I weight more than 500 lbs.... story inside
Replies
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Welcome to MFP! This site is absolutely amazing. If you needed support and encouragement, you have definitely come to the right place. Working with a budget can definitely be tough. Somethings you might want to consider, buying bulk meat. Such as chicken breast, a lot of grocery stores sell this at 1.99lb, which sounds like a lot, however you can cut each breast in half to help with portioning and it gives you alot more meals to plan for. Also, if you like to eat rice, try eating brown rice instead of white. It's not costly and its much healthier for you. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, drink lots of water too! You don't have to feel like you need to deprive yourself of any foods that you like. I eat whatever I want in moderation. I also have a food scale and weigh everything I eat for meals. They can be inexpensive, if you can put some money aside, I would definitely look into one of those. They will help you portion meals and eat less. Most importantly, you should walk or exercise as much as possible. I agree with everyone else. Using youtube is a great way to start out. Do some walking videos. I started out with them and they give you an awesome burn! Push yourself as much as you can. Don't give up on yourself, even if you can't workout an hour everyday... that's okay. Do what you can. My advice is to pick one day out of the week and weigh in every week before breakfast on that day. Weighing in on an empty stomach is the best time to do it. That's when you are at your actual weight. Don't weigh yourself everyday.. doing that can often be discouraging.
Hope this advice helps you in your journey.. remember.. don't give up! You can and YOU WILL do this for your self. Can't wait to see the progress. I'm rooting for ya!:happy:0 -
Welcome to MFP! As others have rightly pointed out, you've already made a huge step. Possibly the most important step of all. Well done!
I don't know what it's like where you are but here, cartons of passata are really cheap, as are onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Dried herbs are much cheaper than fresh ones too - just make sure you use them within a few weeks of opening, or else they lose their flavour. These (and a little olive oil) are all you need to make a really good sugo (sauce). Make up enough to last you for a few days, and have it with pasta, polenta (again, very cheap to make), and gnocchi (also very cheap to make). You can even use it as a base for home made pizza! I'm more than happy to help you out with recipes and techniques etc.
The thing to remember is that while you're in the kitchen, making your healthy and delicious food, you're on the move! You might not burn huge amounts of calories while cooking but you're mobile, which is good!
When it comes to exercise, when you're ready for weights, DVDs etc. see if you a have a freecycle group in your area (www.freecycle.org) - you may be surprised by what people are happy to get rid of...and it's all free!0 -
Some healthy/cheap food alternatives...I thought that eating better was going to cost me too much as well. I have 4 kids and am on an extremely tight budget. Lets see what we can do when we are feeding 1
I am using pricing from Walmart in VA according to my most recent shopping trips, not sure how that compares to wherever you are but we'll take a shot at it.
8-10 pack of frozen fixh filets (like tilapia or swali) $6.50 ---thats over 1 weeks worth of dinner when you add veggies and a
sweet potatoe
Frozen Veggies (generic brand) 2 for $4.00 ( that should last you close to the entire month!)
Whole Wheat bread $2.80
Austins Peanut Butter Crackers - 14 pack for $2.00 (great snack)
Whole Chicken $4.00 (now you should skin this and cut it up to freeze it but the little bit of extra work up front can save you dough! this can make you 6 meals! and if you make it into a chicken veggie soup and freeze the leftovers in individual packages it could make even more meals!)
Bag of Apples $3.00 (approx 8 apples)
Fat Free Yogurt (generic large container) $2.00 (add strawberries-$2.00, bananas - $.49 lb. and ice for a yummy smoothie that helps with sweet cravings and such)
A box of fat free pudding $.98 (also for the sweet cravings just watch your portions its easy to eat the whole box...seperate it into 4 to 6 servings)
Eggs, Eggs and more Eggs! (these are GREAT because they are so cheap ..$1.80 per dozen..thats 15cents per egg!)
Oatmeal (generic) $2.00 (12 packages my friend or go cheaper by getting the big jug that is not instant and just cook it yourself)
These are a few ideas that I use..I really hope it helps! Also grab the fresh veggies when you see a sale of course. I am posting a mexican recipe that you can make for around $10.00 and it makes approx 6 servings (just freeze it in individual packages)! And I was surprised to see that there were really not many calories!
I really wish you the best of luck...keep posting and people will help keep you accountable.
1 lb Ground Turkey (brown this) -$3.00
1 pck taco season mix low sodium (add this) - $.99
8 oz can Tomato Sauce (add this) - $.79
21cans of pinto beans (add this) - $.99
1 can fiesta corn (add this) - $1.20
Whole Wheat Tortilla (put the mixture in this) - $2.500 -
Fruit smoothies are very satisfying and not to expensive if you use fruit that is in season or frozen. All you need is a blender, fruit and a little bit of liquid. I use either skim milk, orange juice, or diet 7up. I also freeze them occasionally to satisfy the old habit I had of eating ice cream in bed. Losing the weight is more than just what you eat. You have to change the way you think. Focus on little victories. Daily goals, hourly goals. Don't dwell on the ammount of weight you have to lose. The big picture sometimes is to overwhelming for me to handle. I have lost close to ten lbs in a little more than 2 weeks.
I know the difficulty of living on a budget. Had 3 children, and worked part time putting myself thru school. Had to feed my children "healthy" foods on very little money. I tried to avoid fast food, because in the long run they are more costly. I learned how to get three good meals out of one chicken. I got my veggies at local farmers markets and would go close to closing time when they would be willing to go down on their prices to get rid of it. Roasted vegetables are wonderful.
The exercise part of this whole thing is where I am lacking the most. I have been so inactive for so long, that it is very hard for me to get moving. It actually physically hurts. So I have started with walking. I have walked a few times. Just fifteen minutes at a time, but thats more than I have done in a long, long time.
Lastly, my self esteem is gradually going up. What brought me to this site was the self loathing and a desperate need to seek life instead of death. Hopefully you will get to a place where loving yourself will come naturally. I'm getting there slowly, but surely. I wish you great sucsess and a standing ovation for your courage. Chat me up any time to share your sucsess as well as your struggles.0 -
John,
After reading this, I just couldn't sit here without responding and reaching out to you.
Like most people before me have said, you've made the first step by coming here, and for that I give you so much credit. By far, one of the best choices you could ever make, and you will find some of the most amazing supportive people of this site as well as many tips/advice/ideas for food and exercise.
I am still figuring out much of this myself, so I may not have the best advice, and you've already gotten some incredibly great advice so far. But what I can definitely do is be supportive. I am sending you a friend request with a message.0 -
Here are some cheap, but healthy things that you can buy to start:
- Bag of whole natural almonds (provide you with healthy fats and protein)
- Canned foods like "light" soup, green beans, corn, kidney beans, tomato sauce
- Eggs (only a dollar a dozen and will last you 12 days if you have an egg everyday for breakfast.
- Peanut butter (buy the natural generic brand). Have it on whole wheat toast, with apples, carrots, celery, etc.
- Ouick oats large container (Cook this in the microwave and have it plain or top with fresh fruit and almonds)
- Fresh fruits and veggies (apples and bananas are the cheapest and have the most fiber)
- Frozen fruit and veggies (its okay to buy generic on these)
- Frozen meats like tilapia fillets that you can cook in the oven
- Ground beef or turkey is not too expensive and one pound would last you 2 weeks if you ate it every 3 days
- Chicken is the cheapest meat out there, especially if you buy it with the skin still on it (remove the skin before cooking for extra calorie burn!
- Whole wheat bread (generic is cheap. If its on sale by extras and freeze em)
- Large containers of greek yogurt (high in protein for smoothies)
For exercising, I would suggest buying a workout dvd off of ebay like jillian michaels or the biggest loser (for cheap of course) and do that once or twice a day and build up.0 -
Also, Freecycle for blender, scales, steamer pans etc. You may or may not get everything but there's no harm in asking!0
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My husband is a big guy, his highest was 400#. You can lose the weight. The cheapest thing that I can think of for you to eat is dried beans. If you cook them for serveral hours after they soak, they will always soften up (I had trouble with them being hard at first). Chili is great and you can leave out the meat for less expense and less calorie waste (the beans have enough protein, eat them with crackers to make a complete protein). The important thing for my husband to learn was portion control. I'm not sure what exercise you feel comfortable doing, but you can walk around your apartment / house / neighborhood as often as you can. Whatever you do, doing something different everyday will change your life.0
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Welcome to MFP! This site will prove to be a great help to you. I KNOW I CAN HELP YOU AS I"M IN THE SAME SITUATION. I'm going to send you a friend request and I'll put a little more personnel advise in that. I will say that as of Feb 15th of this year, I weighed 665lbs!:sad: :blushing: . Now exactly 3 months later, I weigh 558lbs.:bigsmile: . YOU CAN DO THIS! Please accept my friendship and ask me questions any time. This is a LONG journey and we can use all the help we can get. Thanks again and welcome to this site and a NEW LIFE!0
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Youve taken a big step coming here. I would start with walking,start small work your way up.You can still eat better for cheap,it may not be perfect of all natural,but with your budget i would concetrate on calories and staying under a decent number first.
canned veggies are pretty cheap or big bags of frozen.
If you have an aldies near you they are a cheap grocery store.Even the 99 cent stores have started carrying produce and such.
Good luck to you on your journey!!! You will find many people here who will have your back!
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First of all good luck on your journey you can do this as for the eating better on a budget me and the hubby spend far less not eating out we haven't had fast food since December. Water great option vs anything else its free I buy chicken breast in bulk and freeze in portions of what I would need out for one meal you can get it in bulk at our walmart for under $2 a pound get the fruits and veggie that are on sale that week. 0
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I just wanted to congratulate you for taking the first step towards a healthier, happier you. Remember, you can do this. You are worth this. MFP is a very supportive environment. We struggle and celebrate together. Good luck on your journey. Take it one day at a time and enjoy the path to a new you.0
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Welcome John!!
Someone who lost a bunch of weight asked me once what I thought the big difference was between myself and him? I had a long list I blurted off to him.
He said "I did it"
Sounded stupid and kinda pissed me off at the time. I was pushing 70 pounds overweight and thought he was going to give me some super secret code I did not know.
So I found MFP and started to DO IT. Small steps........literally! Due to an auto accident and resulting injury I had lain in bed for a year. The weight was the least of my worries.
I walked to the corner. 8 houses down, then 8 houses back. Sweating, crying, feeling helpless and hopeless, but I did it.
Further and further I walked. Faster and faster I walked. Walked......parked in the back of the parking lot and walked. Parked next door to the doctor, and walked. Walked up a flight of stairs...........wow, I did that??????
Moved, and then moved some more. Now to others, maybe being able to get out of bed without rolling is not an issue, but for me it was.
The first day my body LIFTED me I was amazed! I got out of bed without rolling to my side, holding onto the table, grunting like a very old old person..........who was this new person and HOW did it happen?
I did it.
Make small changes and I PROMISE you will NOT be sorry! I promise!!!
YOU are worth it.
I cannot wait to see you on this journey. :flowerforyou:0 -
You are in the right place...MFP will give you inspiration and support. As far as walking...I lost a bunch of weight walking and doing basic exercise at my home (Power90). I found that when I made the choice to change my life style. I adjusted my food choices...same budget, different foods. Friend me if you like, I'm here to help if I can. Ray0
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Thank you for sharing your story! You're going to do this thing! :-) Here's some ideas for eating on a budget:
Check out the bulk bin at the grocery store. Lots of grains like rice, noodles, and oatmeal!
Dry beans are pretty cheap and easy to make into a meal, but do take advance planning so you remember to soak them. Canned beans are not as cheap, but still pretty inexpensive. Check out your grocery store's weekly circular (often available online!) and stock up on canned beans when they are on sale.
I have found lentils are a great dried legume to have on hand. Very versatile and easy to cook. My favorite is to cook them together with onions, peas, garlic, and curry powder, yum :-)
Corn meal is pretty inexpensive and makes a great meal option. Just cook it in some water and you can eat it as a hot cereal, or chill it after you cook and it will firm up. You can slice it up for use later and heat it in a pan. I like it with salsa and black beans on top!
I'd pick up a bag of white rice (Basmati is my favorite) and brown rice. Brown rice is healthier, but takes longer to cook so it's handy to have the white around if you want to whip up something quickly.
Pick up fresh veggies that last a long time (e.g. carrots, potatoes, cabbage) and frozen veggies... I find that ensures there are always veggies on hand and you don't end up wasting your money on something by not eating it on time. Get a piece of fresh ginger, cut it into pieces, and freeze the pieces. Take a piece out and slice it up or shred it to use in stir fry... veggies+rice+ginger+soy sauce+ a little vinegar=tasty, cheap, and healthy dinner!
I would suggest a cookbook with easy recipes in it (pick up a book used for a lower price, or borrow from the library for free to see if you like it!) This will make meal planning much easier and help you focus on what you need to buy at the store.
I have and recommend "The Student's Vegetarian Cookbook" by Carole Raymond. I do not think the book is just for students or vegetarians! It has great info on foods and a sample staple shopping list. The recipes are easy, and most are pretty budget-friendly... you can always add a piece of meat to a recipe if you like :-) I take notes in the book on if I liked a recipe and any modifications I made to it. I tab the recipes I am going to try during the week!0 -
Hi John!
I don't have many tips besides do what you can when you can and try to push yourself. Welcome and good luck we are all rooting for you!0 -
Thank you for sharing your story! You're going to do this thing! :-) Here's some ideas for eating on a budget:
Check out the bulk bin at the grocery store. Lots of grains like rice, noodles, and oatmeal!
Dry beans are pretty cheap and easy to make into a meal, but do take advance planning so you remember to soak them. Canned beans are not as cheap, but still pretty inexpensive. Check out your grocery store's weekly circular (often available online!) and stock up on canned beans when they are on sale.
I have found lentils are a great dried legume to have on hand. Very versatile and easy to cook. My favorite is to cook them together with onions, peas, garlic, and curry powder, yum :-)
Corn meal is pretty inexpensive and makes a great meal option. Just cook it in some water and you can eat it as a hot cereal, or chill it after you cook and it will firm up. You can slice it up for use later and heat it in a pan. I like it with salsa and black beans on top!
I'd pick up a bag of white rice (Basmati is my favorite) and brown rice. Brown rice is healthier, but takes longer to cook so it's handy to have the white around if you want to whip up something quickly.
Pick up fresh veggies that last a long time (e.g. carrots, potatoes, cabbage) and frozen veggies... I find that ensures there are always veggies on hand and you don't end up wasting your money on something by not eating it on time. Get a piece of fresh ginger, cut it into pieces, and freeze the pieces. Take a piece out and slice it up or shred it to use in stir fry... veggies+rice+ginger+soy sauce+ a little vinegar=tasty, cheap, and healthy dinner!
I would suggest a cookbook with easy recipes in it (pick up a book used for a lower price, or borrow from the library for free to see if you like it!) This will make meal planning much easier and help you focus on what you need to buy at the store.
I have and recommend "The Student's Vegetarian Cookbook" by Carole Raymond. I do not think the book is just for students or vegetarians! It has great info on foods and a sample staple shopping list. The recipes are easy, and most are pretty budget-friendly... you can always add a piece of meat to a recipe if you like :-) I take notes in the book on if I liked a recipe and any modifications I made to it. I tab the recipes I am going to try during the week!
My friend goes to the "almost bad" bin at the grocery store and gets veggies for the night. it is her inspiration for dinner. I will be doing this soon, so let's see what I can eat on $25 a week!!0 -
I'm sending you a kiss :smooched: . BTW- My husband had never had a serious girlfriend, or anyone he even dated more than twice before we were married. I LOVED that about him. No one saw the treasure in him that I did, and I never had a need to be jealous of old girlfriends being around. He loved me, and only me. It was a bonus. We've been married for 15 years now and have two great kids. So your past may be a bonus to whomever you end up with too!
How did you hear about My Fitness Pal? I'm curious only because it has changed my life, and I think that it is a huge blessing that you are here. First off... you CAN do this, with little money, and even little effort. It's not as big a deal as I had always thought it was. I tried so many times before, unsuccessfully... giving up or losing, then gaining back. The old story.
1) A secret to keeping the costs down on healthy foods... Make what you buy as soon as you buy it, then freeze them in individual containers, labeled with a marker and tape, so you can reheat them as you need them. You can even put them in ziplocs that you wash and reuse. Another secret is planning your meals for the week before you get to the store. And try not to use those free services where the store buys for you... they bring the produce that's been sitting on the shelf the longest. Lastly, be willing to try new fruits and veggies... Buy the ones on sale on their flier... and freeze them to last.
2) You have access to the computer obviously, so you can google ideas too: But here's a start; walking, jumping jacks (I'm up to two minutes straight... very hard), push ups, leg lifts, crunches, jogging in place, squats, weight lifting (from cans of soup to gallon jugs filled with water) but google for proper techniques so you don't hurt yourself, dancing, steps (either up and down four of your steps, or just using the bottom step).
If you really want to change, you can and you will. Here's an important step though... log in each day especially if you "blew it". Remember no one here is judging you... We are here to help one another. Just reading what others are going through is motivating since you don't feel alone. Those of us who were, or are, morbidly obese (and others too) totally know how vulnerable you feel. I felt hopeful, but not sure I could do it. I now know I can, and I know you can too. It's just a constant reconditioning of your relationship with food. Food is for nourishment, for pleasure too... but NOT for comfort and NOT to pass time, or fill a void. When you come across whatever struggle you are facing, don't retreat back into your apartment, PLEASE, just get on MFP and mention what you are feeling or struggling with. So many of us are going through the same thing. Some of us have found solutions that might also work for you.
I'm so happy for you! I wish you success and a new start to rebuilding your life, and in finding out all the things that make you worthy and special. You have a purpose in this life, and abilities that are just waiting to be discovered. It's a journey, almost like an adventure. It can be fun, and it's certainly rewarding! You are worth it!0 -
Welcome John!!
Someone who lost a bunch of weight asked me once what I thought the big difference was between myself and him? I had a long list I blurted off to him.
He said "I did it"
Sounded stupid and kinda pissed me off at the time. I was pushing 70 pounds overweight and thought he was going to give me some super secret code I did not know.
So I found MFP and started to DO IT. Small steps........literally! Due to an auto accident and resulting injury I had lain in bed for a year. The weight was the least of my worries.
I walked to the corner. 8 houses down, then 8 houses back. Sweating, crying, feeling helpless and hopeless, but I did it.
Further and further I walked. Faster and faster I walked. Walked......parked in the back of the parking lot and walked. Parked next door to the doctor, and walked. Walked up a flight of stairs...........wow, I did that??????
Moved, and then moved some more. Now to others, maybe being able to get out of bed without rolling is not an issue, but for me it was.
The first day my body LIFTED me I was amazed! I got out of bed without rolling to my side, holding onto the table, grunting like a very old old person..........who was this new person and HOW did it happen?
I did it.
Make small changes and I PROMISE you will NOT be sorry! I promise!!!
YOU are worth it.
I cannot wait to see you on this journey. :flowerforyou:
Wow - such amazing determination! And look where it got you...fantastic! 0 -
by coming on here you have taken a huge step towards your goals! this is an amazing place to come for support and if you need to vent because we all understand!
something that helps us with a tight food budget is planning meals a week at a time that way i make my grocery list out and know what i need instead of roaming the store and randomly shopping. also frozen veggies! much cheaper than fresh produce and keeps longer!
friend me if you would like
keep at it dont give up!!!!0 -
There are SO many good ideas and people here who are willing to support you - and this is the very hard part, I imagine - simply accept you where you are. NONE of us are "success stories" by ourselves - we are ALL here because we can't be a success without support, and that means people who see you and hear you on the up days as well as the down days.
So welcome, and I hope you post often. The only advice I can give you BE HONEST HERE and tell us what's going on. We are not perfect - we are only human, JUST LIKE YOU.0 -
I understand about food costs. I am a single mom to four kids and feeding them can cost a fortune at times! I used to think that all healthy food was too expensive, but I feel differently about that now. Do you have an Aldi's near you? They have really improved in quality and have some great items from their "fit n active" line that are very inexpensive. I now do a lot of my shopping there. As far as exercise goes, walking is great. In the beginning, walking is probably the best thing for you to do. Remember Jared from those Subway commercials? He did tons of walking and I believe he was close to 500 pounds in the beginning. Someone mentioned Leslie Sansone videos. I love her! If you can't buy one of her dvds, though, you can rent them on Netflix, or if you have satellite or AT&T U-Verse, she has some of her videos on the "on demand" section. Run a search for her name on your system, and hopefully some videos will pop up.
I just want to say welcome to MFP. This is such a great place and it really does work if you stick with it. It's going to take as long as it's going to take, but you'll get there, my friend. I would be proud to walk this journey with you. :flowerforyou:0 -
One thing I eat a lot of, especially in summer, is vegetables such as courgettes, aubergines and bell peppers cooked in a tin (or two, depending on how much you're making) of chopped tomatoes. Sometimes I add a can or so of butter beans or kidney beans for protein, sometimes I part-boil a couple of chopped potatoes and then finish them off cooking in the tomato sauce.
The only seasonings you really need are salt, pepper, dried herbs and garlic - although I like to add a stock cube or some anchovy paste.
Altogether, it's a nice, mediterranean-style stew, you can add some chicken to it if you choose, and it's delicious hot or cold - a batch will happily sit in the fridge for a couple of days, or works just fine frozen and then reheated. If you need some carbs for the day, have some crusty wholemeal bread with it.
Above all else, even if you're reluctant, WALK. I promise you, just walk a little every day and you'll start to find it easier and easier. I lost 8lbs in two weeks doing no exercise other than walking home from work a few times a week.
You can do it!0 -
welcome! as you can see you will get tons of support here. Really REALLY nice people who only want to help you achieve your goals.
Trying to figure out what to eat will probably be challenging enough for you for the first few weeks. Log everything, it will help you keep track and figure out when your binge times are. I try to eat every four hours, even if I am not hungry, so I don't end up starving and then eating the wrong thing.
I would stick with walking for now. Walk twice a day. Even if it's only a block. Don't push yourself --you didn't gain this overnight and it will be a long haul. Be patient and kind to yourself.
Lots of people are already friending you and thinking good thoughts....You Can Do This!0 -
You can do it!! lots of support here!!!0
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Don't give up. Your in the right place to start changing your life and get a future back. Do you have a YMCA near you? They give assistance for those with low income for a membership to a gym. You have to want to change and if you put your mind to it you can do this. I will send you a friend request.0
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Here's an inspiration for you--he lost over 300 lbs, and his story sounds a lot like yours.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/eddavenport0 -
Buying and cooking healthy food is not that expensive - eggs are a cheap source of decent protein and veggies like carrots or green beans can be roasted with a little olive oil and seasoning and make a good alternative to chips (fries). Eat a lot of good protein, walk, walk and walk more! Log everything, EVERYTHING, be totally honest, keep your diary private if you feel having an open diary will make this difficult. You can and will lose weight if you choose to! x Best of luck!0
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You can totally do this! There are tons of free exercise options out there - walking, hiking, yoga - just these three things alone will totally transform your body. Once you decide you are dedicated to changing your life then nothing can stop you! Good luck and feel free to add me for some extra support.0
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This appears to be an old thread...doesn anyone know what happened to him?0
This discussion has been closed.
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