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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]When you are fat, your body instinctively fights to keep you fat.  That is why cutting calories, eating clean, and exercise are so important.  It is like fighting an uphill battle, and most of us give up because we are hungry, we don't lose weight fast enough, and we crave the sugary and fatty foods.  It is really hard!  If you can perservere, you will lose weight, [b]and eventually reset your body[/b].  It takes a lot of hard work and effort.  I feel for op, but she makes a lot of excuses, and is not ready for the type of battle that she will need to fight.[/quote]

I agree with everything but the bolded:  Based on this TED talk - your body's set point only increases as you gain weight - but doesn't ever move back down.  Basically, if you started out at 150 lbs and went up to 170 for a while - your body decides 170 is the new normal.  If you lose those 20 lbs, maintaining 150 will be harder for you than for someone who stayed at 150 (i.e. you will have to eat less to maintain).  Research has shown that you can expect to maintain a 10% weight loss, but more than that is unrealistic.  You will have to fight to maintain 150.

I find this incredibly disheartening.  I've lost weight several times in my life - but without complete focus my weight creeps up to the exact same spot over time (eating moderately!).  It seems better to focus on not gaining more weight rather than losing (past the 10% loss mark).

TED talk referenced: http://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work.html[/quote]

I did not read the TED article, but I went from 140 pounds to 115 pounds over a 6 month period of time.  During that time I was exercising and eating clean...no junk for me.  I have kept the weight off for 3 years, and my body does not want to be back to 140. Even if I go to an all you can eat buffet, I can only eat so much.  My body lets me know when to stop.  I would have to physically binge on very high calorie and fat food go a long period of time to budge my weight.  I am always in a 5 pound range of my 115 pounds, so I do feel like my body has reset its ideal weight.[/quote]

I am not an obesity researcher, but I imagine that your body at 140 did not experience some of the metabolic changes that someone at 300 might have experienced. This is why PPs keep saying that what worked for one person might not work for another. Great work for you, though![/quote]

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