Has anyone successfully lost weight after a lifetime of yo-yo'ing??

[IrishMum]

Okay, a (not-so)brief bio - I'm 34 (neary 35- eek!) and weigh 12st at the minute. I was first sent to a dietician aged 7 weighing 10stone. That started my life-long battle with the bulge. At my heaviest I weighed 17 1/2stone, but got down to 10 1/2stone after eating very little and walking roughly 6miles a day. Of course this meant it didn't all stay off, but I stabilised at 11stone. Unfortunately by this stage I was also bulimic- I never binged, just got rid of the regular meals I ate. I tried everything- cd, ww, herbalife, slimfast, cabbage soup, atkins etc. but nothing worked- probably because I was still purging.
Anyway- in January I decided enough was enough- food wasn't going to rule my life anymore. I literally stopped purging the next day and started eating roughly 1000cals a day. I was amazed when after a week I had lost 6lbs. Now I know this was usual, and mainly water weight- but most importantly I learned I could eat food, keep it down, and STILL lose! So I was motivated to keep going.
Now here I am 8mths later. I started in January at 13st 4lbs and got down to 11st 9lbs- then stalled. For months. I tried everything and did a LOT of research, and came to the conclusion my metabolism is shot, but fixable apparently! So with a lot of anxiety I upped my cals to 1200 a day (the minimum most sites recommend) and in the past 7wks have re-gained 7 of those lost lbs back! I'm trying to keep positive- and know that NO-ONE stays fat eating this amount of cals, so again I have taken the huge step of upping my cals again to 1400 a day. I did this Monday, and yesterday I was hungry for the first time in months- but this is not a bad thing apparently- it could be a sign that my metabolism is starting to wake up at last? I'm praying a corner has been turned, at the minute I'm concentrating on ensuring I eat least that many cals every day to reassure my body I'm never going to starve it again. :ashamed0005:
I was wondering if anyone had a similar story- that after a lifetime of starving/dieting they eventually stopped the vicious cycle that destroys metabolism and sucessfully lost the excess weight? Any help or advice would also be appreciated?

 

[BBlilsis]

Hi IrishMum, sorry to see your lovely post has slipped through the net for being responded to.

I can safely say a large proportion of people on this site have similar stories, me being one as well.

for now I just wanted to respond, and tomorrow when I'm not so exhausted I will chat some more with you.

Your doing brilliant by yourself, well done, to help get your metabolism moving, divide your daily cals up by five instead of 3, and have five small meals spaced no more than 2.5hours apart, this will truly kickstart your system..

goodluck, talk soon, from a fellow irish woman

 

[USAgirl]

I would love the ans also,and great job on trying to be healty and not just skinny.

 

[Starlight]

It could be youre not eating enough, not eating enough can have the same effect on your weigh in results as eating too much. Instinct is to cut back and cut back but that can be so counter productive. It IS possible to get out of the rut that we can get into but maybe youd benefit from following a more structured type of diet.

I think it IS possible to break the cycle, its taken a while but I do believe that Ive finally re educated myself in relation to food, and while the weigh continues to come off, Im hoping that the things Ive learned will help me keep it off when I get to goal - and I WILL get to goal

 

[KD]

I started dieting at age 17, then continued until aged 48 (or something). Yep, reckon I shot my metabolism, though at the time I didn't realise it was recoverable, so each time I went back on a diet without giving it a chance.

Though I didn't put on weight as I increased my metabolism after Cambridge...going through cals of 790, 1000, 1200, then 1500, neither did I lose as expected.

But 3rd week of 1500 I started losing again. I can now eat 1800cals and maintain :clap:

I really think you are doing the right thing by calorie counting. As long as you are doing it correctly, it's the only really exact way of getting the science right (calories in versus calories out), which I think is so important if you are trying to get your metabolism back to normal.

Make sure you are eating regularly. Little and often. Though it might not help (opinions differ), it certainly wont hurt, and might help keep your metabolism ticking over.

Keep up the exercise. Walking is fine. If possible do some resistance to protect your lean mass (muscle burns more calories than fat). Keep your protein up. That will help the hunger whilst making sure you eat enough calories (nuts are good for that).

It's vital at this stage that you count your calories as strictly as you can.

And above all, hang in there. I know it's scary, but it'll pay off in the end. Very best of luck. I really think you are doing the right thing.

 

[IrishMum]

Aww..I thought no-one had done it so no-one was replying! LOL!
I have a good breakfast, a snack at 11.30 or so, lunch then an afternoon snack (but not always), dinner around 6pm and a small snack around 8.30pm if I've the cals left (and sometimes even if I don't but am hungry anyway!). So I'm eating fairly regularly to avoid getting too hungry, but hunger is a new thing as I've spent so long restricting! I'm actually enjoying eating at the minute, and I'm sticking to my cal target religiously so it'll be interesting to see if my changes show on the scales on Monday. If I stay the same (i.e. not gain anymore) I'm upping another 100cals.
Thanks BBlilsis & USAGirl for your words of encouragement, and I wasn't eating enough Starlight, I know thats why I stalled & was having problems, and why I finally decided to up my cals! I don't want to follow a 'diet' as such because I'm trying to make this a new way of life, and as you say 're-educate' my way of eating so that I can eat whatever I want (within reason of course! LOL!) You & KD are inspirational in the amounts of weight that you've lost, and give me hope that my patience will eventually pay off. Thanks everyone for posting, I was losing hope! LOL! I'll keep you posted on my progress.

 

[Georgiestar]

ive had problems with my weight, i was 10 stone for a while and i was trying to diet, except i was yo yo dieting too, i used to start a diet but then give up anyway or it used to just slip away. then i went into hospital a year ago for 3 months and i got down to 9 stone but it didnt register to me that i had lost the weight anyway the trouble was when i came out of hospital i started putting on weight and i weighed in at 10 stone 9 , i was living with my grandmother and although i had started going to the gym i was eating cakes at least twice a week...anyway ive moved from my grandmothers and have started a diet but this time its more of a lifestyle change i started the diet three months ago and ive lost a stone ive also been going to the gym, but recently i havent been going and have lost the weight more slowly or staying the same weight.. its been just over a week now and the other day i was relieved because i had lost a pound but then i went on the scales today and the pound i had lost was gone, the scales have been reading me at different weights so hopefully ive lost the pound if i havent im not going to give up yet.

 

[IrishMum]

Okay, 12st 1lb this morning:cry:, but my af is due any day now so I'm hoping that accounts for the 1lb gain? I'm still going to up to 1400cals a day from today. I need to stay focused & positive and get my body to start trusting me again...its not easy though...

 

[shrinkingannie]

You are doing great Irishmum - it will work!!

 

[icemoose]

Hiya

Yes I had a weight issue from the age of 12 up to the age of 32.

Then I decided to sort out my "stuff" and reduced my weight and now have been slim for 2 and a half years and am loving life and finally a happy soul!

Mike

 

[IrishMum]

Weel, an update for you kind souls that replied to my post. I upped to 1600-1700cals last Friday, and had gone up to 12st 5lb!! I figured I was going to gain while upping gradually, so why not just bite the bullet and get it over with! LOL!
I'm staying focused and positive though because I know its not 'real' weight, and its necessary for me to do this to get through to the other side. I'm feeling great, I was very bloated at first, but a bit of food tweaking and time management I'm getting through that. I'm 12st 4lb this morning, so praying the 'surge' is over and I can continue to focus on maintaining for a while, then I can tackle the extra lbs when my system is working like it should? It's very hard though...

 

[totty]

Just let your body get used to the change in calories or 'set point' and the weight should come back off hun x x

you really should talk to caketa...you may be able to help her, she seems to be in the same situation x

 

[KD]

I can continue to focus on maintaining for a while, then I can tackle the extra lbs when my system is working like it should? It's very hard though...

It is. Takes guts doesn't it, but you really are doing the right thing. Well done :clap:

 

[Nickynoo]

ive yoyo dieted since i was about 13 now im 27 and have chosen to have the gastric balloon fitted bcus i really cant do it anymore.. I dont know about you but i think its harmed my insides yoyoing so much?

 

[IrishMum]

I definately think its harmed my metabolism, but not my 'insides' as such. My thyroid condition means I have, ahem 'Toilet' issues- i.e. a slow digestion, but I can live with that. I haven't weighed in a few days now, but I feel so good at the minute- I'm brimming with energy (a really new experience! LOL!) so my new regime can't be doing 'harm' in the long run? Stay positive...stay positive...:thankyou:

 

[debz32]

I definately think its harmed my metabolism, but not my 'insides' as such. My thyroid condition means I have, ahem 'Toilet' issues- i.e. a slow digestion, but I can live with that. I haven't weighed in a few days now, but I feel so good at the minute- I'm brimming with energy (a really new experience! LOL!) so my new regime can't be doing 'harm' in the long run? Stay positive...stay positive...:thankyou:

hey - glad you're feeling positive keep us posted on your progress

Debz x

 

[IrishMum]

Thanks Debz, I'm down to 12st 3lbs this morning (2lbs less than last Monday) so I don't know if its still fluctuating or I'm finally settling/turning the corner?
I started upping my calories 8-9wks ago, and gained 9lbs in 8wks cry but have gone down 2lbs in the last week so maybe the 'shock' to my system of eating 'normally' is subsiding? LOL! Its hard, but this is helping keep me motivated- FOOD WILL NO LONGER RULE MY LIFE!:happy036:arty0011:

 

[shrinkingannie]

Sounds good Irish mum - you have done really well to stick to it, it will be worth it

 

[angie-bum]

stay positive! you are listening to your body and doing well by it, all will be well

 

[WillowFae]

I have yo-yo dieted all of my adult life, but never for large amounts of weight (up and down within the 14.5-16 stone range). I thought I'd cracked it this time, and thanks to weight loss in pregnancy which had given me a kick start I got down to just under 13 stone. But it is creeping back on and I hate myself for it.

So if you find the solution to yo-yo dieting then I'd LOVE to know!