I weight more than 500 lbs.... story inside
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sharing your story and being so open was probably the hardest step. Now, baby steps to the next. Any activity is better than no activity. You can do this!0
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First of all, you made an excellent decision to start. We are all here for some reason or another. Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive...you need to put some time into panning what you eat. Walking is an excellent source of exercise that is totally free and is good for the body and soul. Start doing it everyday and increase the time. I bet by Christmas you will notice not only weight loss, but change in body shape. Also, I think you could consult your doctor as to appropriate exercise that you can do in the home. It will take time and is not an overnight process. Oh, how I wish it was! Good luck on this journey. Stick with it. Make it happen. Sending a request..0
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I'm wishing you the best on your weight loss journey! I started out I 341 and now i'm 153 pounds so i know it can be done if you stay determined and committed. I have used youtube as a great resource for free workouts. there are so many and my favorite when I first started were the biggest loser workouts. it was good to see people like me working out. A year from now you are going to be a completely different person! remember never give up no matter how hard it may be.0
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how did you get so fat on 100$/month budget
Just control your portions. and walk outside.0 -
I just want you to know that you are not alone. There are many good tips on here. Start off slow. Don't get overwhelmed. If you have a question, ask. You didn't gain the weight overnight so you have now started your journey. Everyone wants to support you. Send out friend requests. I am going to send you one. Most importantly, log everything you eat. Drink water. It will help you feel fuller and it is cheap! You can do it.0
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Hello, and welcome.
When you start to lose weight, any small reduction will lead to a big loss so don't try to be perfect right away. Just make tiny changes and try to eat a little less every week. Anything more could lead to burnout.
Cheap foods:
chicken (1.00 / lb). Remove the skin, pop it in the oven or crock pot, and cook thoroughly.
beans (2.00 / lb) Cook on the stove and finish in the crock pot, or stove. You can also eat these canned.
Frozen vegetables (1.00 - 2.00 / lb) They are just as nutritious as fresh and are cooked. You can microwave them.
Potatoes (.50 / lb) peel them and boil them, mash without butter.
Sweet potatoes (1.00 / lb) Microwave them
brown rice, brown pasta (.75 - 1.00 / lb) cook on the stove top. Very tasty when seasoned.
Tomato sauce (2.00 / jar) great on brown pasta
Whole grain bread (2.00 / loaf) ready to eat, put chicken or hummus on top for a fast meal
Bananas (.60 cents / lb) cheap and instantly read to eat.
Don't even worry about a gym.
You can do plenty of exercises that use your own body weight as resistance (push ups, crunches, leg lifts, lunges, squats). Don't do anything that your body can't handle yet. Walking is also helpful.
I would not exercise until you have lost a lot of weight. I would be worried about your knees.
Best wishes, and take care. I am in my twenties and haven't been on a date in years due to the weight, so I can only imagine what it is like at 500. I know you can do this, and if you take small steps each week then your body will change without a lot of struggle. It is very important to be patient and consistent. There are members here who have lost over 100 pounds and you can find some of their success stories; it is very inspiring!0 -
Don't give up---It's NEVER too late to change but that change begins and ends with only YOU......Emotional eating is incredibly difficult to overcome----been there for most of my life. I have finally seen the light and am on the road to good health. My journey has had it's ups and downs believe me and I have had some thin years along the way. I am 50 soon to be 51 and have lost the love of my life 5 years ago to Kidney cancer. I know great depression and pain and gained 50 more pounds since his death. I finally decided that I NEEDED to change PERMANENTLY and it took me some time to get there.....almost my entire life. Your weight is severe and you need to reach out to whatever resources you have---health insurance..community programs. You have to start somewhere--if you struggle---start everyday new and soon it will become habit....a new and healthier you IS within your grasp. Start logging EVERYTHING and get your head and your portion control in place, you can lose weight by doing NOTHING but eating right---then begin doing whatever you can to start a regular excercise regiment---then the weight will really drop off and you will be on your way. Good luck---you CAN do it!!!
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Welcome to the site.
Like some others have said, I don't think exercise is important for you right now. Work on food choices and portion control. Once you get that under control and have lost some weight, start a low impact exercise routine and go from there.
Weight loss is all about eating less calories than you burn. Exercise helps, but isn't necessary. Macro-nutrients are important for health, but don't affect weight loss. At over 500 lbs, your main health goal is to lose weight. All the other stuff will come with time.
I don't know your height, but guessing around 5'10", 500 lbs, and male, your BMR is around 3800 calories. If you can cut back that much, I'd consider eating that for a while to try to get the weight down as quickly as possible.0 -
Admitting you need help and support is THE HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD, so kudos to you for that.
The journey is definitely not a quick and easy one. I have friends who tell me all the time how they need to lose weight, how they want to lose weight, and I've offered advice or tried to get them involved with the weight loss study I am currently involved in...and they've turned around and posted things on Facebook about how they ate "a big bowl of ice cream for breakfast with lots of sprinkles and whipped cream".
This same friend said, for now, she is going to have to accept the fact that she is overweight, and that she has made some changes, but isn't ready to get back into the weight loss saddle. My gut reaction is to tell her that she should NEVER have to accept being overweight, that no one should just accept it...but I kept my mouth shut because it truly is her choice. I can be gently supportive and that's all.
When I say journey, it truly IS a journey. Even more, it is a LIFESTYLE change. It's more than just changing the shape of your body. It's changing your state of mind, too. And, at least for me, the mental part is the toughest part.
I started my journey when I was 29 going on 30, too. My initial goal was to "lose 30 by 30". And it felt good! My total weight loss goal is to lose 80 pounds, and yeah the first 30 came off because I worked hard at it...but then, mentally, my brain kind of shut off knowing that I'd met that goal, so now I'm just slowly losing or maintaining. I will admit, I have backslid a little and getting re-motivated is kind of hard because I met my initial goal (and some other personal goals that I will not disclose at this time...:happy: ) and sometimes I slack off and don't log everything immediately, but I DO log everything.
Which brings me to what you can do on a limited budget. First off...it's SOOOOO easy to get that dollar burger at Wendy's/McD's/Etc....cheap too! You save money! And then you eat it and it tastes SO good, right? I do love me a good JBC at Wendy's! But then, an hour later, I am hungry again! So then, I eat dinner on top of that. So yeah, I ate dinner and a burger. I also ate a lot of calories! I think most fast food places offer side salads, but go easy on the dressing, maybe.
Also, if at all possible, farmers' markets usually have better prices on vegetables. I probably spend maybe 20 dollars for two weeks worth of fruits and veggies and get a lot. I'm also buying for 2 people. Meat/protein wise - I usually go with chicken because it seems to be the cheapest out of all the meats. I also cut out buying needless things like sodas (empty calories and over priced), snack foods, chips, cookies, ice cream, etc. Places like Aldi's/Save a Lot/Bottom Dollar Food are pretty great, too...you can save money on groceries at those places.
Exercise: Walking is what really truly helped me. It's been the main constant in my journey. It's free, easy and you can do it almost anywhere. I tried Zumba, liked it...but it doesn't fit in my budget. I keep hearing that there's Zumba videos on OnDemand on cable...but since I can't afford cable, I don't get the videos.
The point is: Do what you can do to help yourself. You don't have to have a lot of money to lose weight, eat right, exercise, etc. I sure don't have any money, that's for sure! But losing weight CAN help to build confidence, not to mention the MAJOR health benefits...only YOU can help yourself in this journey. YOU have to be willing to accept this challenge.
Best of luck to you!0 -
You can do this. Attitude is everything!0
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I'm so glad you're here.
You will get an amazing amount of support and encouragement, as well as understanding and great ideas. One thing I love about MFP is that the person you see needing to lose 300lbs struggles with a lot of the same issues that the person needing to lose 50 lbs does.
There are a lot of good foods that are quite cheap. Oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes, dried beans, eggs. Buy whatever chicken is on sale and the inexpensive fruits and veggies. buy the store brand water flavoring if that helps you drink more water and whole wheat bread instead of buns for things like turkey burgers or egg sandwhiches.0 -
Cheap healthier eating:
Eggs
Minestrone soup-this is a great use of the cheaper and sale less than pristine vegetables, and cooking gives them a longer shelf life. You can make a huge pot for very cheaply and eat all week. You can also freeze portions for later if you get an insanely good deal on veggies. I actually think minestrone tastes batter having been frozen and re simmered. And must vegetables work just fine.
Beans-I'd make an entire huge pot of it. The first couple of days I eat it as the main course or the side of meat dishes. Then toward the end of the week I chop up any left over meats and biggies I might have and make a stew. Or, to stretch meat I'd mash up beans to mix with ground beef to make hamburgers or meat loaf. Rice works much the same way, eat it as a dish our mix it in with other things.
Which brings me to meat loaf, another great way to sneak in the less than pristine veggies on sale. Eat it as meat loaf at first, if you have left overs, crumble it, add seasonings and make tacos if you get bored like I do with meat loaf. Most of the time my meat loaf ended up being less than half meat.
stop buying store bought bread and try your hand at making your own. At the time I figured out it cost me around a quarter to thirty cents to make a loaf of bread, it was an activity, and pounding dough can be a real stress reliever.
And lastly, there isn't any shame in visiting the local food pantry when things are really tight. I know in my area canned gods and dried beans and rice were never the popular things, they were always surprised when those were the things I asked for. And if it makes you uncomfortable to accept that help (i know it did me) you can always donate your time.
I hope some of my suggestions might help, and I wish you well on your journey.0 -
Try alternate day fasting.
It also sounds like you need someone strong to live with you so they can stop you from eating too much.0 -
$100 a month enough to purchase healthy foods if you look out for good deals and stock up on non perishable items like frozen fruits and vegetables, lean meat (that you will freeze), oats, etc. Also, you do not need a gym to workout, you could try just going for walks at a leisurely pace until you feel comfortable enough working out. Youtube has a lot of effective cardio and HIIT workouts that are free. Also, yoga is a great way to increase your overall health and better mobility and flexibility!
So:
1. Look out for good deals in the grocery store, make a list BEFORE you get there
2. Light exercising until you find a regime that works for you
3. Don't give up! Being healthy is a lifestyle change not something that happens over night
Good luck :flowerforyou:0 -
This is an old thread, but what the heck. Couple of suggestions:
1. With so much to lose, this process will take years. Break it into parts small enough that they can be realized in a reasonable time frame. 50# increments would be good because every 50 will make a difference you will feel. Make it your new lifestyle and try to forget about the magnatude of the undertaking. Sometimes a little denial is just the ticket.
2. I would be very careful about physical exercise at your weight. You need it yes, but imagine a 150# man picking up a 350# weight and going for a walk! You run the risk of doing permanent damage to feet, knees, hips, and other parts. I would suggest getting access to a pool that you can exercise in if at all possible. You burn a lot of calories in water and the water will help support your weight. People are always amazed by the bravery of attempts like this, and some local pool might give you acces for free just to support your effort. Don't be shy about asking!0 -
Congrats on your first step toward a healthier and lighter you!! The decision to come here shows that you are not what you call a lost cause....this is something that can be done but it takes a willing heart and that you seem to have. Start by making small changes, as others on here have said, remember you didn't gain the weight overnite and it won't come off overnite. There are ways to make healthier choices without having to spend a lot. Watch your grocery stores for sales, you would be surprised. Chicken is among one of the cheaper meats but how you prepare it can make a big difference in the calorie count. My biggest thing when I started my journey was portion control. I had absolutely no idea that I was eating the amount of food I was, and how many calories I was actually eating until I started logging my food everyday. So begin with portion control and move your body as much as you can, cause a little bit each day, if you are like I was, is more than you have been doing. I didn't have the funds to get exercise DVD's or go to the gym either, so I got frostwire on my computer and started looking for exercise programs to download. Thats how I got all my Zumba videos. There are chair exercises and beginner exercises on youtube as well. But I guess the best advice I can give you is make friends on here and get their support and motivation daily. Without my friends on here I would have never been able to lose the 24 pounds I have lost already, or be able to face the more than 60 pounds that I have yet to lose. i have formulated two mottos on here, 1) Move it to lose it! 2) you never know where the journey will take you if you never start. good luck and feel free to add me as a friend, I plan on being here for a long time to come.0
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Dang zombie threads. For me thats the problem with being on the forum on my phone, can't see the dates without scrolling over.0
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I know you feel a long way from where you want to be, but I can tell you from my own personal experience that the only way to do this is one day at a time. All the exercise suggestions on here are great! I found exercise videos on Youtube and also was given a recumbent bike that I have nearly worn out. Also lately I have been doing more walking. I was close to 300 lbs when I decided I needed to put on the brakes. Buy as many fruits and veggies as you can manage, look for sales. Read those labels and learn what is in the foods you eat. Avoid stuff with high fructose corn syrup, that stuff seems to make me hungrier. Cut out sweets as much as you can but that being said don't completely deprive yourself. This is a BIG life style change we are making here...Not really a diet but learning how to eat and live properly. I feel if I can't eat some of the things I love, I will never last. All things in moderation. Feel free to add me and I will do my best to help and encourage you on your journey. My thoughts and prayers are with you! :flowerforyou:0
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u guys are truly awesome..... The words of encouragement is really on point ... and Thank You
:bigsmile: 
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Sent you a friend request. We can all help you. Just keep talking to us.0
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Trust me i was nearly 400lb and walking kills those cals SOOOOO fast it will fall of you.... :drinker:
i started just a short walk to the end of the street and back and build it up everyday you will suprise yourself... 0 -
You can do it!! lots of support here!!!
Why resurrect an 18 month old thread?????0 -
It is a start and a good one that you are here. We are all here to help. Add me. I log everyday and will help in anyway I can 0
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to funny, I don't think he is on the site anymore people, but you are giving good advice to everyone else out there0
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Somebody put out an APB for John. This has now gotten completely absurd. He lives on the west side of Chicago.0
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I read an article in Bicycling Magazine a couple of years about about a man who weighed over 500 pounds and saved himself by riding a bicycle. It can be done. I suspect it would be very easy on your joints and hope you'll think about it. As for food, you'll have to cook to eat well on your budget. There are great recipes available for low fat dishes made from beans and rice, and you'll be able to find them on line. The big key to success is exercise and portion control. You'll have to be mentally strong and determined but you can succeed. I wish you the best.0
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You can do it!! lots of support here!!!
Why resurrect an 18 month old thread?????
Because he recently became active again and I wanted to give him support!0 -
Well it took a few yrs but I finally did something about my weight, some would think it was a bit drastic, but drastic times call for drastic measures. I am currently on a juice reboot and have more than 62 days under my belt. My scale currently has me weighing just under 458 lbs. I want to thank everyone who offered great posts of encouragement. hope to see you on the other side
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Well, good for you! Hope you are feeling healthy and happy and do keep us posted!0
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Juice reboot? Why? Reboot what?0
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