I need help

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username243
username243 Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
I'm not even sure if I'm posting this in right section or if this even the site to reach out, but I seemed to have hit bottom. I finally broke down and got a scale and found out I weigh 446 pounds. I have never been this big. At one point I weighed 350, lost 100 pounds and got down to 250, but not only have I gained the weight back, but I've gained an additional 100 pounds. I'm 28 and everyday activities are becoming a struggle. I live in a two story home and dread having to walk up the stairs. Tying shoes is difficult or putting on socks. I'm always tired and I show classic symptoms of diabetes. I work at a sedentary job. I have no idea how to plan meals around my work schedule and get in some exercise. I really don't know how to get started. I've contemplated everything from lap band surgery to suicide. Anybody else over 400 pounds? Anything to help me get started?

Replies

  • 63hanson
    63hanson Posts: 154 Member
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    You have come to the right place. There is a lot of support here at MFP. Take your time and complete everything in your profile and it will figure how many calories you need. Then the hard part is LOG EVERYTHING. When you have a set number of calories, it forces you to make good food choices in order to get your nutrients in. Then start walking, even if it is just down the street and back. Each day you will get a little stronger.

    I've sent a friend request and will be happy to offer you whatever help I can. Good luck:smile:
  • Joyzmine317
    Joyzmine317 Posts: 1
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    Getting started is the hardest part. I just finally restarted after I lost 75 poumds and then regaimed 40 back. Its a slow and steady process. Which Is hard because that one time I passed on a brownie I wanted the scale to say thanks by instantly dropping pounds. I just,turned 30, am gettimg married soon, and my knees started hurting. I went and got a workout dvd that was for people like me. Not just a few pounds to lose, but alot. Im at 360 and working on it. Sometimes all you need is friends who know,what your going through and encourge you. :-)
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Celebrate every single step you take, no matter how small. Park a little further from the door. Eat a healthy snack instead of one that's less healthy. Forget your past and let today be the start of it all. Be patient and take one step at a time and don't compare yourself to others - you're uniquely you and you can do this. It will take time. You'll have successes and failures because you're human and each one of us is in that same boat. The important thing is that you've taken the first step.
  • karlalband
    karlalband Posts: 196 Member
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    Please feel free to add me. MFP is the best thing I have ever done. My health is getting better too. Great support here!
  • Reepir
    Reepir Posts: 32 Member
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    Feel free to add me. I am at 300 and I work a desk job too. It is hard but you can do this! I am willing to offer help with meal planning and tips. I may be a beginner but I know a lot and my boyfriend has diabetes so that may help you. Also I would definitely recommend seeing a doctor before anything. You don't want to harm yourself more by doing something too quick.
  • mimieon
    mimieon Posts: 182 Member
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    First step: Informing yourself, set yourself up for succes.

    Read this, it has been useful for many people on here!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
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    I am sooo proud of you to start your journey. Just by writing this shows you are ready to lose the weight. Just start. One day at a time and before you know it, you will feel better. For your own health, you need to research weight loss techniques with the help of a Dr.

    You can do it!!!!
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,713 Member
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    ''a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step''
    ...and is made up of thousands more small steps.

    you can do it. one step at a time.
  • username243
    username243 Posts: 2
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    I just don't know how to get going. When I lost weight before I was working part time in a department store and going to college. My work required me to walk a lot and I had time to fit in an exercise schedule. Now after working 40 hours when I get home I don't feel like preparing a meal and exercising. It's not like I eat a high volume of food. I eat two meals a day with minimal snacking in between. I have a 3 bedroom house all to myself so I can use one of the extra bedrooms as an exercise room. I exceed the weight limit of most exercise equipment. My exercise bike says it's made for 200 pounds but it seems to do fine. It seems like healthy food is longer to prepare. It's quicker and easier to microwave some pizza rolls. I have to find things that are quick and easy to make, or spend a day making meals for the week and heat them up when I'm ready to eat them.
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,713 Member
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    it does take time to cook. but what is worth more of an investment, your favourite tv show or your health?
    if you have time to watch even one show a day then you have time you could better spend preparing food.
    set a timer and every half hour get up and stretch your legs. even if it's just walking across the room and back.

    those are the smallest steps.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
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    It's not like I eat a high volume of food. I eat two meals a day with minimal snacking in between

    You didn't get to where you're at now by "not eating much". You probably have no idea how many calories you're consuming.

    Have you taken the time to figure out how many calories you would need to eat in order to lose weight? There are basically two ways; follow MFP's recommendations (and eat back your exercise calories) or figure our your BME and TDEE and subtract 20% of calories from your TDEE (and don't eat back your exercise calories. Someone has already posted the "In Place of a Road map" link here for you.

    Take the time to look over the site, educate yourself and get a plan in place. Without a plan, how will you know what to do?

    Weight loss is around 80% diet and 20% exercise. You can exercise all you want, but keep in mind that it doesn't give you free reign to eat whatever you want. "You can't out exercise a bad diet".
    Get a food scale and weigh/measure/track everything you eat.
    Don't feel like you have to give anything up - just make sure you stay within your caloric goals.
    Don't expect to see immediate results, it takes your body 4-6 weeks to adjust.

    Find like-minded friends here! There are plenty of people that have lost 100s of pounds. There are specific groups for people with 100+ pounds to lose. Here are two.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3322-100-pounds-with-no-surgery
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/685-100-lbs-to-lose

    Who better to support you than others that have the same goals?

    Check out this guy for motivation!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/626293-3-yr-anniversary-307-lbs-lost-picture-heavy

    This guy (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tyler) has a very informative website:
    http://www.344pounds.com/

    Hope this helps a little. Best of luck to you!
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
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    I just don't know how to get going. When I lost weight before I was working part time in a department store and going to college. My work required me to walk a lot and I had time to fit in an exercise schedule. Now after working 40 hours when I get home I don't feel like preparing a meal and exercising. It's not like I eat a high volume of food. I eat two meals a day with minimal snacking in between. I have a 3 bedroom house all to myself so I can use one of the extra bedrooms as an exercise room. I exceed the weight limit of most exercise equipment. My exercise bike says it's made for 200 pounds but it seems to do fine. It seems like healthy food is longer to prepare. It's quicker and easier to microwave some pizza rolls. I have to find things that are quick and easy to make, or spend a day making meals for the week and heat them up when I'm ready to eat them.

    I know it seems overwhelming but it's possible that you've created in your mind what you think weight loss needs to be. Maybe it's not that way. You get going by creating a goal here on mfp and start logging your food. It's ok if it's not perfect at first. It takes time to create new habits. Just start doing it. You've already posted your own answer about food. Make your meals ahead of time and reheat them when you get home. You could cook every two or three days and eat leftovers until it's gone so you're not cooking everyday. Yes, it takes more time to cook than it does to microwave pizza rolls, but you can't keep doing what you're doing and expect different results. Some things do have to change. Or just eat less of what you're already eating if you are too overwhelmed by the idea of too much change all at once. I know the changes can seem daunting but work on changing your mindset first. Weight loss is more of a mental challenge than a physical one.
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,713 Member
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    It's not like I eat a high volume of food. I eat two meals a day with minimal snacking in between

    You didn't get to where you're at now but not eating much.
    that's the cold, hard truth of it.

    people often have a wildly distorted view of what is a normal amount of food.
    even if you were in a coma, you would need 2500+ cals/day just to stay at 300 pounds.
    any fewer cals and/or any extra cals burned and you would start losing weight.
    sitting up, walking to the loo, typing uses cals above that, so you must be eating a fair bit over.

    gotta start weighing, measuring and logging. you NEED an accurate perception.
  • GrammyNanner
    GrammyNanner Posts: 88 Member
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    Sent a friend request and glad to help you.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Actually, I spent a few minutes reading that site I suggested to you (http://www.344pounds.com) and if you do nothing else today, read Tyler's "How to Lose Weight" post (http://www.344pounds.com/how-to-lose-weight/).

    Common sense everyday language that's easy to understand, especially for someone just starting out.
  • blondageh
    blondageh Posts: 923 Member
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    I started out around 400lbs. Forget the exercise for now. Work on just logging and planning your meals. If you don't like to cook, get some healthy choices or smart ones and have them with a huge side of vegetables or a salad to start. Once you lose about 10% (in my case it was 40lbs) I started feeling SO MUCH BETTER. I had energy to cook and started to exercise. Please don't try to do it all at once. That is very overwhelming when you are starting out with zero energy to begin with. Believe me, I know. I couldn't even go grocery shopping because it hurt to stand that long. Now I can shop for hours, walk for miles, swim all day, ride a bike. Really, it took 40lbs in just a couple of months of healthy eating to get there. YOU CAN DO THIS. You just have to want it. It WILL be hard but the first thing to do is stop making excuses and just do it.
  • Krista916
    Krista916 Posts: 258
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    I have to agree that you probably have a misconseption as to how much you are actually consuming. First, you need to purge your fridge and pantry of processed "easy" things. Second, you need to make time to get moving. Third, you need to plan your meals and take time to cook.

    The majority of people work 40 hours a week. I work 40 hours a week and I am up at 4:30am 5 days a week making time for my work out. A lot like you, but the time I get home from work, I'm tired and don't feel like exercising. Fine, I'll get up at 4:30am, after a good night sleep and get it done then I don't have to worry about it the rest of the day.

    Do you have a crock pot? There are tons and I mean TONS of healthy crock pot meals that you can get cooking while you are at work. They take minimal effort to put together and you'll have plenty of left overs for lunches and even maybe a repeat dinner or a redo dinner.

    There are ways around all of the things you are saying you can't help. You CAN! You need to believe that you can and you need to do it for you. If it was easy, everyone would would 110lbs and we wouldn't need sites like MFP for help and support. Start with small goals, be 100% HONEST in your tracking, and start TODAY!!

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