Going to say something that'll probably get me heavily criticized, but saying it anyway. Way back in the nineties, I dropped weight and reached what felt like my ideal number. Held that for three straight years through relentless daily discipline, tracking every calorie, logging every workout, basically eating nearly identical meals day after day. But realistically, how long can anyone sustain that level of obsession? For me the answer was three years. Eventually I regained it all and have cycled through losing and regaining several times since.
Here's the part people won't like. My take is that once your body settles at a certain weight, even after losing it successfully, even if it takes a while, the only thing that actually keeps it off permanently is staying mildly restrictive forever. No medication keeps working indefinitely, and ultimately it comes down to us, however unfair or nearly impossible that feels.
Honestly I think most of us are stuck in this cycle. Maybe the only real hope lies in teaching future generations better habits early. We should all try our hardest, but I suspect most of us end up heavier again eventually. Not the message people want, but I genuinely bel
