The Truth about YO-YO weight loss: 2nd time harder?

[irisfive]

Hello All,

 

I am about to embark on my 3rd major weight loss attempt. Not that the other two were failures, I lost weight just fine, but I put it back on. In 2002 I weighed 200 and managed to lose around 70 lbs in 4 months down to 130. Then last january I was back up to 175 and managed to get down to 140. Now (August) Im back up again to 160. I joined a gym yesterday and Im going to start now in taking care of this for good.

 

However I read this on the internet: Once you gain weight - your fat cells multiply (the acutal number of fat cells increase in your body) and when you lose weight the cells do not dissapear just get smaller... so the more you yo-yo the more cells you gain and the harder it is to become thin again.

 

So for every time Ive lost weight - and regained it - my cells have multiplied - and its going to be twice as hard to lose! Could this be true?

[Taken_Angel]

Wish I had an answer for ya...all I know is that if you want to lose weight and stay fit you HAVE to excercise regularly, eat healthy and continue to do so even after you reach your goal weight.

[seahorse]

Hi, yes, it is fine to go on a good healthy diet and lose lots of weight, BUT, the minute you come off the diet, and start to slip back into bad habits, the weight will come back. What do you think got you heavy in the first place?

 

A lighter person needs less calories to maintain weight than a bigger person. One way I've done it before, was to lose weight, reacch goal weight, then gradually increase, week by week, my calorie intake, until I was neither gaining, or losing weight. That is your maintenance rate. Once you've found your maintenance rate, know what you can eat, and have a rough idea of quantities, then you don't have to bother to weigh every morsel. However, it is far too easy to slip back, saying that the odd biscuit/cookie, or whatever won't make much difference. From experience, I'm afraid to say, it does.

 

For a person who struggles with their weight, keeping it off and maintaining it, is really the HARDEST part. It is about changing your whole eating habits/patterns. Making sure you take the healthy option 90% of the time.

 

My weight has yo-yoed for years. I've managed to maintain it to within ten pounds up or down during the last year, so not bad for me. However, atm, I have begun yet another diet to try and get off 14-18 pounds or so. I am five foot three and atm am 140 pounds, medium to large frame. ( I know I'm short, but I'm broad)

[neghlucky]

diet alone never works, add exercise to your schedule, especially cardiovascular.