What do you credit for "long term success"?

I haven't reached Goal yet but I couldn't imagine the past year without having OH for support through every step of my Journey. Many of you have become family to me and I look forward to your posts, your successes and sharing mine with you as well. I hope to still be around for many years.

I hope that you stick around for years too!!

Martha 

I had surgery a month before you, Martha, so I am 4 years 8 months out now. My highest weight was 339 and I maintain between 135-140. I credit my success in working hard every day to keep the weight off. I do not make excuses. I do not whine and complain and then never do anything about it. If I am up a few pounds, I track every bite until they are gone. I do not live with a "victim" mentality. I believe I am worth the effort it takes to keep the weight off. I'm not perfect, but when I do slip, I forgive myself and get back on track.

I also credit OH for keeping me on track. I obsess about my weight here, but no where else. As others have said, no one else really wants to hear about it. It also keeps me diligent. Honestly, the regain posts scare the bejeezus out of me. Losing weight does not solve all of life's problems, but it does make them so much easier to deal with. I plan to keep my weight off and work hard to do so.

It is definitely hard work, but so worth it! I regained all the weight that I lost every time I "successfully" dieted. That will NOT happen again, it is up to ME to see that it doesn't.

Martha 

i've gained about 10 and been fairly active here for probably 3 1/2 years. (surgery was september 2010). 

Are you going in the other direction now? What so you think was the problem that caused the gain?

it hasn't budged since. the weight appeared in the course of maybe a month. that was about 6 months ago. my body just seems happier here. even though i was still considered "overweight" by bmi at my lowest weight my face was very thin and drawn out. i honestly like from my shoulders up better at this weight, and plastics next month will address the issues i have with my lower body, which really didn't change between the weight (i seem to hold all 10 pounds in my boobs lol. they went back up from a d to a ddd, that's the only size that changed).

nothing in my diet/exercise changed when the weight gain happened, though i did hit the dreaded 2 year mark right around then. 

I guess that depends on how you define "regain".  I have had three times in the 4 years since I reached my goal weight where I have hit my self-imposed 5 pound weight creep limit (and have then increased the protein a  little and eliminated all non-protein carbs until the 5 pounds drops back off).  Personally, I don't consider that regain, especially since two of those three times were during the couple of months after an open surgery (e.g. to find and fix the problem with my intestine and the mystery abdominal pain) where I was not doing my normal daily activity.

I have no doubt that coming here helps keep me on track.  The people I know IRL who ahve regained don't attend any support groups or come here, BTW.

Lora

Good comment on define "regain".  As I mentioned above in this tread I had a "regain" or better yet I was up 7 lbs on the scale which was 7 lbs above my surgeon's goal, 3 lbs above the "BMI Chart for Normal".  That shook me up initially I won't deny it.  However, looking back at those numbers and such was it truly regain?  I lost 5 lbs within a few days (water weight?) watching my eats and drinking LOTS of water with another week to lose 2 more lbs. 

Weight can definitely fluctuate a few lbs daily, for some more easily than others.  So regain can be subjective......is it a "few" lbs that can be lost fairly quickly, is it a certain amount, keeping it on for some specific time?  I'd like to hear others thoughts on this topic if they have something they'd like to share.

I think that the definition of "regain" is probably personal. For ME, 5 pounds would be serious. I don't think that I would panic about 5 pounds if it was a situation like you mentioned with a surgery or something like that. Day to day of normal life I don't go more than 2 pounds before I take action. I don't travel with my scales any more, but know my body well enough now that I have not yet come home with more than 2 pounds extra (usually down one or 2).

Martha