Fat and fed up, please help :(

lekitteh

Hello all,
I've just turned twenty and I've hit my heaviest weight and it's basically ruining my life. I'm 5"3 and now weight 13.9 stone.
I've been chubby for as long as I can remember and being a 'normal' size and shape has always been the 'dream', but now it just has to happen, I can feel my health deteriorating. The sadder I get about my appearance, the more I eat, the sadder I get; rinse and repeat. In the past I've had issues with bullimia, and weight loss is very difficult for me. I can't seem to serpate a healthy life style change and taking things too far very quickly. I know weight loss isn't magical, you put a bit less food inside you and move a bit more. The thing I'm needing some help with is what the RIGHT things to eat are, what's the staple foods I should be eating for regular meals? What kind of exercise is going to be the most beneficial? The last time I decided to change my diet I was two stone lighter, I felt fantastic and lost weight quite rapidly, now thinking that I have to lose two stone before I even get back to that is making me so upset I don't know how I managed to put on so much weight so fast and not notice!!
Thanks for your time,
Kitty.

psuLemon

Since you have a history of bulimia, have you gotten help for that? Honestly, addressing your poor relationship with food will be the key to long term success.

markjacobs1987

For food options basically just stick to lean meats, fruits, and vegetables for your main meals. For snacks have things like a protein bar or nuts (though only a handful of nuts because of the fat content). To get the best results for shredding fat your numbers should be either around 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fat or 40% protein, 40% carb, 20% fat at around 1600 calories to start. If you can hit those numbers and keep your sugar intake low then you are in good shape. As for exercise Tony Horton's YouTube channel is a great place to start. He has a wide variety of free workouts there that will help you out. Try to mix in a good blend of cardio and resistance training. I hope this helps!

violasmith85

I'm turning 30. I think it's great you're finally working towards a healthy lifestyle at your age. I had a very unhealthy relationship with food all my life. What finally changed everything was addressing that. I would suggest maybe some counselling to help you address those issues. You will still be you once you lose the weight, that wont change by dropping some pounds. You have to love you now. That was the big game changer for me.

lekitteh

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply, it really does mean a lot! I've just become to compliant with eating what I want, when I want as it's better than not eating at all though anxiety or fear - but I have to understand now that both can work together. A healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be one where certain foods are 'forbidden' and this is what scares me a little about following plans ect, teaching people that certain food groups are 'evil' or what-have-you is not healthy and I will not allow anyone to encourage me to do so. People around me are eager to keep telling me I'm not fat, and I don't need to change my lifestyle, which only upsets me. I don't need to be lied to, I'd just like some active encouragement!

thepandapost

If you're truly lost/not sure where to start a dietitian could help. With what you have explained, I think using a professional, even if it is only once to get movement forward, would be really beneficial.

I personally have no foods off limits to me and just try for balance at every meal. I have been to goal weight and back again more than once so truly adapting a healthy lifestyle is key here.

stuffinmuffin

Hi Kitty,

Well don't beat yourself up for where you are now.

Successful weight loss is not an instant thing I'm afraid, as much as many, if not all of us, would like it to be!! What I can tell you from the other side of it, is that it is such a good journey to go on, the amount you learn, the friends you make, the new hobbies you pick up, the amazing lifestyle change and the confidence it provides. The feeling of slipping out of big clothing sizes into smaller ones and the feeling of the first time you ran your longest distance. My recommendation would be to start now, at the beginning and embrace it....and yes it will take time, but you can enjoy that time too. :flowerforyou:

bikaga

Hey Kitteh!

Maybe your friends really think you don't need to change your lifestyle - it's not up for us to say what others should do as long as they're relatively healthy. I don't think they necessarily lie - they're your friends, they likely think you're beautiful the way you are

BUT. You are unhappy, so you can change something.

For a start, why not change only one thing about your diet OR increase your exercise? You could start by keeping a diary of what you eat, keep that the same for now, and work out more. That way you'll get fitter and while your weight might not change much you'll build up some muscle and tone and feel much better.

I also agree that before you make major changes you should speak to a trained professional about what might work for you in order to make it easier and not catapult you back to a bad relationship with food.

Good luck on here!