Morbid Obesity-Even the Name sounds scary! Yikes!

I used to be morbidly obese - with a BMI over 41.

I started slow by just walking as far as I could whenver I could. I also started replacing high fat meals with easy things like Lean Cuisines where I didn't have to count any calories or do anything. I sitll eat these a lot but not as much as I prefer fresh food and lower sodium content.

It's hard when you think of all the weight you have to lose, so break it down into easier chunks - say 10 pounds or so. Celebrate the little victories. Every once in a while stop and remember the body that you had as it changes. My stomach used to hang down a few inches and I remember staring at myself in the mirror one day saying "This is going to be gone" and now, I have a pooch but nothing like that. but remembering where I started and the determination it took keeps me going.

I did exercise in one way or another almost daily. Sometimes I would elliptical, but I mostly walked. Listen to your body. Don't give up. once the pounds start coming off even more you will have the dedication, drive, and spirit to take you through the journey.

I didn't count calories then - just relied a lot on pre-packaged meals and foods where I wouldn't have to worry. I took the good with the bad (So I gained 1 lb this week, sow hat?) and kept going along.

My BMI is currently 45, even after losing 80lbs, I guess it took me longer than most people to have that moment where I decided that I needed to change something. I have drastically my diet, I try to eat fruit, veggies and lean grass fed, protein only now. I still occasionally slip up but I'm working on it. Stay strong you will get there.

Lou

I was once 225 pounds at 5'5". I don't know if that was morbid or not, but definitely well into the obese category. I am 168-170 now and slowly getting to a Healthy BMI (anything under 150).

I know it's different for everybody, but what worked for me was not small steps, easing myself in. I tried small steps like cutting soda, cutting certain foods, etc. over and over and never got much of anywhere. I would lose 10-15 pounds and then put it back on. When I made the change this time it was a big change--20-40 minutes of as intense of exercise as I was capable of doing plus as much light exercise as I had time to do, every day if possible, drastically cut sugar and reduced other carbohydrates, drastically raised protein intake, started eating large amounts of salad, etc. I also tracked EVERYTHING down to a half a cookie or half cup of milk. The "getting fit" project became a hobby.

I did not place any food off limits, had plenty of pizza pig-outs for example. I also did not treat any of this as a sacrifice but as something I was doing for myself, for my health and appearance. It is a luxury, really, to be able to put the time and care into one's body, so I tried to treat it as a luxury. I feel a lot better now because I am getting good nutrition and exercise--hope you have as good a time with your new project!

I almost died of shock when I went to the doctor for an appointment and saw "morbid obesity" as one of my diagnoses. I was morbidly mortified to put it mildly.

Now that I'm "just" obese, my life is totally different. I can walk up a flight of stairs without feeling winded. I don't feel like I might die in the middle of the night because I can't breathe (I have a phobia about those sleep apnea machines).

I'm still obese -- BMI of 36.8 -- but I feel like a new person.

I went from morbidly obese to obese. I was so excited to get away from that scary morbid word. I just started with exercise 5 days a week and change the things I eat. I weigh/measure everything and log it before I eat so the numbers are in my face. I am less likely to eat what I shouldn't now that I really know what the calories are.

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Hi :flowerforyou:

Posted this in the 100 lbs without surgery boards here as well. (BTW, I started here BMI of 44%...Now 22% & I'm 5' 5.5")


Take it slow. Small goals. One day, one pound, one step at a time.
You didn't put all the weight on overnite, it's not going to come off overnite.
Get a good digital food scale, measuring cups/spoons. Weigh and measure everything.
Take your measurements and pictures too (I did not and I wish I had)
I pre plan/pre log my meals/snacks in advance. I put a nice amount of cals/carbs for late snacks so I can adjust thru out the day (in case I eat something unplanned, or have seconds or forget something I ate)
Before eating out, check out website for nutritional stats...again, pre log the fast food/restaurant meal then plan your eating around it. Don't give up what you enjoy... I still eat junk food, fast food, and am a chocoholic!!
Drink water, drink even more water.
When you do exercise, go easy especially if you are a couch potato like I am (I actually did not do much till I lost a nice chunk of weight)
Take the calorie burn you will see MFP or exercise machines with a grain of salt, especially if you plan to eat most of them back.
Add some buds that have open diaries, I find some great meal ideas and recipes from my buds (& i hate to cook)
Read labels, take your time in the grocery, compare products before adding to your cart.
It's a big endeavor but if you get and keep your mindset where it needs to be, you can do it.

Hi.. me again...found some more tips that got me thru to a healthy weight:flowerforyou:

I-If you bite it, write it. No food is really free.
2-Mindful eating. Don't read or watch tv while eating. Pay attention to what goes into your mouth.
3- To deal with those cravings..just remember chocolate or whatever the current want is, is NOT going to be pulled off the shelves anytime soon. It WILL be there when you can safely trust yourself to eat it (and yes, those cravings will pass)
I still ate junk food/fast food AND lost the weight & got to goal!!
4-Speaking of cravings, before you cave in to them, is it worth the calories? will this satisfy me? can I just eat one? will I regret eating it?
5-Drink water before meals. It really does fill you up.
6- Dressings: Don't pour onto your salad, dip the fork tines into the dressing, then go into the greens.
7-Speaking of the fork, put it down between bites, don't have the fork already loaded with the next bite as you're chewing the first.
8- Before you go for a second helping, wait 20-30 minutes. Perhaps a piece of fruit will satisfy instead.
9- Goals, if you set them, set them small & manageable.
10- One day at a time-One pound at a time.

I was - BMI was 45, once upon a time, and it was above 40 when I started here. Now it's 24 It took me one year to lose 120 pounds, then I took my sweet time getting to 133ish total lost. I've been maintaining since September of 2012.

The most important things I did were track my food and exercise. Bottom line - it takes time and work, but if you simply do those two things, it makes a world of difference. You've got to commit to the long-term though!

lots of tips on my blog:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ShannonMpls

What she said! Log everything - and at least in the beginning weigh or measure your food. More often than not when you think you are eating one serving (e.g. breakfast cereal) you are actually eating three or four. The average serving of cereal is a cup or less!!

I started off with a BMI of 57 -- super morbidly obese - I was diabetic, had the c-pap machine, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and started having back pains when walking

Now my BMI is 25.8 - right on the cusp of normal and I am in maintenance currently

I am off all of the diabetes medications, had the sleep study redone and am off the c-pap machine, don't take crestor any more and I take 1/2 of a lonely pill for the blood pressure

I really don't do any exercising other than walking everyday and work out with a strength trainer twice a week

the most important changes I made were in the kitchen -- I went from pretty much a takeout only diet to cooking everything I eat and controlling what I put into it. And I don't mean cooking from a box - fresh meat / vegetables and fruit (either fresh or frozen) are the staples of my diet.

I watch my carbs from everything I eat as I don't want to have to start taking any diabetic meds after being free from them a year now so I don't eat a lot of starch vegetables, rice, pastas etc - but those are also the things that it is very easy to make and eat of course. And underestimate how much you are actually eating

I was on a pretty restrictive diet when I lost the weight - but now I try to mix it up somewhat to make sure that I don't feel like anything has been denied

And I am sure everyone has advice on what to do, but you need to find what is right for you - I wish you great success in your goals