623lbs, Trying to Get Going Again

You can do it hun! Good luck :-) ♥

You can do this! Small goals, one day at a time. And every single success counts. I began by celebrating the stretch in my jeans. I started at 3% spandex, then was able to buy a pair that only had 2% spandex, then 1%. It may sound crazy, but since the size wasn't changing, this was a victory I could be happy about. It really helped me feel that I was gaining back some control. Good luck to you!

Just wanted to reply again because I think of you often and I am SOOOOO ROUTING for you!

Hey There! Just wanted to stop back in and let ya know that we're all still rooting for ya!!

Hope things are going well -one day at a time!

Good luck Dani! I am rooting for you!!

Please try to think of this as a lifestyle change and not a diet. Diets do not work and they certainly don't work in the long run. Start out trying to do one good thing a day for yourself and work your way up. You have my prayers.

I have not read all responses to your original post, so please forgive me if I'm repeating what someone else has already said.

One of the problems that occurs in compulsive eaters who are morbidly or super obese is that food becomes the only pleasure. People who are extremely heavy become so self-conscious and activity becomes so difficult that it is hard to participate in meaningful or pleasureable activities. Staying home and watching TV while eating a lot of food becomes our comfort and our only source of pleasure.

I know that for myself, I grew up in a dysfunctional home without much affection or positive interaction, so I do not seek or receive pleasure or comfort from other people naturally. I learned at an early age to associate food with love, comfort and pleasure. I suffered from social anxiety and was very self-conscious about participating in any public activity.

My advice for you is to find something that you love to do -- not even an exercise or activity, but just something that gives you pleasure, comfort or happiness besides TV or food. (It's too easy to eat while watching TV. Find something that requires concentration and use of your hands.) Draw, paint, play an instrument, knit, make beaded jewelry. Just find something that makes you happy, so that you can start filling your life with actions instead of eating. Find something that makes you feel special and accomplished and proud, and then make time to do it every day.

Once you start filling your time with something other than food, food will become less important to you.

Best wishes.

First of all...you are amazing for taking the steps to get healthy. It is difficult. Start slow, take it in little chunks. If you start out thinking about how much you want to lose total it seems too big to achieve. A lot of the work we have to do is absolutely mental. Speaking only for myself, I know I did not eat my way to a high of 335 pounds just because I like the taste of chips. Food becomes a source of comfort...even when you know the choices you are making are killing you. It just all becomes a vicious cycle. Don't try to make too many drastic cuts at once. Slow and steady wins the race here. You can do this! Please feel free to add me if you like. :flowerforyou:

It will have been said already, but I think you'd benefit from seeing a professional to help you learn about food groups and nutrition.

Maybe initially finding an alternative to pizza? it's obviously a favourite food, but if you could find recipes to make yourself you can much better control the nutrition.
Also avoiding skipping meals too.

I admire you for your honesty in your logging, and your determination to change.

Something I have read in the thread is to focus on what you can have rather than what you can't. Denial of anything automatically makes you crave it whatever your weight and size might be.

Good luck on your journey.

You can do it! Remember -- it's whatever works --FOR YOU! For some people, it's a support group like OA. Others might find help from the doctor. Some might pay lots of money for a trainer, surgery or a fancy spa. And some might find online tools like MFP, Sparkspeople or the Three Fat Chicks On A Diet blog most helpful. Starting is no fun, but once results start showing it can be very motivating to stick with WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. And it's one pound at a time! Keep posting. I'd love to know how you are doing.

mine over matter i have made in mind thats i have to get this weight off me. if i have a bad day i just try again the next.

Dani, Don't get too caught up with numbers & don't be hard on yourself. Habits are tough to break & just need to be replaced by new habits. Maybe you could think of substitutes for some habits. I am a night time snacker and so I started knitting. I can only knit a straight line and couldn't follow a pattern if my life depended on it. So if my hands are busy knitting, I can't snack. The upside is that everyone will be getting a scarf this year for Christmas. Tell me your favourite colour & I will send you one this year too!!
Hang in there kiddo.
Liz from Canada (that's why there is a "u" in colour!!)

You should be proud. You hit your first goal of being under 4000 calories. Woo Hoo! Everytime you think that it's too hard, remember that you've already hit your first goal. Try to just stick with that for one week, then pick a new one, it doesn't have to be a huge one. Maybe replace one food you can live without that day with something healthier. (You never have to give it up forever, just remember moderation), or go outside and walk around the yard or up the street for a bit. Even in business, big projects get broken down into smaller steps because thats the only way we get things done. Use the same thoery and pick goals that are acheivable, one at a time.

Hi Dani:
I've been using MFP for about 2 years or so, but just recently clicked on the community tab and started participating in these message boards due to my needing advise on how to kick start my metabolism again.... Anyway, I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this. I did read one response about seeking professional help such as a dietician. I completely agree with that, but I truly feel at this point you should seek professional help from a mental health therapist. I say that from experience. I packed on a ton of weight during and after a pretty horrible marriage. I was depressed, unmotivated and lonely. My perfect evening consisted of take out chinese, ice cream and a few block buster movies to get me through the weekend. I was completely tuned out of the rest of the world. I began to see a therapist in order to get my mind in a better place first and then slowly I began to make life style changes which included my social life as well as my diet.

This is not something that in my opinion you should go through on your own. Having friends and supporters on MFP is fantastic, but in my case at least, I strongly believe that had I not sought out mental health, I would not be where I am today. I ate mainly because I was bored, lonely and depressed. The moment I sat on my couch to watch TV I wanted to eat. The busier I kept, the less I thought about food.

I don't know what your financial or health insuarnce situation is... but two things that helped me a ton were getting a therpist to get to the root of my problem and getting a used treadmill. I remember recording a show on TV I liked and telling myself I would walk on the treadmill for the full 30 min the show lasted. At first I would rest during commercials. I also joined on line groups such as meetup.com and signed up for different activities just to keep me busy and keep me moving. I'd go bowling or to the movies or museums, etc... Signing up for those activities forced me out of the house, forced me to interact with people and make friends, got me moving, thus burning calories and kept me busy so I wouldn't think about food.

It will not be easy and it will take time, but it is so worth it in the end ! My life has turned around completely in the last 8-10 years. I have a crazy fun job where I travel non-stop and meet friends from all over the country and I am extremely happily married. AND... I still go to therapy ! No one has the perfect life and although I am in a much better place now, I bascially think of going to see a therapist as getting a tune up, if you will.... I wish you all the luck in the world!

I don't know what your financial or health insuarnce situation is... but two things that helped me a ton were getting a therpist to get to the root of my problem and getting a used treadmill.

^^^ This!

Getting a therapist may sound expensive and intimidating at first, but there are many sliding scale options out there. Please consider researching this and taking advantage of whatever such opportunities exist where you live.

BEST of luck in your journey!