Morbidly Obese and looking for support and help

I started MFP 7 weeks ago at 23 stone and am now hovering few pounds above 20 stone. I cut out highly processed foods and am doing a high fat low carb food plan that is mostly paleo and Ketogenic in nature. Years ago at 21 stone my doctor told me i should have gastric surgery to lose weight which would mean i could only eat a tiny amount at any one time after. I really did not want that so i joined a militantly strict 12 step eating disorder group similar to alcoholics anonymous, I was put on a 1200-1500 calorie a day whole food diet. I went down to 13 stone in well under a year. It was very hard because i was ravenously hungry and an emotional wreck a lot of the time. It did not really work for me hence being 23 stone 7 weeks ago. However from that past experience I at least know it can be done without surgery.
Another time when i was much younger i did a meal replacement program which was given the ok by my doctor at 500cal a day, that I found i could not stick to. I was told that as long as nutritional needs are met it is ok for someone who is morbidly obese to start with a bigger than normal calorie deficit. The shakes were horrid though and the personal underlying issues were not addressed.

Since all of that I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. An assortment of medications did nothing to stabilise it and i ended up having a serious mental breakdown and losing almost everything and everyone in my life. One good thing that came out of that was that by then I had messed up my life so much that I was signed off as being unfit for work and finally had the time i needed to do some healing and get help. I had some charitable counselling and NHS therapy. That helped me come to terms with some stuff. More medications for bipolar failed to help. while looking for alternative treatments for bipolar I came across a recommendation for Ketogenic dietary treatment. I decided to give that a shot as it also was touted is being of benefit for various other health problems I have. It is too early on to say if having an impact on most things but it is definitely helping me to lose weight without being hungry all the time so I am happy with it. I have played with it a bit , I tried adding in semi fasting days of eating 500-600cal but that gave me a really bad gallbladder attack apparently due to bile stagnating in gallbladder while not eating so no more fasting for me. Mostly I have been eating between 1000 and 1600 calories a day and that suits me. I am not able to be very active due to long term chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. For me i am having to rely primarily on dietary changes at this stage but do a bit of walking when I can. I am very pleased with the progress I have made so far.

I have found what works for me is eating whole foods, without any artificial sweeteners or highly processed foods. I have found that eating high fat and low carb has killed my cravings and hunger between meals which is verging on miraculous to me. As I have been told by doctor that a large calorie deficit is ok for me (considering I am morbidly obese) I am not worried about eating below what MFP standard settings tell me. I am not willing to eat anything as low as 500cal a day again but I feel fine between 1000-1500 cal and allow myself to fluctuate within that zone depending on how i feel. As I am not able to be very active I do not eat back activity calories and do not log activity.

Reading on these boards it is clear that what works for different people is very varied and there is not a one size fits all perfect plan. I think it is just a matter of persistent experimentation to find what works for you. You can definitely do it if you really set your mind to it and refuse to give up. If what you try goes wrong then honestly assess why and make adjustments and changes until you find what works, If what works stops working then again honestly look at why and change what needs changing.

Edit
PS . I have had nasty little ****** be rude to me in street and it is very upsetting but it really does say more about them than me. They know nothing about me. It is so unfair to be treated with such cruelty but honestly I believe they are worse off than I am. As someone else said I always wear earphones with my music playing to distract myself. I also try to avoid places and times that i have found most likely to get trouble. I never go walking on Friday or Saturday evenings as that tends to be when drunk abusive people are out terrorising the innocent.

I'm just starting out, too. I have 100# to go. I walk some. When I do, nordic poles help keep my knees from hurting. Swimming is my preferred exercise. Talk about embarrassing! 250+ pounds in a bathing suit! But it is easiest on my joints and I get great results! I know that as long as I track, I'll lose. Good luck! Count me as a friend.....you'll be my first.

I was 107 lbs overweight when I started. I have lost 27 pounds, (20 on MFP) It has been SLOW but I am still 27 pounds lighter than I would have been if I had given up because it was taking to long. I have an artificial, hip, arthritis, and fibromyalgia so I have joint pain as well. I had to learn that I could not shield myself from the pain. I was going to hurt regardless of whether I was working at my goal or sitting on my *kitten* on the couch. I found that even though I still have plenty of pain at least now I feel stronger. More unstoppable and more like an athlete. I thought I could do this without exercise but just could not. Keep adding a little bit at a time. It is a feeling that builds on itself. And the eating habits kind of go hand in hand with that for me.

I agree with these other people. LOG EVERY THING! It will help and keep you from being in denial. It is an eye opener as well. I have found for me a diet where I do not eat any sugar or really any grains helped because it keep me full longer, and crave less. Plus it seems to help the pain (some, it is not a miracle cure, I was hoping to feel 20 again). That works for me but a lot of people are different. Don't expect it to happen right away. Any progress is good progress even if it is just better eating habits and exercise habits. Best of luck to you.

I am also morbidly obese, anyone may feel free to add me if they wish.

My biggest advice, please don't let being scared that people will poke fun at you hinder your progress. When i first started going to the gym i was scared i would get laughed at but then quickly realized people are there for the same reason you are, to lose weight. I realize you may not be going to a gym and will be out in public but seriously forget everyone else, you are doing this for you and you alone. I've lost 80 pounds and my life has become better because of it, you can do it too. Please keep us posted on your progress and good luck!

I am starting by walking, flat walks first so that it doesn't strain on my hips as much, as well as the food intake.
I am scared.. does that make sense? I am scared people with poke fun at me, I am scared that I am so used to the person that I am that I will not like the person whom I am going to change into....

Maybe it's because I'm a decent human being, but when I'm out running I barely notice the other people around. And when I do notice, it's "Wow look how many people are out exercising today, we are awesome"

I'm not saying your feelings are silly, but people are so absorbed in themselves that they arent going to notice you. You do you!

Take it one day at a time and focus on you. soak up as much as you can here and other nutrition/fitness/WOE forums you maybe on.

I have lost 5 stone since Christmas last year, by restricting Calorie intake to 1200 a day
... set yourself a target of around 1500 a day for a woman

If you're very short, 1200 was reasonable. For most people, it's not enough.
Telling her she should eat 1500 isn't right, since we don't know how tall she is & so can't know what a healthy goal weight is for her height. (Same for anyone.)

I'm sending a friend request, and anybody who reads this can feel free to add me. I've got 150lbs to lose.

I had very little mobility when I started. I stopped a few medicines I was on with the dr ok, bought golds gym bike pedal machine. Idk what it's called but it's 20$ or table and can just sit in chair or couch and pedal. When I started I got winded after pedaling 4 times. Not 4 minutes 4 ROTATIONS!! It's been a little over a month and I'm up to 8 minutes twice a day plus now walking. I'm not good at walking very far but I sit down rest and keep going with what I know my limitations are. I hurt like hell the first 2 weeks to where I just wanted to cry or die but I pushed through it, have lost 19 lbs so far and am feeling so much better. You can do it, I realized I had to fix a lot of things inside me that caused me to over eat to begin with. God and counselling and family support has been my strength. Don't give up and anytime you need to talk or encouragement or a friend I'm here

Now at 433 not not

all the advice on here seems sound. I would like to add to take it one choice, one meal and one day at a time.

I am starting by walking, flat walks first so that it doesn't strain on my hips as much, as well as the food intake.
I am scared.. does that make sense? I am scared people with poke fun at me, I am scared that I am so used to the person that I am that I will not like the person whom I am going to change into....

I had (and still have) those same worries that people see me walking and poke fun, or think "too late"... but it's not too late! And I walk the same path in hopes that IF people were poking fun, they see the progress! You can do this, and don't let your worry get the best of you!!!

Just so you know, this is what goes through my head when I see someone (overweight or not) working out:

.-Good for you-.

Rest assured that not everyone judges and the ones that do, because there are always a few, well, they do so because they're miserable themselves and must put others down to feel better. These people will be around no matter what the situation, whether it has to do with weight, job, hair color, spouse, car, activities, hobbies, etc, etc, etc... So to those people, &?%$/*&? off!