first weigh – in; shock & horror

tjthegreatone

Look I'm gonna go against the general flow of this thread (and be a bit mean) and say that at 430lb the 'just diet/log food/etc' ship has long sailed. Yes, there are success stories out there but the odds of you winning at doing this on your own (without professional help) are close to zero. Even if you're blessed with staggering reserves of willpower the outlook is not particularly encouraging.

You have to play the long game here. You have at least 200lb of excess weight to lose and you want it gone permanently.

There are three approaches I'd consider.

First is psychological - why did you get so big? What is your relationship with food? General emotional health?

Second is physical - what is your current state of health? Any particular complications from the excess weight (arthritis/sleep apnoea/diabetes etc)

Third - what is your current energy intake and expenditure (this is where MFP comes in). I wouldn't consider restricting until I have worked out what I'm eating/expending in a typical week, at what times of the day, what emotions if any are attached to the eating and then you can see where things are going wrong.

I'd see my doctor and get yourself referred to a dietician; and secondly get referred to a weight loss surgery clinic for a consultation.

COI: I am a general surgery resident flirting with an interest in bariatric surgery. I have no particular expertise in nutrition beyond my personal experience and struggles, but I have read the papers and evaluated the research on the various interventions for weight loss. Weight loss surgery is not the poison it is often made out to be on this site. For many people it is their only choice and a life saver and the higher your BMI the more likely this is to be the case. As part of the deal you will be expected to lose some weight pre-op anyway (I do have issues with some of the dietary advice I've heard given by the nurses pre-surgery). PS I live in the UK so our wages are fixed, this is not an attempt to drum up business.

WyeGuy

Day 1 and a successful start. Congratulations!
Just think...making SMALL changes to average even just 1lb a week would net you dramatic results in a couple years. There will be ups and downs as you gradually adjust to new habits. Stay with it and don't panic. Best wishes for future successes!

_chiaroscuro

No lie, I just had a nightmare a few minutes ago. It's not important what it was, just that it was the kind that sends your eyes flying open, chest heaving, body curling inward to protect itself. Even after the full realization that it was just a dream my heart is still pounding. I picked my phone up off the nightstand, looking for distraction while I calmed down. Still trembling with a version of the feelings you describe in your title, your story was the first thing I clicked on.

Bad stuff led me here. Now my nightmare and discomfort have a purpose. Now the bad stuff is my friend.

Of course there's no comparison. I don't pretend to understand your difficulties, can't imagine the amount of fear you've been burdened with for so long. But right now you and I have one thing in common:

Bad stuff led us here.

So now what? Will your nightmare and discomfort gain a purpose? Will they become your friends?

I think you just chose to begin, what a heroic moment! Now, you're going to need a plan. There has been some good advice I won't repeat, but also you need a team. We all do. Start with your wife. Show her this thread and talk about next steps. Stick with your plan to do as much of a walk as you can manage both physically and emotionally. I'd also visit your doctor in the near future to get checked out and set up some reasonable goals without doing too much too soon. Also, ask for a referral or do some research to find a therapist or expert to help you with your agoraphobia. You may find that your weight gain and phobia are too intimately entwined to leave it unaddressed. Small risks, small steps, small rewards snowball like a muh fuh and you want that process to have a clear path.

Finally, no, no it is not impossible for you. You can have this. You can have health, and comfort, and peace. But you can't just choose it. You must choose, plan, execute, evaluate, repeat. If you're strong enough to endure the shock and horror you just stared down, you're strong enough to do this.

Warm hug, and on your feet soldier.

jenilla1

Stay with us! Come here to MFP any time you need a boost. There's almost always someone around to talk to. We want to see your post on the Success Stories message board a year from now! Good luck! :flowerforyou:

Ang108

Last year on April 10th I walked five minutes and got tired at 107.5 kilos weight. This morning I walked 45 minutes at a 10.5 minute km and weigh 85 kilos. I increased my initial five minutes by a minute every two days to get to 15, then 20 up to 30 minutes. Once I got over 30 minutes day I started to walk for speed and now walk for speed and time/distance. I eat a wide variety of foods at a reasonable deficit and am losing.
I am sure you can do the same....just get going....
Good Luck !

cassylola24

Welcome Snudgie and congratulations on taking the first step to getting healthier. Good on you for thinking of your wife and the implications of your health on her. As everyone has said you can do this - keep your wife as your motivation and take small steps. Don't look at the total you want to loose but set yourself small targets that are obtainable in a reasonable time scale then you wont get disheartened. Remember we all have bad days so if you do dont despair, get over it and get back on track the following day
We are all here to support you

allysteven880

Weight loss is an interesting journey to survive in a healthy way. You can achieve your target if you make a commitment with your self.

HollisGrant

Welcome and best wishes for taking back your life. Of course your comments are suitable to post here. This is part of what MFP is for, to get things off your chest and talk them out with other people.

What helped me: foods that are filling, have fiber, and are low calorie. I eat a lot of fresh steamed leafy greens like kale and collards. I just put salt or spice on them (no butter). The goal is feeling full. Drinking water helps to curb hunger, too.

Instead of looking at the huge amount of work to do, it also helped me to think of adding small positive things to my day.

You can do this. You've taken the first important step by being honest with yourself.

EngineerPrincess

Good for you starting an account! This will not be easy, but it will not be as hard as you think, and you CAN do this. Honestly I wouldn't even recommend going out doors and exercising yet. You need to talk to your doctor about that first. Start small and cut your calories to the recommended number mfp gives, or as close as you can get, and the pounds will drop off soon. Eat whatever you want, just not too much, and that's really all it takes! Your life will get so much better.

mfp2014mfp

So glad that you are here! Welcome and best of luck on your journey to better health :flowerforyou:

Springfield1970

you're at the right place. I'm excited for you! Best of luck.

PS Trawl through our diaries to get good ideas, weighing your food and logging calories becomes easy and an enjoyable way of getting control back of your life.

V0lver

You haev got a lot of good advice in here. All the best! I am rooting for you

TavistockToad

you got this man..!

Here is what I would suggest…

Create a 500 per day calorie deficit …either through MFP or using TDEE method. Since you are new MFP Method might be easier to understand. Just set MFP to one pound per week loss and start logging your food and make sure that you NET the number that MFP gives you…so if MFP gives you 2000 calories a day and you enter walking 1 mile and get a burn of 100 calories then you should eat 2100 calories less the 100 burned = 2000 net.

Get a food scale. Seriously, get one. Do not rely on eye balling, measuring cups etc, this is an easy way to overestimate calories and think you are eating less when you are really not.

Make sure you log/weigh/measure/everything that goes into your mouth.

Do NOT restrict any foods. Sugar, carbs, bread, etc, etc are not bad for you …overeating is what made you put on weight. I follow the 80/20 rule 80% healthy and 20% whatever you want = pizza, ice cream, cookies, cake etc. Now, if you have trigger foods that make you binge, you should not keep them in the house until you learn some moderation …

Work out/move more…at first this might be a walk around the block; then a two mile walk, three mile walk, etc; then maybe some slow jogging and then maybe some strength training. Eventually, you are going to want to do some heavy lifting. I would recommend picking up a copy of starting strength and or new rules of lifting ….and then build a program around compound movements = deadlifts, barbell squats, rows, overhead press, pull ups, chin ups, and bench press….

Remember, you did not get fat overnight and you are not going to get fit overnight. It is a marathon not a sprint…

good luck to you ….

all of this is excellent advice!!

Simbaby09

Amazing people here,(am sure there are a few odd once), but seriously when it comes to love and support ,you can feel it here. I wish we can have an MFP party ......lol .

otter090812

Hi. Well done for taking the first step. You can do this! Here's a link to a success story that I find incredibly inspirational (there are many others). This guy overcame so much, and I always think if he can do it with all that against him, then so can I! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1202069-how-i-lost-360lbs-in-15-months-with-photos?hl=brian

AtLeastOnceMore

Dude, no matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everyone on the couch. Take it slowly, walk the rooms of your house at first if you need to, eat WELL (not just within your calories) and take it from someone who's been there - this is possible, this is necessary, this is good. Good luck, my friend!!!

phyl88

You got a lot of good advice here, so there is not need to be repetitious. YOU CAN DO THIS! You came to the right place and we're all here to support you. If you need a cheerleader, feel free to add me. You are SO worth this and I wish you the best of luck on this journey.

smantha32

weighing in and confronting that is the first step.

This. There are many people here who have lost over 200 pounds. You're in the right place.

Tangosgrandad

Well done Snudgie!! The longest of journeys start with the first step and you've already taken it. I can honestly say, you will NOT feel hungry if you eat the correct food. It isn't about eating less, its all about eating the most food you can whilst still loosing the body fat. Read, read and read again the sticky posts, read all the success stories and accept the fact that anyone can do it. You dont need to be clever or talented, just damned stubborn. If you stick to your guns, you WILL do it. Think of how pleased your wife will be for you, and how proud she'll be of you. That my friend, will be nothing to the pride you will feel in yourself. You are about to start performing better in every area of your life (and I really do mean every area....ahem) and you and your wife will both be better for it. Feel free to send me a friend request, I'll stick with you and would be honoured to do so.

JSE81

FR me man.

I am 6'3 and started at a similar weight 12 months ago. I have now lost ~110lbs @ 1800 calories per day and regular exercise. I started off slowly, I could only walk very slowly for very short periods of time. It's a real shock to the system at that weight, but persist with it and it does get easier I promise you.

All the best.