The Former Morbidly Obese

Qskim

One day I realized I had to accept it would take time and patience. Most of all I wanted to have more energy. So I said to myself...WTH...1 year of commitment to health. I wasn't aiming to lose it all in one year though...just to apply myself for that length of time initially. Where it would take me I didn't have a clue. So I cut back on rubbish, swapped/cooked better foods, tried to incorporate walking every other day (already PT twice/wk), made no weight goals initially so the pressure was off and at the time no MFP so no calorie counting. Lost 30+ lbs about 6 - 8mths along. As I ate better and began using MFP I discovered I had a wheat allergy, more changes. I promised myself all the while that I would find a way everyday to keep going. I realised motivation needed constant feeding. I read and read and read...not just diet books either. I looked at nutrition, i sought foods that also benefitted my skin condition and arthritis. There was always a snippet of information that propelled me on. I looked at the habits of friends who had never had a weight problem. Instead of seeing challenges in life as a reason to stuff/give up...I looked at them as an opportunity to change my behavior, develop strategies to cope. These are so imbedded now that it is not until someone mentions what they do that I remember having to develop that thought process myself. A year goes so fast I realized. I treated it like a job and I was the CEO. I'm nearly at goal...lost 90lbs, 16 to go and still enjoying the process. Survived a healthy pregnancy at 42 and continued where I left off.. Just never gave up.

fun_b

I knew I had to do something because I was approaching my birthday and felt miserable about how I looked in clothes. I picked up a book called 'The Idiot proof diet' which was low carb and thought 'I'll try it for a week or two' as my birthday was in one month. Once I lost 10 pounds in two weeks, I suddenly saw how my body looked so different. This motivated me to keep going. After my birthday and despite a binge weekend of eating lots of cake, I started to continue and was amazed that I continued to lose. This was about four years ago,

Low carb may not be ideal for you but for me it worked for about 6 months (the longest I have ever stayed on a diet) and I kept a lot of the weight off. I am now trying low calories because I love my carbs too much to give it up forever. I look at old pictures and think if I had not made that change at the time I could have been still like that today.

squatsandlipgloss

I just came out of the morbidly obese range... Still obese, but I am working on it.

I had tried soooo many fad diets only to realize that these things simply do not work.

The secret was eating healthy/normally (not binging, planning my meals, eating enough, regularly, not think about food all the time), not depriving myself, I will have chocolate, those cookies, I will have that pizza, but I won't eat 10 cookies, I will have 2, I will not have the whole chocolate bar, I will have 2 pieces. If I want a pizza for diner, I will cut some calories from my lunch and breakfast. Planning made a biiiig difference. Every single morning I write down what I am going to eat that day, breakfast, lunch, diner and 2-3 snacks. I will calculate my calories and make sure I have enough on the menu that day. I stick to that.

Next to that: I started exercising 6 days a week, consistently. I found something I loved doing and stuck with it. I do home exercises, since I hate going to the gym. Moving is important to me, because it makes me feel fit and it makes me WANT to eat healthy!

Drink lots of water, just always have a bottle of water close and chug it.

Why I made this change? I realized I was going to die earlier than I wanted. That was just the reality of it. I took a picture of my body and I was disgusting that I let it get that far. I couldn't wear the clothes that I loved, because of how it looked on me. Etc, etc, etc.

Losing weight is hard, being overweight is hard... Pick your hard.

XXXMinnieXXX

Finally realising I wanted to do this for Me. Because it has to be for You firstly for it to work. I was never successful doing it for others. I now realise I deserve it for me.

Went to therapy to tackle food issues.

Got a good antidepressant.

Evaluated who was negatively impacting me and got them out of my life (probably the hardest one)

Found macros that filled me up, kept me satisfied and are doable as a lifestyle. I currently do 35% carbs, 35% fat and 30% protein. I'm strict with the carbs.

After surgery Monday, and mostly snacking but within macros I lost. As of this morning I've lost 89.4lbs. 50 to go.

Morbidly obese - obese now close to just over weight.

Thus has to be a lifestyle change, you have to be proactive and ready to fight for yourself but it can be done and it's sooooo worth it. I'm finally finding myself and it feels fantastic!

Zara x

ruqayyahsmum

for portion control i switched from a dinner plate to a side plate and make sure half of it is filled with vegetables. standard dinner plates are way too big as people tend to fill them

i started swimming. i walk with a stick so am limited in the exercises i can do but swimming is low impact and an all round exercise so is great for me

i started of with just 18 lengths before my bad leg quit moving on me but now im up to 50 lengths and my walking is starting to improve now too

ive tried numerous times to lose weight, have lost 8 stone in the past and always regained. thing is i was losing for others. To look better to others, to stop others rediculing me, to be healthy so i can support my family etd

This time im doing it because if i dont im going to die and likely in the next few years as my health has declined massivly in the last 12 months. i went from being at the gym 4 hours a day, 5 days a week to being un able to walk further than the length of my living room. It means so much more to me now

crzyone

Thank you and I wish you all the best. It's hard...I've done it before but can't seem to find the motivation that helps me get through the day without blowing it at night...

Good luck to you all on getting healthier.