22 and slowly dying

You are depressed. Make an appointment with a psychiatrist. Tell that doctor about your feelings now and about the past ADHD diagnosis.

i lost 50 pounds doing food substitutions while still eating at the same pace - dryer's slow churned ice cream rather than full fat, sargento's (they're the tastiest) reduced fat cheeses instead of regular, morningstar farms sausages instead of meat and so on. there are some very tasty lower fat potato and corn chips, too. depending on what you eat regularly, you can cut enough calories with smart substitutions to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.

i wouldn't drop more than 1000 calories per week max. it's a strain on your body to do more when starting out. walking at a comfortable pace is good exercise.

and if you're depressed or feel hopeless, please talk to a counselor or shrink.

Hello myfitnesspal community. I'm a 22 year old male and I can slowly feel myself dying. I have always been overweight but not to this severity. when I was 16 as a freshman in high school I weighed about 250lbs. I played football so I was pretty active for the year. Sophomore year I jumped upto 280lbs and I had stopped playing football. At the end of my sophomore year I had started taking a ADHD medication that had a appetite suppressant as a side effect within 1 month I had dropped down to 233lbs. Ever since then I had only gone up in weight reaching a high of 360lbs for over a year... in the last 6 months I've gone up to 400 lbs. I don't want to live like this anymore. I've tried every fad diet and some of my sister's training but nothing has ever worked for me. I would say my daily calorie intake is between 4000-7000. I know that is way above my means but I can't help it. If something is there to eat I will eat it. I feel disgusted with myself. I want to be fit and healthy for the first time in my life. Can anyone help me.

You have a lot going for you!! I know that you feel like you are in a prison (I sure did), but you have youth on your side!!!! I didn't lose a significant amount of weight til I was 38 yrs old. All I can say is that a temporary diet won't fix you...YOU need to fix you and it is a MENTAL game. I always felt like I was in a hostage situation at the refrigerator!! You ALWAYS have a CHOICE! I negotiate much like a hostage situation. If I'm craving pizza, I talk myself out of it, or think of a healthy alternative. Mostly, your mental toughness will pull you through, and you have to plan, prepare, and negotiate life, whether it's weight loss or not. I could have easily given up when I tore a disc in my back, (and I did for awhile), but I'm back on track and although I've gained some of it back, I don't have any health problems and with strengthening my body, I can get back.
First, surround yourself with people around you with similar goals. If friends are sabotaging you, then it will be more difficult. It's hard to go hang out with the guys and eat a dozen chicken wings and throw back a six pack a beer.
Second, you must have a plan of attack. Feeling helpless won't help, it takes ACTION. Going to a professional psychologist might be for you as it sounds like it's decision making. I have read a lot of mental thinking books to help me too, because I didn't enjoy the psychologist much as they wanted to just drug me up. I did have a doc online who was a pyschologist but a weight loss guy...Dr. John Sklare....and he was awesome! He had CDS that really helped me fix me while losing weight.
Third, make small goals....try a week without soda...then a week without fast food....then cook 3 days a week....I call it scaffolding....it takes layers of change to complete a project.
Fourth, losing weight won't solve all your problems.....it CAN produce a better quality of life, but it won't fix your life. Yes, when I lost 80 lbs I didn't have people staring me down in the airplane seat, but I had plenty of people criticize my body AFTER losing 8 dress sizes! Guess what..people suck most days and they criticize others to make them feel less insecure.
Fifth, Whole foods is the best answer.....processed foods are just as addicted as drugs.....meat, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies is the best LONG TERM answer to maintaining weight.
I have tons of books and things I can share with you.....just add me as a friend.....if I can help you....it makes my pain of wasting 20 years of my life not so bad. I wish at 22 I was a little more worried about my health. Thank goodness I have averted Type II diabetes and other health issues.
God Bless, Have Faith and no matter the obstacles and odds YOU CAN DO IT!

Hello myfitnesspal community. I'm a 22 year old male and I can slowly feel myself dying. I have always been overweight but not to this severity. when I was 16 as a freshman in high school I weighed about 250lbs. I played football so I was pretty active for the year. Sophomore year I jumped upto 280lbs and I had stopped playing football. At the end of my sophomore year I had started taking a ADHD medication that had a appetite suppressant as a side effect within 1 month I had dropped down to 233lbs. Ever since then I had only gone up in weight reaching a high of 360lbs for over a year... in the last 6 months I've gone up to 400 lbs. I don't want to live like this anymore. I've tried every fad diet and some of my sister's training but nothing has ever worked for me. I would say my daily calorie intake is between 4000-7000. I know that is way above my means but I can't help it. If something is there to eat I will eat it. I feel disgusted with myself. I want to be fit and healthy for the first time in my life. Can anyone help me.

Dude, I was in your shoes last year. I weighed 419 pounds. I couldn't walk a block without sweating like a pig and getting out of breath. I was going to die soon from some obesity-related hazard.

I decided to change.

You've already done the first best thing--you have signed with a community of like-minded people who can help you on your way.

I've sent you a friend request. If I can do anything to help, just ask. I've been in your 400-pound shoes, and I fought my way back to normality. You can too.

Frank