Just Started 5 Days Ago

chrymo

Hi Folks, My Name is Chris, I will start with a summary backgrounder. I would appreciate inputs, comments and welcomes... Thanks!

I was born underweight and my parents struggled with this til I was 6 years old. During that time I was frequently sick and had to be in the hospital every month. There was a time I was in the hospital every week.

My Dad forced discipline me to eat so I wont get sick, they had me on vitamins til I was 12. I started gaining weight at around 7 or 8 Years Old... Back then it was cute.

Then Puberty struck and I immediately zoomed up from 5'7" yo 5'11" one summer. Back then my weight was manageable at 160lbs. Then when I entered college I was already 6feet tall. I have a fairly active lifestyle, I play competitive basketball, I trek, I trained in the reservist military for three years. I was also a member of a college varsity squad and had to go weight training and intense cardio. Our team nutritionist also managed what I eat. During that whole thing however, I shoot up to around 230lbs. When I entered the later years of college and after quitting the team and focusing on my studies, I was 6'1" and at around 240 at that time.

I knew back then I was getting obese, but I was in denial because I had all this activity and I had a fairly normal eating habit.

After college, I went back to basketball playing commercial leagues locally, I also enjoyed playing Airsoft a lot, I played 4 days of basketball a week for two games each and around 3 hours of Airsoft on the weekends with a 10minute break in between.
My diet back then was a little erratic as I also started to become Alcoholic. I drank every night since my work shift starts at around 10PM to 6AM.

After 3 years of that, while I was playing basketball, I had a health scare. I was running for a fast break when I suddenly felt like I was dragging my right leg. I feel I was a little lightheaded and it seems my eyesight locks up. Its like I am seeing my team-mates pause in front of my eyes. I can hear them moving around, but my visuals were fixed. Its like a bad dream.

I was diagnosed with hypokalemia. And due to my lowered immune system, my ears were infected and I developed this terrible ringing in my ears after I got out of the hospital.

I was disappointed that Im supposed to get better after I got out of the hospital, but it became worse. After a month out, I developed a ringing in my ear which I later learned is called "tinnitus". Then I had several bouts of disequilibrium. I also had to re-train my muscles, since It seems I cant stand and carry loads like I used to after the hypokalemia. And due to possibly my ears, I experienced vertigo for the first time, its awful to uncontrollably see the room spinning...

I figured I had to rest and recover. Ive been to several doctors to fix this problem of mine. But none of them helped me, they all boiled down to me being over-weight and anxious and depressed. Who wouldn't be after stopping an active lifestyle I had, hanging out with friends, and playing the sports that I love, and then not being to do them again? Wouldn't you be anxious, frustrated and depressed?

Then I found a good Doc who advised me to take some Vitamins, B-Complex and since for a year I was sedentary, he had to give me some diabetic meds and bp meds which at that point of my life I was unable to control my blood sugar and my blood pressure.

Flash Forward to now, its been 3 years, and I recovered a lot since then. I have controlled my Blood Pressure to around 120/80 and my highest would be around 140/90 and occasionally when I move a lot around 150/100.

I have also completely eliminated any Alcohol in my life for the past three years.

However, time for my follow-up, the Good Doc advised me to visit another Doc which specializes in Endocrinology. I felt normal during this time, and had no problem as I adjusted well enough to be able to play light basketball again and some Airsoft once more. Before my visit and lab work, I was binge eating a little since there were a lot of party and events.

When I went to the new doc, my FBS was at 199 and my RBS was at 333. I was stunned. But my main complain for the visit was about my disequilibrium which now only happens about 4 times a month that lasts for 5 seconds each. 2 years before it was almost everyday.

So again the endocrine doc boiled down to me being obese. He wanted me to go get an operation for bariatric and the like. I was really disappointed, as the doc was pretty harsh, she keeps on telling me I am going to die if I dont get the operation or get this expensive injections that will make me throw-up, eat less, and lower my blood sugar.

I felt down and before that I was really upbeat and felt like I was recovering well enough to enjoy activities again.

Thats when I downloaded FitnessPal for Android. I studied it for a bit and scoured online resources about controlling my diet, and then learned about Calorie Counting, which is what FitnessPal was about.

So I started on the program 5 days ago, and was following it by the book. It mentioned that for me to drop weight, I need to have 2000Cal or less per day.

For the first three days, it was a bit hard to prepare my own meals to match the calorie recommendations and to schedule my walks and exercise. But after Three Days, My FBS was at 144 and my RBS ranges from 145 to 177. Its still a little high but it dropped from my previous FBS of 199 and RBS of 333.

I was ecstatic, I decided I want to push through with this, if this is the only thing I can personally control instead of depending on the operations or any injections.

Yesterday, I decided to take a break from my walk, and on my FitnessPal App, I was over the Calorie limit of around 250 or something, which i can easily suppose to burn down with 30minutes of walk. However, since it was a family time day, and a break day, I was over for that number and I felt guilty.

Today I am back on track, and hopefully can carry this on forever. I let you guys know how this comes up!

Good Luck to All and God Bless!!!

HealthiHannah

Thanks for sharing your story and I am sorry that you have had such a hard road. Welcome to MFP, I hope that you get the support and motivation to keep your journey going strong. I too have been on for 5 days now and am still struggling to keep within my calorie limit. Keep up the good work and when you have those bad, dark days talk to someone on here - so far most people I have met on here are only full of love and support.

FabiolaEnvy♥

thanks for sharing. real rough road you had, but im glad you are slowly turning it around. even when you had all those great activities before. but now, its a re-open place where you can just come and see your progress and make things happen. and I am happy that you found this site, this is one of the best. Not to mention easy to use. dont stress on the calories. one day is one day.
just make sure its not a habit of doing it over and over.

usually people say one day of cheat day. on here sooo your relax and cheat day. could be what you had.

you can always go back to your routine and be just fine with that. take it day by day. (finally got that through my head) not only that, but keep a goal in front of me. So it dont get off target.


- Fabiola♥

chrymo

@Hannah: Hi, Thanks for the words of support. I have to thank my family especially my wife for supporting me all the way in this. She is the one now preparing my meals and gets groceries and she is trying to learn to read nutrition facts and hidden ingredients... So far I found this community very supportive as well... Thanks Again...

@fabiola : Hello Fabiola, Thanks for the Tip, yeah I feel a little disappointed about the "cheat" thing, but my wife and I talked about having a "cheat day" as you say, but not more than 500Cal... lol! Or I have to walk 30 more minutes the next day just to compensate... Thanks!