Super morbidly obese. Any advice?

fresh_start59 · January 2013

***HUGS!***

How awesome that you are getting in three hours a week of exercise!
I am slowly increasing my exercise, mainly walking but have added some resistance bands to (hopefully) replace some of my fat with much needed muscle.

I agree with the others about mahanaibu's advice. In fact, I'm going to copy her post and put it in a file for me to refer to as a reminder of what I should be doing.

The only other thing I would add is to EAT OFTEN.
I have found that snacking, especially on protein, every three hours really keeps me from being hungry.

Also, I would not deprive myself of any foods, especially in the beginning. When I tell myself that I can't have something, that is all that I want to eat. What I don't do is keep those binge-provoking foods in my house. If I want ice-cream, I have to plan, make it fit within my calories and then go get a scoop. No way I can have a carton of it in my fridge. It would last about 2 hours.

Muktak · January 2013

Well, I don't have any advice to give cause I am relatively new here ( 40 days), but I hear you. I have been on many diets on and off, but last month has been the most fun and rewarding fitness month ever, and its thanks to the super nice and supportive friends on MFP. Its a wonderful interactive community that encourages you and helps you when you need to share your guilt after any binge, so its great that you have started here. Feel free to add me, if you need a friend.

psssst13 · January 2013

Welcome to the club. I am only 4'11" (due to shrinking/collapsing spine). I weigh 270#. I have good blood sugar, triglicerieds,and blood pressure is controlled with medication. I sympathzie with you about the exercise. I am due to have back spine surgery if I can lose weight. I sure want to lose the pain. I started this just a week ago, but signed up about two weeks ago. By the way I am 68 and it is harder the older you are. I have only been eating when I am hungry, but now I have incorporated it to 3 times a day and 1 snack. My snacks are friut or nuts. Breakfast I found a Kellog's breakfast flatbread that tastes good. I eat salads, chicken, tuna, steak, and other veggies. I try to slow down and pace myself so I can let the food hit bottom and know when I have had enough.

Believe me this is hard, but this is my life and I am tired of letting food rule over me. I can't stand to look at myself and get disgusted when I can't do anything because of the pain in my back. I keep telling myself one day at a time and Rome wasn't built in a day. The best thing is that there are people here that are in the same boat and they can be your support. That has really been my biggest problem. No support from my family. With your fitness pals we can get through this together.

theresa_may · January 2013

Welcome to My Fitness Pal! It sounds like you are off to a great start. I would strongly recommend the slow and steady route and keep exercising a little more every day. Keep track off your progress, set mini goals and have little rewards to look forward to. I like to use a spreadsheet to keep track of my calories and exercise and at the end of every week I'll reward myself with something small (like a new running top or a small cup of froyo). Try not to lose the weight too fast, as tempting as that may be, you risk messing up your metabolism and making weight loss in the future much more difficult. No strange diet (ie Atkins, Paleo, etc) is necessary. Just use common sense - eat lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains and protein. Keep track of it all on here. I allow myself a small sweet every night - about 100-150 calories. This keeps me from feeling deprived and helps keep me on track. Good luck and message me if you'd like to chat some more.

lslater4 · January 2013

First 362to262, let me say Hi, glad you joined us. I am over weight myself due to medical reasons and medication. I am on steroids and have been for 2 years. But I have found that the best plan is your plan. What works for me, Jane or sara may not work for you. We all know that chicken and fish are the best. With lots of veggies. I throw in a little starch a few times a week . I allow myself 1 soda (not diet) a day. Lots and lots of veggies. I have a piece of chocolate when I want. I also eat what ever I want but in moderation. stick to the serving size. This all helps keep the cravings down. But the log is the biggest thing. It makes you look at what you have ate all day long. And there are time I just dont like seeing that.

Now that you have heard from everyone on what we do. You will need to find the right way for you. Everyone here will support you and encourage all your efforts and struggles plus the best of all your accomplishments to get to you goal.

Also my daughter goes to a day center. They all have different disabilities, but they do exercise from their chairs. If you can move you can do this.

You can do this. Stay strong.
Feel free to add as a friend.

wrkscl26 · January 2013

I completely understand the reason on why you want to lose the weight fast. I want to too, it makes you feel gross and undesirable and you seek for that instant gratification.
You just need to get active at the gym, start off with what you can handle, walking on the track, bike riding, elliptical, treadmill, etc.. Don't worry about the weight lifting and all that till later on.
Keep the diet, maybe not so extreme.
You can do it!!! I have lost a little bit already, and have a good support group of people who help me stay motivated.

Good Luck, wish you the best!
You can add me as a friend if you'd like

Elizabeth

ShrinkinAmberina · January 2013

I think your doing great that you started.. I personally do an omnitrition( its a healthy supplement company, that a friend told me about last year which im very happy bout) eating plan and work out 6 days a week but the working out is just in the last month.

vanguardfitness · January 2013

You really need to address why you're binge eating

BohemianCoast · January 2013

Looking at this, I think 1600 is likely to be a really harsh calorie goal for you -- and if you're hungry, that might trigger binge eating. Personally, I find that if I cut calories too far, I find myself snacking. There's a post here 'in place of a roadmap' that you might look at.

As well as taking the time you need to take, it's worth remembering that it takes *ages*, if you're big, before anyone else will notice. I've only just moved from 'ooh, have you had your hair cut?' to 'hey, have you lost weight?, and that's six months into the journey. But because I've taken it gently I'm just as enthusiastic about it now as I was then.

I've benefitted hugely from logging all my food. I had a day last week that I thought 'oh gosh, I've just stayed in and eaten junk all day', and when I logged it, I had gone over but only by about 900 cals, which is *nothing* over a week or a month. I haven't given up all foods, and I've cut my carbs quite a bit, but I'm not on a very low carb diet. I still eat every sort of food and drink that I like to, just with mostly smaller portions.

It's worth just walking a little bit more every day than you did the day before, even if that's only five minutes at first. A pedometer can help a lot with this. If you reckon to do some exercise nearly every day, you'll be walking for half an hour in no time.

I started at 239, but I'm only 5'1" so that's pretty huge really. You can do this thing. Good luck.

cindyjoesousa · January 2013

First of all let me commend you on taking those first steps..Im 54..I weighed 284 at my highest weight..Im down to 200 but it has taken me a little over one year to lose it..Im in no hurry..I got this way over time..its gonna come off over time..I still have 40 pounds to goal and then plan to put myself on the maintenance plan..
Continue your water aerobics or whatever form of exercise you can do..if you have to "waddle" as you called it, even if its only for 30 minutes, you're moving..even at a slow pace that counts as walking slow pace and it burns calories..
Stay under your calorie limits..if you have a bad day..count the calories, look at it, and get back on track the next day..we are human..we will fall off the wagon..the important thing is to GET BACK ON..
My philosophy is ONE POUND A WEEK IS 54 POUNDS A YEAR!
Good luck and keep up the good work!

AnabolicKyle · January 2013

Eat as many carbs as you want as long as youre under your Cal goal
Eat as much protein as you want as long as youre under your Cal goal
Eat as much fat as you want as long as youre under your Cal goal

As other posters said why are you binge eating? why did u set 1600Cal as your goal?

it takes on average a deficit 3500Cal to lose a lb of fat so keep that in mind.

Good Luck nothing is going to happen overnight but in one year you can *easily lose a 100lbs

366to266 · January 2013

Wow I am just overwhelmed by all these replies. Hard to remember what everyone said now I finally followed all the links y'all posted and worked my way down this thread.

OK -- MANY THANKS for the support and encouragement. Now to answer some questions posted above, and other points.

Firstly, no point seeing my doctors. They are all hopeless. The chief of the surgery is over 280lb himself and has been for all the 20 yrs I've been on their books. None of the others can "cure" him. When I asked for help losing weight they gave me a govt booklet full of outdated advice - it tells me to eat sugar, chocolate, biscuits, pasta, wheat, jelly, rice and potatoes. The very foods that got me to 366 lbs <sigh>. I still have the booklet here in my drawer.

Second, i chose 1600 because Dan, the guy who wrote the Road Map post, told me to, once he knew my BMR and TDEE, etc. Others say 1750, 2000, even 2230. The way I see it, if I aim for 1600 and go a few hundred over that a few days each week, that is fine, isn't it?

Third, why am I in a hurry? Because I finally got utterly, completely annoyed, fed up and irritated to h3ll of being this obese. Life is passing me by and I am 54. Being 54 and morbidly obese and being nearly housebound makes you feel it's an emergency. It's NOT the same as being 25 and 50lbs overweight. I don't have time to take years over this. I just want it GONE.

I have set my goal as 100lb to lose, and I am prepared to dedicate the whole of 2013 to achieving it. I want to weigh 266 by 31st December. After that, even if I never lost another pound, life would be liveable again. At 266 I was going abroad and walking about all day sightseeing. At 266 I was playing badminton and table tennis! At 266 I was fitting into plane, theatre and cinema seats. So that is my goal.

Fourth, I am a little puzzled why a few on here are suggesting that I eat grains and fruit and potatoes. I went through h3ll to give up those trigger-foods and I will not return to them (not until I have lost 100lb at least). In fact, why bother at all? If they start me bingeing, then why not live without them forever? There is no nutrient in them that I cannot get from eating green veggies, tomatoes, meat, fish, cheese, eggs and cream. Maybe when I have lost a huge amount I might have a few raspberries or strawberries, but not if I am left with the whole punnet because I will not be able to stop myself from eating the lot in one go.

Vanguard -- Why do I binge? Because a bit of me MISSES that rubbish "carbage" that I was addicted to for so many years. A bit of me resents that I am not "allowed" to eat the things that everyone "out there" is indulging in. It's not because I'm hungry.

Bohemian, you said no one will notice? Well I stood naked in front of my lover on Sunday morning and turned around slowly. After having a good long look he is unable to see any difference, despite 16lb lost! You are right about logging food. That makes a HUGE difference to me. I like to input breakfast and lunch, then see how many calories/carbs I have left to "spend" on dinner. Once I have used up my allocation, if I am STILL hungry I will go upstairs, brush my teeth and get into bed, out of harm's way. I can still surf the net and watch diet videos on Youtube on my laptop, but I am "safe" up there.

As well as water aerobics I am going to do chair-obics 3 x a week with this amazingly motivating and fun man:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhkI62p9OLU&feature=share&list=PL5pY75MJz33liJEks7NCCTnpknyG3RYBu

Thanks again everyone.

figomezzo · January 2013

congrats on the steps you are taking! You sound like you are on your way to losing weight. So the only thing I can grasp that is hindering you so far...is your binge eating. you say you do this every few days or so? Most of what you said you binge on is sugar or carbs so like another poster said...if its every few days, it sort of has become part of your normal diet. That has got to be setting you back some. Is there anything you can do when you feel that urge to binge that will keep it at bay? Do you have to go out and get these binge foods or are they in your house/workplace already? I find that I cant keep certain foods in my house or I will just eat them and eat them all quickly!

eileenchristine · January 2013

You can do this. Just commit each day to logging your food. That's what started me. Friend got me to join to support him. I thought why not, it sounds easy and it is easy! I have learned a lot in the past 5 months and am making better choices and even started exercising! And I am older than you!

I understand the pain of moving around. Went on vacation with my girl and best friend and I was in pain daily due to being so out of shape. Doesn't help my best friend is a personal trainer. She had no issues with walking 3 to 5 miles a day. My knees were killing me. Was a real wake up call to me that I needed to stop the insanity of eating and sitting so much.

Now, I haven't lost much in 5 mo. only 25 lbs but I console myself that loose skin won't be an issue for me! And I feel so much better. My knees don't even notice when i walk 3 miles with the dog. I love it and I know its probably going to take me a year to lose the next 60 lbs but that's ok. I am learning to eat better and make better choices daily.

All I have to do is commit to today. If I look at the big picture and think, omg, I have only lost 25 lbs and I still need to lose at least 60 I will get discouraged. But today I will log my food and make good choices. That's it. That's all I have to focus on.

Be kind to yourself, it takes a lot of courage to be honest and keep going every day but you will get there!

mad417 · January 2013

Try using amino acid supplementation to stop sweet and starch cravings. L-glutamine 500 mg 1-3 capsules three times a day (don't take with food) will stop cravings. You can also open a capsule and put the powder under your tongue to stop a craving immediately. There are a lot of other amino acids and nutritional supplements you can take to help you.

terijoestoes · January 2013

From reading the foods you eat they look very high sodium. That can trigger hinges. Up your carbs and track really healthy protein. You really can do this. Water aerobics are great. I do that too but at home I do upper body calithrnics. These can be done sitting in a chair. Or standing later when your legs are stronger. I have really bad knees so no jumping jacks or treadmill for me. Fiber is your friend. Keeps you full and cuts cravings. If you don't like raw veggies (like me) cook them. Love cabbage soup but try changing it up with other veggies. I love carrots and white beans in mine. Don't treat yourself for awhile. Food is fuel to keep you from dying not entertainment or a reward. It takes 21 days to form a new habit. Do research and use what works for you.

concordancia · January 2013

Eliminating foods does not seem to be working for you. You need to find what works best for YOU!

My recommendations, many with scientific support, include:

-Tend towards clean eating: fresh fruits and veggies, cook your own meals. In this way, your diet will be full of nutrients, and your body will function at its best.

-Rather than low carb ( ie eliminating wheat and fruits), think about high protein. When you combine these first two, you can still include the occasional fruit and/or whole grains.

-Make sure you are eating enough, and enough healthy foods - some binges are triggered by genuine hunger or a lack of specific nutrients. Extremely low calorie diets are a trade off. You get rapid weight loss, but there are negative effects as well (ie, in some cases, liver damage), especially if you binge while on them. Since you are already healthy, you cannot weigh the pros and cons - there are only potential harmful effects without any compensating health benefits.

-Look into therapy - some binges are psychologically driven and you need to deal with the root issue

shellbatronic · January 2013

You really need to address why you're binge eating

This, this, a thousand times this. When it comes to weight loss, it doesn't matter very much if you keep your boat afloat for 3 days if you capsize it for the 2 after that. And that's what binging does, it picks you up and puts you right back where you started. Not even talking necessarily about the numbers of weight (although you will almost definitely "gain" water weight if you binge on chinese takeway and starch), but also in how your body is reacting to insulin. You need to think of it like almost detoxing, your brain needs time to step back and clear those pathways and let your hormones clear the air, when you binge on sugars (which starches and chinese food are totally riddled with), you're muddying the waters again and will crave it like crazy.

Have you considered seeing a therapist? The mind can play a huge role in this stuff, and you really can't gloss over the binges, because they can and will hold you back from your goals.

Kudos on the exercising, water aerobics is so great, when I started that and the recumbent bike was all I could manage. Since you have access to a pool, maybe you can "walk laps" in the water? That's a good way to get some resistance training without having so much pressure on your joints.

clhous03 · January 2013

Congratulations on taking these first steps! That's always the hardest part.

My own experience with a low carb diet was not positive, but I would never presume to tell someone else that it will be the same for them. I lost a lot of weight very, very fast with Atkins, but I stopped feeling good after awhile. After I had lost about 60 lbs in four months (too fast, too fast!) my hubby and I went on vacation and I was so excited to get our pictures from vacay back so I'd finally have pics of me closer to my goal weight. The pictures came back and it actually frightened me. I looked sickly and awful. Losing too fast made the skin just hang off my body, which wasn't my desired look, obviously. That's just one of the reasons why everyone here is telling you to take it slow, too. As soon as I ate the first thing that wasn't allowed on the diet, I lost my way completely and then gained the weight back plus quite a bit more. For me, low carb was not the way to go.

You're doing great! Stay motivated and just know that it will feel awesome when it comes. I may be 40 by the time I reach my goal (I'm 38 now) but I tell myself every day that I'm going to be 40 one way or another, and I'd rather be 40 and healthy than 40 and not!

Missanscott1 · January 2013

You have to remember, you didn't put this weight on overnight and you won't lose weight overnight....actually the slower you lose it and as long as your doing it the right ways you have more of a chance of keeping it off! I admire you motivation....just take your time and do it right! You got this!!!

Super morbidly obese. Any advice?

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