Why is it so much easier to put weight on than to lose it?

Why is it so much easier to put weight on than to lose it? I lost about one stone since Christmas and was 13 stone 10 pounds last weekend. However I've been on holiday and had bad cold this week, so I haven't been doing any exercise to speak of, and had three days when I was eating unhealthily/too much (Chinese takeaway, crisps, cheese, donoughts), and now today my weight is 14 stone 1 pound; i.e. I've put on 5 pounds since last Sunday. It seems crazy that it takes 6 weeks to lose a stone, but you can put on almost half a stone in 3 days.

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I know it's cruel, I guess it's that thing where the body's almost fighting to go back to what it knows and is used to. There's all these chemicals associated with hunger etc that also go against you when you start reducing your calorie intake. Don't give up keep it still can be done, I'm doing it (very slowly mind you) but I've decided I'm in it for the long haul; I'm not giving up this time! All the best with your weight loss.

[Sea-air]

Sympathise totally. I am fighting cellulitis and virulent chest infection at the moment and thankfully on the road to recovery, but obviously can't do excercising or much at all at the moment. I have to lose 1 - 2 stone, giving up sugar in tea was my big thing, ...but, you've guessed it...I've resorted to a 'decent' cuppa tea whilst unwell!! We're only human and must forgive ourselves these indiscretions sometimes.

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Did my regular Sunday weight in on the WiiFit today and am now 13 stone 12 pounds BMI 29.44, so its only 2 pounds up overall since last Sunday. Its been instructive to see how just a few days of unhealthy/over eating can reverse the weight loss trend, as before this I was regularly losing about 1 pound a week.

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Hi Anthony2014,

Actually, it probably isn't.

It may be for YOU because, if you're overweight, you're probably used to eating habits and a lifestyle that makes you overweight.

If you were significantly underweight, you might just be finding it absolute hell to gain weight.

[Booster8joanna]

Hi there

Believe you me we all have blow outs and I think everybody on this plan somewhere along the way will do or have done what you describe,I myself had a three day blow out on valentines so don't feel too disheartened,the reason it goes back on so quickly is because we are eating a very low fat diet and then you switch to high fat products that you just don't burn off as when we have a blow out its rare if we ever do any exercise,chin up,keep smiling and get back on the plan xx

[Hidden in reply to Booster8joanna]

Thanks. Done 40 minutes on the exercise bike, hopefully that's burned some of it off.

[Blanket]

I know what you mean! Well done for getting back on the bike, you'll win if you stick at it.

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HI Anthony2014,

As you change your eating habits, and you get more used to them, they become your new 'norm'. It gets easier, because eating the right things and sensible amounts, becomes what you do, rather than something new that you're trying to get used to.

So really the difficult bit isn't the losing or gaining of weight, it's the changing of the habits. And that's fully understandable because most overweight people have usually been in "bad" eating habits for a long time. After all, the extra weight didn't just suddenly appear overnight.

And changing those habits does take a bit of effort and can feel quite difficult, especially at first. But, you do get used to eating differently, and as your eating style changes so do your tastes, and those old 'bad' eating habits will disappear more and more into the mists of the past.

I truly cannot believe some of the things I would have tucked into without a second thought when I was at my heaviest. I really just couldn't face the idea of some of them nowadays.

And the benefits of the changes you are making are just soooo worth it.

Imagine the amount you are overweight was in a back-pack that you had to wear all day long. Just imagine how good it would feel at the end of the day to take that back pack off.

Perhaps that gives some idea of what getting to that lighter, slimmer, easier-to-move-around-in body, might feel like.

Good luck with your weight loss efforts.