Need to lose 100 lbs +.

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BDOUG2371
BDOUG2371 Posts: 29 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm 43 and need some kind of plan. I've been out of work with a herniated disc, pinched nerve & spinal stenosis. I'm 378 lbs and have been binging. I had been down to 368 but when we grab something to eat I have the mindset of getting grilled chicken and then I end up thinking I'm missing out on the good fatty foods and it depresses me so I get the fatty food and then after I eat I feel depressed anyway. Does this sound familiar to anybody? Am I the only one? I can't lift weights or bend due to my back problem. Walking starts hurting my back after 5-10 min. I can do it in intervals though. Does that still burn fat? I'm from Connecticut. Anyone else here from Connecticut? I'm not a salad person and when I have tried it I don't like dressings. I'm hopeless. I was 220 lbs 20 years ago. I miss it! :( how do I get started????

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  • Xingy01
    Xingy01 Posts: 83 Member
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    I started at 350 and now I'm 302. Hopefully I'll be in the 200s this week :)

    I have a desk job, don't exercise, and I'm still losing weight. I also dislike salads...there's not much nutrition in a salad anyway. I do plan on exercising later, but it's not my main concern right now.

    Exercise really isn't important to lose weight. It's beneficial to your health, but it just doesn't burn that many calories. Eating clean is also beneficial to your health, but it doesn't matter that much when losing weight. What matters is calories. How are you going to eat fewer calories? You have to find something that works for you. I've been on so many different diets and tried different methods of losing weight including eating clean and exercising. I couldn't sustain it because it was too much change at once and I just fell back into bad habits and gave up.

    You have to find out what works for you. If a certain diet isn't working out, then change it...don't give up. I will tell you what ended up working for me and that's alternate day fasting. You eat a little above maintenance every other day...and every other day you either don't eat and just drink water or you eat very little (around 500 calories). When I'm tired of dieting, I just eat maintenance every day until I'm back in the mood. Sometimes it takes me a week to get back into it....but I haven't gained a single pound back even when I take a break from dieting. The reason ADF works for me is because the more I think about food, the more likely I am to binge. By only eating every other day, I'm giving myself breaks from having to think about it at all. I don't even get hungry on my days off.

    Like I said, just figure out what works for you. Nobody can really tell you what to do because it may not be what works for you. The only thing you really need to worry about though is calories. It doesn't matter if you're eating pizza or cabbage...the calories are what matters.
  • BDOUG2371
    BDOUG2371 Posts: 29 Member
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    I started at 350 and now I'm 302. Hopefully I'll be in the 200s this week :)

    I have a desk job, don't exercise, and I'm still losing weight. I also dislike salads...there's not much nutrition in a salad anyway. I do plan on exercising later, but it's not my main concern right now.

    Exercise really isn't important to lose weight. It's beneficial to your health, but it just doesn't burn that many calories. Eating clean is also beneficial to your health, but it doesn't matter that much when losing weight. What matters is calories. How are you going to eat fewer calories? You have to find something that works for you. I've been on so many different diets and tried different methods of losing weight including eating clean and exercising. I couldn't sustain it because it was too much change at once and I just fell back into bad habits and gave up.

    You have to find out what works for you. If a certain diet isn't working out, then change it...don't give up. I will tell you what ended up working for me and that's alternate day fasting. You eat a little above maintenance every other day...and every other day you either don't eat and just drink water or you eat very little (around 500 calories). When I'm tired of dieting, I just eat maintenance every day until I'm back in the mood. Sometimes it takes me a week to get back into it....but I haven't gained a single pound back even when I take a break from dieting. The reason ADF works for me is because the more I think about food, the more likely I am to binge. By only eating every other day, I'm giving myself breaks from having to think about it at all. I don't even get hungry on my days off.

    Like I said, just figure out what works for you. Nobody can really tell you what to do because it may not be what works for you. The only thing you really need to worry about though is calories. It doesn't matter if you're eating pizza or cabbage...the calories are what matters.

    Thanks for the reply. Not sure if I can do the every other day thing. I'm going to start with the cutting back on calories first. I appreciate your reply.
  • primalkiwi
    primalkiwi Posts: 164 Member
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    Having read back through your diary a little way I would suggest that if this is your regular way of eating then you are probably severely malnourished at this point. If you are not giving your body nutrient dense food then it will keep on craving/making you feel hungry as its searches for what it needs. Fat is not the enemy. However the kinds of fat you are getting are not healthy fats. I'm sure you are aware that the good fats are olive oil, coconut oil, butter/ghee, avocado etc. Plenty of fat, plenty of protein, carbs under 100g a day and several glasses of water is a good start.
    It looks like you're not really a fan of breakfast or cooking in general :-)
    Even if you don't feel like breakfast, try to make yourself eat something that has plenty of fat and protein in it (I don't see protein on your daily totals - it's an uber vital macronutrient!). Try something like bacon and eggs or a cheese omelette. It will help stabilise your blood sugar (part of binge eating) and hopefully going all out at lunchtime.
    I usually have leftover dinner for lunch so I'll make something like a big batch of beef and vegetable casserole and freeze several containers ready to pull out for lunches and when I can't be bothered cooking. There's plenty of alternatives to salads! Maybe a chicken stirfry, a steak with veggies on the side (maybe mushrooms, onions, spinach?).
    Exercise is obviously not the easiest thing for you at the moment - maybe just try a little stretching etc until some of the weight has gone. Any strength work you can do to build muscle will be a bonus - at least that way you will have more muscle on your frame which burns more calories than fat :-)
    Starting to eat nutrient dense will also help your frame of mind as your brain receives high quality fats which are essential for it's functioning properly.

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