YAY!!! Excellent work! I think it is SO HEARTBREAKING when people who have LOST weight gain it all back. I've done it once. Got down to a very acceptable 116 and only stayed there for about a year.
For sure, there are two common reasons for it. The first, is
most people don't know what "maintenance" is SUPPOSED to look like... they just go back to eating the old way (whatever way it was that made them overweight to begin with). Or,
they "reward themselves" with treats (again, whatever they may be) that caused their problem in the first place. (That's what I did)
The second big reason why I think people fail is related to maintenance... I think MANY, even MOST people who lose weight, especially lose BIG numbers, managed to do so only by
drastic, unsustainable measures. SO, once they reach the "magic number", they just give in to cravings, and hunger. It's possible to "starve" and be hungry ALL THE TIME and to lose weight- but it's almost impossible to keep yourself hungry, on purpose, indefinitely. Especially since (most of us on this board) we all live in the land of plenty! There is food EVERYWHERE 24/7. Our problems of overweight are very much a developed countries problem. (not to mention the Sugar-Corn-Flour-Fest that IS processed food)
ANyway, I am just THRILLED THRILLED THRILLED because I KNOW that I am going to keep this "diet" (again, just the entire collection of food I eat) FOREVER. I KNOW that SUGAR and high glycemic carbs are my enemy, but the beautiful thing is, I don't NEED them! I have my butter and my red meat. I have my green veggies and my nuts. I have my whip cream and my eggs. I am so INCREDIBLY SATIATED eating this way, that even though I will ALWAYS love dumplings and fries and French pastries, I can say "no thanks" and walk away with not a lot of effort.
HFLC is the ONLY way to eat.
I hope to have your longterm success! Congratulations, and keep up the awesome work!
Jammie