My Story

phatchick1988

My name is Amber. I am a mother of two boys and a wife of 6 years. I have been struggling with my weight for five years. It all started while pregnant with my first child. Through out my pregnancy I gained a whopping 65lbs and I wasn't able to lose it after birth. About a year after that my husband deployed to Iraq so to comfort my self I ate pretty much everything. Not to mention I was pregnant with our second child. I only gained 30lbs through my second preg but it didn't make it better that I didn't lose the first 65lbs. I always told myself that I was going to do something about it but only got as far as weight loss pills. My body was not designed to go through what those pills put me through. I was told by my doctor that if i don't start living a healthier lifestyle that I will be more at risk for diabetes. I lost a grandfather to diabetes and just seeing what he went through and the things he had to give up makes me want to lose this weight even more. I was diagnosed with pseudo tumor cerebri last march. I was told that it affects child bearing women in their 20 who are over weight. I suffer from these horrible headaches and because of that I have to get a spinal tap to relieve the fluid in my brain as often as once a month. I am on pills for glaucoma (which i dont have) to help the swelling of my optic nerves caused by the spinal fluid pressure. Then three mos ago my doctor told me my heart was over working itself. I was diagnosed with afib. With the weight gain I noticed that my heart would act funny and sometimes skip beats or would speed up to the point where I would just totally panic. I literally thought I was having a heart attack. Most of these can be reversible but I need to lose this weight!!! I weigh 280 and have a weight loss goal of 100lbs.I want to be able to run and play with my boys, I want to be there down the road when they accomplish their own goals. I know the road will be tough but I know I CAN do this! Thank you for reading my story, sorry if it was long but I am glad its off my chest and out in the open. I want to make a difference and this is how i figure to start.

GayleProbe

Your story is so incredible. I'm so sorry for all the troubles you've been facing and I would love to give you support! My story isn't as heart trending but I appreciate what you're going through. It's a difficult battle for everybody.

I'm also at risk for diabetes. It's a very scary thought but no matter how scared I get I can't control my eating. But I'm trying. I wish you the very, very best in your efforts. Please add me if you'd like.

miracle4me

I am so sorry for your suffering, life is not fair,but no one promised it would be. The Good News is you are a Survivor and have proven it!

You can read my open profile and if you want to be each others cheerleaders send me a Friend invite. The pictures of your Sons kissing you is so precious! Only another person who is trapped in a suffering body of pain will understand and I do understand.

owswixie

Amber, I'm so sorry for what you are going through and can so relate! You CAN do this! I'd love if you friend me, too.

themommie

So sorry to hear about all of your health problems. I have alot of health issues too. When I started Mfp i was having trouble walking my legs would just give out from under me and i would fall. I also would fall asleep in mid=sentence, all day long i would just drift off no matter what I was doing it was scary. The doctors thought i had MS but it turned out i had fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and hypothyroid. When I started MFP I thought losing 100+ lbs was impossible. I just concentrated on 10 lbs at a time and for every 10 lbs I lost I bought myself a pair of earrings. I have now lost 105 lbs and no longer have problems staying awake, no longer falling, I feel like i have my life back. you can do this just take baby steps, break it down into doable goals and stay connected to MFP the encouragement and accountability is incredible

I hope my story helped to encourage you. YOU CAN DO IT

phatchick1988

GayleProbe@ I face the struggle of "just one more bite" everyday... Doesn't seem to get me anywhere but gaining more weight. I wish you the best of luck though out your journey. Will be sending you a friend request, the more friends the more support! Keep your head up and remember one less bite is better than one more!

phatchick1988

miracl4me@ Thanks deeply for reading My Story. I want to congratulate you on your weight loss so far and hope for many more shedding pounds to come. I would love to add you as a friend. Request on it's way

phatchick1988

winnie2036@ Thanks

phatchick1988

themommie @ Thank you very much, Your story did encourage me alot! Congrats on the weight loss

owswixie

Themommie - I love your suggestion about earrings! I did something similar, if I got through the week and met my goals I went out for one new shirt or a pair of shoes. Since then, I've lost 10 dress sizes and had to donate some of the early stuff to charity but even that was a nice reward! Congrats on your weight loss I am inspired to get into triple digits, too!

Amy911Gray

I know what you are going through...I've been there. At 245lbs, I was unemployable, not because I couldn't do a job, but because companies do not want to take the chance of an employee on FMLA--holding a job for someone that can't work. I hadn't reached the doctor warnings yet, but I just knew they were coming. And my knees were starting to buckle from the weight, I couldn't walk two blocks without becoming winded--which I knew so anxiety would kick in when anyone wanted to walk somewhere for lunch. I solved that problem--I drove everywhere and said my knees wouldn't take the walk.

I want you to know that your goal is totally possible, and you can do this. Not only can you do this for yourself, but the strategy you lay out for yourself will also work for your family's health now and in the future.

We all struggle daily with the challenges we are given, some are of our own making while others are handed to us. Remember to hold on to your goal of running around with the children while they are still young and encourage yourself each day by reading through your goals.

It's most important to plan your meals as you would plan your day. Write them down. Use MFP to break down the family favorite dinners and learn to substitute lower fat/sodium ingredients for more healthier choices.

I had a friend that went to weigh watchers when her twins were 3. She was in charge of all the foods that came into the house, so this change was pretty easy for her. As it turned out, she lost over 150 pounds, and made skirts for her daughter out of her old jeans. A bonus to this change was that her husband lost 75 pounds without trying--he didn't buy the food that came into the house so she substituted things like cottage cheese for sour cream, light butter, crystal light lemonade...he didn't notice anything until he had dropped enough weight to where his jeans didn't fit anymore and wondered why.

I'm going to tell you that losing weight and sticking to the plan is not always easy--for me there is always a cookie or a piece of cake that I truly want. Knowing that you have people to cheer you on, help you to stick to the plan and encourage you with every step you take is truly inspirational and something I have counted on this past year.

Welcome to MFP--success is within your reach!!! :):)

Celticsnowflake

The silver lining is that many of your problems are reversible so you have come to the right place!! i have been married for 5 years with twin 2.5 year olds!! You are a very busy lady, but you need to invest time into yourself to make sure you are there for your boys and your husband!! Feel free to add me!! This will work!!

floridagirl7264

I'm sorry to hear of your medical problems. It must be frightening to be going through all of it alone. I've lost and gained so many times. I've lost 20 lbs on MFP but then circumstances led me right back where I was plus more. I said enough. When I stand up it feel like so much weight is on my legs. I have all kinds of medical problems as a result of my weight. I finally got it in my head that if I didn't doing something soon I would end up in a hospital. This isn't easy to do at first, but then, being fat isn't easy either. I'm taking it one step at a time to make sure that I don't fall again. Just take it one thing at a time. One of the things that really has been helping me a lot is looking at all of the tickers on this sight. I really feel motivated when I see the weight that people have been losing. It motivates me to have a ticker like that! Another thing that is helping me is that when I go to eat something when I'm not hungry, I think of all of the reasons why I want to lose weight. It stops me. I just don't want to be fat anymore.

Best of luck on your journey. You can do this!

phatchick1988

Amy911@ First off let me say GO STEELERS!! I love you ticker. I really appreciate how strong you are to continue down this road to meet your goals. You are now an inspiration in my life. I just never thought in my entire life that going public about my weight would result in so many women going through the same thing. Not only that but to know that even while struggling themselves still have the strength to encourage and inspire someone else! God truly is GREAT!!! Thank you for Your Story!

phatchick1988

Celticsnow@ Thank you for your story and your words of encouragement. I look forwards to meeting my goals with everyone!

phatchick1988

Floridagirl72@ Thank You for Your Story I will def incorporate your tips in my daily routine (when i figure that out) but one day at a time is how I am going to do this! ~WE CAN DO THIS~