Why Why Why
pktruckdriver
Posts: 63 Member
How does a 450lb pounder motivate himself , when he is all alone. And then has a job which will keep him even more isolated, driving a truck , on the road all the time. Yeah he has a few people who support him here,but he doesn't really know them, thankful to them, yes I am, absolutely. Anyone willing to write me a message of support I am thankful for, why wouldn't I ?
Yet , for me this struggle is very very hard and has overtaken me , like a demon possessing me, yeah like that, cause I have tried this and that and made small progress, but overall I am losing this battle and thus see my life ending soon, at 50 yrs old and 450lbs , my time is very limited, 60 would be a miracle at my size, And yet I still struggle, like a junkie you see on tv, they normally only ever clean up when they have a lot of family support and people to be there for them everyday, this I do not have, and if I did have that someone to kick me in the azz each time I thought of cheating or splurging, , maybe I would succeed, honestly I don't know never had the option to find out.
Sorry gotta go, wish I could have finished this, cause it starts out bad, all wooo is me stuff, but I was trying to get it to come around to be a positive post, not a whinning loser type , honest.
Motivation and a reason to go on, when you have no one , but you, no family, not even a pet...how do you?
patrick
Yet , for me this struggle is very very hard and has overtaken me , like a demon possessing me, yeah like that, cause I have tried this and that and made small progress, but overall I am losing this battle and thus see my life ending soon, at 50 yrs old and 450lbs , my time is very limited, 60 would be a miracle at my size, And yet I still struggle, like a junkie you see on tv, they normally only ever clean up when they have a lot of family support and people to be there for them everyday, this I do not have, and if I did have that someone to kick me in the azz each time I thought of cheating or splurging, , maybe I would succeed, honestly I don't know never had the option to find out.
Sorry gotta go, wish I could have finished this, cause it starts out bad, all wooo is me stuff, but I was trying to get it to come around to be a positive post, not a whinning loser type , honest.
Motivation and a reason to go on, when you have no one , but you, no family, not even a pet...how do you?
patrick
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Replies
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Maybe you should join overeaters anonymous. It definitely sounds like having a support group would help you, especially a group that knows exactly what you are going through. Look into it. Also just try to use the people on MFP as much as possible. You can change your life, you just need to believe in yourself!0
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OK this may sound totally stupid and if so, forgive. Me. Can you get a dog? To keep you company on the road. I know it isn't the same as human companionship but..... you wouldn't be alone. Someone else would be relying on you. He/she would need walks forcing you to stop and get little walks in once in a while.0
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You have made the first step by coming to MFP. Small changes can make for big results. Get out of the cab whenever you can and take a walk around the truck stop or depot. Talk to people there. You may just make some new friends. Also keep a cooler with some healthy snacks with you to avoid stopping at greasy diners or being over hungry when you do stop and stuffing yourself. Good luck.0
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You can do it! the change will come step by step...Get rid of all junk food...quit buying it.... no food store in truck.....refocus -- audio books can help keep you mind from mindless eating...Yes it's a lonely job...easy to eat all the time..a hurried life....instead of buying extra food chew gum..drink lots of water and no cal. drinks and invest in small hand weight and use them. hard boiled eggs and cheese sticks and good to have on hand but time when you eat and try to stick to it.. in time you will be able to stick to it...adding more time between when you eat..you CAN DO this!0
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I sympathize with you. I frequently work in my car and home alone and I can stick to my food plan, but its difficult to inspire yourself to exercising. I'd suggest you stay in touch with everyone here on the blogs, and maybe any of your driver friends who could be in the same position as you are. Keep yourself online so that you don't ever feel alone.0
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I understand your lifestyle makes it very difficult to exercise for one thing. Truck stops are not really known for healthy menus either. A lot of time alone and eating while driving. I have seen this first hand. But....have also seen others that seem to be able to have a more healthy lifestyle even with the job. Some truck places have some exercise equipment in them now. Probably not a lot. When you stop, try to get in a bit of a walk or maybe even a swim. Baja had some good ideas about food to carry along. Small coolers are handy and you can stock them every couple of days. Believe it or not, healthy eating can be more economical than the unhealthy stuff!!0
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You have yourself and the life you don't want to see cut short. Can't that be enough?
Your mentality sounds as if you attribute your weight to external forces in the world: No family; No friends; No support; No pet; It's the job; It's a possession; "Why Why Why" world, why?
And I realize you don't mean to sound this way, and you may just be getting some things off your chest, but this lingering mentality you have stops you from taking responsibility for your own health. It sounds as if you believe those external forces should hold the responsibility, and that it is those external forces that have caused your weight gain, not yourself.
I think that until you take responsibility for your own actions and life, no amount of online support or groups can help you. I realize that the concept of "responsibility" is a little vague, and by your definition, you may believe you have been taking responsibility. As I don't know how you conduct your personal life, I can only say what I perceive from your writing.
For myself, the concept of responsibility for oneself is understanding ones decisions, actions and faults-- and then taking those into account to make progressively more informed decisions/actions/faults. To do that, time to think and care for yourself is necessary; you don't seem to let yourself do that. You didn't even let yourself finish articulating what you wanted to say in your thread.
I believe an individual has the potential to be so much stronger independently than with a group. You just have to give yourself the opportunity to find that strength.
Apologies if my comment seems to over-step bounds, I have never been in your position, so I can only hope that this advice applies to you. I sincerely hope it helps. Join a group, do whatever you need to do to get that community support as well, but remember that you are stronger than you think you are, and you need to be responsible for yourself too.0 -
I think the person who suggested a dog might be on to something...sometimes when the last thing I want to do is get up and move, the fact that I know my dog needs the exercise and to use the restroom is more than enough incentive to move. Also, they're great companionship.0
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You've made a great first step in joining MFP. Can you log in over the phone? I'd try to log in one day at a time, and try to add something new each day you can be proud of. Maybe it is an additional walk around the truck stop, maybe it is purchasing an audio book to listen to, maybe it's drinking 8 glasses of water. But YOU HAVE THE POWER TO INFLUENCE POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE!
You can do this.
Even though I don't know you, I'm proud of you for wanting to initiate such a positive change! Now, get out there and follow through! YOU CAN DO IT!
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Oh hey, and that ticker on your profile? Switch it to accentuate the positive and reflect pounds lost rather than pounds to go. It tends to be more of a positive reminder that "hey! I already lost XX, I can do this!" Maybe that will help with motivation.0
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How does a 450lb pounder motivate himself , when he is all alone. And then has a job which will keep him even more isolated, driving a truck , on the road all the time. Yeah he has a few people who support him here,but he doesn't really know them, thankful to them, yes I am, absolutely. Anyone willing to write me a message of support I am thankful for, why wouldn't I ?
Yet , for me this struggle is very very hard and has overtaken me , like a demon possessing me, yeah like that, cause I have tried this and that and made small progress, but overall I am losing this battle and thus see my life ending soon, at 50 yrs old and 450lbs , my time is very limited, 60 would be a miracle at my size, And yet I still struggle, like a junkie you see on tv, they normally only ever clean up when they have a lot of family support and people to be there for them everyday, this I do not have, and if I did have that someone to kick me in the azz each time I thought of cheating or splurging, , maybe I would succeed, honestly I don't know never had the option to find out.
Sorry gotta go, wish I could have finished this, cause it starts out bad, all wooo is me stuff, but I was trying to get it to come around to be a positive post, not a whinning loser type , honest.
Motivation and a reason to go on, when you have no one , but you, no family, not even a pet...how do you?
patrick
Q: how does an ant eat an elephant?
A: one bite at a time.
don't focus on the 200lbs you have to lose... find smaller, shorter term goals and focus on them. achieve those goals time and time again, and in a couple of years, those 200lbs will be gone.
i am guessing you are feeling overwhelmed right now because 200lbs seems so daunting.
look up EdDavenport on here. he's lost 300+lbs so far. ask him how he kept his focus.0 -
You should get them things like on Over the top that Sylvester Stallone had to work out in his truck 0
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My heart aches for you after reading your post! You definitely need some support. I like the suggestion that someone here had about you getting a pet to take with you on the road. Is this an option for you? What about switching jobs? Sounds drastic to consider, I realize; however, I believe you need drastic change. Hugs to you and hope you can figure it out!0
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Hey Patrick,
That's a really tough situation, especially working in a job that keeps you sitting (and alone!) for so many hours a day. It's hard to maintain a workout regimen and healthy eating on the road too. But it's not impossible. So you have a lot of challenges ahead of you. I agree with much the advice already given. Staying connected to people is, I think, the most important thing you can do to feel more supported and to stay accountable to your weight loss. But if you stay accountable to calorie counting in your dairy and make supportive friends here on the site (and in real life!!) to keep you on track that should help. As for exercising on the road--if you have the money you could invest in a membership to a national gym chain (like 24 hour fitness), or go the cheap route and make it a habit to walk outside every night. I know there are several gym products for travelers, where you fill the barbel weights with water to lift, then dump the water when you're done and they pack flat so you can take them on the road.
More than anything, it's important to know that you CAN and WILL do this. It just takes organization and steadfast dedication. It's not going to be easy by any means, but you'll lose it if you're dedicated.0 -
Nice to "meet" you. You've received a lot of advice above....our lives are very different, but I started out walking...can you start with some walks around truck stops? And build from there? That's got to be a major challenge.....you're not alone here....0
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This reminds me of a documentary I watched called " Fat, Sick, and nearly dead" they have a website http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/
in this documentary there is a trucker and he is at least 450lbs. It shows his transformation with exercise, and juicing (getting raw veggies and putting them in a juicer) for his meals.
This really motivated me to start my weight-loss journey though I havent tried juicing yet. I know people that do, and have had great success with it.0 -
found the brand of juicer they used in the film for $99. Its worth a try....
http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BJE200XL-Fountain-700-Watt-Extractor/dp/B000MDHH06/ref=sr_1_1/185-1755223-3196643?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1372088815&sr=1-10 -
...if I did have that someone to kick me in the azz each time I thought of cheating or splurging, , maybe I would succeed....
patrick
Patrick ~ just to say no matter that I have family, I honest to goodness have nobody who gives me a kick in the azz if I think of cheating or splurging. And frankly though none are UNsupportive, neither is anyone actively supportive. This is ALL on me. Truth is I think I'd get cranky if my husband was policing me and wagging his finger "don't eat that!" ~ and I suspect he knows he's better not to LOL
You can do this! You seem to have the passion to want to. So trust in yourself to handle this ~ good luck! 0 -
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The first step was coming here!
It is sooooo easy to just grab junk on the road. It will take time and planning--just like the rest of us.
I've never been a truck driver, but I have moved cross-country 3 times and drive to visit family that is 10 hours away.
Could you:
1. Stop at a grocery store to get fresh produce/veggies?
2. Pick up a $1 cutting board from the Dollar Tree (or use paper plates?)
3. Get a decent knife to cute the veggies/fruit
4. Get plastic ware (Rubbermaid etc.)
5. Wash veggies/fruit in the sink at a rest stop and then take your cutting board and go to the counter where the coffee etc; is and slice, dice away. As long as you clean up afterward, it shouldn't be a problem.
As far as exercise--what about having weights, kettlebells or even pulling up a video on Youtube? You could get a folding chair and do chair aerobics. I did one the other and it was only 10 minutes. Park your truck-find a shady spot and go for it. Others might see you--but who cares!
Think outside the box.
This is about you!!!
YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!
I have 100+ to lose and think to myself--can I really do this? Is it possible? I get very discouraged...especially when I don't feel that supported by my family.0 -
@OP,
juicing is a weight loss gimmick. Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead is propaganda for a fad diet (raw foods). don't fall for weight loss gimmicks or fads.
http://thehealthydoc.blogspot.com/2011/08/fat-sick-and-nearly-dead-review.html
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/910027-fat-sick-and-nearly-dead
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/index.php/t-934492.html
etc.0 -
Got a microwave in your cab?
If so, make up batches of food in tupperware. Label each one, and just eat what's in your box at the allocated time. When you pull up at a stop, take a 20 minute walk away from the truck and back again.
Adopt a small dog from a shelter. Middle aged, small enough to be happy in the passenger seat and satisfied with you throwing a ball and walking him on stops a couple of times a day. Dog gets a happy new life, you get off your *kitten* cos the little mite needs some exercise.0 -
I think you have just taken the first BIG step and that is asking for help. We have all felt alone. I think when we reach our highest in weight no matter how much it may be. We feel like no one else has an understanding and we are alone, but this sight does make a difference. I think you have many options and most of them have been mentioned already, but I want to confirm it. Walking makes a world of difference. Every time you can stop I would. It may not seem like much, but it really is. Pick up some small light weight hand weights and if you are staying in your cab somewhere then lift them. If you sleep in your cab lay flat and lift your legs. ou don't have to burn yourself out, but as you feel better about what you are doing you will want to do more. Most resturaunts have healthier choices to eat and only have healthy snacks in your cab for the road. If your a big pop drinker switch to something else. Good luck and do this for yourself. Just think about how much better you will feel in a month! You are welcomed to add me as a friend. Good luck!0
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Hi Patrick! What Bynsky said is what I also thought. And, I know truckers who have joined a gym, or, there are some truck stops now that HAVE exercise rooms and better food choices. All in all, you can do this if you are determined.my uncle is also a trucker. when he was told he was borderline diabetic (which meant if he'd have to kiss his job bye bye if it actually developed) he started going on 2-5 mile walks after he'd pull the truck over at a rest stop or truck stop. he also started making healthier choices in where he ate while on the road. I understand, the options are pretty limited with a truck, but you can always park it one place, and then walk over to another restaurant to get your food.
good luck to you!0 -
OK this may sound totally stupid and if so, forgive. Me. Can you get a dog? To keep you company on the road. I know it isn't the same as human companionship but..... you wouldn't be alone. Someone else would be relying on you. He/she would need walks forcing you to stop and get little walks in once in a while.
Yes! Exactly this! This is a wonderful idea! Feel free to send me a friend request if you want another MFP buddy : )0 -
Focus on improving your health and quality of life. You can do this.0
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You've gotten many good suggestions on here already...here's my two-cents worth:
When I decided to take on having a healthier lifestyle I started with what was already working for me. I really like most healthy food, so that's where I started. I keep tweaking what I like to eat by adding in an extra fruit or veggie or drinking another glass of water and one less glass of soda. I didn't just drastically change my life because I knew I would crash and burn. Now, in your case you have to find your starting place...maybe its going for a 10 minute walk; maybe its drinking more water (less soda, coffee, tea, etc); maybe it's finding a support group; maybe its trying to eat an extra piece of fruit or cup of veggies each day. The whole point is pick something small you can do and just do it consistently. After a few weeks or a month (when you realize its a habit), pick something else to add to it. I know its a slow process, and we all want overnight success, but you can do this.
Last things, a couple of other ideas I haven't seen mentioned that may be helpful in your situation is 1) resistance bands (easy to store in the truck); 2) journaling (you can also keep track of your food/calories, if you don't have access to MFP); 3) There are a series of books called EAT THIS, NOT THAT which may be helpful to you for making healthier food choices when eating in restaurants.0 -
I love the dog suggestion too! My heart aches for you after reading your post...I think you are overwhelmed by the work ahead of you and you are letting it discourage you from really committing to a lifestyle change. Try to stop focusing on what you have to lose and how long it may take to get there. Take it one day at a time and focus on small changes. If you try to do to much all at once, it will be easier to just give up and let it go. How about tomorrow, you simply make yourself drink 8 full glasses of water (if you don't already)...or if you have a particular snack you eat regularly that is not a good choice, how about NOT eating just that one thing tomorrow (make sure not to replace it with something else that is equally bad for you). It is small steps like this that will eventually get you where you need to be. Feel free to add me if you need some encouragement.0
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I just watched a documentary called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead where a truck driver loses an incredible amount of weight on the road and gave up a slew of medications by going on a juice fast and adopting a juicing lifestyle. I don't really believe in juice or fasting myself but it seems like it is very helpful for people who are very overweight, cannot exercise a lot, have health problems, and live on the road where family/friend support and healthy choices can be few and far between. If nothing else you may find his story inspiring. It's on Netflix.0
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There's another member on MFP that has very similar circumstances. You can read about his success story here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/897136-i-ve-lost-228-pounds-lost-in-12-months
He's also a trucker and is up to a 250lb loss. It can be done.0
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