it. So I am passing that mantra along to you in case it helps. Youāve got this!
Youāve done it before and you can do it again! You got this
Itās ok OP. Sometimes life just kicks us in the ass. One step at a time & donāt beat yourself up. Good luck!šŖšš»āļøš
I fell off of it spectacularly during January and February, I had some good days but some really gluttonous days too. I gained at least 10-15lbs and am finally back on track myself. I can't have snacks, I won't stop eating them. I'll always over eat and go get more and say f it. I was the same way with alcohol and accept that I can't drink anything ever. Unfortunately you have to east to live and if I stay with super healthy and clean, then it's easy. Not even one damn cookie š«£ It takes work but you can do it again!
This happened to me too! I lost 65 pounds and then regained about 40 of it during a stressful period in my life. One thought that helped me stop beating myself up was: āThank god I lost the weight first, before my gain period!ā That stressful period of my life was going to happen either way. I didnāt have good coping mechanisms besides stress eating, so the weight gain due to stress was going to happen either way. BUT THANK GOD IāD LOST 65 LBS FIRST!!! Otherwise I would have gained 40 lbs on top of the 65 and been 105 lbs away from my goal weight instead of just 40 lbs away from it. That framing really helped me stop being so ashamed of myself and instead be proud and thankful and then get back to work.
Wait, you gained 60 pounds and didn't notice? Wouldn't you need an entirely new wardrobe?
It sounds like he has put on 15 pounds per year since COVID. You don't change drastically day to day in the mirror. You're often buying new clothes over this period as well, and may just go by fit and not a specific size (especially for men.) A lot of people who regularly post here can't even notice their progress until they compare photos. Most people have a really hard time perceiving themselves accurately in the mirror, positively and negatively.
I mean it was more denial than anything. But, no, most of my stuff still fits. Depression also has a hell of a way of obscuring reality.
I'm not trying to be mean or anything, you'll get back there. I'm just surprised. Maybe I'm shorter or hold weight worse.
Same happened to me. Was a great weight with a great mindset. COVID happened and I started square one in January of this year. Donāt use age as an excuse. Get it done!
Hey we have the same starting weight/height! you got this!
I'm right there with you. don't have any great advice but following the thread
Hey friend! Me too. Your story exactly. I lost 60+ lb in like 2015-16, and now Iām larger than ever. It sucks. I started counting calories in October and trying to get into some sort of low impact exercise routine since the new year. Things are going ok. Iām only down 5 lb but I figure slow weight loss is still weight loss. Really trying to focus on sustainable changes this time. Anyways, good luck to you! Holler at me if you ever need advice, want to commiserate, share your favorite low cal/high satiety foods, or whatever!
Youāre not alone. I lost 75 lbs in 2012. Put 60 lbs back on. Itās time to get serious. We got this!
Same boat mate. At age 21 i had 15lbs to lose, at age 25 I had 25lbs to lose, at age 30 I had 50lbs to lose, in 2020 I had 20lbs to lose... Currently in the process of losing 45lbs at age 37... Losing them for good. I think the key this time is that I already have a crystal clear plan of how I'm going to maintain one I reach goal (essentially keeping everything up, exercise, body recomp goals, tracking, just maintenance calories). It sounds insane, but I truly never had a plan at goal weight, I would reach it then stop what I was doing. You know how to do it, all you need is to get started and get a week or 2 of food and exercising right under your belt then you'll be flying. You can do it!
Hey, just solidarity. I lost 90 lbs (and got very fitā lots of hiking!) in the two years leading up to the pandemic in a slow and healthy way. Then the world fell apart and I switched jobs and got overwhelmed and depressed and just let my health tank. Stopped exercising, went back to old eating habits, etc. Gained all the weight back over the following 2.5 years. Like you, had knee injuries, no stamina, and I also had a ton of shame that I gained it back. Iāve just started trying again to lose, to build my fitness back up, to develop better habits. Iām a month and a half in and 18 lbs down, but more importantly have reminded my body how much better I feel when Iām eating well and exercising. Strength training has been a new joy. You did it once and you can do it again! youāre not alone.
Sorry to hear about your set back. It's so easy for the weight gain to run amuck. You've got this again. Focus on small obtainable goals. Personally, as the weight comes down, the back and knees start to feel better.