623lbs, Trying to Get Going Again

Hey Dani,

It's amazing what you are doing; it will be tough but you can and will do it!

I am big time into junk and processed foods. I've been slowly changing my old favorites for new ones. There is an awesome app/website called Fooducate. You can put in ANY food and they show you a healthier alternative. And like everybody else is saying, baby steps! Rome wasn't built in a day after all. :flowerforyou:

Sending a friend request your way and I look forward to supporting you on your journey!

Rachael

I have sent you a friend request. Wow, there are so many great ideas and responses. You have come to the right place for great moral support!

One final thing - you will have a phenomenal amount of muscle, because you're carrying around 600lbs on a daily basis. There are professional weightlifters who can't move that much weight! Don't lose it! Walk. Bend. Pick stuff up and put it down again. You don't have start full on resistance/weight training now, but you'll have so much lean mass compared to most women that if you can hold onto it you'll look great as the fat comes off!

Welcome back! I agree with this ^^^. One of the things I try to do for myself is MOVE. Every time I have a choice of whether to sit still or move, I move. When waiting for the bus, I pace back and forth. When reading the paper, I pace back and forth (in the hall so I don't bump into things). Yes, I get weird looks, but after a while, people have become used to me. And when I tell them I have a pedometer app on my phone, they nod knowingly.

I read on another post where someone said to put the laundry basket on the floor and bend to pick up each item one at a time as you fold it. You get the picture. Little things add up and as you get used to moving, your body will become stronger, more fit, more flexible and it'll feel GOOD to move.

Best wishes and GOOD LUCK! :flowerforyou:

you can do this! there are ups and downs in any weight loss journey- yours started with an up, but you know what mine did too!!! what helped me is stop thinking of it as a diet, but start thinking of it as a new healthier lifestyle... and change one thing at at time, baby steps works best for me!

start by cutting out calorie drinks and add in more water- you can use crystal light or lemon/lime to flavor it. I have one cup of coffee in the morning and other than that I stick to 100% water! its great to clean yourself out and help prevent mindless snacking when you arent really hungry!

then try eating cleaner- add in more veggies and fruits and eat less and less pre-packaged foods- lean cuisines make me hungry, they dont even scratch the surface of my hunger, but a 6oz piece of grilled chicken breast with some veggies can keep me full and usually has about the same calories.

you got this!! just take it one food choice at a time, dont eat junk all day just because you mess up one meal, eat good the rest of the day- I used to be really bad at that and its helped me.

not sure if these will help you or not, but they helped me!

good luck to you!

Dani,

I cannot fathom how difficult this life style change must be for you. Obviously, the weight did not creep on over the course of a year, so you really need to make changes to the way you approach food and the food choices you make. I went over your diary and noticed that you went over by 1,800 cals the other day (Monday, I believe) which is the exact number of cals that were in your morning muffins. I think if you gave up the muffins in favor of scrambled eggs with some veggies, you will fill fuller longer, be able to stay under your caloric goals, etc.

Whatever you do, don't give up. Make small changes each day - switch out that ice cream for something lighter (it can still be sweet) such as some pudding/frozen yogurt with lots of fresh fruit.

Good Luck.

One final thing - you will have a phenomenal amount of muscle, because you're carrying around 600lbs on a daily basis. There are professional weightlifters who can't move that much weight! Don't lose it! Walk. Bend. Pick stuff up and put it down again. You don't have start full on resistance/weight training now, but you'll have so much lean mass compared to most women that if you can hold onto it you'll look great as the fat comes off!

Welcome back! I agree with this ^^^. One of the things I try to do for myself is MOVE. Every time I have a choice of whether to sit still or move, I move. When waiting for the bus, I pace back and forth. When reading the paper, I pace back and forth (in the hall so I don't bump into things). Yes, I get weird looks, but after a while, people have become used to me. And when I tell them I have a pedometer app on my phone, they nod knowingly.

I read on another post where someone said to put the laundry basket on the floor and bend to pick up each item one at a time as you fold it. You get the picture. Little things add up and as you get used to moving, your body will become stronger, more fit, more flexible and it'll feel GOOD to move.

Best wishes and GOOD LUCK! :flowerforyou:

this is good advice

I don't know if anyone already said this or not, but you don't have to do a whole lot of exercise to drop a lot of weight. All you have to do is probably start eating below 4000 calories a day (not sure how tall you are) and you will see the weight start to drop off. Maybe try cutting a lot of your liquid calories to start with ( I notice you drink a lot of soda). Even just doing that can make a huge difference. Good luck to you with your weight loss and keep logging!

Just take it one step at a time.

You can make the change.

Best of luck girl! I agree with others to try to cut out the soda. Doing that alone will get you much closer to your daily calorie goal.

Long term success is something I've always battled with my weightloss/ and or maintenance. I think you can only take things one day at a time, and one meal at a time. It helps me to think that even if I eat one bad meal, I can make it up at the next or the next time I exercise. For so many years I was the girl who would eat bad at one meal and then that would turn into the entire day, but I've found that if I turn it around at the next I don't feel better about myself, the control I have, and the scale doesn't have drastic increases, but more of a steady decrease. Just take it easy on yourself, do your best, and take it one day at a time.

Well done for sticking to 4000kcal Dani! I had a few thoughts for you:

1) 4000kcal gives you a lot of flexibility. You can eat everything you are used to eating, just in smaller quantities, AND lower calorie density foods (salads, soups, veggies etc) on top of that. I eat a bit of everything, and over time I think the balance has been getting better and better.

2) Find out your maintenance calories, and on days when 4000kcal really doesn't feel enough, make sure to stay under them.

3) Try to look into WHY you have gained weight from a psychological perspective. I read Fat Is A Feminist Issue before successfully losing weight. It's a bit outdated, but it went into the reasons why extra weight can make us feel good (less attention from the opposite sex, don't seem weak, etc) and helped enable me to lose weight FOR ME, not to be more attractive to anyone else. There are similar books out there, or perhaps some professional counselling would help.

I wish you all the best :flowerforyou:

I agree with others. Don't think of this as a "diet", but yet a lifestyle change. You are here to change your life and be healthy right? Well, think of it that way. You are doing this for life and it may take a few falls, but you can always get back up. You have amazing support with the community here and I think you are an amazing woman for stepping up to take control and take your life back.

Small changes are key so you don't burn yourself out and end up giving up. You GOT THIS!

Dani, can you get to a swimming pool for water aerobics? Walking can harm your joints, hips, knees, ankles, feet and spine. You are going to lose the weight but please protect your joints on the way down.

Try windmills with your arms while sitting. Hold them straight and circle them around 10 times each.
Bend your arms at shoulder level so your hands are near your head and then lift your hands straight up over your head. Don't drop them down below your shoulders for a count of 10.
Still holding your arms at shoulder level extend them straight out to the side from the elbow, in and out, keeping them at shoulder level for a count of 10.
Lift one arm over your head straight then the other, 10 times each arm.
Later on, as you get more active you can punch straight out with your arms.

While sitting, lift your legs by simply straightening them out at the knee and replacing it, one at a time 10 reps each leg.
While sitting, alternate lifting one knee up at a time, just enough to lift your foot off the floor. 10 times each leg.
While sitting, squeeze your butt cheeks together as tight as you can and hold it for a count of 10, do this 10 times.

While sitting, push your rib cage forward and then back to center. Push it backwards which will make your shoulders round and then back to center. Do this 10 times. Next, push your rib cage to the right then back to center and to the left and back to center. These are very small movements.

While laying flat on your bed, keeping your leg straight, lift one leg up as high as you can. It's okay if it's just a few inches then set it down. No letting it flop down. Now dot he other leg, same thing, 10 times each leg.
While laying flat on your bed raise your arms up over your head keeping them straight and then bring them back down beside you. 10 times together then 10 times each arm.

If you do all these exercises one right after the other it will raise your heart rate and burn fat even if it seems easy. Every week you can add one more rep, 11, 12, 13, etc..

For cool down, turn your head slowly to the right and then to the left. Then drop your head slowly forward and bring it back to regular position. Lift each foot off of the floor and slowly circle it to the right and then to the left. Do the same for your hands, circle at the wrist forward and backward.

Try and find water aerobics to do once a week if you can. Maybe the local YMCA?

You have two choices.
Do or die.
It sounds harsh, but it is true.
You are at a weight where your life is very much at risk.
You can still enjoy food, and lose the weight. You just need to want it badly enough, and to have your will and mind set on getting your life back and not letting food take that from you. Find healthier ways to deal with your emotions. Take some time to analyse your relationship with food, how it began, where it is getting you, how you can change it. It will take work and effort, but your life is in the balance here.

Work on pausing before you eat that next cookie, or that next unhealthy food, to actually think of what you are doing.
work on loving yourself. You deserve to live. And to live, you need to regain your health and lose this weight.

Forget 'trying'. You have to do it. There is only so much strain the body can take.

Congratulations on staying under 4k calories. Don't give up your favorite foods, just try cutting back. The nurse who leads a local weight loss group here says "if you have 6 pieces of toast, maybe today have 5 1/2 and soon that will be enough." Make your changes gradually. I wish you loads of luck.