Super obese, why isn't the weight falling off me?
Replies
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I don't think the original poster has replied back - but if you're still out there, reading replies:
How long ago did you start restricting calories? You may just need to give it more time.
1. Weigh your food with a food scale, log everything. Even condiments, cooking oils.
2. Work to increase your activity. I'm not suggesting you run a marathon. But with what you are medically approved to do, do more. Maybe that means walking to your mailbox a few times a day. Whatever you start with, repeat it a few times each day and each week add a little more.
3. Drink plenty of water, stay hydrated.
Give it 4-5 weeks.0 -
What is the diet given post-surgery patients? Can you try that diet for a few days?
I ask because I was told by a surgeon who does these procedures that he believes it is the post-surgery diet, not the surgery, that makes the difference. So my thought is you can try that diet skipping the surgery and see what happens.
You might also try a low carb diet to see if that makes a difference for your specific metabolism. From the low carb perspective, 40% is too many carbs. Try 20-30%.
There's nothing to lose in trying a particular diet approach for 2 weeks to see if it works for you, except possibly fat. You want to be sure you have exhausted all possibilities before trying surgery.
As for why the weight isn't melting off--the answer is you are not doing aerobic exercise.
You may not have access to a lap pool, but do you have friends or friends of friends, or even a hotel nearby that might allow you to tread water for 20 minutes a day? You only need a small pool to tread water.
Read about "target heart rate" and use that to gauge the intensity of your exercise, whatever kind of exercise might become available to you. The strain on your knee will go down as you lose weight and you may be able to start walking for exercise when your weight is lower.
That is absolutely false. Losing weight has to do with how much you eat, period. For the OP, even walking around probably gets his/her heart rate right up there.
The OP needs to follow a doctor's instructions.
OP, best wishes to you on this journey. Whatever you decide to do, I hope you won't let the squabbling keep you off the forums. There are some great people here who have lost a lot of weight and who can give you the support you need.
Whups. Unclear in my post--I meant the reason she's not losing at whatever her current diet (which is making no weight change for her either way), was lack of aerobic exercise. Thanks for catching my mistake.
That would still be false though.....0 -
NO.I am sorry to say that at your weight it could be a whole host of thinks. The fat could be putting pressure on and disrupting the function of your internal organs. And I wouldn't be surprised if you had a thyroid issue at the moment.
As much as I hate to say it surgery may be the better option in your case. As it may alleviate some of the more extreme effects of all the weight you are carrying around. Hell even the ability to walk around would do you a tremendous amount of good right now. As if you are completely sedentary and your internal workings aren't moving right you may not even be burning 1800 a day anyway.
I have every sympathy with you as my weight got pretty big myself not at the stage you where at. But enough. And Honestly I think you are beyond conventional methods of weight loss. It's time to consider more drastic solutions. As the longer you are sedentary the more your muscles will atrophy. And the more mobility you will lose. You need to realize that you need something that works now. You don't have time t o be patient and wait the process out.
I hope I don't scare you and I sincerely wish you the best.
Seconding that "NO". OP, try weighing and measuring your food if you're not already. I wouldn't recommend surgery to anyone, certainly not at the first hurdle.0 -
You're stuffing your face still. To maintain 440 lbs you'd need to eat around 2800 calories a day.
Where did you get that number from? I'm 80 pounds less than the OP and I have to eat 3700 calories to maintain.
I did a simple tdee calculation and set it to sedentary,
Let me guess. You looked at the BMR not the TDEE and used Mifflin-St Jeor instead of the Harris Benedict Formula, which is better suited for obese or overweight people....0 -
I'm not sure if I missed it somewhere but how long as the OP been logging?0
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Read up about PCOS. I have it and it is very hard to lose weight. (I don't have any thyroid problems). It is VERY possible that you have that. Most overweight people that have a hard time losing the weight will find out that they have this. If you look at they symptoms of it, you may see a lot that you do have - and maybe a few that you do not have - if you have most, you probably have it. I know I do not have all of the symptoms either.
You may just need the doctor to check you out better (check thyroid, but also check for PCOS). And I'm with you... I don't want that operation either. Yikes!
Good Luck!0 -
Do you weigh and measure your food? If not, you don't really know how much you're eating, and 1800 cals in your head could easily surpass 3000 calories in reality.0
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You're stuffing your face still. To maintain 440 lbs you'd need to eat around 2800 calories a day.
Where did you get that number from? I'm 80 pounds less than the OP and I have to eat 3700 calories to maintain.
I did a simple tdee calculation and set it to sedentary,
Im not sure what calculator youre using but that seems about 1500 calories off.
All that matters is to be 440 lbs and claim to not be losing at 1800 cals a day is flat out BS.
I'm 6'1 185 and lose at 2350.
No, it's not.
But people really need to stop judging on this forum because they do not know the medical issues that are impacting a persons metabolism. Does she has cushings or graves or hyperthydroidism? Does she have a metabolic disorder?
The answer is you don't know.
Just because YOU lose at 2350 doesn't mean someone else will.
.
.
.
No one is judging anyone.
It's pretty simple… OP claims to be eating 1800 calories but if they aren't using a food scale, they are likely overeating which is why they aren't losing weight.
Considering OP is 440 lbs, I guarantee he/she has been tested for endocrine disorders such as diabetes, insulin resistance, hypo/hyperthyroidism. Therefore, if OP has any of these conditions they likely would've been picked up by now. And if in fact OP does have any of the conditions, they should've included that in their original post.0 -
eat a high carb low fat plant based (vegan) diet...consisting of fruits, veggies, brown rice, potatoes etc and the weight will come off...dont restrict your carbs that will give you the energy to get up and move a bit! you will get there it takes time but stick with it...and go with how your body is feeling instead of the lbs on the scale...eat a diet like i suggested and you will feel better...you can message me if you need any specific tips...good luck
As a vegan who loves my carbs, I have to disagree with this. Besides, all the energy in the world won't help if your knee hurts too much to use it. Why not get a second opinion from another doctor, hopefully a specialist? No one here is in the place to tell you whether or not surgery is right for you or why you aren't losing. How frustrating though-I wish you well.
Edit: Do you have health insurance? Your doctor might be able to get you approved for aquatic PT.0 -
I started at 374, and I had this SAME problem for probably the first 3 months! I started walking (it was painful at first since I was used to being almost completely sedentary) and doing sit ups a little more each day. It took probably 3 months of me eating healthier food AND exercising before the scale really started to move. Don't give up! We didn't gain the weight overnight and we're not going to lose it overnight either. But the important thing is that you find something you CAN do, even if it's small amounts a day, and DO IT. Consistently!
I started at 374 over a year ago. I could barely walk half a mile in half an hour, and it was painful, I had blisters on my feet, and I was BEAT for the day. I started doing sit ups every day, starting at 2 a day, then 4, etc. A bit over a year later and I can walk a 5k in just over an hour with NO pain, NO blisters, and have energy left over! I can do 100 sit ups a day easy. I can do 30 modified push ups, and even started being able to do push ups on my toes! Right now I'm doing Turbo Fire and drinking Shakeology.
My point is that you can't expect to be running marathons right off the bat. Start small and BE CONSISTENT. Soon your strength and endurance will grow and you'll be able to do more.
I agree with making sure you are measuring everything you eat. Serving sizes can be tricky! One of my favorite examples of this is frozen Swai fillets. The serving size is a 4 oz fillet. You would assume that means 1 fillet. It's NOT! Each of those fillets are AT LEAST 2 servings, sometimes 2.5! It's tough getting used to measuring everything, but it's definitely worth it! ALSO! If you have a craving (say, for a cookie or something) have the dang cookie, but take out ONE and put the rest away! This satisfies your craving, and you don't end up eating the whole thing (TRUST ME on this one...I am a recovering emotional eater, and this is the only thing that saved me from binge eating when junk food was around!)
I wish you the best of luck on your journey, and I'd love to help support you if you wouldn't mind a friend!
Amanda0 -
eat a high carb low fat plant based (vegan) diet...consisting of fruits, veggies, brown rice, potatoes etc and the weight will come off...dont restrict your carbs that will give you the energy to get up and move a bit! you will get there it takes time but stick with it...and go with how your body is feeling instead of the lbs on the scale...eat a diet like i suggested and you will feel better...you can message me if you need any specific tips...good luck
As a vegan who loves my carbs, I have to disagree with this. Besides, all the energy in the world won't help if your knee hurts too much to use it. Why not get a second opinion from another doctor, hopefully a specialist? No one here is in the place to tell you whether or not surgery is right for you or why you aren't losing. How frustrating though-I wish you well.
High five.0 -
I started at 335 and have been losing about 3.5 pounds a week on 1700-1800. I walk, too, but my understanding is that the supposed calorie burns are very exaggerated. If you are truly eating 1800 and not losing, it sounds like there's something else going on.
What this guy said right here. At over 400lbs and at 1800 calories a day you should be losing multiple lbs per week. If not, something else may be wrong.
Did you ask the doc about it?0 -
I'm not sure if I missed it somewhere but how long as the OP been logging?
Frankly no one knows at this point. We aren't even sure if OP has been reading any of this either.0 -
what do you "drink?"
i had weight loss surgery a year ago, and i have lost 100 pounds, i also have arthritis and was wheelchair bound a year ago..i now walk with just a cane. i don't regret having weight loss surgery for one minute, it is the BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE!0 -
I think she was just saying that since the OP is basically eating at maintenance now....if she were to have some aerobic activity, that would create a deficit.
Could be, and while that's true, I just have to question whether exercise is really the best way to create a deficit when someone can barely walk. It seems more prudent to me to focus on creating a deficit through diet and treating any medical conditions that could be hindering her weight loss efforts, rather than worrying about exercise at this point.0 -
My first response, find another Dr. While I am not a Dr and wouldn't tell you to have or not have the surgery, I have seen many many people have issues with it. Some even life threatening. I know you're morbidly obese but that can all be changed one baby step at a time.
From my own personal experience: I had my Dr tell me I'd never loose unless I had WLS. I'm not at a great big high number of lbs lost, just 81 but I am proving him wrong. I have a non-functioning thyroid. It isn't easy to loose, but I'm doing it. I'd say take an honest look at your diary and yes measure. Have your body functions checked, there may be an underlying issue. (again, new doctor) As for not being able to exercise, I couldn't walk across a room without stopping to breath when I started, but I can run now and be ok. There are tons of seated exercises you can check out. You can get your heart rate up by moving those arms.
Just DON'T GIVE UP!!
You are awesome.
I vote this. I think it is some of the best advice you are going to find on a public forum such as this.0 -
Keep a food diary, use measuring cups and spoons to measure everything so that you know for sure how much you are eating.
Eat a whole foods plant based diet. Energy comes from carbs, not protein.
As for your knee, once the weight drops off this may potentially help the knee. If you ever walk upstairs with a heavy load and then drop the load it's easy to see how a few pounds lost makes an incredible difference as far as stress on our joints.
If you want, don't get on the scale. Use a measuring tape instead. Make the goal be a waist line under 35 inches.
If you are not losing weight and are truly only eating 1800 calories seek medical attention immediately. You may be retaining water due to a heart or other condition.eat a high carb low fat plant based (vegan) diet...consisting of fruits, veggies, brown rice, potatoes etc and the weight will come off...dont restrict your carbs that will give you the energy to get up and move a bit! you will get there it takes time but stick with it...and go with how your body is feeling instead of the lbs on the scale...eat a diet like i suggested and you will feel better...you can message me if you need any specific tips...good luck
As a vegan who loves my carbs, I have to disagree with this. Besides, all the energy in the world won't help if your knee hurts too much to use it. Why not get a second opinion from another doctor, hopefully a specialist? No one here is in the place to tell you whether or not surgery is right for you or why you aren't losing. How frustrating though-I wish you well.
High five.0 -
When I first got serious it took over a month to drop any weight. Some of us are just lucky. Hang in there--it WILL work.
There is no luck in weight loss.
There's a deficit and you lose weight.
Maintenance, maintaining your weight.
Or in a surplus, gaining weight.0 -
Thank you everyone for your feedback. To answer a few of your questions.... yes, I weigh, track and measure everything I eat so I am not overeating. So in reply to one person, no, I'm not "still stuffing my face." I don't know 100% I am insulin resistant but I am pre-diabetic so I probably am. I thought i was doing well with 40% carbs but could probably lower it more. I am hesitant to go too low with the carbs because I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change and if I do something very drastic I won't stick with it.
I do no exercise at all which I know is not good. As I mentioned I have severe arthritis pain in my knee. I had to get up in the middle of the night last night to ice my knee just so I could sleep. I do need to start exercising though, even if it's walking for short periods of time.
To those who said I'm a lost cause and surgery is my only option, I appreciate your opinion but I'm going to continue plugging away and hoping I can reduce the weight. I realize my health is in jeopardy and I need to lose weight as soon as possible but I'm hoping as the weight reduces I can increase the activity level which will result in greater losses.
Again, thanks for the feedback and keep it coming if you have any suggestions!0 -
It could be that it's not a matter of how much carbs, but what kind of carbs. If it's mostly veggies with some fruit, that's good. If it consists of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and grains, that might not be so good.Thank you everyone for your feedback. To answer a few of your questions.... yes, I weigh, track and measure everything I eat so I am not overeating. So in reply to one person, no, I'm not "still stuffing my face." I don't know 100% I am insulin resistant but I am pre-diabetic so I probably am. I thought i was doing well with 40% carbs but could probably lower it more. I am hesitant to go too low with the carbs because I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change and if I do something very drastic I won't stick with it.
Not everybody is the same so it may take some experimentation to find out what works best for you.0 -
Keep a food diary, use measuring cups and spoons to measure everything so that you know for sure how much you are eating.
Eat a whole foods plant based diet. Energy comes from carbs, not protein.
As for your knee, once the weight drops off this may potentially help the knee. If you ever walk upstairs with a heavy load and then drop the load it's easy to see how a few pounds lost makes an incredible difference as far as stress on our joints.
If you want, don't get on the scale. Use a measuring tape instead. Make the goal be a waist line under 35 inches.
If you are not losing weight and are truly only eating 1800 calories seek medical attention immediately. You may be retaining water due to a heart or other condition.eat a high carb low fat plant based (vegan) diet...consisting of fruits, veggies, brown rice, potatoes etc and the weight will come off...dont restrict your carbs that will give you the energy to get up and move a bit! you will get there it takes time but stick with it...and go with how your body is feeling instead of the lbs on the scale...eat a diet like i suggested and you will feel better...you can message me if you need any specific tips...good luck
As a vegan who loves my carbs, I have to disagree with this. Besides, all the energy in the world won't help if your knee hurts too much to use it. Why not get a second opinion from another doctor, hopefully a specialist? No one here is in the place to tell you whether or not surgery is right for you or why you aren't losing. How frustrating though-I wish you well.
High five.
Energy comes from ALL macros, protein carbs and fat. Your body uses a process called gluconeogenesis to break proteins and fatty acids down into glucose.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluconeogenesis0 -
I had knee issues when I started too but the weight loss improved my knee condition before my knee surgery...Much of the pain at the knee is caused by the extra weight pressure on the knee...Get your metabolism up by walking 5 to 10K steps a day, just that will take you a long way, that's what I did, no gym, no running and I am losing 2 to 4 lb a week ...I will say that measuring is crucial. My calorie objective is currently 1500 and I am often around 1350 so I can't talk for 1800 but I assume that this is not high given your current weight. Ensure your protein, water and fibers are suffiscient and mainly believe that you can do it 0
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Thank you everyone for your feedback. To answer a few of your questions.... yes, I weigh, track and measure everything I eat so I am not overeating. So in reply to one person, no, I'm not "still stuffing my face." I don't know 100% I am insulin resistant but I am pre-diabetic so I probably am. I thought i was doing well with 40% carbs but could probably lower it more. I am hesitant to go too low with the carbs because I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change and if I do something very drastic I won't stick with it.
I do no exercise at all which I know is not good. As I mentioned I have severe arthritis pain in my knee. I had to get up in the middle of the night last night to ice my knee just so I could sleep. I do need to start exercising though, even if it's walking for short periods of time.
To those who said I'm a lost cause and surgery is my only option, I appreciate your opinion but I'm going to continue plugging away and hoping I can reduce the weight. I realize my health is in jeopardy and I need to lose weight as soon as possible but I'm hoping as the weight reduces I can increase the activity level which will result in greater losses.
Again, thanks for the feedback and keep it coming if you have any suggestions!
Despite some of the rude replies, I don't think anyone said your are a lost cause. Even if you eventually DO need surgery, it doesn't mean you are a lost cause. :flowerforyou:
I love your attitude!0 -
Thank you everyone for your feedback. To answer a few of your questions.... yes, I weigh, track and measure everything I eat so I am not overeating. So in reply to one person, no, I'm not "still stuffing my face." I don't know 100% I am insulin resistant but I am pre-diabetic so I probably am. I thought i was doing well with 40% carbs but could probably lower it more. I am hesitant to go too low with the carbs because I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change and if I do something very drastic I won't stick with it.
I do no exercise at all which I know is not good. As I mentioned I have severe arthritis pain in my knee. I had to get up in the middle of the night last night to ice my knee just so I could sleep. I do need to start exercising though, even if it's walking for short periods of time.
To those who said I'm a lost cause and surgery is my only option, I appreciate your opinion but I'm going to continue plugging away and hoping I can reduce the weight. I realize my health is in jeopardy and I need to lose weight as soon as possible but I'm hoping as the weight reduces I can increase the activity level which will result in greater losses.
Again, thanks for the feedback and keep it coming if you have any suggestions!
Please read the links. I think they will help you.
You are definitely not a lost cause and I think you can do this!!!
You don't have to cut carbs unless you want, but if might be good to meet with a registered dietitian if you haven't already. You can show them what you've been eating/logging etc. If you think you might be insulin resistant then get to the MD and see if there's a test. My mom was diagnoses with pre-diabetes and she wasn't insulin resistant, I think pre-diabetes is a "you're on the verge of being" but I am not a medical professional.
Is there a pool near you that you could use? If not, I know walking is hard, but maybe try walking every day for say 3 minutes. Do that for 1-2 weeks, then try 4 minutes for another 1-2 weeks. Just build it up? But if you can find a pool then water aerobics will be AWESOME for you. Though you can lose the weight without exercise.
Just in case (easy to get lost with all this info)Here's some information that might help
Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide
Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff
Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
Thank you everyone for your feedback. To answer a few of your questions.... yes, I weigh, track and measure everything I eat so I am not overeating. So in reply to one person, no, I'm not "still stuffing my face." I don't know 100% I am insulin resistant but I am pre-diabetic so I probably am. I thought i was doing well with 40% carbs but could probably lower it more. I am hesitant to go too low with the carbs because I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change and if I do something very drastic I won't stick with it.
I do no exercise at all which I know is not good. As I mentioned I have severe arthritis pain in my knee. I had to get up in the middle of the night last night to ice my knee just so I could sleep. I do need to start exercising though, even if it's walking for short periods of time.
To those who said I'm a lost cause and surgery is my only option, I appreciate your opinion but I'm going to continue plugging away and hoping I can reduce the weight. I realize my health is in jeopardy and I need to lose weight as soon as possible but I'm hoping as the weight reduces I can increase the activity level which will result in greater losses.
Again, thanks for the feedback and keep it coming if you have any suggestions!
I would imagine you are insulin resistant, as most who are obese have some degree of IR.
Do you take antidiabetic medication such as Metformin?
I am insulin resistant myself and take Metformin. When I started, I was eating 230-250 g carbs a day. I wasn't losing weight. I began following FirstLine Therapy's program which is a Mediterranean style, low glycemic diet. I've cut back my carb intake to 90-130 g and have lost 2.5 lbs over the last 2 weeks. I would definitely cut back on your carb intake and make sure you are eating complex carbs only. Since you are pre-diabetic, it's necessary that you stay away from simple carbs.
The plan I follow allows for:
- 1 serving of grains a day
- 1 serving of category 2 vegetables (starchy veggies like potatoes, carrots, and beets)
- At least 5 servings of category 1 vegetables (non-starchy veggies like peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc….. 1 serving= 1/2 cup)
- 2-3 servings of LEAN protein a day (1 serving= 3-4 oz)
- 1 serving of legumes a day (1 serving= 1/2 cup beans, 1/4 cup hummus)
- 2 servings of fruit a day (2 cups watermelon= 1 serving, 1.5 cups raspberries= 1 serving, 1 cup strawberries= 1 serving, 2 small kiwis= 1 serving, 2 small oranges= 1 serving, 1 apple= 1 serving… NO BANANAS)
- 1 serving nuts/seeds (15 almonds= 1 serving)
- 4 servings fats/oils (1/8 avocado, 1 tsp Earth Balance, 1 tsp olive oil= 1 serving)
- 2 medical food shakes (protein shakes) a day
Here's the site that shows you how many servings of what you can eat. I follow the 1300 calorie plan but you would follow the 1800 calorie plan so your servings will be higher than mine. http://bloomingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Food-Modification-Worksheetv2.pdf
Medical food- 2 servings (you don't need to buy the medical food unless you want to… you could still just follow the basics of the plan)
Protein- 3 servings
Legumes- 2 servings
Dairy/dairy alternatives- 1 serving
Nuts/seeds- 1 serving
Category 1 veggies- minimum of 3-4 servings
Category 2 veggies- 1 serving
Fruits- 3 servings
Grains- 1 serving
Oils- 6 servings0 -
Virogrl, a couple of things:
1) How long have you been at this?
2) Can you open your diary for us?
3) You obviously cannot exercise due to your size and arthritic knee, at least not in the traditional sense. But that's ok! You don't have to exercise to lose weight--it's all about the calories. But increasing your activity even in very small ways will help burn some extra calories and start improving your cardiovascular health. Look up non-weight bearing exercises like sitting exercises, picking up and putting down a gallon of milk or water, moving your arms in arm circles, etc. Every little thing counts and will set you up for more exercise down the road.0 -
Denial. You aren't ready till you are ready. For some, weight loss surgery doesn't work. You many not be able to change yet.0
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That was not nice!!!0
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r u sure everything is being measured? what is your sodium intake? maybe go to a 1500 calories diet if your not able to be to mobile? I think its great you want to do this on your own without surgery. my ex-husband died at 42 years of age due to his weight- and his twin brother lost all the weight through weight watchers. Best of luck to you!0
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Denial. You aren't ready till you are ready. For some, weight loss surgery doesn't work. You many not be able to change yet.
:huh:
If OP wasn't ready, she wouldn't be here taking the initiative to lose weight through diet/exercise.
If she was in denial, she'd be taking the easy way out and following her doctor's suggestion of getting WLS.0
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