Never in my life have I ever lost weight....

farmers_daughter

Why should I logically and realistically expect me to be able to now?

In middle school I was a good 160-180 tight size 16.
In 2009, I took phentermine, and it got me down to 180, a tight 16.

It was becuase of a pill that I lost weight. I've slowly gotten myself up to 230.
I've never any other time in my life lost weight on my own. Ever.

Is it really possible? I've never been average, I don't want to say thin, It's not physically possible.

Emotion out of it, I'm just wondering if anyone has ever been in this boat. Edit: Am I trying to do somthign that isn't possible?

BrainyBurro

don't follow fads and gimmicks. that leads to yo-yo'ing.

instead, learn what's really going on when you gain/lose weight and develop new habits that you can stick with for weeks, months, and years.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

diannethegeek

I crossed the obese line somewhere in my last years of high school, but I don't remember being a normal weight at any time post-puberty. Yes, it's completely possible. That doesn't mean it will be easy, but it is possible.

knra_grl

It is possible - I was unsuccessful before I started tracking food properly and yes I am what is considered to be a "noob" but this is so easy and fits into my life without having to be strict like fad diets or gimmicks - I haven't really changed what I eat but I am aware how much and what foods were damaging to me and what changes I need to make to maintain a healthy diet - diet meaning my food intake no gimmick or fad. Good luck to you - if you stick to it you will see results! :flowerforyou:

BrainyBurro

It is possible - I was unsuccessful before I started tracking food properly and yes I am what is considered to be a "noob" but this is so easy and fits into my life without having to be strict like fad diets or gimmicks - I haven't really changed what I eat but I am aware how much and what foods were damaging to me and what changes I need to make to maintain a healthy diet - diet meaning my food intake no gimmick or fad. Good luck to you - if you stick to it you will see results! :flowerforyou:

in bold... this is the key.

losing weight is not hard. it just takes knowledge. with that knowledge comes the wisdom to do it at the right pace, with foods that you enjoy and provide you with adequate nutrition and satiety, and without any sort of guilt or shame on the occasional days where you slip up.

trying to lose 40lbs in 6 weeks? hard.
trying to lose 40lbs in 6 months? not hard at all.

Jennisin1

That's a pretty piss poor attitude.. the whole thing starts and ends with you. Choose. You are an adult and capable of making your own choices today. Right down a schedule which incorporates healthy choices every day. Plan your food.

I no longer watch tv. I have lunch out once a week instead of every day. I pack healthy lunches. I plan my workouts every week. I plan social activites to be active healthy things and when I do go out to eat I plan for that too!

I am no officially smaller than I was when I was 13.. after two children. It just required focus and dedication.

mathiseasy

Yes, it is possible.
After hitting puberty, I was always one of the "bigger" girls in my class. I graduated college at 210 lbs - a tight 18 on me. I tried every magic pill I could find, "natural" ones, and none of them worked. I tried taking walks, lifting a little but I just didn't know what to do. It took hiring a personal trainer/nutritionist to get me where I am now and teach me how to take care of myself. Currently I am at 172, size 12/13, looking to drop a little over 20 more. You CAN do this!

Easy? No. Possible? Yes. Worth it? Yes.

JesterMFP

It's absolutely possible. I was overweight from probably pre-teen age, obese from mid/late teens and never lost any significant amount of weight until my early thirties. And when I did, I lost it all and it has stayed that way. I never thought it possible, but using calorie counting as a tool, getting regular exercise, along with persistence and commitment... it's not easy, and you really need to make permanent changes to your habits, but it's definitely possible.

farmers_daughter

I try so hard not to focus on the fact but goodness. I it makes me seriously wonder (as silly as it may sound to some)

and at BrainyBurro....to imagine 40 lbs in 6 months....to hear someone say it's not hard, is a joke to me. Honestly not trying to be a smart@ss here. But really. It makes me say that's logically not possible. I'd have to put in at least 5 days a week of hard exercise and limit myself to much less than the 1500 cals I'm set at now. And that's not sustainable.

That's what this whole thing is about. Doing something that you can do 10 days, 10 weeks, 10 years from now.

Re-learning how to eat has been my biggest struggle, in which I have NOT mastered. or even come close to logically touching.

BrainyBurro

I try so hard not to focus on the fact but goodness. I it makes me seriously wonder (as silly as it may sound to some)

and at BrainyBurro....to imagine 40 lbs in 6 months....to hear someone say it's not hard, is a joke to me. Honestly not trying to be a smart@ss here. But really. It makes me say that's logically not possible. I'd have to put in at least 5 days a week of hard exercise and limit myself to much less than the 1500 cals I'm set at now. And that's not sustainable.

That's what this whole thing is about. Doing something that you can do 10 days, 10 weeks, 10 years from now.

Re-learning how to eat has been my biggest struggle, in which I have NOT mastered. or even come close to logically touching.

the reason you think it's hard is because you have this idea that you have to deprive yourself of food and exercise like a maniac at the gym to drop weight.

the truth is you don't. weight loss is only about having a consistent calorie deficit.

let's say your sedentary TDEE is 1950.

if you eat 1500 calories per day, that's a 450 calorie per day deficit. let's also say you add 1 hour of casual walking around the neighborhood each morning and that adds 300 calories of cardio to your day each day. that takes your deficit up to 750 calories per day. this is EASILY accomplishable.

there are approximately 182 days in 6 months.

182 x 750 = 136,500 calories

136,500 calories (total deficit from TDEE over 6 months) = 39lbs

see how easy that is? now if you tried to lose that same amount in only 6 weeks, that would be nearly impossible. the daily deficit you'd need to do it in 6 weeks would be unsustainably high. but if you take 6 months to do, it's actually not hard at all. you just have to be patient and diligent.

a 1 hour walk around your neighborhood each morning at whatever speed you're comfortable with is going to end up being between a 2.5 and 4 mile walk. i assumed a 3 mile walk at about 100 calories per mile to come up with your cardio. you don't need to go to a gym or use treadmills or ellipticals or do zumba or any of that stuff if you don't want to. walking is enough to help you lose weight.

i've lost a lot more than 40lbs myself. i know of which i speak.

don't get hung up on thinking that you have to change "what" you eat. you really don't. you just have to change "how much". i still eat pizza and candy and pretzels and ice cream and all sorts of other things that are supposed to be "off limits". but those who think that are wrong. food is just fuel. eat the foods you like. vary your diet. log everything. make sure you are getting adequate micro- and macro-nutrients. enjoy the process... it's all really simple once you understand that most of what you think you know is wrong. remember, the weight loss industry wants repeat customers. they want you to try every new fad diet every year. they don't actually want you to lose the weight. they make their money keeping you (and millions of others) yo-yo'ing year in and year out. that's why all those dopey articles you read in Cosmo or on CNN's website or the miracle pill you saw on Dr. Oz yesterday should be ignored. read the links i gave you. learn what really matters and what doesn't. focus on what matters and ignore the other stuff and you'll soon be joining the ranks of people on here who lost 40lbs, or 60lbs, or 80lbs, or 100+lbs.

farmers_daughter

Everytime I hear about TDEE. I get so confused, but I looked up a calculator http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ <- there's the link. And it says if I put all my info in that my TDEE is 2447, and my BMR is 1780. If I go further, it says for fat loss I should eat 1872 cals.

No. no way.

I know right now this is all probably just overwhelming my brain right now, and that's what's got me upset.
If I just let it go, keep going to bootcamp 1-2/week, I'll eventually seee something. I've got to be building metabolism somewhere.

I'm just going to do it at a much much slower pace than my friends who go every day. I have to accept that I can do only what I can do.

Thank you all for your input and listening to my rant.

brianpperkins

Everytime I hear about TDEE. I get so confused, but I looked up a calculator http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ <- there's the link. And it says if I put all my info in that my TDEE is 2447, and my BMR is 1780. If I go further, it says for fat loss I should eat 1872 cals.

No. no way.

I know right now this is all probably just overwhelming my brain right now, and that's what's got me upset.
If I just let it go, keep going to bootcamp 1-2/week, I'll eventually seee something. I've got to be building metabolism somewhere.

I'm just going to do it at a much much slower pace than my friends who go every day. I have to accept that I can do only what I can do.

Thank you all for your input and listening to my rant.

Limited exercise and refusal to cut caloric intake have you where you are now. Losing weight and getting in better physical shape is not impossible ... unless you want it to be. It is YOUR CHOICE. The only things making it impossible now are your choices.

257_Lag

All I can say is about 1 year and 8 days ago I was you. Never lost weight before. Now I am 44 pounds lighter. Baby steps and confidence that you CAN do this!

qtgonewild

anything is possible. ive been obese my entire life. ive never even tried to lose weight. then i woke up one day, decided i would, and i have. its possible, BUT you have to chose to do it.

MIpiccolo

I would also think about what/when you're eating. I have had a lot of success eating 5-6 small meals a day (between 200-300 calories each). Sometimes I'm eating before I'm actually hungry, but it keeps me from feeling deprived or from bingeing because I've been hungry for a long time. Also, focus on having half your plate be vegetables and work from there. I don't think it's easy, but the science of it is simple, it's the discipline that takes awhile to become routine. I hope that helps some. You can do it!

hmaddpear

Hi, and the best of luck to you.

40lb in six months is not impossible. I started at 238lb at the end of July, just over six months ago. I've lost exactly 40lb to date. I've got another 60lb to go. It sounds daunting, and it's not easy, but it is simple and it is completely doable.

How I managed that? Started walking an average of 3 miles a day and eating 1800kcal a day (with eating back my walking calories). That's it. Get into better habits - move more, weigh your food so you know what and how much you're eating and aim for a calorie goal that gives you a sustainable deficit. Through trial and error, work out what foods you can eat and not feel hungry and want to binge. Start slowly, get used to the additional exercise and your calorie limits. Rinse and repeat.

Oh, and get some wonderful friends on here to talk to when the going gets tough. Truly there's a lot of wonderful people on this site, and my personal friends list has kept me sane over the last half year.

Again, very good luck. :flowerforyou:

Duck_Puddle

Everytime I hear about TDEE. I get so confused, but I looked up a calculator http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ <- there's the link. And it says if I put all my info in that my TDEE is 2447, and my BMR is 1780. If I go further, it says for fat loss I should eat 1872 cals.

No. no way.

I know right now this is all probably just overwhelming my brain right now, and that's what's got me upset.
If I just let it go, keep going to bootcamp 1-2/week, I'll eventually seee something. I've got to be building metabolism somewhere.

I'm just going to do it at a much much slower pace than my friends who go every day. I have to accept that I can do only what I can do.

Thank you all for your input and listening to my rant.

1872 is not unreasonable (assuming you are weighing your food, logging everything). It can actually be quite a bit of food-including even cake and cookies and ice cream (maybe not all on the same day).

Don't compare yourself to anyone else. Compare yourself to you. Set goals based on the behaviors that will lead to your desired results. If you stick with your calorie goals, you will lose. My goals are to eat "better" and get some exercise (whatever is on my plan for the day). Every day I meet those goals, it's a win. If I meet those goals often enough, the weight will come off. Eventually.

It can be done. It takes knowledge, reasonable goals, a little perseverance a little patience and a lot of forgiveness.

Celebrate your wins - however small, forgive yourself for the rest and for goodness sakes-believe in yourself. I don't necessarily believe that we can be/achieve whatever we think we can, but I absolutely believe that we won't be/achieve what we believe we can't.

wshultz14

In life there are two important facts to consider.

1. If you think you will fail.... you are right
2. If you think you will succeed... you are right

All that is left for you to do is to choose which one is right...


For me... I choose to succeed. I hope you do to.

aNewYear123

Yes I have been in that boat. In high school I joined weight watchers, followed their plan exactly, and gained weight. I have never been able to lose weight before, and given my age now I didn't really think this was going to work, but I figured I'd give it one last shot with everything I had. For the first time in my life I have lost weight. It is very slow, I will go for a month or more without the scale moving; but small loses are significant to me since I never had them before. This is what keeps me motivated for the long haul.

You can do this. See your doctor and make sure you don't have any medical conditions and start logging your food. Don't get discouraged and give up; you have to decide to stick with this, but it will work.

bumblebreezy91

Everytime I hear about TDEE. I get so confused, but I looked up a calculator http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ <- there's the link. And it says if I put all my info in that my TDEE is 2447, and my BMR is 1780. If I go further, it says for fat loss I should eat 1872 cals.

No. no way.

I know right now this is all probably just overwhelming my brain right now, and that's what's got me upset.
If I just let it go, keep going to bootcamp 1-2/week, I'll eventually seee something. I've got to be building metabolism somewhere.

I'm just going to do it at a much much slower pace than my friends who go every day. I have to accept that I can do only what I can do.

Thank you all for your input and listening to my rant.

Limited exercise and refusal to cut caloric intake have you where you are now. Losing weight and getting in better physical shape is not impossible ... unless you want it to be. It is YOUR CHOICE. The only things making it impossible now are your choices.

Ninkyou

1872 is not unreasonable (assuming you are weighing your food, logging everything). It can actually be quite a bit of food-including even cake and cookies and ice cream (maybe not all on the same day).

Don't compare yourself to anyone else. Compare yourself to you. Set goals based on the behaviors that will lead to your desired results. If you stick with your calorie goals, you will lose. My goals are to eat "better" and get some exercise (whatever is on my plan for the day). Every day I meet those goals, it's a win. If I meet those goals often enough, the weight will come off. Eventually.

It can be done. It takes knowledge, reasonable goals, a little perseverance a little patience and a lot of forgiveness.

Celebrate your wins - however small, forgive yourself for the rest and for goodness sakes-believe in yourself. I don't necessarily believe that we can be/achieve whatever we think we can, but I absolutely believe that we won't be/achieve what we believe we can't.

I agree, 1800ish calories is not unreasonable at all. You can fit a TON of food, and treats/fast food/pizza/whatever you like in 1800 calories, quite easily. It's all about moderation and portion control. It really is simple, to be honest. It just takes a little work and dedication.

I've never in my life lost weight in any amount higher than 5 lbs before. I figured out how much I needed to eat, and I went from there. Started out small with walking as my exercise. It CAN be done. You just have to work at it. If you're not even going to seriously try, then there's nothing anyone here can say to help you.

Stripeness

You most certainly can do this. And if TDEE is stressing you out, then use the NEAT approach: let MFP calculate your daily caloric goal, and then eat back 50-100% of your exercise calories (I eat back 100%, others vary - do what works best for YOU). Note: for many people, using a 1.5 lb/wk loss goal and/or "lightly active" setting is most beneficial for feeling good while losing.

Please do read the sexypants link - it's good information, and will remind you that what works is slow and steady. Not some big painful food restriction/deprivation coupled with ridiculous workouts 6 days/week.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Two other things, given where you are:
1. This is a little long, but has information you really need to see. There are so many NON-extreme, simple things you can do, and avoid some of the well-meaning advice that may not make sense for right now:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/training-the-obese-beginner.html

2. My diary's open, as is my blog. Have a look. It's not "clean" eating. I'm not doing extraordinary workouts. And I'm losing pretty steadily at a little over 2.5 lbs a week. Will our numbers be exactly the same? Of course not. Still, the point is, with no extreme measures, the weight is coming off. 16 lbs in ~45 days. You CAN do this.

Step 1? Commit in a POSITIVE way to your health - and burying your head in the sand, refusing to think, and hoping that bootcamp will fix everything, isn't it.

Read those 2 links.
Log.

lynn1982

Well, you certainly won't with that attitude. I invite you to search through the forum, look at the "success stories" posts. There's no gimmicks involved. It's purely science. BUT, if you're not ready to make the necessary changes, and it certainly sounds like you are not, then maybe you should just come back when you are.

klyn7788

If you're refusing to take the time to digest the information you're being provided, maybe you're not committed to giving it your best shot.

jennifer_417

Of course you can. Just because you never have before, doesn't mean you can't now. The past doesn't have all that much to do with the future. Most of us have tried many, many times to lose weight before we succeeded, including myself. I tried dozens of times and failed. I was on MFP for a year and quit twice before I lost any real weight.

You just need to figure out what works for you, what you need to succeed.

themedalist

Well, I lost 50 pounds and got to my goal weight and size and have maintained that now for 18 months, so I'm going to say it is possible. Turns out my parents are wrong. I am NOT a special snowflake.

hamfam60

I decided to change my lifestyle back in December 2010, I got up off the couch and went for a run, was able to run about 1/2 mile and then walked another mile. I kept getting out there pounding the pavement and by the end of April I had lost 25 pounds. I'm was down another 5 pounds end of May of 2011 and since then though I had hoped to lose weight I have been in pretty much maintenance mode. Still running 4-5 days a week, have added bike riding and just started swimming this week. Hope to do a triathlong mid-March. Since December 2013 I've now dropped another 5 pounds. But I don't focus on the weight as it's just a number, I focus and getting up 4-5 days a week and being active. I feel better physically, emotionally, and mentally and I can no longer imagine life with being active. I've cut back on some of the foods I used to eat, such as ice cream, chocolates, and such; but when I do eat them I feel no guilt as I know I living right. Put in your head that you NEED a lifestyle change, and CHOOSE to do it. Whatever it takes; keep a journal, track your food (I've been doing since Jan 2011 and it helps me stay focused on what I put in my mouth). I believe in you, now it's up to you to believe in yourself and look your demons in the eyes and no longer be scared that you cannot do it, because YOU CAN! Best of luck to you....

Dgadd17

I went the Phen-Fen route and lost 75 pounds without even having to think about it. As soon as I went off, the pounds came back. I went the South Beach route and lost 75 pounds again. As soon as I started eating normal food again, I started gaining the pounds back and then some. Because I denied myself foods that I otherwise enjoyed, I enjoyed them entirely too much! This time, I started back in May, on MFP in July. not only do I not feel like I'm denying myself anything, I'm understanding my body better and more aware of what I'm putting into my mouth. Yes, there are foods that i might avoid, but most of the time, I just eat less of what I like. If I'm learning nothing else, I'm learning that I CAN be satisfied on less than I was eating before. I've also learned that occasionally "cheating" isn't the end of the world, as long as I don't let it give me permission to keep dong it.

TL;DR You can do this. Take your time, don't freak out if you backslide occasionally (you are human), and know that this community will support and encourage you every step of the way.

hamfam60

Congrats, and keep on running! I get so excited when people "get" this lifestyle experience and you got it. Good for you!!

4MissRose

I think I get what you're saying. In my experience it turns out I was kidding myself on some major parts of the weight loss process; I thought I was eating less, or healthier, but in reality I was just over-compensating with different foods. If you have been trying to lose weight for most of your life and have not succeded, it simply means you have been doing it wrong. Change it up and try again; that's all you can do. It's like this quote: We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. ~ Albert Einstein

queenveef

Dear OP: If you're not eating at a deficit then all the boot camp exercise isn't going to do anything! I started in December going from completely sedentary to exercising 5/6 times a week for at least 20 minutes. And yes, I figured that the exercise would put me in a calorie deficit - guess what!! I was still eating too much even with the exercise. Yes I lost a lb or 2 but it was mostly a big stall and very frustrating. I went back and checked out the calories I had been eating and realized I was basically eating at maintenance even with exercise.

This is a learning experience - i.e. learn from your past, learn from your food log, learn from your mfp friends, learn from the posts.

Log all your food, eat as close to your calorie goal as possible and then start making small changes. I like the attitude of "I can eat that" and adding something rather than "I can't eat that." So I started with more fruit and vegetables. I've learned that eating some things aren't worth the calories e.g garlic bread - way too many calories but I also know now that if I want garlic bread that I can eat it in moderation or choose other lower calorie food items knowing that I will be eating it.

You are worth it and yes you can lose weight!