Contradictions EVERYWHERE

AllTehBeers

is this even serious/ I mean, OP's name is reallyfatslob. not to be mean, but idk anyone who would make their name that. obese or not.

3 pages and OP hasn't responded to anything...

Sjenny5891

Okay, I have to start this post with a disclaimer. I am really cranky, really hungry and ready to go eat 20 Big Macs and wait for the hearse.

I am a firm believer that no one loses weight by measuring every little thing that goes into your mouth - it is not sustainable, not practical and just not possible if you plan to lead any type of lifestyle outside of your home.

I believe it is more important to research each type of food and to decide if it is good for you to eat it or not. Here's my dilemma - for every food item, someone tells you that it is the worst thing you could possibly eat while trying to lose weight and someone else tells you that you should eat as much of the same food as you want. Bananas are a great example, but I found this with EVERY food I have tried to research in the past week. It is impossible to make any food decisions beyond kelp/seaweed and water.

I am also morbidly obese and can't afford the cost associated with doctor fees, bypass, WW, supplements, etc. For the past 4 days, I have managed to get by on 500-900 calories per day and have lost 8 pounds. When I say manage, I mean that I am pisssed off for most of the day, I go to bed and try to sleep by 8 PM and stay in bed til about 9 or 10 AM as the only time I am not hungry is when I am sleeping. I have 4 different family members telling me that they don't want me to die of a heart attack and then they all have different ideas about how I should lose weight. I lost about 75 pounds 15 years ago by cutting out fats and most fried foods and it worked for about 5 months. I still wanted fast food, junk food and high calorie food all the time - I got upset with people who say that their craving for "bad" food went away or that they got sick when they ate fast food - that never happened to be and never will.

As I write this, I realize that I am probably not ready to diet or make any lifestyle changes - if I was, I would probably not be so negative.

First off... No two people will agree on what foods are best for you. I don't eat Banannas because the Mosquitos eat me alive when I do ( they are attracted to something in it just can't remember what it is) I have a friend that constantly preaches at me to cut the Sodium and another that yells about the sugar. Personally, I don't see how anyone can stay under, but that is another thing altogether. You have to find what works for you. Like a previous poster said, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables are usually the way to go.

WHAT I DID... I set my goal to "Maintain" and just logged everything I ate for two weeks. Didn't change anything. My goal was to gradually cut out one thing a week.

I was eating 1800-2000 calories a day. I wouldn't recommend anything less. It'll tell you 1200 if you set it at a 2lb a week loss but that isn't reasonable especially when you are used to eating more.

Can you tell me why your "diet" stopped working after 5 months? I think that may be the key to solving your problem.

terijoestoes

You are not eating enough calories! No wonder you are hungry all the time. There are no good and bad foods as long as they are whole foods or for the most part the way they come to us naturally. Processed!, deep fried or full of sugar are not real food. Stop listening to so called experts. Eat about 1200-1400 calories a day of protein veggies and healthy fats. And stop staying in bed. Exercise can help a great deal with your mood.

tartanlab

No doubt you are feeling very frustrated, and I realize that it takes a long time to log in every bite of food you take with MFP.
However, keeping track of what I eat, inventing new low calorie/low carb foods and exercising are working so far for me.
When doing your research, ask the computer what are the best fruits to eat, what are the best veggies to eat, what are the foods I should not eat, what foods burn fat, etc. This will give you an idea of what to avoid, and what good foods you can eat. Next, think about portion control...and avoid most fast food places. I've been inventing new menu choices by making up recipes that are within my goals for a meal, of foods I like and won't grow tired of. Saving them as recipes for me, and eating what I like. Hope some of these things help. I've been on MFP for about four weeks now, and I've lost 9 pounds on the program and 16 pounds since Oct 23.
It's making a difference and motivating me to keep going. Before this I couldn't loose no matter what...but health concerns make for great motivation. Good luck and have a great evening.

WinnerVictorious

Okay, I have to start this post with a disclaimer. I am really cranky, really hungry and ready to go eat 20 Big Macs and wait for the hearse.

I am a firm believer that no one loses weight by measuring every little thing that goes into your mouth - it is not sustainable, not practical and just not possible if you plan to lead any type of lifestyle outside of your home.

I believe it is more important to research each type of food and to decide if it is good for you to eat it or not. Here's my dilemma - for every food item, someone tells you that it is the worst thing you could possibly eat while trying to lose weight and someone else tells you that you should eat as much of the same food as you want. Bananas are a great example, but I found this with EVERY food I have tried to research in the past week. It is impossible to make any food decisions beyond kelp/seaweed and water.

I am also morbidly obese and can't afford the cost associated with doctor fees, bypass, WW, supplements, etc. For the past 4 days, I have managed to get by on 500-900 calories per day and have lost 8 pounds. When I say manage, I mean that I am pisssed off for most of the day, I go to bed and try to sleep by 8 PM and stay in bed til about 9 or 10 AM as the only time I am not hungry is when I am sleeping. I have 4 different family members telling me that they don't want me to die of a heart attack and then they all have different ideas about how I should lose weight. I lost about 75 pounds 15 years ago by cutting out fats and most fried foods and it worked for about 5 months. I still wanted fast food, junk food and high calorie food all the time - I got upset with people who say that their craving for "bad" food went away or that they got sick when they ate fast food - that never happened to be and never will.

As I write this, I realize that I am probably not ready to diet or make any lifestyle changes - if I was, I would probably not be so negative.

forget all that gimmick diet garbage.

forget food snobbery.

there is no such thing as good food or bad food.

what matters is how much of it you eat and how often you eat it.

if you're morbidly obese, this is all you have to start doing.

move more, eat less.

log your food. it may seem like a hassle at first, but most people end up eating a fairly consistent diet from week to week and month to month. you'll start to know your calories for your common foods pretty quickly.

all of that other stuff is designed to confuse you because they are trying to sell you something. forget it all.

once you're losing and feel confident that you've started developing the right habits, then start learning about dietary macros and start tracking those.

it's not rocket science. it's not hard. you just have to be diligent and patient.

don't starve yourself. you don't need to. 500-800 calories per day is crazy. don't do it. learn your BMR/TDEE. recognize that your current body mass is going to help you lose weight quickly whether you're eating 800 calories or 1800 calories.

it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. you didn't put it on overnight, you're not going to take it off overnight. but if you're willing to stick with it for several months, you may be surprised how much you can lose while not driving yourself crazy by undereating.

WinnerVictorious

I recently read a book called "Wheat Belly" by Dr. William Davis that essentially says that modern wheat is the cause of a lot of our problems today. By eliminating wheat from my diet I seldom have the cravings for food between meals that I did before. I am now going to monitor everything that I eat, so I can get to the weight that I want to be at. So far I have felt a lot better and seldom crave junk foods.

that book is BS. the author is just out to make a quick buck with his book.

http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/2012/03/wheat-belly-busted.html

acstansell

1) I agree with everyone who has posted that you are not eating enough. Eventually, you won't lose weight that way. I was at 274 when I started and I've been eating 1450 for a year and I've lost 60 lbs. Starving yourself will only make you cranky and set you up for a binge.

2) As far as the contradictory information this is what I've always felt - you have to do what is best for YOU! If you like bananas, eat them - just not 10 a day. If you want to eat a hamburger, eat it, just make room for it in your calories. If you want dessert, eat it, just make room for it. Some people find it best to drastically switch up their diets- going veggie/vegan, paleo, Atkins, whatever... but for some, these drastic changes don't work. You have to assess what you want to do and make up your own mind. For me, I wanted to lose the weight, but I also wanted to still be able to enjoy the food I love and the have the pleasure of eating out w/out feeling guilty. So, I do the portion control, moderation, more movement, less sugar, more fruits/veggies path. And it's working for me.

If you spend your time trying to sort out the contradictions, you will never get anywhere. Find what works for you and the motivation for it, and stick with that!

And eat more.

good luck.

kdeaux1959

morbidly obese eating 500-900 calories per day? Of course you're cranky. A moderate caloric deficit is best for sustainable weight loss. Eat. Just do it in moderation. Try to lose 1-2 lbs per week. That is a 500 -1000 calorie deficit. As far as food types... all things in moderation. moderation is key. too much of anything is bad and not enough is bad too... moderation.

Queen_JessieA

Why are you trying to go on 500-900 calories a day? That may be why you're so pissed off.

This. I would be pretty ticked off if I only had 500-900 calories a day as well!

Reeny1_8

Why are you trying to go on 500-900 calories a day? That may be why you're so pissed off.

I just started but have to agree. I would be mad as hell living off of 500-900 calories!

FormerFatSlob

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

I recommend reading this. It has a lot of GREAT points.

I just found out my body fat is 43.3% :noway:
I also used the calculators to find out that my TDEE is 2122/day and my BMR is a little under 1400/day.
I have been trying to eat 1200/cal day to lose and it's not coming off like I'd like. So... using the calculations given I found I should be eating around 1600 cal/day, but.... naturally, I am afraid to go from 1200 to 1600 and play the WAIT AND SEE game. So, I changed my settings and bumped myself up to 1400/day. Time will tell. Nervous? YES. But, I am tired of being tired and lacking energy and hoping this helps.

Good luck to you! You can do it!!

Thanks for the information - I would like think that I am fairly intelligent but the article I read was information overload. All I know is that my BMI, per my doctor, is off the chart and my BF% is over 31%. She (doctor) told me that I would be dead in a year if I didn't lose 200 lbs.

taso42

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

I recommend reading this. It has a lot of GREAT points.

I just found out my body fat is 43.3% :noway:
I also used the calculators to find out that my TDEE is 2122/day and my BMR is a little under 1400/day.
I have been trying to eat 1200/cal day to lose and it's not coming off like I'd like. So... using the calculations given I found I should be eating around 1600 cal/day, but.... naturally, I am afraid to go from 1200 to 1600 and play the WAIT AND SEE game. So, I changed my settings and bumped myself up to 1400/day. Time will tell. Nervous? YES. But, I am tired of being tired and lacking energy and hoping this helps.

Good luck to you! You can do it!!

Thanks for the information - I would like think that I am fairly intelligent but the article I read was information overload. All I know is that my BMI, per my doctor, is off the chart and my BF% is over 31%. She (doctor) told me that I would be dead in a year if I didn't lose 200 lbs.

Condensed version to avoid information overload.

1. Calculate your TDEE
2. Subtract a modest calorie deficit (~20% or 500 calories)
3. Eat at that level every day within reason (there will be off days; it's ok)
4. Exercise.
5. Win.

FormerFatSlob

1) 500-600 calories isnt good AT ALL. i'd be angry too.
2) Look into if it fits your macro's! That's what keeps me going.
3) Log.


Some Reading Material:
Read through the website.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/articles


When your filling out your goals keep these in mind:
0.5 lb per week weight loss - if you have between 1 to 10 lbs of fat to lose.
0.5 to 1.0 lb per week weight loss - if you have between 11 to 25 lbs of fat to lose.
1.0 to 1.5 lbs per week weight loss - if you have between 26 to 50 lbs of fat to lose.
1.5 to 2.0 lbs per week weight loss - if you have between 51 to 85 lbs of fat to lose


You can do this.. your family obviously loves you and are worried about you or they wouldnt have said anything!
Good luck and i hope i've helped.

I have to lose 200 lbs.... I found a website that breaks this down to 3.7 pounds per week.

FormerFatSlob

op, what is your point?
you're not asking questions. you don't have a tale. you're not willing to accept advice or make changes. you're just being a grump because you're hungry and you have seen that people lose weight on very low calorie diets and others lose weight on higher calorie diets.
are you just trying to get attention for your very low calorie diet?

I am a little confused by all the shorthand - what is OP? I was not asking for anything, I was venting.

unwonderland

actually, the best way to stop cravings is to slowly reduce your intake of them.

FormerFatSlob

I'm sure the 500-900 cals per day are REALLY adding to the pissed off mood and cravings.

I'd die on that amount of calories!

I'll add another contradiction. You can't starve yourself, period. And if it was a doctor who told you to do that, find another doctor!!

Are you exercising?

My doctor gave me the option of surgery, but I can't afford it. She told me that I would have to lose weight on my own anyway before she would do surgery, so she handed me a sheet with my body fat percentage and told me that my BMI was off her chart in her office (which is was). She said that I would be dead in a year and told me that I needed to lose as much weight as possible. When I asked her for tips, she said that people who have bypass have to keep their intake down to 800 calories - she also said that if I had a heart attack right now, they would put me on an 800 calorie diet before they would do surgery.

Pandorian

Log a days worth of your "normal eating" get close, be as accurate with portions as you can be to get an idea of your current calorie intake. Just pick one day and track everything, if you add it to your food track it... condiments, sauces, oils you fry in etc.

I did this when I started and when I started losing weight it was pretty apparent that I had been eating over 4000 calories a day - no wonder my weight was going up!
But now that I knew what a baseline day was for me I could lower the calories, and am losing fine at 2000ish calories net (exercise days I do eat more) 1500 turned me into a crabby mess as I wasn't getting near enough intake.

Once you see what a typical day is for yourself you may find that you could lose weight and have more food at a realistic level so you're not wiped..

op = original post or original poster

letjog

Your doctor can refer you to a qualified dietician who can help you choose the right foods for a low calorie diet, to ensure you still get enough nutrients and protein to maintain muscle mass.

You CAN do this, many have before you, you just have to keep going.

jofjltncb6

is this even serious/ I mean, OP's name is reallyfatslob. not to be mean, but idk anyone who would make their name that. obese or not.

I'll admit, my trollometer went off too. Actually, while reading it, I sincerely *hoped* that was the case as there are so many problems...not willing to log consistently/accurately (even for a short time), extremely low calorie diet, hangry, not ready to commit, etc.

OP, if this is legit, then listen to the advice you're getting in response...(and if it isn't, well, good luck on whatever it is you're trying to accomplish with this).

ETA: While I don't want to contradict an actual medical professional, I wonder if you're misinterpreting or reading too much into her "dead in a year if you don't lose 200 pounds" comment. I doubt she meant you need to lose 200 pounds within the next year or be dead. Perhaps she meant to say something more like, "unless you change your lifestyle and address your weight problem, your likelihood of mortality in the next year will be much higher." Absent close nutritional supervision, an 800 calorie diet sounds like a bad idea to me. Again, I'm not a doctor...just a random guy on the internet. Good luck.

Whatever you decide to do, consistently tracking/logging *at least for a while* is absolutely crucial. It will be impossible to know what changes you are actually making if you don't firmly understand where you are starting from. The difference between "on plan" and "off plan" can be several hundred calories every day, and tracking is the only way to know where you are. Knowledge truly is power, and good data on your current habits is an essential bit of that knowledge.

vmekash

Make a small change, and stick to it for at least two weeks before giving up or adding another change. Do not give up your fav. foods. Measure! If you have or can get a food scale, measuring is sooooooooo simple. Much easier to pour an ounce of, uh, chips than to count out 27 chips. I just got a food scale for xmas, and now I don't FEEL like I'm measuring, because I'm not taking out any measuring cups. I just put my bowl on the scale, an pour -- just like I would pour into a bowl on the counter or table.

You need to make this difficult and overwhelming task easy for yourself. And don't rush. No one needs to lose more than a couple of pounds in a week. This week, I lost 0.6. All my little losses have added up to nearly 30 lbs since August. Slow, yes, but easy. I don't feel deprived. I don't feel hungry. I crave a piece of chocolate now and again, so I have a Hershey's Bliss milk choc.

Another thing that is helpful -- a hobbie. Preferably something that keeps both hands busy. I knit. Even better would be something that takes you out away from your home. Photography at a local park or something???? I'm not talking about a fancy camera purchase. Camera phone if you have one, for example.

Main thing, do what you have to do to make this something you can keep right on doing, and won't make you miserable. Do what's easy, and when it becomes second nature, add another small change. Like take a 15 min. walk every other day, or only on days when the weather suits you (above a certain temp., or below a certain temp., or on days when it is not windy, whatever works). Small changes. I swear, you can do this. You just cannot do it all at once.

Best of luck to you.
Friend me if you wish.