Weight loss and perseverance
The muscle loss is the bad part. Finally broke 200(198) But I can see an older mans bicep, the skin being "not as tight." 39 pounds leaving your frame will do it.
That's the elephant in the room here... Muscle mass will cause the body to burn calories at a much faster rate.
As it is said in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out". Weigh gain is caused by putting too much of the wrong stuff in your mouth, while ignoring the good things that will help to keep the weight off.
You have to eat smart.
BTW, my wife is a Dr. which leads me to the other elephant in the room. Med school does NOT teach you proper nutrition. My wife and I used to go round and round about this.. she gave up, when I was able to demonstrate she was educated upon many flawed presumptions.
My case and point. In the photo of me to the left (avatar) I weight 240 lbs. Do I look fat?
5' 9" (the BMI scale is total BS)
Before my accident, I was eating 200 grs of protein a day, about the same in carbs, and I NEVER counted calories, (mainly cause I wasn't eating the calorie dense crap that causes weight gain) and weighed a lean 217. (19" arms, 52" chest, legs were 29")
I'm not trying to be a hero here... but I would like to stress conventional thinking leaves out a truck load of factors. In fact, they are ignored.