Fat for Life
Replies
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I have read most of the replies sent to you. My only suggestion to you is to keep taking the stairs. Start by going down for a while and then going up one flight at a time. My cardiologist wants me to do it but only going down until I get some weight off first. Good luck to you and keep posting your progress.0
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There is no such thing as "fat for life" as you will discover when you lose weight! And we are here to help you!! :happy:0
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Not necessary, and possibly dangerous. I have depression, and low carb can deplete your stores of serotonin. You know, that chemical that lets you control your impulses? After eight months, I started binging, and ended up gaining back all the weight I lost. It took me three and a half years to get myself steady enough again to be able to get by on a small calorie deficit. I'm eating 1800 calories a day, but I also exercise quite a bit too. I'm losing weight very slowly, but I am losing, and I'll eventually reach my goals.
OP, this is really, really, really not necessary. Really.Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.
Point being, don't set yourself up for failure. Make it easy on yourself and you'll be able to stick to it until you get where you want to be.0 -
welcome to MFP and congrats on a taking a big step.
I would encourage you to NOT eat 1000 calories a day- use the calculator- set it to lose 1-2 lbs a week. EAT ALL YOUR CALORIES.
Walk- get in a pool if there is one near you where you will be comfortable. Doing anything at this point is better than doing nothing.
Also- don't listen to the clown about cutting out all that crap. Find one or two things to LIMIT- not cut out... and start monitoring what you eat. Don't try to cut out too much or eat to little- it's a reciepe for failure- you just need to learn how to start moderating and living healthier. You'll have to re-learn food- and portion size and that's okay- but ultra restricive diets and calorie goals are NOT a good way to go. It's just not a goo way to operate or survive or LIVE.
GO GET SOME GIRL- YOU GOT THIS! 0 -
We succeed at the things we make priorities.0
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Welcome to MFP! Well done for realising you need to become healthy.
No job is worth compromising your health for, but it is easily done when you're stressed. I put on weight when I did my teacher training a few years ago as that's highly stressful and I was doing so much work. Getting engaged gave me the kick up the bum to lose weight properly, and I also found that exercise is an excellent way to destress and to actually increase the energy you have (which I definitely need as a mum of 2 young kids and as a secondary school teacher!).
I agree with what pretty much everyone has said - don't go too low with your calories. Aim for high protein and limit starchy carbs. Have an occasional treat so you don't feel deprived.
Once you improve your fitness, definitely start exercising more. In fact, you could get some free weights for at home, and do some squats, lunges etc too, as well as going for walks.
Good luck!0 -
I love food too but I have been amazed at the low fat versions of my favourite dishes. I have a fantastic recipe for lasagne - I use cottage cheese instead of béchamel sauce for the topping and I mixed vegetable ratatouille in with my mince, onions and mushrooms - cuts the fat and calories and still tastes delicious. I have spaghetti bolognaise using the vegetable ratatouille and I always use wholewheat pasta now. I also use quite a lot of the Slimming World recipes and tried their chicken curry on family and friends and no one knew that it was low fat because it was so tasty.
You don't have to live on boring food, just adapt your favourite recipes to healthy/tasty versions and I guarantee in 6 months time if you tried to eat the original version you wouldn't enjoy it as much as the new healthy version you have created.
I started off with walking and have steadily increased the length of my walks and how many nights I go after work, if I go on my own I make sure its a safe area and if I go with friends we decided between us which route we want to take.
We are all here for the same reason. You are not alone - your job sounds very stressful, have you tried listening to relaxation CDs? I sketch or read when I'm feeling stressed and this helps.
Lose the weight slowing but surely, its NOT a diet, its a HEALTHIER WAY OF LIVING for the rest of your life!
Good luck :flowerforyou:0 -
Good advice - everything in moderation is key0
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OP...
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Good advice - everything in moderation is key0
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You've already received lots of good advice (and some bad) and you've taken a huge step just recognizing the problem and coming here.
I just wanted to add that while you're working on your body, don't forget to work on your head. I'm an emotional eater -- without my even realizing it, food became my main coping mechanism to deal with stress, boredom, depression, and anxiety. I've been working with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and it has helped tremendously. Not saying you have an eating disorder, but it's important to figure out why and how you use food and work on improving habits. What may seem easy on the surface (just eat less, move more, duh!) can be impossible when you're in the "overeating zone." Best of luck. Friend me if you like.
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hi welcome
Im new to we can support each other x
Louise0 -
This is my first post too, I usually lurk. Anyway, I have lost a bit here and there for the last 3 years and decided to get serious so I found MFP. I really like it because it puts things in perspective for me as far as caloric intake. Now about the food network, I don't watch it. I have always been an emotional eater. I eat when happy, I eat when sad, mad or upset. This is nothing more than a habit. I try to have foods that are "good" for me that I also enjoy eating. At the moment that happens to be peaches and tomatoes. lol I just finished a juicy delicious peach as part of my breakfast. I have found that setting and getting into certain habits help me stay on track. Right now, I usually eat 2 boiled eggs, some turkey jerky and a peach for breakfast. I am very satisfied with that and I enjoy it. It is something I can pick up and eat as I get ready in the mornings and it isn't messy, except the peach. I don't buy things that will tempt me at home. I made a banana pudding last night for my hubby and had a small bowl while it was warm. I won't want anymore. I only like it when it is still warm off the stove. My son likes ice cream and has the metabolism of a teenage boy. So I buy him ice cream in his favorite flavor, not mine. It does get easier to not indulge in high calorie/empty calorie food. The bottom line is this, you are a smart and driven woman, you have the most important tools to accomplish this goal. Set smalls goals and recognize when you have met them. Do something nice for yourself that doesn't involve food, such as a pedicure or some wonderful undies that make you feel delicious. The biggest problem I have is not getting frustrated, because it isn't happening as quickly as I want it to. I have found that celebrating the small victories, help with that. Also, take pictures about once a month and compare them. I do a split screen and really look at them. I can always find some improvement and that is very encouraging. One last word of advice, go get a check up at the dr. Have all your blood work done and make sure that every thing is good.0
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I have also been fat all my life and I used to watch the food network, too! I'd take notes to make the stuff that looked really good... I quit watching it. It's a sort of obsession with food. I suggest you change your obsession slightly to an interest in healthy foods. Hang out here more. Look over the groups and join a few that look interesting. Read, read, read!
Like most of the others said, ease up on your calorie restrictions. If you've been fat all your life (as I have) it's very likely your metabolism is damaged to an extent. Lowering your calories to 1000 (or even 1200) will probably set you up for failure. It did me.
Muscle burns fat. Build muscle. Eat good, healthy foods and walk for exercise. Good luck!0 -
I call BS of the greatest capacity, read the links I provided you.Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.
To imply that weight loss is not about calories is well moronic, this person is over complicating it with their dietary preferences.
A calorie deficit is the cause of weight loss, plain and simple.
All movement is exercise so ignore the "your to heavy to exercise" comment, just be careful not to overdo it.(Consult a doctor if you have any concerns)
And finally try to set a reasonable calorie deficit/goal for yourself, think sustainable and healthy.
Amen0 -
a simple caloric deficit will do! No need for all this unless competing in a fitness show or under medical supervision:)Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.0 -
most importantly - do it so that you can be alive long enough to find health and happiness. You deserve that. And no slice of pizza, ice cream cone, or bag of chips is worth your life and your health and your happiness.
You can do this. Slow and steady. Just make the choices that you KNOW are right, track your food and exercise, hold yourself accountable, and it will happen on its own. Good luck!0 -
As others have posted, start out slow and steady. It's better to have minor victories and stay successful than to have one major victory but then retreat back to old behaviors.
As this is my 3rd attempt at MFP (restarted in March of this year), I've learned this over my two failed attempts here, as well as prior attempts of weight loss elsewhere.
Welcome aboard, and good luck on your journey! Feel free to add me if you'd like! :flowerforyou:0 -
woah, I agree with the others that said not to cut your calories so drastically...you will be miserable at 1000 calories a day! ...unless you make SURE to get lots of protein in...good luck Friend me if you want. I struggle as well. I'm hypothyroid but medicated. Weight is slowly (SLOWLY) coming off. It def. takes some effort but it's so worth it! Again-good luck. 0
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Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.
I disagree with the statement about exercising at your current weight. I started my journey at 275 lbs and picked up the easiest thing I knew, my bike. Cycling is very forgiving to bad knees, sore feet, and people who are overweight. Pick a nice flat trail and start out slow. I recently did an 11 mile bike ride in an hour and a half and could have gone further had it not been too dark for the trail. And I weighed about 255 at the time. And I walk, as well. Again, start out slow and pick up more as you can. I recently did a 4 mile walk, about a 3.0 mph pace, and felt great afterwards.
Congrats on starting your journey and please stick with it! Of course, it's best to lose the weight slowly and in a way you can maintain for life. You can do this and exercising from the beginning will motivate you more than you could anticipate.0 -
My story's pretty similar to yours! Always heavy, my start weight was 250 (I'm 5'2 as well). It's been a sloooooooow journey for me. I'm feeling semi-comfortable now but I still have another 60 or so pounds to lose. You can do this!0
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First off, let me say that I understand your professional job stress. I'm a litigation attorney and have been doing it for 17+ years. Remember, YOU are the only person living inside your head and how you think, how you feel and what you choose to DO in response to those feelings and thoughts are all things you can learn to control and guide so they don't overwhelm you. Taking control of how you fuel your body and your brain is the most important step you can take.
I've been pretty healthy over the last 6 or 7 years but stopped paying very much attention to how much I was eating and the weight started catching up to me. Two years ago I hit 192 pounds, the most I can ever remember weighing. I decided to take control again and started religiously counting calories. I got down to the low 180's/upper 170's and took a "maintenance break" to see if I could actually hold steady. I did pretty good for almost a year, so I'm back at it, targeting a gradual 1 - 1.25 pounds per week average. I want to make sure I have self-reinforcing healthy habits that will be easy to live with and hard to break. I'm back down under 175 pounds this week and it's nice to discover more clothes in my closet that I can wear again.
So all that is a long preface to remind you - YOU CAN DO IT. You just have to realize there are no lasting "quick fixes." Pick a good plan with the help of MFP and the many other sources of health and food information out there, and simply KEEP AT IT. Every day. Every week. Every month. You'll be amazed what you can do.0 -
I hear you, I have always been overweight as well. You are on the right path sweetie, just taking the first step and realizing it's time to change the way you live your life is the road to success. Personally, I would put your calories somewhere between 1600-1800 a day to start out with. I am currently 5'5 at 205 lbs and I consume about 1600cals a day. That's a steady goal of dropping 1lb a week. And even then it's hard to find myself staying under that calorie goal. Just remember this! The more you exercise, the more you can eat. If you think your not going to be able to stay under or at your calorie goal, trying working out for about an hour doing some type of cardio. It will make you feel better as well as giving you a few extra 100s of calories that your can dip into if you have to. 0
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Wow... i never imagined I'd get this much support. Thank You everyone for the tips and tricks and advice! I really truly appreciate it. I have calculated the BMR with MFP, and my daily recommended MFP calories intake are at 1280. So, i have decided to ollow MFP calories intake. Today was my first day. And I managed to meet my goal. And I didnt feel like I was hungry or starving myself. I realized that I tend to consume sweet beverages and unhealthy snacks (This is the main culprit for my weight gain). But I still managed to snuck in a few sweet treats and got it under 1280. I hope to continue meeting my goal and will adjust it if things get hard or compensate by walking an extra 15 minutes or so when i exceed my calorie intake. I know that the key to doing this is not to cut everything out but to learn abt portion control and moderation in everything. I will definitely start slowly and not overwhelm myself. Thank You again so much everyone. No words can truly express how grateful I am for your support! God Bless! 0
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it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit.
Noooooooooooooooo. I'm heavier than the OP, and I'm perfectly capable of exercise. I can't do it ALL or as long as more fit people, but that isn't the same as not being able to exercise. Walking is pretty much the easiest place to start.
To the OP: you've already gotten plenty of advice, but good luck! I've been fat pretty much since I hit puberty, and now work an incredibly sedentary job (writer). I love food, so I feel your struggle. I hit nearly 300 pounds without even noticing that my body had changed, and its a terrible feeling. Not the worst feeling, but up there.0 -
Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.
You should not be posting bad information like that...0 -
I call BS of the greatest capacity, read the links I provided you.Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.
To imply that weight loss is not about calories is well moronic, this person is over complicating it with their dietary preferences.
A calorie deficit is the cause of weight loss, plain and simple.
All movement is exercise so ignore the "your to heavy to exercise" comment, just be careful not to overdo it.(Consult a doctor if you have any concerns)
And finally try to set a reasonable calorie deficit/goal for yourself, think sustainable and healthy.
^^Needed to be re-stated. Please do not over complicate things, it only makes it easier to give up. You do not have to eliminate certain items to lose weight, only reduce your intake of all items to a level slightly below what you burn. <<It's. that. simple.
Good luck, and great for you for deciding that now is the time!0 -
Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.
This is my calculator, and I think I should clear up a few things. On any diet where you lose weight, you lose weight because you consume less net calories than you expend. So it is very much about calories.
Calories count, but that does not mean any diet is as good as any other diet because they can have pretty dramatic metabolic effects. On a ketogenic diet (high fat, moderate protein, very low carbohydrate) your body switches to using mostly fat as fuel. This has several advantages, the most practical one is that people tend to naturally consume far less calories on that diet because they feel full and satiated much longer.
In short, a ketogenic diet works for weight loss because it makes staying in a caloric deficit easy.
On Exercise: The most effective exercise for weight loss are high intensity interval training, and weight lifting. Cardio might be healthy, but if weight loss is your goal it's not really effective.0 -
Wow, sad story. you're right to take this seriously. start with the keto calculator. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
it's not about calories, its about carbohydrates. get started and set your goals according to what the calculator suggests. take the carbs down to under 50 grams. you won't meet the calorie goal you set, not reasonable. it's going to be some time before you can safely exercise carrying the amount of weight you mentioned so take the carbs down first, get under 180 pounds and then start walking a bit. good luck. keep in touch.
no bread,
no grain (wheat, rice, corn,)
no sugar
no booze
no fruit,
no potatoes.
good luck.
OP Please Do Not Follow this advice!! I weighed 560 pounds, was pretty much homebound for over 2 years unable to walk and when I finally hit rock bottom my Doctors stuck me in a therapy pool to use water displacement to allow me to stand long enough to exercise which was basically walking from one side of the pool to the other. I lost 170 over 17 months b4 I was able to be fitted with brace (bad knee's) and start exercising out of the pool.... I worked with a dietician and set a manageable caloric in take that allowed me to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week and the rest is history... No need to go to extremes... I had one motto "Keep it Simple Stupid" and that has gotten me pretty far... Was it alot of hard work?? Yes but worth every bit of blood, sweat, and tears... Take it one day at a time... Best of Luck0 -
Wow... i never imagined I'd get this much support. Thank You everyone for the tips and tricks and advice! I really truly appreciate it. I have calculated the BMR with MFP, and my daily recommended MFP calories intake are at 1280. So, i have decided to ollow MFP calories intake. Today was my first day. And I managed to meet my goal. And I didnt feel like I was hungry or starving myself. I realized that I tend to consume sweet beverages and unhealthy snacks (This is the main culprit for my weight gain). But I still managed to snuck in a few sweet treats and got it under 1280. I hope to continue meeting my goal and will adjust it if things get hard or compensate by walking an extra 15 minutes or so when i exceed my calorie intake. I know that the key to doing this is not to cut everything out but to learn abt portion control and moderation in everything. I will definitely start slowly and not overwhelm myself. Thank You again so much everyone. No words can truly express how grateful I am for your support! God Bless!
Quick tip sweetie! I'm a sugar-holic and I always drank soda and all that bad stuff we all know we aren't suppose to drink. BUT I've discovered that hot tea, with 2 tsp of honey and a packet of splenda is a great sweet beverage for you with only 30cals! OR if you like cold drinks and less of a tea taste, take 8oz of iced tea, 1/2 glass of fat free milk, a packet of splenda and pour it into a glass full of ice. Essentially what you get is milk tea, but it's sweet enough where you can't really taste the tea. With that one it only comes to 40cals for one large glass (about 12-16oz glass). I hope that helps!
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