I've had the exact same experience. It's been a Job for me, more like a career. I'm 56, and I haven't stopped searching for the most sustainable diet. When I eat "normally" I run 140-150 lbs. When I restrict, I can manage 130 (I am always hungry) When I go on a low-carb diet, 120. Right now I'm experimenting with the carnivore diet for health reasons (it's shown useful in reversing leaky gut and autoimmue disease) and I'm at 110--by far the thinnest I've been in my adult life.

My conclusion so far is I don't process carbs well - almost any amount makes me hungry rather than satiated. That includes things like brown rice, yams, and potatoes - not just "junk food."

I've been overweight since the age of 6. It definitely feels biological, ie, metabolic -- not a matter of attitude, willpower, or personality. But although we as a society give people a pass when they come down with an illness, and even offer sympathy - when it comes to weight gain, it's all about the blame.

Thanks for writing an honest article about sustaining weight loss.