why is it so stinkin easy to gain weight, but SO HARD to take it off?

You guessed it, I'm a yo-yo-er. I am 5'1" and currently weigh about 127 lbs, an increase of my weight about 4 months ago, 117.  My history has been filled with weight ups and downs, where I've ranged anywhere from 117-163. The problem is that when I reach a "comfortable" weight (where I think I look okay and feel pretty fit), I start to get lazy and eat whatever I want and work out less.

I started my "lifestyle re-adjustment" 3 days ago, where I've been eating under 1500 calories and working out about 2 hours a day, and I feel tired, faint and hungry. I know I just have to go over this initial hump to get used to the new lifestyle change, but it is a sad realization for me to realize that I have to maintain this lifestyle.

I guess this post is more of a venting session than anything. Thanks for reading, any words of encouragement are definitely appreciated!! 

Hey slappysong, I have the same stats as you, but I'm 19...dunno about you.

Anyways, most of highschool I was 130-140, then I suffered pretty bad stress etc, turned into an eating disorder, got down to 98 pounds. BUT I lost alot of muscle mass.
I'm currently trying to fix that, but what I'm trying to say is that I KILLED my metabolism. When I could previously eat maybe 1600-1800 calories a day with no problem, I now gain on 1200.

My advice is, think awhile and figure out how exactly you're logging your calories, and find out JUST how active you are before you start reducing your calories, because sometimes the consequences suck.

Well, I wish I was near your shoes so I can stand in them. 127 is your weight now, that's great. 2 hour a every 3 days isn't a bad. The question I would like to ask is................. Faint and hungry. I think for your frame size you are working out to many hours, and is why you are faint and hungry. I would tell you to add a few more cals so you want feel faint, but I don't want to mess you up. You are doing good in my eyes.. How much protein do you get in a day? What about your carbs? Are you well balance with your meals and intake. Is the 127 your comfortable weight. I just would like to know.

I started another diet a year ago. March 07 I was 226, and now I'm 50 pounds lighter. I've maintain the lost. I got close to 170. I did that with a new program I was trying out. Then I went back to my old way and gain back what I lost in a week.

I'm 175.5 I was 2 pounds heavier when I started. I've been on a lot of diets, and sometimes I win, and then I get lazy and fall off the wagon.

I just want to say you are doing great, and I hope you get it under control. I hate the yo-yo thing too. I do it from time to time... Hell, I did it for over 10 years if not more.

The answer food is just sooooooo good and exercises take time and effort. our stats are pretty close im 5'1" 120 looking to get down to 115-110 maybe we could help each other out. : )

dude i really don't know if you're eating enough! if you feel tired and hungry and FAINT don't you think it's your body trying to tell you something? working out for 2 hours a day will burn a LOT of calories.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ find out what your bmr is, and i wouldn't eat under that. ESPECIALLY if you're working out that much!

i just put in your deets from what you've said, and it came back with 1350ish cals, so don't eat under that. i dunno how many calories you're burning in 2 hours, but add that on top and then subtract maybe 500 (no more than 1000 i hear) cals, but don't go under 1350.

something to think about anyway :)

good luck!

Try to avoid this 'all or nothing' approach.  Consistency and balance is more effective... A small amount of exercise every day rather than doing so much you feel sick.  A sensible amount of food every day that you can tweak slightly if you need to lose a lb.  Healthy foods rather than junk.  And monitor yourself weekly.  It's easier to lose the odd lb than the odd 10lbs.   

I know! Doesn't it suck that it only takes 2 minutes to consume a big heavenly piece of cake yet around an hour to burn it off.

faint and tired means you need to up your calories a little.  When you do I think you'll find you are able to get a better workout.  Then as you build muscle your body will burn calories more efficiently.

Hi Slappysong, I'm a yoyo dieter too.  I'll go from not exercising and eating what I want, to going on these crazy diet plans where I work out 3 times a day and eat practically nothing.  On my 'diets' I do lose weight, but I lose a lot of muscle because it's so extreme.  That's how I ended up a size 4 with 30% body fat.  30% is very high for someone as small as me.  Some people might think I'm "thin" but I'm what people call "skinny fat" as a result of all my yoyoing. 

I've decided to do it right this time, and I hope you will as well.  Stop worrying about losing the weight as fast as you can and think about your long term health.  Exercise no more than 1 hour a day.  Mix in some strength training too.  1500 sounds about right since you're very petite, but also consider the quality of food.  Whole foods as opposed to highly processed junk.  I think you'll start feeling a lot better.

Original Post by slappysong:

You guessed it, I'm a yo-yo-er. I am 5'1" and currently weigh about 127 lbs, an increase of my weight about 4 months ago, 117. My history has been filled with weight ups and downs, where I've ranged anywhere from 117-163. The problem is that when I reach a "comfortable" weight (where I think I look okay and feel pretty fit), I start to get lazy and eat whatever I want and work out less.

I started my "lifestyle re-adjustment" 3 days ago, where I've been eating under 1500 calories and working out about 2 hours a day, and I feel tired, faint and hungry. I know I just have to go over this initial hump to get used to the new lifestyle change, but it is a sad realization for me to realize that I have to maintain this lifestyle.

I guess this post is more of a venting session than anything. Thanks for reading, any words of encouragement are definitely appreciated!!

Unfortunately, Im eating around 2600-3500 a day and I can't seem to stop losing weight ;[ My new job has been running around like a lunatic and I completely blame that.

Slappy: If you're really exercising 2 hours per day, you're probably not eating enough calories. I would cut back on the exercise a little (one hour per day?) and push your calories up to 1600. If you want to keep the heavy exercise, try for about 1800 calories. Seriously.

Your BMR Data

EAT=1583 cal || BURN=2218 cal || LOSE=1.3 lb per week

Consider using the Katch-Mcardle formula for a better idea of your BMR, Harris-Benedict tends to overestimate if your overweight...

Where W = Weight in lbs, and BF = body fat % (IE 0.21 = 21.0%)

BMR = ((((W-(W*BF)/2.2046)*21.6)+370)

Edit:
Sedentary       = BMR * 1.2
LIGHT ACTIVE  = BMR * 1.375
MOD ACTIVE    = BMR * 1.55

Hey, I think that the best way to do this is to really just cut junk out of your life. Eat good food, eat healthy. It's really not all that hard. You can think of it as a fast!