Weight loss "hobby"

[not2late]

Incredibly slow day at work---all my bosses are away on various conferences.

Anyhow, I was thinking...We all know people (maybe even ourselves) who've gone on on diet, lost weight and regained it, switch over another diet, lost weight and regained it, switch over to another diet, lost weight and regain it, and so on.

What makes these folks tick? Is the process of losing weight on a diet a challenge to them, so they lose and regain so that they can try another diet and "win" again? In other words, is dieting a sport or hobby to them--you know something for them to do with their time?

Any thoughts?

ensive

(By the way, I'm not picking on anyone in particular. I'm just curious if I'm the only one whose ever noticed this...)

[Heather150]

I can only comment on myself and say that of all my weight loss attempts prior to Atkins and gaining the weight back can be contributed to:

1) Denial-thinking now that I'm at this magical number I can go back to eating the way I did before

2) Not thinking of the big picture-thinking of it AS a diet and not a way of life

3) Comfort-Getting comfortable at that new loss of weight and letting things slide

I've learned ALOT with Atkins....something that will stick with me (hopefully) for a lifetime that I never learned on any other plan. I CAN eat this way forever and have it not bother me. Two years strong and still going so hopefully this is it.

I never thought of it as a "sport" or a challenge. Losing is awful. I've dealt with this my whole life...and its definitely not something I enjoy.

[sadie147]

My weight has jumped up and down over the years..I'd be in teh mid 130's then up to 150's...diet, back down to 130's..get comfortable/bored/et back up. it's a terrible cycle.

I think that what is different for me this time..is the WOL thinking. I had heard it before..we all have. You have to make it a lifestyle change. That's easy to say..but hard to do. I think I just got to a point, where i'd had enough. I was tired of losing and gaining, and wanted to do something about it. I originally started this woe to lose weight..and that has quickly become to maintain good health. I had a paradigm shift somewhere in the beginning where I realized that this is about more than my weight, it's about my health. For everyone this point can be different.

I find it very similar to quitting smoking (which i did cold turkey 5 yrs ago). No one can tell you 'how' to do it . For everyone their reason and/or inspriation is different. I believe you can start any exercise or weight program, ..but if you have not accepted it as a lifestyle change and a way of life, when you reach your goal weight (or before) you are much more likely to go back to your old ways. this is exactly what I have done in the past and I think why I hav enever been successful until now.

My2 cents.

[Peytonn]

I always con myself into believing it will be easy to get off the next time...

in my case, stress was my excuse...

eating and how much i weighed was the least of my worries, so i just went crazy

[Buddrfly]

I believe!

I believe so! That sounds about right to me. I know lots of people who do just that, lose then get upset because they start gaining, then start another diet and lose again. I think that could be very hard on your body. It is healthier to start something and stick with it.

[love2beeamom]

I have lost and gained weight so many times over the years.. but never got as close to goal as I have this time. I have thought about it many times myself and wondered why I have stuck with it so long this go around. I came up with the conclusion that others have said.. for me it is all about seeing this as a lifestyle change.. not about a diet to lose weight. When I lost weight before, I would go off the diet and return to what I thought was "normal eating", but now I know that it was just poor eating. People ask me all the time how much longer I am gonna do "this diet", and I tell them that I plan on eating healthy the rest of my life. And for me, that is what I see as the major difference in maintaining your weight.

[AllieCat0817]

I think it's a refusal to forever quit eating crap foods. Some people just won't give it up and can't fathom going a lifetime without it. So they need to 'quickly get this weight off' so they do........ then when the weight's gone they holler 'where my donuts at'.....

[tickletussler]

I must admit a lot of Atkins was my WOE before I started - I would eat fruits for brekkie, decent sized lunch and a dinner with no starches - mainly fish and veg in the evenings. I really loved chocolate and found the times in mylife when I did put on weight, it was because I started eating after 8pm and finished as late at 10pm, and eating more and more food as the day progressed - this seemed to correspond with my weight gains

I have always been a big eater (I just soo love the taste of food), so moving to Atkins didn't seem to difficult. If I did "cheat", it was more to indulge in some extremely well-made or well-cooked food... or give in to chocolate

As Atkin-style eating was so much a part of my life before I started, I found sticking to Atkins relatively easy and I really can't envisage myself "getting off" Atkins or ever having to restart.

Atkins helped me to focus on my nutrient % and proportions, and I hope it doesn't sound too corny... but it is so much a WOL for me that I don't notice I am "on Atkins"