Is it possible to lose weight and keep it off?

[Soror]

Being overweight is not a character flaw. Being thin is not a virtue. To those who are struggling--please take care of yourself just because you are awesome.

Of course it isn't. I don't think that anyone said otherwise. The OP started the thread for motivation for losing weight, I don't think it is a bad thing to do. People wanting to lose weight shouldn't feel guilt about that too. We can support people trying to lose weight without speaking or thinking poorly of those whom are not. People who have managed to successfully lost or maintained their weight should be ok with celebrating that, without a guilt trip just as people who have decided they don't want to lose weight should. I was one of the many voices in support of the plus size model. I think all women should love their bodies without shame. Sharing thoughts about losing weight and keeping it off doesn't mean I don't.

[Joanne]

Yeah it's hard.  If you can't stand the food you are eating while on the diet, you probably aren't going to maintain that.  Or if the diet is too hard to deal with.  I enjoy low carb, but it's hard to live low carb in a high carb world.  I can't go to a single party.  I can't go out to eat at most restaurants.  There aren't many convenience foods.  I don't mind cooking, but it's not the only thing I do in my day.  I think this is probably a big reason why a lot of people have a hard time. 

 

I am somewhat limited. I could not hack WW because I don't do well on such high carb eating.  I feel starved all the time and diabetes runs in my family so I try to stick with at least lower carb. 

 

 

This is a side track, but I want to say that the bold is not my experience at all!

 

I can find something low carb compliant at almost every restaurant! I have never said "no" to a party due to low carb.

[Soror]

I often cannot eat out due to be gluten free, let alone anything else. I eat before, bring my own food, or sometimes find something safe. I don't let my food choices and restrictions dictate our life at all.

[SeaConquest]

I don't know if your last sentence was a reaction to my post but I hope that I didn't give anyone the impression that was my opinion. I posted what I did as encouragement. It's tough to struggle. Not just with weight, with anything. When you look at someone else and think, "Well no wonder they're good at that thing, it so easy for them...they don't even have to work at it!" It's so discouraging. You feel like you were just dealt a bad hand and why bother trying. I've seen my kids do this with anything they struggle with, whether it's sports or reading or art or music or whatever. Yes, there is such a thing as natural talent and there is such a thing as differences in basal metabolism (which is what a lot of this discussion comes down to, imo), but when someone is succeeding they usually just give the impression that it's easy. Success is its own reward, so it's probably psychologically easier. But work is still involved in most cases. I'm not diminishing the fact that it's harder to lose a lot of weight than it is to lose a little. But I think it's helpful to know that the vast majority of thin people also have to pay attention and eat mindfully. I would think that knowledge is more encouraging to someone than hearing they simply weren't born with the right genes like some people.

 

Do you have any research to support this statement? I'm not trying to be jerky; I am honestly curious. Most thin people with whom I am close (and by this, I mean people who have been thin for a long time/the majority of their lives), have never had to work very hard (if at all) to remain so. I've been married twice, and both my husband and ex would fall into this category as well. It's not that I think some thin people don't work hard to stay thin, but my experience is that this isn't the majority.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I listened to a segment on NPR about this yesterday and it sounded interesting.

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-approves-new-obesity-device-1421276434

 

This was the segment from Marketplace, if you would like to have a listen:

 

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/science-%E2%80%93-and-cost-%E2%80%93-behind-weight-loss

That is very cool.

[Audrey]

It is possible.  I have lost 100+ pounds and kept it off.  It took me two years to lose 90 pounds and I have kept that off for over two years since then.  In the last two years I have lost more weight, but very little.  I limit, but don't eliminate carbs and dairy.  I also still measure portions and keep a food log. I used to use My Fitness Pal, but it is glitchy on my phone, so I've been using Body Buddy for the past year. The app isn't the important part.  It's the habit of writing it all down.  Mentally, that keeps me on track. 

 

I hate exercise, but I am an active person.  My family is an outdoorsy family and we enjoy a lot of physical activity (plus farm chores -- those help!). I have been doing some light weight training in the past several months, though, and I think that's made a lot of difference.  I have recently had a physical and my body fat % is now in the "healthy" range.  The scale still tells me I'm a fat number, though.  I don't want to say because I'm sensitive about that number. (Yes, I know I shouldn't be but hey -- I have baggage, KWIM?)

 

Anyway, I'm pretty satisfied with what I've been able to figure out for myself.  It has convinced me, though that there is no single answer to weight control that is going to work for every person.  I think every person has quite the challenge to figure it out, too.  I'm in my 40's and I've been fat for about half my life.  It took a long time for me and it was not easy.  I just happened to hit the right combination of tools to control my weight, so I'm sticking with that for now, but I'm pretty open-minded, too.  I will consider adapting new tools as I need them along the way.  Losing the weight isn't even half the battle.  It's the rest of my life -- because I know there is no time when I won't have to be careful and diligent.  In a way, that sucks. Big time. But, it has made me keenly aware of my body and its functions/functioning in a way that I wouldn't have otherwise.  So, it is what it is. 

[kiana]

Was gone for the weekend so a few things:

1) Set points -- yes yes yes, and the longer you've been there the harder it is to change. I had a set point of 230 for YEARS, and I dieted down to 200 a couple of times but regained within a few months. I do not know what switch flipped, but I went off-tracking for over a year last year. I regained 5 lbs right at the beginning (probably due to carb replenishment) and then stayed at that weight. So it *can* be reset, because apparently it reset for me ... but I really think that for someone who'd been heavier for longer it would take longer. (that is of course just speculation).

 

2) Sugar and alcohol: I have not cut out either completely, but I only eat them on weekends. Alcohol is actually pretty rare -- I would say that I consume copious quantities about once every 2-4 months and abstain otherwise. Alcoholism runs in my family so I don't want to get too used to it, but I do enjoy it on the occasions when I imbibe. Sugar, for me, is something that once I eat I have a great deal of trouble not eating (this includes naturally occurring fruit sugars), so I only buy it on weekends when I have exercise to do, and I buy the amount that I plan on eating over the weekend. Yes, I do sometimes eat more than a dozen cookies in one day -- but I figure the all-day hike makes up for it, and so far I've been right. 

[Joyofsixreboot]

Interesting article came across my newsfeed today. Genetics is not destiny.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Physical+Activity%2C+Fitness%2C+Glucose+Homeostasis%2C+and+Brain+Morphology+in+Twins

The condensed version

https://www.facebook.com/PamPeekeMD?fref=nf

[Joyofsixreboot]

It is possible. I have lost 100+ pounds and kept it off. It took me two years to lose 90 pounds and I have kept that off for over two years since then. In the last two years I have lost more weight, but very little. I limit, but don't eliminate carbs and dairy. I also still measure portions and keep a food log. I used to use My Fitness Pal, but it is glitchy on my phone, so I've been using Body Buddy for the past year. The app isn't the important part. It's the habit of writing it all down. Mentally, that keeps me on track.

 

I hate exercise, but I am an active person. My family is an outdoorsy family and we enjoy a lot of physical activity (plus farm chores -- those help!). I have been doing some light weight training in the past several months, though, and I think that's made a lot of difference. I have recently had a physical and my body fat % is now in the "healthy" range. The scale still tells me I'm a fat number, though. I don't want to say because I'm sensitive about that number. (Yes, I know I shouldn't be but hey -- I have baggage, KWIM?)

 

Anyway, I'm pretty satisfied with what I've been able to figure out for myself. It has convinced me, though that there is no single answer to weight control that is going to work for every person. I think every person has quite the challenge to figure it out, too. I'm in my 40's and I've been fat for about half my life. It took a long time for me and it was not easy. I just happened to hit the right combination of tools to control my weight, so I'm sticking with that for now, but I'm pretty open-minded, too. I will consider adapting new tools as I need them along the way. Losing the weight isn't even half the battle. It's the rest of my life -- because I know there is no time when I won't have to be careful and diligent. In a way, that sucks. Big time. But, it has made me keenly aware of my body and its functions/functioning in a way that I wouldn't have otherwise. So, it is what it is.

Awesome job Audrey. I totally agree. There is one plan that works and it's different for everyone.

[Nan in Mass]

For me, again I think every person is different, variety is bad. I have 2 or 3 morning foods and maybe 3 or 4 lunches that I stick to and a pattern of starting dinner off with a giant green salad. Knowing generally what I'll eat makes me quit thinking about it. For me the step between thinking about food and eating it is short. I pretty much know that if I choose my normal meals I'll fall within the limits that let me maintain. I do enjoy a holiday now and then but mostly habit is easier. I usually plan the day in the morning and stick to it. Things sometimes get crazy but that's the exception. I really feel it is a mental shift. This is just how I do things. I have rules or practices or routines. Whatever you want to call it. Oh, I also somewhere got the idea of exercise snacks. Maybe Google it? Mid afternoon or whenever you're having trouble throw in 5 minutes of running in place, jumping, arm swings, push ups against the counter, whatever. Really get your heart up, then have some water. I think snacking may be a way we're trying to get alert. Motion short circuits that and gets you some oxygen. YMMV

Yup about routines and reducing choices.

 

And I really like the idea of an excersize snack. I discovered when I had babies that the fasted way to get rid of the groggy feeling after a nap was to eat something. I think this, like my tea trick, is something I would find helpful - if I want to eat something, do this first. Afterwards, if I still want it, fine, I'll eat it, but I think there is a good chance I won't.

 

Lisa, you asked about tips - I have found that drinking a glass of water, then putting on an audiobook and doing a few chores to it ( to get moving) is a good way to handle cravings for me. If I can push past the lethargy to do this, it seems to work. It is pushing past the lethargy that is so hard during my more sedentary spells.

 

This thread is making me think that perhaps it is a blessing to be easily distracted instead of the curse I normally consider it lol...

 

Nan

[ktgrok]

Interesting article came across my newsfeed today. Genetics is not destiny.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Physical+Activity%2C+Fitness%2C+Glucose+Homeostasis%2C+and+Brain+Morphology+in+Twins

The condensed version

https://www.facebook.com/PamPeekeMD?fref=nf

 

I think this is an area where epigentics are going to be shown to be the key factor. 

[mom31257]

I lost 30 pounds last spring and have kept it off. I changed the way I eat by eating fewer carbs and more fat/protein. Despite adding some carbs in here and there, I've kept if off. I still avoid sugar most of the time but eat some in special foods, eat as many lower carb meals as I can, and I drink 2 big cups of water every morning when I first wake up. I didn't lose it with any real exercise and don't on a regular basis even now.

 

 

 

ETA: I could stand to lose more, but I'm happy where I am (just 8 pounds over my max BMI weight). I wonder if losing more will make it more difficult to keep it off. I'm afraid it will, so I'm not going to try until I've kept this off for at least a year, which will be the end of May. 

 

 

[Nan in Mass]

We really like the ted talk. I played it for my Mum. She says it is "spot on". She was heavy all during her childhood, lost a 100lbs using the Diet Workshop diet (daily lists of healthy meal and snack choices with weekly meetings and weigh ins) after the last baby and managed to keep most of it off for 40 years, staying plump but not obese. She says it was hard and she struggled to keep from becoming very obese very quickly until she went to a nutritionist who gave her the information in this talk. She says she still has some of her Christmas chocolate left, something that would have been impossible before the nutritionist showed her how to "pay attention" (the mindfulness in the talk) rather than "diet". She met the nutritionist after menopause, so for those who don,t have other health issues and are worried, she is proof it can be done. The bit about set points is true in her experience. She has known this since I was little. She worked hard to give us healthy eating habits and a healthy mindset and body image. She was very frank about her own struggle to stay at a healthy weight. She was a biologist and figured out about set points early on. I,ve known about them since I was little. The 4 things chart is something that matches her experience, too.

 

Nan