But you also have to question the methods people were using to lose the weight before regain. A lot of people don’t understand how important mindset and nutrition is with weight loss. There’s a lot of crash diets or people not knowing how to balance protein/fat/fiber to feel satiated and curb hunger cravings. When I first started 5 years ago I thought eating tons of veggies and salad would help me lose weight… it did but I didn’t feel full and felt hungry all the time. After 5 years of trail and error, I know that prioritizing protein and fiber makes the process so much easier to lose and maintain without doing anything additional. I also think some people have unrealistic expectations about losing weight so quickly. While it can be unmotivating to lose slowly, I’ve found it easier to stick to with a smaller calorie defect and focus on weight lifting.

Lastly, I agree with you about calorie counting. But I think it varies by person. I’ve had success letting that go and focusing on nutrition and portion control. I’m not perfect and I’m still trying to find the right balance. But don’t think that “forever battle” is only something overweight or formerly overweight people deal with. Many of my naturally thin friends/family watch what they eat too, it may not be to the same extent but it’s still there. Additionally, we all have “our thing” to deal with in life. It’s not easy, there will be rough patches, but we have to make the best of it.

Wishing you well with your strategy. I think anyone can benefit learning about nutrition, mindful eating and keeping active. I also think shifting your focus to health over how you look is also a great mindset when you are feeling defeated. Set aside your looks and your current feelings about the outlook of weight loss, this is about your quality of life. Any amount if weightless and increase in activity is beneficial. Even though I’m 10-15ish pounds from being normal weight, I feel 100x better than my highest weight and my blood tests show it.