If you’ve maintained your goal weight for 3+ years, please tell me how you did it!

[powercats]

I can lose weight relatively easily but I struggle to keep it off.
I have been yo-yo ing for the past 3 years, each time regaining to a new high point before starting over. I’m now losing again and it’s going OK, one stone to go - but I want this to be the last time I do this!! I don’t really understand how it creeps back so quickly (okay, yes I do - I start eating junk!) but I’ve never been a binger, I just have a few treats here and there and the weight seems to rocket upward. Wondering if I’m losing it too quickly and that’s the problem?
I am age 40, 5ft 8, currently 71Kg, down from 78kg in May, and aiming for 64Kg eventually. Thanks!

Mounjaro!

Thanks!
I’m not heavy enough to be prescribed mounjaro and not rich enough to pay for it! I’m doing quite well without it at the moment, but I just know that for me the risk is going backwards once I hit my goal.

Counting calories and reducing carbs. Kept weight off for over 20 years, with the exception of the last 12 months, where I have put on weight for the first time in my adult life.

I’ve lost and gained about 5 stone over the years the longest time I maintained was 7 years and I did this by eating the same meals on rotation- just pure habit. As soon as I start adding in treats or junk its too normalised and the creep begins. So I’m back to eating the same daily again 😬

Regain isn’t abihr the losing rate, unless v rapid, it’s about how much you consume after,

Calories counting and weighing myself regularly. Never count on holiday but do the rest of the time (habit now). Cut back on calories if I see my weight creeping up.

My fitness pal. I track everything, every single day.

I lost half my body weight seven years ago and have maintained. For me what's worked -
Two meals a day. Sometimes a snack (fruit, dates, peanut butter).
High protein.
I rarely eat bread, pasta, rice, noodles etc
High protein meals with lots of salad or veg.
One treat a week if that (chocolate usually).
I only drink tea (1 a day) or milky coffee (2 a day with sugar) or water or squash. No other soft drinks.
Hardly ever eat ultra processed or processed food.
Never buy lunch at work - always bring my own.
I eat less than I'd like tbh.
I say no to treats.
Discipline basically.
And I have the luxury of being single and childless so I rarely have to compromise on what I prefer to eat

Oh and I weigh myself every day.

I lost 4 stone but it took me a good 15 years to regain it…so to some extent, I see that as a partial success! 😂 But it was basically giving myself a buffer of 7lbs and when I got to the top end of that, I’d start tracking calories again and lose it. I then had some major life events, relationship breakdown, bereavement etc, took my eye off the ball and regained it.

But, I’ve recently lose the 4 stone again (MJ) and am not far off going into maintenance again. The secret is realising I will ALWAYS have a weight problem. It’s never going to go away and the only way to avoid a regain is vigilance and never letting it go beyond a certain point.

Lost 6 stone kept it off 3 years now by calorie counting everyday. Reducing calories a week before and a week after.any event eg holidays or Christmas. Noticing any slight weight gain and cutting back.
Meal planning also helps to take out the temptation to eat rubbish if its all easily available.

Hmm I guess I understand why people say a diet needs to be a lifestyle, that seems to be the gist of what you all are saying. And clearly that’s where I’m going wrong, I guess the diet never really finishes, as much as I’d like i to, this needs to be my forever, now.

This ⬆️ I lost 2 stone two years ago. It was so difficult as I’m in the throes of the perimenopause. I have come to realise the only way I can keep it off is to meticulously track everything I eat on my fitness pal and exercise every day (even if just a walk). Strength training helps too. I am going to have to do this for the rest of my life to avoid regain. I do allow myself treats however will get back on track straight away the next day. Good luck!

I think we've lost sight of what "treat" means. If you're having a few per week, or maybe multiple times per day, that's not a treat.

I eat three meals a day, no snacking. A mindset where you don't eat snack cuts out most of the junk. An occasion genuine treat at the end of a meal if I'm still hungry.

I can feel it in my thighs if I gain more than 4 lbs and will take action before it becomes more.

I lost about 4 stone in my 20s
I kept it off broadly through two pregnancies but since turning 40 about 7-8 lbs has crept on
I am still healthy weight according to BMI (yes, I know...) but the upper end of the bracket.

My initial weight loss was down to strict diet and increased exercise.

Keeping it off was down to a broadly whole scale life change and general calorie counting
(ie if I had a takeaway one night I wouldn't eat a fatty diet the next day, almost giving up chocolate, choosing to do regular exercise)

I am still broadly counting calories but eat and drink what I like, try to limit UPFs, make a lot of my own foods, eat salads usually about 3-4 times a week, try to limit carbs

It's obviously not perfect as I'd like to be a bit less but it's generally kept it off these years.

Sadly, yes. If you go back to stuffing your face, the weight will go back on. It has to be something you can maintain. You always have to think about limiting treats, keeping exercise going, eating healthy meals.

I no longer eat pasta, cheese, milk chocolates biscuits or ice cream for example.

I don’t eat things like bacon, sausages because of the calories.

I eat a lot of salads, jacket potatoes, rice because it’s lower calorie.

I never have take aways. Like ever.

I eat out in very few places, such as nandos because I can have chicken breast, rice and broccoli.

Yes absolutely. I made a commitment when I lost the weight that I would keep focusing on maintaining it forever. You have to.

Like a pp I rarely get takeaways too. Maybe once a quarter and that's only when I've had impromptu company.

I decided I needed to lose weight 4 years ago and over a period of about 7/8 months, I lost 3 stone. TBH, I lost a bit too much, I’m five feet, petite build and got to 50kg, too thin.
I put on 2kg after a holiday 18 months later and am broadly that weight now although I can put on a kilo or so but then can lose it again. I’m happy at 52ish kilos.
I use MFP, walk between 3-4 miles every day and calorie count, although I tend to have a day off that per week, I tend not to exceed 1400/1500 calorie intake per day.
It’s sometimes hard but I just think how much it would cost me to replace my wardrobe again and I’ve kept photos from when I was bigger.

Im trying to lose weight and its so hard

Not 3 plus years yet but about 12 months in. I do have to be careful and I easily gain if/when I dont track. So O track, make sure I eat alot of protein, fibre and veg. I drink water and walk at least 12000 steps a day, regardless of weather, work, sickness etc. Every single day I walk.

Yes absolutely this. It is a way of living