A Q for those that have done a VLCD in the past and NOT kept it off...

[Lord LuLu]

I keep seeing posts where people say they have done LL/CD/Lipotrim in the past and lost a lot of weight but sadly not kept it off. Can I ask why you think this is? I know that no matter what diet you lose weight on, if you go back to your old food habits you'll put the weight back on, and that you're no more likely to put the weight back on doing a VLCD compared to any other diet. That said you are more likely to lose huge amounts of weight on a VLCD therefore if you put it all back on you're putting 4/5/6+ stone back on!

I've lost 3 1/2 stone so far on a combo of S&S and Exante, I'm now a size 16 and truly believe I can and will continue to goal. I feel normal for the first time in many years and desperately want to keep it off so intend to weekly weigh once I get to goal so I can nip any gains in the bud but was hoping for some words of wisdom from those who have been there and not 'done it' - any tips or things you wish you had done differently?

 

[munchbunch]

I did lipotrim last year an lost just under 2 stone in 6 weeks ......

I havnt out it all back on but some of it too many treats and indulging and I never stuck to a plan or anything after stupidly I thought I could do it without not sticking to somthing I was wrong !!

When I have finished on s&s I intend to maintain on weight watchers or somthing like that to manage the food etc , my problem was as I said 8 months of having what I wanted and yes I have gained weight .

Not sure about others hope this helps x

 

[Lord LuLu]

Thanks, I think that will be an issue for me - if I have something to stick too I'll be OK but if I just try and eat healthily with no plan I can see myself coming unstuck.

I did lipotrim last year an lost just under 2 stone in 6 weeks ......

I havnt out it all back on but some of it too many treats and indulging and I never stuck to a plan or anything after stupidly I thought I could do it without not sticking to somthing I was wrong !!

When I have finished on s&s I intend to maintain on weight watchers or somthing like that to manage the food etc , my problem was as I said 8 months of having what I wanted and yes I have gained weight .

Not sure about others hope this helps x

 

[baby_callalillies]

I lost 7 stones on Cd 3 years ago and gradually over those 3 years put almost 3 stones back on. I was so excited at losing the bulk I never really planned what to do when I was finished. I never followed any maintenance plan (which I believe is paramount) and never changed the way I looked at food. So, it crept back on.

I Will work hard at keeping it off this time around.... Every day is and Will be a struggle and I Hope something clicks this time around. Being overweight for 30 years is a difficult habit to break.

Good luck to everyone Xxx

 

[fizzyfluff]

I lost 2st in 8wks last summer, that wasn't me at goal, I came off for a fortnight for a holiday went nuts and went straight back to previous habits. 6months layer I've regained all that weight plus 7lbs. Tried several times to get back on plan during that time, but just wasn't in the head space.

I'm there now!!!!

12 lost : 55 to goal

 

[SerenityValley]

I lost 11st (most on lighterlife). I maintained really well at first but then met my wife. I had to go out for meals, have meals cooked for me, and lost the will to calorie count. It started to creep on, but then we had a lot of very stressful situations to cope with and I turned to comfort eating. I've lost and gained a few stone, a few times.

I'm hopeful that when I come off this time, I have a plan to cope with things and to keep the weight off. But if I don't, I'll go right back on slim and save without letting myself go up 5 stone like I have this time.

 

[Tyrion_Lannister_lover]

I lost 4 stone then maintained for around 3 years..

 

[Guinevere]

I keep seeing posts where people say they have done LL/CD/Lipotrim in the past and lost a lot of weight but sadly not kept it off. Can I ask why you think this is? I know that no matter what diet you lose weight on, if you go back to your old food habits you'll put the weight back on, and that you're no more likely to put the weight back on doing a VLCD compared to any other diet. That said you are more likely to lose huge amounts of weight on a VLCD therefore if you put it all back on you're putting 4/5/6+ stone back on!

I've lost 3 1/2 stone so far on a combo of S&S and Exante, I'm now a size 16 and truly believe I can and will continue to goal. I feel normal for the first time in many years and desperately want to keep it off so intend to weekly weigh once I get to goal so I can nip any gains in the bud but was hoping for some words of wisdom from those who have been there and not 'done it' - any tips or things you wish you had done differently?

I did Lighter Life Light Summer 2009 - got down to target but then gradually put it (& more ) back on, although with a few periods of strict crashing back down to an intermediate zone (Bridesmaiding x2 + getting married).

One thing I noticed was as the weight started going back on I stopped weighing myself as regularly (in fact the last time was -20lbs from my starting point) - denial I think - as the scales give you a cold hard number!

Also, I had a 4 month period in an incredibly forgiving work uniform & spent most of my life in it - whereas if I'd still been wearing my old favourites work/fun clothes more often it might have been a reality check and nipped things in the bud as soon as they got too tight.

Other thing, psychologically, I think I need to try & reprogramme my attitude - I've always been good at setting targets for big events (see the Bridesmaiding, getting married etc. of above!) but not maintaining - this time after the short term & intermediate term targets I need to think longer term about being healthy weight. I wonder if in part this has been because I've had a defeatist attitude of 'oh well, I can always do a VLCD when I really need to...' in relation to upcoming events & starting the healthy eating got pushed back & back until it was crisis point (holiday in 1 month!).

In future I realize I need to change - my plan is to weigh myself weekly (with a 10lb buffer zone, up to 20lb if lucky enough to get pregnant - so my target is lower end of this), eat fewer carbs & sweets in general (because pasta/potatoes really are my weakness - I could eat mountains with every meal & one chocolate is never enough I eat the packet) & keep the exercise up (well aware of the 'skinny fat' unhealthy people).

Hope this helps.

 

[MinnieMel]

Hi -

I agree with what many have already said. I lost about 4.5 stone on LL in 2008. I kept it all off for about a year (beating the 2/3s region most in a year). But then I quit exercising and I slowly regained about 1/3 to 1/2 before I made a concerted effort to try and take it off. I have been losing ANC regaining the same 1.5 to 2 stone for the past two years. But I figure what I am doing is learning how to maintain the weight loss.

Anyway the key is definitely do a maintenance refers programme. Make permanent changes to how you eat and work out. Plus you must weigh yourself weekly and when you have hit your "stop and diet" weight you DO IT. Thin people think and act differently.

There is a fab book by Dr Judith Beck. It teaches you how to think like a thin person.

 

[Lord LuLu]

Thanks all, lots of food for thought there - excuse the pun! I've seen the Beck book mentioned on here in the past so will order a copy, anythings worth a try!

Tyrion - sorry to hear about your husband :hug99:

'oh well, I can always do a VLCD when I really need to...

That struck a chord with me, I'm not even at goal yet and have been saying to friends 'this is life changing, no matter what happens I know I've found the solution if I put weight on'. The point is I need to stop myself from putting weight on in the first place!

I think the weekly weighing is going to be essential to stop any gain in it's tracks.

 

[BordersGirl]

I lost 7 stone 7 years ago (5 on LT and 2 more afterwards with low calorie eating). I managed to maintain for 2 years by being really careful with what I ate and restricting alcohol and treats to the weekend. Then I changed my job and was travelling a lot and spending 3 - 4 nights a week in a hotel. I'd eat out every night, drink every night, and then have the hotel breakfast, and when I was at home at weekends I still followed my 'weekend' eating plan with extra calories and alcohol. The inevitable happened and I put 6 of the 7 stones back on. Like someone further up I kept telling myself that it was fine because I could just do a VLCD again to lose it again but I spent 16 weeks on LT only on chocolate shakes and I just could not stomach doing that again. So 6 and a bit years later I'm back to lose it again, and hope to have a better plan to keep the weight off this time. I plan to be pretty strict during the week and try to stick to around 1200 calories, that leaves me a bit of slack to have some treats and alcohol at weekends or on special occasions, so pretty much the same maintenance plan I used successfully for a couple of years before. I will be using some of the S&S mealpacks in maintenance to help me maintain and will try to compensate for any gains quickly rather than going into denial like last time. That's the plan anyway. I have just over a stone to go to get to goal when the really hard part starts . And I will be using MFP with at least weekly weighing to help me maintain. When I started to pile the weight on last time I stopped weighing. I need to ensure that I do it this time whether it's bad news or not, and then do something about it!

 

[MinnieMel]

@BordersGirl-

Congrats on doing do well getting the weight off. I think you plan for maintaining makes good sense and should work.