Under Dr. Threat

Went to the Dr this week and was blown away when I stepped on the scale and it almost hit 300lbs... Dr told me that I've put on 20lbs since seeing him last year and he was not happy. I told him my wife was doing MFP and he very sternly told me that if I wanted to see my 4 kids grow up to have kids that I better get on here, so here I is... need to drop 108 to get to my LTG. So here we go... Ugh I hate saying no to food....lol

Replies

  • PaulaKac
    PaulaKac Posts: 79 Member
    Hello,
    You're not saying no to food, you're saying hello to life. You can do this and you have the support of your wife to help you. MFP and your friends will help you too.

    You have a journey to take, we all do

    Good Luck and I'm happy to see you've already taken your first step
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  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Eat "healthy" (whatever that means to you) 80% of the time. Fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

    The Sexypants post should be required reading for all MFPers: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • pamleac
    pamleac Posts: 7 Member
    Take your weight, divide it by 2, and start drinking water. Water with lemon, iced tea, hot tea, black coffee. I am drinking low calorie Gatorade. They are 32 oz. bottles. Drink the Gatorade, refill it with water. I'm peeing a lot, but that's good. It's a much better color than what it was with Mountain Dew. LOL
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Good decision my man. Here's a few simple tips that might help.

    Log everything, as accurately as you possibly can. I even suggest for a few days you eat like you always have, just log it. Really see what you've been doing to yourself all these years. It's an eye opener.

    The app is just a tool. It's about being honest with yourself and having the knowledge about what you're putting in your body.

    A lot of times just doing that will be enough to inspire you to make a change.

    You'll have a lot of learning to do, but you don't need to do it all at once. This is the start of something new for you. And you can do it without giving up the foods you love. You'll just be a bit more responsible from now on, and that's a good thing.

    Really great advice.

    And you're not saying no to food, hon - I still eat things I enjoy (steak for dinner last night, noms). Don't view this as a diet, view it as a new way to live.

    Good luck!
  • I know the feeling. I had the "Doctor lecture" as well. My last pregnancy was particularly disconcerting (just 2 years ago). I wish you the best of luck! It's past time for us to get healthy!
  • Alissakae
    Alissakae Posts: 317 Member
    MFP is a great tool for healthy weight loss. You won't lose at "Biggest Loser" speeds, but tracking food and activity will allow you to gain health as you lose weight. Enjoy the journey!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Went to the Dr this week and was blown away when I stepped on the scale and it almost hit 300lbs... Dr told me that I've put on 20lbs since seeing him last year and he was not happy. I told him my wife was doing MFP and he very sternly told me that if I wanted to see my 4 kids grow up to have kids that I better get on here, so here I is... need to drop 108 to get to my LTG. So here we go... Ugh I hate saying no to food....lol

    If you are a food lover like me then no need to do without. Read the forums and you'll learn you can eat anything you like just a bit less.
  • audrast
    audrast Posts: 74 Member
    Go to YouTube and watch some episodes of "SuperSized vs SuperSkinny." It's a show from the UK about the extremes in eating. Perhaps it will give you an idea about portion control and what you are putting in your body. I have found it very motivating.
  • Cerakoala
    Cerakoala Posts: 2,547 Member
    Hi nice to meet you and welcome to MFP. I am glad you are taking your doctors words and starting a new journey for both you and your family :) There is so much knowledge here and so much to learn. Start by logging everything, everyday and make sure you weigh your food. Even if you go over your calories at first it sometimes really shows us and wakes us up when we see just how much we are putting into our body :) Remember there are no bad foods, this is about creating a new healthier lifestyle and sometimes that lifestyle should include some not so healthy choices to make sure it is realistic and something we can sustain Over time you will learn how to incorporate those foods into your daily food intake so you are not going over calories, its all about balance :) You can do this just remember there will be some days you will fall. Just keep getting back up and moving forward and nothing can stop you :) I am going to send you a friend request if thats ok :)
  • PrissyPisces
    PrissyPisces Posts: 117 Member
    Good decision my man. Here's a few simple tips that might help.

    Log everything, as accurately as you possibly can. I even suggest for a few days you eat like you always have, just log it. Really see what you've been doing to yourself all these years. It's an eye opener.

    The app is just a tool. It's about being honest with yourself and having the knowledge about what you're putting in your body.

    A lot of times just doing that will be enough to inspire you to make a change.

    You'll have a lot of learning to do, but you don't need to do it all at once. This is the start of something new for you. And you can do it without giving up the foods you love. You'll just be a bit more responsible from now on, and that's a good thing.

    He is so right about this. Being forced to measure, log in, weigh, portion, and make better food choices has me like....."Well damn! No wonder why I'm so big!" I was eating cookies, cheesecakes, and all that other CRAP that gives you temporary satisfaction, but a TON of consequences. You just have to ask yourself is it really worth it? Are those bad foods worth sacrificing the quality and longevity of your life? HELL NO! LOL! It's a challenge, and I've just started MFP a few days ago, but I'm determined. First you have to change your mindset, and the rest will follow. YOU CAN DO THIS! YOU GOT THIS!

    P.S. You don't have to let the foods you love go completely. You can ALWAYS have those things (ALWAYS meaning for the rest of your life. Not all day everyday. LOL!), but it MUST be in moderation. No more than one serving a week, and it HAS to stay within your daily calorie balance.
  • Sailatsorf
    Sailatsorf Posts: 161 Member
    I'm so glad you're doing this and that you're listening to your doctor. My dad was always obese (often hovered around 300lbs), and he ended up with diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Three days after my wedding day, he died of a sudden, explosive heart attack. He never watched what he ate or listened to his doctor's warnings.

    Do it for you, your wife, and your kids. You don't want to hurt your children the way my dad hurt all of us, especially at a time that was supposed to be the happiest of my life. If you even think about giving up, think about what the cost is. Are four doughnuts in one sitting worth it? Most likely not. Everything in moderation, plenty of water, plenty of exercise. You can do it!
  • BeardedYoung
    BeardedYoung Posts: 229 Member
    Thanks for all the encouragement folks, I'm hoping I can make this work. I started noticing that I was doing the "fat man walk" where you kinda sway from side to side as you step... That's gotta stop...lol Logging food is eye opening! WOW.
  • atreides42
    atreides42 Posts: 51 Member
    Went to the Dr this week and was blown away when I stepped on the scale and it almost hit 300lbs... Dr told me that I've put on 20lbs since seeing him last year and he was not happy. I told him my wife was doing MFP and he very sternly told me that if I wanted to see my 4 kids grow up to have kids that I better get on here, so here I is... need to drop 108 to get to my LTG. So here we go... Ugh I hate saying no to food....lol

    When I told my doctor I was using MFP he got really excited and told me how he dropped 30 lbs with it (he was up to 200 for the first time in his life). He said his wife was supportive at first, but then she got mad that he lost weight and she didn't so she started throwing all the food bar codes in the trash before he could scan them. :tongue:
  • BeardedYoung
    BeardedYoung Posts: 229 Member
    Maybe she liked him a lil chunky... lol
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
    You can do it. Mostly, it's a matter of numbers and sticking to them. Calculate how much you should be eating, log everything, and try to hit that number. Don't sweat the little things. Just stick with eating the correct number of calories (which should be a reasonable number). Exercise a little more.

    Repeat every day.
  • melissaw78
    melissaw78 Posts: 214 Member
    It might seem a little counterintuitive, but when you make changes to your diet, begin with the things you need to ADD, like more water, more fruits/veggies, adding fruits/veggies/fiber to "unhealthy" favorites. You may find that in some cases the things you need to subtract may take of themselves.

    I would give myself permission to drink any soda I wanted AFTER I had my 12-16 oz of water. Guess how much soda I usually end up drinking? lol
  • tjl2329
    tjl2329 Posts: 169 Member
    Everyday I choose what I eat. It's hard but if you choose instead of forcing yourself not to eat. Just a mind set but I work hard to remember that. I can eat whatever I want to . I chose not to. Okay most of the time. You can do it. And yeah I have to say no a lot but I feel way better.
  • BeardedYoung
    BeardedYoung Posts: 229 Member
    One thing in my corner is I LOVE veggies! The Dr. said that may be what helps me because my sugar levels are great and my cholesterol is under 200. I try and get as many dark leafy greens like spinach and kale as I can. Baby spinach disappears in any smoothie with berries. Its either the Veggies or the Stache ;)

    Water is also where I got to focus. I drink way too many Zero carb/cal Energy Drinks to stay awake.
  • atreides42
    atreides42 Posts: 51 Member
    I would give myself permission to drink any soda I wanted AFTER I had my 12-16 oz of water. Guess how much soda I usually end up drinking? lol


    LOL this is a good idea!
  • GetFitNicky
    GetFitNicky Posts: 25 Member
    Log. Log. Log.

    Best wishes! You can do it--and kiddos are the best motivation.
  • Vupe
    Vupe Posts: 80
    Oh no, say yes to food! I just tried this Ahi Tuna Chard Wrap recipe and it actually tastes like a juicy steak yet so low in calories. I never thought vegetables and fish could taste so good. Maybe the key is to try new things...best of luck to you. Ad me if you wish, I am not the best coach or mentor but I can share low carb recipes and ask what you are up to.
  • jjscholar
    jjscholar Posts: 413 Member
    You may look at my current profile picture and ask "Who am I to talk about losing weight because I appear thin." However, I have not always been thin. About three years ago on July 1, 2011, I almost died of congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy because I weighed 393 lbs. I was sent by ambulance from a Cocoa Beach Florida walk in urgent care center to Cape Canaveral Hospital since my blood pressure on that day was 222/177. I had gone to the walk in urgent care clinic becautse I had a bad cough for more than three months. I thought it was pneumonia. I was wrong it was pulmonary edema because I had consumed junk food, fried food, and McDonald's' food...

    On Saturday morning July 2, 2011, the attending doctor basically told me why I had been coughing and that this is my last chance to loose weight or die. At that moment, I decided to change -- not so much at first because I feared dying myself but rather I feared the fact that my sister would have to deal with the aftermath of my death.

    So I started to cut back on my calories and start reading the nutrition labels on foods and began to phase out fried food and junk food. About a month later, I started working out at the Cocoa Florida Y. In September 2011, I had failed a stress test because of the damage I had done to myself as a consequence of weighing 393 lbs and I found out that I had to undergo Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) implantation surgery as a precaution to prevent me from dying of sudden cardiac death. At this point, I had lost over 100 lbs but I felt I needed to do a better of job of tracking my calories. So about a month before my ICD surgery, I became a member of My Fitness Pal. Then, I was able to have the surgery done in January 2012. Before my ICD surgery my heart's efficiency rating was between 27-35 percent. But I did not let this setback stop me from losing weight and working out.

    After my ICD implantation surgery, I continued to eat better and workout... I continued to track my calories and started tracking my cardiovascular exercise on My Fitness Pal. I was able to take the extra step on no longer eating any red meat what so ever. Things started to get better and for over the last 18 months I have been able to maintain my weight at between 175-182 lbs.

    In addition, I was able to significantly improve my cardiovascular conditioning. As of December 12, 2013, my heart's efficiency rating had gone up to 65 percent which is now within normal range. I have to admit that I owe my cardiovascular improvement to my favorite form of exercise which is Zumba.

    While I still have some residual damage, my congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy are basically in remission. I am better off today than I was on July 1, 2011.

    I have two messages to you: (A) I know that it is not easy but, it is possible to lose weight; and (B) please don't wait until you weigh at or above 393 lbs before you decide to change. I was lucky that I did not die on July 1, 2011... Please don't take that chance...

    I am not saying all of this to be condescending... I know that the exact way I had lost weight and improved my heart's conditioning is not right for everyone. But, you need to find a way of losing weight that is right for you.
  • atreides42
    atreides42 Posts: 51 Member
    You may look at my current profile picture and ask "Who am I to talk about losing weight because I appear thin." However, I have not always been thin. About three years ago on July 1, 2011, I almost died of congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy because I weighed 393 lbs. I was sent by ambulance from a Cocoa Beach Florida walk in urgent care center to Cape Canaveral Hospital since my blood pressure on that day was 222/177. I had gone to the walk in urgent care clinic becautse I had a bad cough for more than three months. I thought it was pneumonia. I was wrong it was pulmonary edema because I had consumed junk food, fried food, and McDonald's' food...

    On Saturday morning July 2, 2011, the attending doctor basically told me why I had been coughing and that this is my last chance to loose weight or die. At that moment, I decided to change -- not so much at first because I feared dying myself but rather I feared the fact that my sister would have to deal with the aftermath of my death.

    So I started to cut back on my calories and start reading the nutrition labels on foods and began to phase out fried food and junk food. About a month later, I started working out at the Cocoa Florida Y. In September 2011, I had failed a stress test because of the damage I had done to myself as a consequence of weighing 393 lbs and I found out that I had to undergo Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) implantation surgery as a precaution to prevent me from dying of sudden cardiac death. At this point, I had lost over 100 lbs but I felt I needed to do a better of job of tracking my calories. So about a month before my ICD surgery, I became a member of My Fitness Pal. Then, I was able to have the surgery done in January 2012. Before my ICD surgery my heart's efficiency rating was between 27-35 percent. But I did not let this setback stop me from losing weight and working out.

    After my ICD implantation surgery, I continued to eat better and workout... I continued to track my calories and started tracking my cardiovascular exercise on My Fitness Pal. I was able to take the extra step on no longer eating any red meat what so ever. Things started to get better and for over the last 18 months I have been able to maintain my weight at between 175-182 lbs.

    In addition, I was able to significantly improve my cardiovascular conditioning. As of December 12, 2013, my heart's efficiency rating had gone up to 65 percent which is now within normal range. I have to admit that I owe my cardiovascular improvement to my favorite form of exercise which is Zumba.

    While I still have some residual damage, my congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy are basically in remission. I am better off today than I was on July 1, 2011.

    I have two messages to you: (A) I know that it is not easy but, it is possible to lose weight; and (B) please don't wait until you weigh at or above 393 lbs before you decide to change. I was lucky that I did not die on July 1, 2011... Please don't take that chance...

    I am not saying all of this to be condescending... I know that the exact way I had lost weight and improved my heart's conditioning is not right for everyone. But, you need to find a way of losing weight that is right for you.

    Thank you for this inspirational story.
  • pamleac
    pamleac Posts: 7 Member
    Eat your water:

    Cucumbers 96% water Lettuce 95% water Celery 95% water Radishes 95% water
    Tomatoes 94% water Green Peppers 93% water Cauliflower 92% Watermelon 91%
    Spinach 91% Strawberries 91% Broccoli 90% Grapefruit 90% Baby Carrots 90%
    Cantaloupe 90%

    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20709014,00.html
  • curlygirl513
    curlygirl513 Posts: 199 Member
    Nothing like a wake up call. :) Welcome and best wishes!