My name is Mike and I weigh 400 lbs

Welcome Mike! This is a great site for motivation! Walking is an excellent way to start!

Welcome! I just joined MFP yesterday, so I'm completely new here, too. Feel free to add me, and I sure wish you all the best on your weight loss and fitness journey! I'm sure you'll do wonderfully with all the great people here supporting you.

Hello Mike!
I myself am working to lose 100 lbs.
The people here are great.
Put any advice for extreme or fad diets out the window!
Set your activity level and weight in MFP then simply eat at or less than the goals.
Until I started logging my food with MFP I really had no idea how much I was eating.
You'll do great!

Mike you can do this! Move when you can and for as long as you can. I think giving up soda and tracking how much you eat is a huge step toward making healthy changes. Feel free to add me as a friend. I can't say enough about the support I have received from MFP friends as I work toward my goal.

Hello Mike!!!

I sent you a request.

I am in a very similar situation as you are. I'm a bit older, 37, but I'm a 5 foot 9 inch female and I have a lot of weight to lose myself. I started out at 414 pounds. God that sounds terrible when you say it and see it in type. How did I ever let myself get that way? Unhealthy habits! That is how.

I'm down to 389 right now. I've been only focusing on food and just now starting to exercise as of August 1st. I started May 1st. I've tried it all. I've tried Atkins and while I lost a lot of weight fast as soon as I stopped I out it back on plus another 10-40 pounds depending which time I did atkins. Atkins is a very nasty cycle. Fast loss but as soon as you go off it out of maintenance phase you gain it back. I've lost a lot and gained a lot with atkins. It is no longer my friend haha.

I've found the best way is for the right way. Watch calories and try to do a little exercise. As for the walking.... I have found Asics to have the best support for us biggest folks. I never thought a brand mattered much. Until I found them. Most beans don't get better as you go up in cost. They just get pricier. Asics actually go up in comfort and support as you go up in cost. I have 8 pairs of them now. Different styles. Like I said, they're the best I've found for heavy folks. Gel Cumulus are a good cushy and supportive style they make. I on,y have one pair of their most expensive brand but the shock support is WELL worth it. They retail for $200 but you can find a bargain on amazon or ebay or ASIC outlet stores. They are style Kinsei 5 .... 4 was good too but no longer made. My shins and legs kill me. But my shoes really make a difference. If you want to know other styles or anything just ask me. I'm fairly knowledgable with them. (No I don't work for Asics either lol)

In the past 3 months I have learned to spread my meals out throughout the day and eat more. I was a starve myself then eat one big meal at night. It's taken me 3 months to make this a habit to constantly eat. In that 3 months I lost 25 pounds. However, even still after 3 months of empty new "habit" if I don't carefully watch myself I could easily slip right back into my old ways. I get busy and I forget to eat. Then by time I realize I'm hungry it was 3pm and I figured why eat now cause dinner is in a few hours lol.

I'm struggling every day with my own demons, we all have them. I'm not an emotional eater or a bored eater. I only drink water by the tons a day or tea and if I sweeten it I use liquid Kal brand stevia.

I read you have issues with the caffeine in the morning and drink black tea. Here's a helpful hint..... Add a Mate tea in with your black tea or just make Mate tea instead. It has as much caffeine as coffee!!! you can get them flavored in lots of favors.

I have been weighing everything and scanning every box code on my healthy choice meals or lean cuisines. Sometimes I'll add a garden salad to dress up my box meal.

The best thing I can give you as advice is if you want something eat it, example pizza, just don't eat the whole pizza. Have one slice with a salad and some fruit. You can still have everything you love, just in moderation.

I know I have only lost 25 pounds like this ... But this is the longest I've stuck anything out and I have made it a slow and steady life change. It took me 37 years to get here. It won't be an overnight change. It will take me years, but I'm going to be much happier and healthier. I already am much happier with just my small changes.

Please accept my request and we can motivate each other. I'd love to be your diet buddy!!!!

PS my name is Lynn .... Nice to meet you,

So glad you're here!! Congrats ????

I gave up soda, though I sometimes slip, but if I do I get diet because it's gross and I never finish it. I really liked the carbonation best and I switched to club soda and Perrier. Sometimes I mix juice in with the club soda and it tastes wonderful!!

Definitely make some friends on here. I have been blessed to find some awesome ones!!

Have you considered doing sitting workouts until you lose some weight? Just to get you started. But of course if you can go small distances do so. I could barely walk to the end of my street when I started.

I'm on here daily and would.love to have you as a friend!!
Elizabeth

Have you thought about water aerobics? Or other water classes? I know my doctor said the water would help alleviate some of the weight, pain and stress on the bones, muscles and joints....it's also a lot cooler! Might want to check out the local YMCA or what the rec center has to offer. Otherwise, I walk in circles in my pool for as long as I can. It's harder than you think!
Baby steps! You're doing great!!

Keep up the good work and stay motivated, the only person stopping you is YOU!!! Good Luck!!

Go for it Mike! You'll be amazing

Add me if you'd like, have lost 79lbs since May 2013. Slowly but surely xx

You have made the first step, Mike! You changed something that's going to make a BIG difference. You will be walking in no time. Feel free to add me and I will be happy to support you.

Good luck on your journey Mike!

Hello,

I was referred here from a subreddit called "loseit", where I posted asking for exercise advice. As of my last weigh in I was 400-410 lbs. You can read it here if you really feel like it: http://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/2cq5w8/exercises_in_addition_to_walking_for_400_lbs/

I'm 26 years old and am a Software Engineer. I'm 6 foot even and have been heavy my entire life. I was raised drinking soda from as early as I can remember; soda with breakfast, lunch, dinner, when bored, when not bored. Cutting it out has been a real challenge but I am 2 weeks without, drinking black tea instead in the mornings for the caffeine.

I've already begun with the diet portion (no sodas, no fast food, etc), but am having trouble with walking due to intense pain in my outer ankles. I have started to apply some advice received there, and started walking in short periods of time multiple times a day, and I ordered a 30lb kettlebell to start using on Friday.

I'm hopeful that I can stick with my plan and lose a few hundred pounds! If anyone wants to add me to friends, I would appreciate it. I feel like if there's a chance someone noticed I didn't update, I would be more likely to stick with it.

Thank you.

Feel free to send me a friend request. 9 mos ago I couldn't walk from the parking lot into the store without my back killing me and being short of breath. I started losing weight and working out initially on an elliptical trainer because it was easy on my back. As the weight came off I started walking more. I now regularly walk 40 miles a week without any discomfort or shortness of breath. If you are truly committed to applying yourself to the process, the rewards are unreal. Good luck!

All that soda is calorie hell. You'll get used to diet drinks quickly. I have been drinking them for decades, and the real thing tastes weird to me now.

Welcome and good luck to you.

Calories in versus calories out, simply meaning eat less -- move more.

I have heard this a lot "be the change you want to see".

You have support from follow MFP teamsters.

I suggest you seek medical consultation in relation to your training regime in order to optimize your training and compliment your lifestyle & dietary changes. Low impact exercises taking pressure off key joints (in the early stages) would be prudent. See what the doc or personal trainer recommends.

Your biggest supporter is yourself, keep your family & friends close by for much needed support and go get em' champ!

Hi Mike,

Welcome to MFP!

Sixteen months ago, at 60 years old and 317 pounds, my mobility was disappearing. Severe knee pain led me to a surgeon who said my weight would ruin artificial knees. I've now lost 160 pounds; and even though my knees are still shot, I can move again (a lot).

Walking a little and cutting out soda are a great start! Baby steps will get you there. The more you do, the easier it gets!

Congratulations on the important start you are making to improve yourself!

Paula