Losing regained weight (again!) ...

[SkinniMinni]

I'm sure some of you are in the same boat I'm in with losing weight that we've already lost before. I *had* lost 85lbs as of June 1, but over the course of the last 3-months have managed to put back 20lbs a lot quicker and easier that it was taking it off.

I'm frustrated and pretty upset with myself for letting it slip this much, and really finding it hard to get my weight-loss mojo back as I've already lost this weight, and now here I am again!

Any tips for getting back on the horse? Mentally I am having problems staying on track because I am bummed that I have to re-lose this same weight. Overall now, I have about 40lbs left to goal. I don't have any health issues (besides the weight), and although I feel good on raw, I also feel good on cooked (just fat!). I wish I was like some of you who get sick from eating cooked after being raw - but for me that isn't the case! I don't have the feeling sick as a motivator.

Anyone out there who is relosing gained weight after already taking it off? How do we get motivated to start over again?

[faith4u]

I don't understand. Are you upset that you are losing weight that you need to lose?

[Tangerina]

I have the same thing going on (though for me it is only5 lbs, but still, it takes a long time to lose 5 lbs but it seems like only a week to gain it. OnceI lose this 5 lbs if I lose any more weight then I will be improving upon where I was at before. I know the feeling you mean, cuz when you get on the scale and you are 1/2 lb less you don't think... yay! I lost... you think...well, tiny bit closer to normal. But seriously don't let it bug you too much, what I think about is that if I was eating SAD I wouldn't be losing weight and I would probably be gaining a bit (geez, I juts moved in with 5 people, there are always treats around!) I like how on raw even if I don't lose weight I don't gain either and I can pretty much eat how much/what I want (and I am losing about a lb a week at this point, I've only been raw for 14 days and I only have about 10-20 lbs to lose, I'm 5'2" and 135, should be closer to 120 to have a lean but not skinny figure) So yeah, I think about how if I was counting calories at this point I would be looking forward to the next time I can have my little 300 calorie pasta with sauce and veggies but I can't have a veggie meatball on it because I had a bit of cookie earlier... blah blah.... So I just focus on how happy I am not to have that worry in my life.... last night I even ate a whole blob of chocolate chip cookie dough (that cashew based recipe thats been on this board) and it was like the real thing but I didn't even sweat it.... so yeah, focus on the freedom.

[Sunshine9]

What did you do to so easily lose the weight?

Whatever it was, an up and down cycle isn't the best thing ever, and I would hope you don't eat 100% raw then go back to cooked food as soon as the weight is off.

are you exercising?

[SkinniMinni]

I lost the 85lbs the non-raw way (the usual diet/exercise combo) I moved to raw because I got tired of having to count everything that went into my mouth (carbs, fat grams etc.) and I really missed fruit after being on lower carbs for so long (not no-carbs, just less than normal).

I love raw, I think it works if you can work it and keep off the SAD. My issues are primarily mental, trying to get over the fact that I'm losing weight I just lost not too long ago. I'm just looking for ways to get excited and motivated again about losing weight, after falling off the wagon. I'm sure there are other "rawers" out there who have lost and regained weight like myself - how do you get started over again. I've just lost that mojo and it's become a ... here we go again ...!

[Bingka]

It sounds to me you haven't made a commitment to your health.

It sounds more like you ate raw just to lose the weight. You will get no where with that kind of attitude. I understand though because I have also dieted for the same reason. I am curently 60 lbs overweight. There are lots of reasons to eat raw, but if it is mostly to lose weight you will fail. Just like all other diets.

Eating raw is a lifestyle. I want to grow old healthy and happy. I want to play with my grandchildren (when I have children to start). Being sick is a motivator to me. Look around you. What do you see. Healthy people or sick overweight people.

You said you where healthy on a SAD diet. Well, being 100lbs overweight is not healthy. You are just kidding yourself.

I hope you can find the motivation you are looking for. Everyone here has been very supportive of everyone's efforts to live a raw LIFESTYLE. Have you made a commitment to a healthy life or just weight loss?

Best wishes

Ken

[Morn]

It sounds to me you haven't made a commitment to your health.

It sounds more like you ate raw just to lose the weight. You will get no where with that kind of attitude. I understand though because I have also dieted for the same reason. I am curently 60 lbs overweight. There are lots of reasons to eat raw, but if it is mostly to lose weight you will fail. Just like all other diets.

Eating raw is a lifestyle. I want to grow old healthy and happy. I want to play with my grandchildren (when I have children to start). Being sick is a motivator to me. Look around you. What do you see. Healthy people or sick overweight people.

You said you where healthy on a SAD diet. Well, being 100lbs overweight is not healthy. You are just kidding yourself.

I hope you can find the motivation you are looking for. Everyone here has been very supportive of everyone's efforts to live a raw LIFESTYLE. Have you made a commitment to a healthy life or just weight loss?

Best wishes

Ken
Thank you Bingka what you said was really thought provoking for me as I started the 40 day challenge to lose weight and have struggled myself day to day with gaining and relosing the same pounds. I am happy when I lose and upset when I don't. I need to lose 60-80 pounds and I am realizing it will take a long time to do so. I too considered myself healthy as skinniminni but your right how healthy can you be when I have so much excess weight on me and my family history shows that if I continue to go in the same trend I will develop diabetes, heart problems, etc. Thank you for your realness, I not only want to lose weight but prevent future health problems that could be coming my way. I really don't want to live a long life, but the when I am older I don't want to be a burden to anyone either.

[Rawky Balboa]

Hi SkinniMinni,

Keep your chin up. I understand how frustrating it can be cause I am in the same boat. In 2004, I lost 35 lbs & was almost half-way to my goal weight. 2 yrs later, I've gained it all back & am now re-losing the same weight. (I have 80 to lose all together.)

But after 10+ yrs of conventional & fad dieting, I've come to a few simple life truths. DIETS DON'T WORK & WILL DRIVE YOU INSANE. It's insane to try & life a normal healthy life counting every fat gram, carbohydrate, and calorie that goes into your body. It's unrealistic to live that way for any real length of time. (Which is part of the reason why I'm raw fooding because it allows a certain freedom from counting & depriving.)

I try to look at it this way: Cooked food is a powerful & dangerous drug, no different to me than any narcotic. My body/mind craves it & obsesses over it. And when I eat it, I get this instant gratification & I feel good.....HIGH if you will. Meanwhile, it does terrible damage to my body & spirit. And just trying to get off of cooked food comes with it's own version of withdrawals & detox.

Unfortunately, my body will always have this tumultuous relationship with food & for the rest of my life, I will have to be very wise & weary about what food I eat. It's something I'm having to come to terms with & accept, which I'm trying to do as best I can. (I'm still in mourning a bit.)

I'm trying not to focus on weight loss, and instead I'm focusing on health & feeling better. I've focused on dieting for the last decade & it's gotten me nowhere. I decided it was finally time to truly learn to eat better for my health and that's how I started raw fooding. And not only did I quit eating cooked foods, I also quit smoking & drinking too.....so it's been a HUGE lifestyle change. And it's been hard, but I've finally just had to get tough with myself. I have two small children (9 & 4) & I want to be around to hold my grandbabies.....that is my main motivation.

Ultimately, YOU will have to be your own motivator. You need to find some inspiration in your own life that gives you enough reason to want to improve. If you focus on the weight, you might be setting yourself up for failure since it's incredibly easy to get discouraged when it comes to weight loss. Try focusing on the positives of raw & try to incorporate those things into your life. Because in the end, if you can't get yourself motivated, then no one else can. We are the captains of our own vessels afterall.

And if you ever need to just vent or talk, drop me a line. I'd be happy to talk you down, pick you up & dust ya off, or give you a pat on the back.

Good luck! I'm sure you will find your way. ~Rawky B.

[luckitri]

Yup - I'm doing it too. It can come back in 1 or 2 days and take weeks to get it gone again! AAAAAGGGHHH!!! Now I know what yo-yo is. The weekends with family meals is what is really getting me.

[SkinniMinni]

Thanks for the feedback gang!

I know it's often better to think in terms of health, although it's very hard to grasp that if you don't have any health problems (yet). I'm 28, and even at my highest weight I was lucky enough to have low blood pressure, low cholesterol etc. The extra weight is the biggest of my current health issues, so it's what I tend to get stuck on.

I know 40lbs doesn't seem like a whole lot to some, but it feels just as heavy as 100lbs overweight (where I started). I'll keep trucking, thanks for the support!

[dogmd]

Hi SkinniMinni,

Keep your chin up. I understand how frustrating it can be cause I am in the same boat. In 2004, I lost 35 lbs & was almost half-way to my goal weight. 2 yrs later, I've gained it all back & am now re-losing the same weight. (I have 80 to lose all together.)

But after 10+ yrs of conventional & fad dieting, I've come to a few simple life truths. DIETS DON'T WORK & WILL DRIVE YOU INSANE. It's insane to try & life a normal healthy life counting every fat gram, carbohydrate, and calorie that goes into your body. It's unrealistic to live that way for any real length of time. (Which is part of the reason why I'm raw fooding because it allows a certain freedom from counting & depriving.)

I try to look at it this way: Cooked food is a powerful & dangerous drug, no different to me than any narcotic. My body/mind craves it & obsesses over it. And when I eat it, I get this instant gratification & I feel good.....HIGH if you will. Meanwhile, it does terrible damage to my body & spirit. And just trying to get off of cooked food comes with it's own version of withdrawals & detox.

Unfortunately, my body will always have this tumultuous relationship with food & for the rest of my life, I will have to be very wise & weary about what food I eat. It's something I'm having to come to terms with & accept, which I'm trying to do as best I can. (I'm still in mourning a bit.)

I'm trying not to focus on weight loss, and instead I'm focusing on health & feeling better. I've focused on dieting for the last decade & it's gotten me nowhere. I decided it was finally time to truly learn to eat better for my health and that's how I started raw fooding. And not only did I quit eating cooked foods, I also quit smoking & drinking too.....so it's been a HUGE lifestyle change. And it's been hard, but I've finally just had to get tough with myself. I have two small children (9 & 4) & I want to be around to hold my grandbabies.....that is my main motivation.

Ultimately, YOU will have to be your own motivator. You need to find some inspiration in your own life that gives you enough reason to want to improve. If you focus on the weight, you might be setting yourself up for failure since it's incredibly easy to get discouraged when it comes to weight loss. Try focusing on the positives of raw & try to incorporate those things into your life. Because in the end, if you can't get yourself motivated, then no one else can. We are the captains of our own vessels afterall.

And if you ever need to just vent or talk, drop me a line. I'd be happy to talk you down, pick you up & dust ya off, or give you a pat on the back.

Good luck! I'm sure you will find your way. ~Rawky B.

Thank you for this Rawky B... I feel the same way!!!

Keep your head up Skinni Minni.. I also have 40 more pounds to lose and yes it does sound like a whole lot . Especially when you see it sitting on your butt and thighs. I am in this with ya.... I am finding it easier looking at food differently. Kinda like " yuck that is poison I am putting into my mouth" . It helps. Cooked food is very addictive for me... so I have to look at it like rawky b ( as a dangerous drug). When I do that , It is easier to put down.

[greeninloanageles1]

I lost 30 pounds on raw. Then I started craving cooked terribly and fell off for several weeks - during them I gained 10 pounds back. I am 5'6 and on raw my weight is 120, so at 130 I did not look bad, but I did not like how I felt - heavy after meals, face with several pimples, migraine,even my period came back(like 4 days after I ate cooked when your body is strong, uterus doesn't bleed during your monthly cycle, although you still are fertile).And cooked foods lost their apeal very quickly.
I decided I want to go back. I am raw for 5 days now again and already lost 4-5 pounds.