Has anybody started at 300lbs+ ?

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abettershay_
abettershay_ Posts: 8
in Motivation and Support
My name is Shay and I weigh approximately 325lbs. I'm 5'7 and I'm a junior in college. My whole teenage experience was next to crappy because I've always been heavy. I've tried dieting and working out but I get depressed and don't want to go with what I've previously set for myself. As of Thursday I have been on an 1800 calorie a day regime , I've been to the gym once but my legs hurt so bad because I haven't works out in so long , but I plan on going back tomorrow. Is there anybody who had started at my weight and has made significant change? Do you guys mind posting pics ? Giving me some advice ? I'm just so impatient but I know that I won't lose it in one day. I just really want to change. Ugh I just don't want to give up on myself anymore. Kind words of wisdom anyone ? Also if anyone attends Penn State UP and wants to work out together I'm totally down
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Replies

  • Bama56
    Bama56 Posts: 101 Member
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    i went from 350 to 130, and i started the summer before my freshman year of college.

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    stay away from the "college life" traditions and cook your own food.
  • LesaDave
    LesaDave Posts: 1,480 Member
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    I haven't (and I don't live near Penn State but my brother went to the Univ of Penn), but I just wanted to say that I hope people see your post and sends pics. I know there are quite a few on here.

    In the meantime, welcome to MFP!! :-)
  • FrankieBenjamin
    FrankieBenjamin Posts: 61 Member
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    Have a look at some of the success stories threads, quite a lot of people started over 300lbs and have made some really inspring changes. Keep at it you can do it, it takes time for us all, but stick in there!

    ETA heres one from today for you! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1133100-half-the-woman-i-used-to-be-300-to-140-s-with-pics
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
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    I started at 546lbs, currently maintaining at 220-225lbs (Male, 35YO, 6'4".) Make it a habit to weigh and log every bit of food and drink you ingest, even if — no, especially if you're going over your calories. Eat your protein, it'll keep you fuller for longer. As far as exercise goes, don't neglect strength training for cardio: lifting heavy weights helps you preserve muscle as you lose fat, which in turn burns calories and looks better as the weight drops (also, I've found that doing a lot of cardio makes me super hungry!) I personally split my time at the gym about 2/3 lifting, 1/3 cardio.

    Good luck!
  • changing4life
    changing4life Posts: 193 Member
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    Check out my friend Kat's post (1yoyoKat). Here is a link. It is an awesome story.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1133100-half-the-woman-i-used-to-be-300-to-140-s-with-pics
  • lostemt
    lostemt Posts: 152 Member
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    Welcome to MFP. I am not a college student but face some road blocks with my disability. Going on 3 post op complete knee replacement is work in self. In the past 3 week I found a new me. I still have a bad right knee with a brace but I don't let that stop me. Started changing eating habits exercise and lifting. Started taking up regular Zumba and then also Aqua Zumba also the elliptical since I find it harder on my on the treadmill. If you find a zumba near where your at they are so much fun. Please feel free to friend if you want and stay strong.:flowerforyou:
  • kdaughertyfp
    kdaughertyfp Posts: 49 Member
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    Shay,

    Welcome and good luck on your journey. My name is Kim and I started out at 387 lbs a little over a year ago. I currently am at 307 lbs. I have done it with constantly logging all my food and exercise. Use your log faithfully, log everything! That is an important key, if you don't log it you are only lying to yourself. Use the log as a tool to help you not only stay on track but also where you may have slipped or not done as well as you could have.

    For the first 60 lbs I was at 1800 calories, I have now reduced my calories to 1650 and have talked with a nutritionist and she admit that I not lower it anymore. I do not eat my exercise calories back, some do. I feel that I have lots of room with my calorie goal to add in things with plenty of variety and still have the ability to eat out making sensible choices.

    If you find you are hungry eat more protein, if it is in-between meals, eat 1 oz cheese or a piece of turkey lunch meat or even a tablespoon of peanut butter.

    Currently I use a recumbent stepper machine that I try to use 5-6 days a week for an hour and do strength training 2-3 days a week for approx. 50 minutes.

    You are welcome to add me as a friend if you would like, my profile is kdaughertyfp.
  • alexp74
    alexp74 Posts: 125
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    It's not an easy journey, it will take time and a lot of effort. Changes will happen but you have to be prepared for many changes to your body. Never focus solely on the scale.

    I started at 318, which was not my highest but the first weight I recorded when I started to make my changes in Nov. of 2011, now at 202. So it can be done, just push on everyday and if you fall off your lifestyle for a day or two, so what, pick it back up tomorrow, not a big deal.
  • JoRu1568
    JoRu1568 Posts: 4
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    321 Starting again today. It is not an easy road by far, but we know we need to do it. :wink:
  • fishermanmatt
    fishermanmatt Posts: 308 Member
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    Today marked my 525th day on MFP. I started out at 523 pounds. I'm now approximately 350 pounds.

    MFP works but it's not magic. You will have to put in the effort to make it work.

    My advise:
    On food.
    As others have said, log everything. Even beyond the logging, weigh and measure everything you can. I was surprised by what I though a cup of cereal was and what an actual measured cup was. Avoid fast food. If you can, cook for yourself. Eat lean proteins and veggies. Look for healthy substitutions. I love chocolate and ice cream. I take care of those cravings by having a chocolate protein shake for breakfast.

    On exercise.
    I started out walking. It hurt. Not wanting to give up I joined the YMCA and hit the pool every morning. Having the water hold my weight made getting exercise easier. I also used a recumbent bike. It allowed me to get great exercise without putting a lot of strain on my joints. Lifting weights will help tone things up. I would hold off on that until you get your body more used to exercise.

    Other random bits.
    Take lots of photos. I didn't like having my photo taken when I was at my heaviest. I wish I had better before shots now.

    Read the success stories section of the boards. Just seeing how others are having success is great motivation. If they can do it, so can you.

    Don't get wrapped up on the number on the scale. I weigh myself Monday mornings right after I wake up then stay off it the rest of the week. Even then I have weeks that I gain weight. I instead measure my success by how my cloths fit, how good I feel, how healthy I ate and how much exercise I got. I figure if I'm having success with those the weight will take care of itself. The current trend says I'm right.

    Accept the fact that you fail some days. You make bad food choices, over eat, ..... Try to learn what caused the failure to set yourself up to win the next day and let it go.

    I'm excited for you and wish you all the best.

    <<Edit to add photos since you requested them.>>
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    This last one is an older version of my progress chart. Notice the jagged progress line. There are lots of weeks that I record a gain but the trend is still going I'm the direction I want. Don't get discouraged if show a weight gain. Just press ahead and do your work. If you do the right things, you will reach your goal.
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  • marshxomellow
    marshxomellow Posts: 87
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    Hey there. I just wanted to say, even if you're depressed go to the gym. Just keep telling yourself to keep moving. It doesn't matter how fast or how slow. Just get up on a treadmill and walk!!! That's how I've been going to the gym. Right now I'm all ugh when it comes to thinking about going to the gym and it may seem like it'll take forever for me to get to where I want to be but just keep it moving. The more you go to the gym the less you'll think about wanting to eat!
  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
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    Sure I was well over 300 when I started in May 2008 and it is a process of success and failures. No one here is perfect we all have to find things for ourselves. Walking then running has worked for me despite an arthritic hip and a bad knee but some people hate to run and love DVD workouts or other machines find your own passion and work it. Have some patience since I found nothing as frustrating as my body I have a great week eating and exercising and stay the same or bounce up a pound or a week I slack off blow off some fluid and drop 2 pounds it can make you crazy if you let it.
    Good luck good health and good losing

    Photos on my profile pages
  • IMYarnCraz33
    IMYarnCraz33 Posts: 1,016 Member
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    Yep... I started @ 385. Lost 70-ish but after some stressful circumstances I gained some back.
    Getting back to working towards my goal.
    Sometimes I get depressed or mad at myself, but I have to remember to KEEP ON KEEPING ON.
    We CAN do this!!!
  • srobertking
    srobertking Posts: 74 Member
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    I was 305 September of 2012 and have now made it to 169! I have tones of pics if you want to check them out on my page. You can do it. Feel free to add me if you want more friends.
  • shortsunflower
    shortsunflower Posts: 6 Member
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    Hi, I just wanted to offer some encouragement. I started out at just under 307 pounds in mid June and have now lost 40 pounds. I too have a long way to go but I just wanted to tell you it IS possible and agree with what others have said... it will NOT come off overnight. I too get impatient when I think of how far I have to go, but then I reflect that since I graduated high school almost 15 years ago I have done little and very inconsistently to take care of myself. I have not chosen health for myself.

    Once I finally was ready to face reality, and start investing in myself by eating healthier and exercising as well as journaling through the process to sort out the emotions (deep ones!) that go with gaining almost 180 pounds in those 15 years, once I decided I was WORTH taking care of and changing for... I kept telling myself "Every long journey begins with a single step." It's the accumulation of a hundred choices you make throughout your day, day after day, week after week, but it will add up, it will make a difference. I take more pleasure and pride now in consistently making good choices and the HOPE I finally have that I CAN make positive changes, than I do in the pounds I have lost (although that is wonderful too).

    It is tough to exercise being a larger person, but I promise you will feel better and you will have more energy as time goes on. Even with the first 10 pounds I lost and a month of exercising 5-6 days a week, I noticed a significant increase in energy. Just being able to move more easily is fantastic. Anytime you feel slow and out of shape, just remember- you are lapping everyone on the couch!

    One final thought... you are about 10 years younger than me I think (I will turn 33 in January). I "wasted"/"lost" my 20s to poor health, poor choices, weight gain, and hating myself, and being stuck in total denial about my health. Thankfully I have a wonderful supportive husband who has stood by me lovingly the whole time, but it has been hard on him seeing me hate myself and harm myself by not choosing health. If you start now and stick with it, in 2 years you could be at a healthy weight. You have your whole life ahead of you! Don't lose any more time, or cut more years off the end of your life either, to poor health. YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

    Good luck to you and many blessings! Feel free to message me.

    Erin
  • featherbrained
    featherbrained Posts: 155 Member
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    Hi, Shay. I started 4 years ago at 345, went down to 238 in just over a year, and over 3 years slowly crept back up to 315. I've been back at it for just over a month, and I'm at 290, and headed down. Taking it off isn't the hard part, it's keeping it off! You just have to want it. Bad ;)

    Best of luck. You can do it!
  • 2dare2dream
    2dare2dream Posts: 104 Member
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    hi and welcome .. i started this summer at 160kg =352lbs and now weigh 129kg =284lb, ive only been member here for few weeks but you can find support here. remember to log everything that you put in your mouth .. grins ..edible only lol and remember this is not a diet but the start of a new life .. good luck with your studies and your road to better health journey..
    feel free to add x
  • brookielaw
    brookielaw Posts: 814 Member
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    Hi Shay! I started much closer to 400 than 300. I weighed 369 in January of this year after having lost some with small changes.

    Advice? Don't give up. You didn't gain it in one day, you won't lose it in one day. Log all of your food. Celebrate your victories (not with food). If you have a bad day (and most likely you will), let it go. Let it be one bad day, not a series of mistakes that lead you back to where you were. Start small. The little changes most certainly do add up. Take the stairs, park further away, find excuses to move. Find an exercise you love. Set some goals that have nothing to do with the scale. [I'll be competing in my first Triathlon in May and just Rappelled down a building about 3 weeks ago. I couldn't have done that at over 300 lbs.] Get active on MFP, get active in life. Visit the boards often. Check out the success stories. Make awesome supportive friends both on MFP and in school/real life. Most of all: DON'T GIVE UP! Also, in case it hasn't been mentioned yet, there are groups on MFP for people who started at over 300 and for those with 100+ lbs to lose. Why not join them?

    I don't have ANY full body pics of me at my biggest, but here's an idea of what I looked like *near* my heaviest:
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    My cousin created this side-by-side of last Christmas versus this August- (Remember what I said about getting awesome supportive friends both on MFP and out int he world? This includes super-awesome family members)
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    I am a lot happier now:bluedress_zpsf8f15aa2.jpg.

    Now, enough talk, I'm off for a swim!
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Started @ 560lbs. in May 2009 and have spent the last year in maintenance @ 248-250lbs. at some point I am going to make a push down to 225-230lbs. Best advice I can give is make the changes in your life that you can most adhere to for long term sustainability. You can not get discouraged easily or you will fail.. Set backs WILL happen and you must just learn from them and move on. Take each day one day at a time and do everything that you can to be as successful as you can so that when you lay your head on your pillow, you have no regrets, get a good nights sleep and get up and do it all over again tomorrow... I was never in a hurry to lose the weight, I set a goal to lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week and stuck to that goal for 3 years and lost 312 pounds... You can do it too, you just have to want it bad enough.... Best of Luck

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  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
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    I started at 322 pounds. It does NOT happen overnight, but if you keep at it, it will happen! I'm glad that you said 1800 calories, that is doable and a goal that you can stick to. You've come to the right place!

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