Morbidly Obese and need help now!

I'm 5'5 and 251! The trick, I've found, is both patience and knowing how to finesse the "rules" of weight loss. For instance, they say that having a community is extremely important to weight loss, but I'm a serious introvert so I thought that wouldn't help me. But then I found MFP and made a few connections in a style that works for me. I have a community but I can check in with them often, but at my leisure and as directly or indirectly as suits me. So I got the community they recommend, but my way.

Feel free to add me! We can help each other!

Does it have you on 1200 calories based only on your sedentary lifestyle? I'm 5'3" and 244... I'm a daycare teacher so I'm a little more active. I set a goal to lose 2 pounds a week and exercise at least 30 min 7 days a week and my calorie limit is 1590... I'm still a little curious as to how it all works as well...

Since I'm the same height and have played around with this, age is a big factor too.

I think I was already at 200 when I set up my MFP goals, but maybe 210--I know I'd lost some already. Anyway, at the time I innocently put in "sedentary," since I have a desk job, and was told 1200. I was shocked (didn't yet get that it excluded exercise or the net thing), and played around with it, changing my goal to 1.5. I got 1200 again and noticed that it was telling me I'd only lose 1.4 or 1.2/week anyway (I forget, but it was below 1.5). I changed it to lightly active and 1.5 and got 1390, I believe. I gave up and went with sedentary and custom set my goals to 1250 just to see how it went (it went okay), and subsequently realized that my Fitbit was adding more calories based on my activity (which is at least lightly active) in addition to exercise I imput.

Recently (close to my current weight at 180) I decided to change it to lightly active and see what happened and now I get told that even at lightly active I lose 1.5 at 1250 (losing the weight is good, but it doesn't help with the goal calories). In reality it is more like 2/week and I eat more because of exercise, but MFP here is also consistent with what the TDEE calculators give me. If you are female, 40-something, and 5'3, your TDEE just isn't going to be that high unless you have a LOT of daily activity.

Personally, I like the gym, but I've given up joining one--too many excuses not to go! But it is a lot more fun exercising with other people than by yourself. If you know you'd like it, don't let the fear of running afoul of some sourpuss keep you from going.

Many gyms offer a sort of "get acquainted" thing where you can go a couple times without committing to a year-long contract. Check out the ones you're most likely to actually go to--that is, close to home or along your route to or from work. Try to get an idea how crowded they are at the times you're most likely to go.

Most gyms encourage a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, but you will occasionally find one where you get a snobby vibe. Just scratch that one off the list and move on.

Even in the friendliest gym (or anywhere in life, really), you will occasionally run into that one jerk who gives you a dismissive look. Don't assume it's a size thing; you may also be talking, dressing, laughing or wearing your hair wrong. In fact, there are SO MANY ways you can unintentionally offend a sour, miserable person, it's best to just ignore them altogether ... unless you want to *eyeroll* them right back; makes 'em crazy wondering what *they're* doing wrong.

When I started the first thing I changed was my eating habits ( cooking things fresh more often) and then I did exercise it all starts with a motivational thought and small changes 1 at a time well done for owning you have a problem and feel free to add me id love to see you transform on your journey this is the start and who knows where it can go!!! I reckon in a yr you will look back and thank goodness you started today(2 weeks ago)

Hi Win,

Welcome! You can eat more calories than 1200 and still lose weight because the bigger we are the more we need to eat in order to survive.

Go here: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Now, plug in your stats to lose 2 pounds a week and see what you come up with.

Hi there! I felt so out of shape when I started in March and I was also similarly intimidated by gyms. But I found beginner exercise classes at the local rec center so you might look there and see what they have. I can't directly compare it to gym classes but it was a lot less intimidating to walk into and there was a wide range of people there,

That said, walking is excellent exercise and since you love it, there's no reason to pursue anything else until/unless you want to.

Win0727 wrote: »

My name is Win and I am morbidly obese. Seeing those words scare me to the core. Morbidly. I am 5'3" and weigh 238. I work in a bank, so my activity level is limited throughout the day. This is the highest weight I have ever been. To say that I am scared is putting it mildly.

I need to know how to do this? Where to begin, what should my goals be set at, what is a reasonable amount of calories to consume? Does it matter caloric wise that I am obese? I need help. I would love to hear from others that have been here and conquered this.

I have been doing this for about 2 weeks. MFP has me at 1200 calories. I know from reading the forums there is a HUGE debate on 1200 versus eating BMR. I have lost a few pounds but I want to know that I am doing this right. What is best for my body type and long term goals.

I walk 2.1 miles a day on a trail behind our house. This is something that I have started along with restricting calories 2 weeks ago. I can honestly say that I love it. Feels good. So, at this point, exercise is not a problem. I know eventually I am going to have to start with weights, but the idea of walking into our small town gym mortifies me.

I am not looking for a pity party or negative comments. I honestly need help.

Thanks!