Hard work

mefullerton
mefullerton Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started this whole journey about a month ago after a doctor's appointment that made me feel probably the worst I've ever felt about myself. I was looking at 216 lbs & a nurse practitioner who just made me feel like crap-o-la.

This week was my 1 month follow up after having some labs & whatnot done. I'm down 4 lbs. To me, that's awesome & put a huge smile on my face...Overall, I'm down 11 inches, most of which came off my hips & waist. I have had a goal of doing some kind of exercise 3-4 days a week & despite a job that has kept me insanely busy & 2 kids & a husband who have done the same, I have been able to hit that goal for the last 4 weeks. One week I had 5 days of exercise.

The feedback I got from the NP wasn't the worst...but it also didn't make me feel any better. She suggested I get put on a prescription for weight loss...which I have declined. She had told me at my last appointment I need to lose 20 lbs immediately with an overall goal of another 30-50 lbs in the next year. When she looked at me shocked after declining the prescription, I told her that I felt like I needed to get my weight under control the old fashion way: through hard work & dedication. This is a new journey for me, one that I want to do to prove I can in a room full of people who are doubting me. Her suggestion is that if I don't lose another 4 lbs by my next appointment in a month, I should reconsider.

Is doing things through hard work really that unheard of? Sure, it would have been easy to say YES PLEASE to something that would help me lose a ton of weight in the next few months - even my mom & sister told me I was nuts for turning it down - but I want to make sure that I am doing things the right way, eating the right foods & exercising. I don't hate on anyone who has needed something to assist them in their journey - we are all different - however after my appointment, I even felt like she didn't believe I could do it...And I was happy as a clam that I lose 4 lbs!!

Replies

  • Merrysix
    Merrysix Posts: 336 Member
    Congratulations to you. 4 pounds in a month is awesome. My goal is 1/2 to 1 pound a week -- that is sustainable for me, and this is a lifestyle change not a quick fix diet (research shows those don't work, and people tend to gain back more than they lost).
  • 42firm03
    42firm03 Posts: 115 Member
    I suspect she is a skeptic but don't let her get you down.
    Yes you can do it through "hard" work and I'd say that once you get your groove it won't even feel that hard!
    I've lost "only" 4 or so pounds a month. But after 660 days that's a not too shabby number in total!

    All forward progress is good. Don't let the naysayers, skeptics or unrealistic expectations of others derail you.
  • GillianSmith2
    GillianSmith2 Posts: 387 Member
    well done to you.

    keep up the great work and positive attitude :smiley:
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    If you lose four pounds every month, you will certainly meet the goal of losing 30-50 pounds in one year.

    It's a personal decision that everyone has to talk over with their doctor and then decide for themselves.

    Keep losing. And if you don't like your doctor or his staff, switch doctors. There are many of them out there and some are better (and nicer) than others.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,242 Member
    edited November 2015
    Actually if you've lost 11 inches I suspect that your underlying weight change is much more than the 4lbs you are seeing on the scale.

    We don't know much about you (height, weight, how overweight you are, how much of that was post pregnancy and how much before... how long ago was your last pregnancy)....

    More importantly we don't know your medical history and any co-morbidities that may be giving impetus to a need to lose weight faster than is otherwise safe to do. And which might well make "swallowing the pills" acceptable.

    But, based on your description, I do know that I already do not like the nurse practitioner you are dealing with.

    Especially since I am not yet aware of any "somethings" you can take to lose weight without increasing the risk of "other things" going wrong.

    I mean, starting to really not like the NP (based on the information you've given).

    Please estimate your TDEE (your total activity level including exercise). Figure to cut off between 10% to 20% off that. DO NOT cut off more than 25% off that. This may mean resetting MFP goals down from 2lbs a week to 1lb a week. This is fine. It is still 50lbs in a year!

    Move/exercise a little bit more... go for a walk during your break for example. before you go to work or after you come back home.

    Discover changes that you can make LONG TERM.

    Enjoy your new lifestyle. You should be finding food combinations to eat that don't leave you starving. And try to make sure you eat enough protein :smiley:

    And use a weight trend app to record your weight. Libra for Android, Happy scale iphone. www.weightgrapher.com or www.trendweight.com in conjunction with a supported scale, or through a free fitbit account-available without a fitbit.

    Weight yourself at the same time and location after using the bathroom and before you eat or drink. Make sure the floor is level and has no "give" to it. The doctor's office scale at a variable time of the day and with clothes on means diddly effing squat other than as a gross trend approximation
  • norcogrrl
    norcogrrl Posts: 129 Member
    Why did the NP tell you that you needed to lose the weight "immediately?" Do you have a critical health concern that would make the medication a wise choice for now?
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    People with petty authority don't handle it well when you defy them. Next time, insist on seeing an actual doctor, or find a practice that is more willing to support your philosophy. You don't need to go to (and pay for) a medical practitioner that doesn't respect you.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    I think 1) you're on the right path and 2) you need a new doctor!
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    The deal with doctors and nurses is they really know crap about nutrition and for the most part, it seems like they're nothing but pill pushers, there to prescribe something for you and keep you on it as long as they can. I'm sure all are not like that but I haven't found one yet.

    My last doctor's appointment, last year before I decided that my weight was my problem and not the fault of some imaginary thing in my head, I was there complaining about my weight and wanted to get some blood work done to see if I had thyroid issues or something. (In defense of that, my mother does suffer from thyroid problems.) After my results came back and showed there was nothing physically wrong with me, he wanted to prescribe me some antidepressants. Really?

    I politely turned him down and told him I was asking for a treadmill for Valentine's day. Freaking antidepressant mediation? For my weight? I cannot find a decent doctor in my area but I have no plans to go back to him.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    My Dr wanted me to be on a 1200 calorie a day diet. With my lifestyle that;s not only not a good idea but not even possible. Sure I'd lose a LOT of weight really fast. In fact I dropped about 8 pounds the first week I tried to do it. Managed around 1400 and was tired and miserable. Well my maintenance is about 3500 so... yeah. On 1200 a day I would have been netting less than zero.

    Following MFP suggestions with my Fitbit helping me to eat a reasonable amount for my activity has me losing weight nicely and without much difficulty.

    When it comes to safe weight loss I don't think most Dr's and certainly not a nurse are all that educated on how to lose weight safely without some kind of pill or surgery.

    4 pounds in a month is fantastic! Keep up the good work and don't let that nurse bully you into something you know you don't need.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    Congratulations on your loss of pounds and inches. You are on the right track. I was not very knowledgeable my first month, as I learned more, I applied it. I have consistently lost weight since my talk with Doctor in March. He suggested I lose 20% of my body weight to avoid adding yet another medication. I have been fortunate to find a Doctor that prefers the hard work prescriptions to pills and physical therapy to surgery. I have lost that much and kept on going. He was very happy on both of my follow up visits. It is important to find a health care provider that treats with something other than his prescription pad and pen.
  • dschooli
    dschooli Posts: 7 Member
    You just inspired me! My name is Diane, I am 5'9" and just weighed in at 217.4!!! I admire your determination to get fit through hard work!!
  • mefullerton
    mefullerton Posts: 17 Member
    norcogrrl wrote: »
    Why did the NP tell you that you needed to lose the weight "immediately?" Do you have a critical health concern that would make the medication a wise choice for now?

    No, I don't have any real health issues.i I went for my yearly physical & to talk about some acid reflux issues I have had...which she said are probably weight related . Said for being 28 & "so morbidly obese" losing 20 lbs immediately will help with the acid reflux. She admits she is going off the BMI chart on what is healthy & dropping 20 lbs takes me from morbidly obese to just obese.

    I'm healthy overall...just chubby.
  • mefullerton
    mefullerton Posts: 17 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Actually if you've lost 11 inches I suspect that your underlying weight change is much more than the 4lbs you are seeing on the scale.

    We don't know much about you (height, weight, how overweight you are, how much of that was post pregnancy and how much before... how long ago was your last pregnancy)....

    More importantly we don't know your medical history and any co-morbidities that may be giving impetus to a need to lose weight faster than is otherwise safe to do. And which might well make "swallowing the pills" acceptable.

    But, based on your description, I do know that I already do not like the nurse practitioner you are dealing with.

    Especially since I am not yet aware of any "somethings" you can take to lose weight without increasing the risk of "other things" going wrong.

    I mean, starting to really not like the NP (based on the information you've given).

    Please estimate your TDEE (your total activity level including exercise). Figure to cut off between 10% to 20% off that. DO NOT cut off more than 25% off that. This may mean resetting MFP goals down from 2lbs a week to 1lb a week. This is fine. It is still 50lbs in a year!

    Move/exercise a little bit more... go for a walk during your break for example. before you go to work or after you come back home.

    Discover changes that you can make LONG TERM.

    Enjoy your new lifestyle. You should be finding food combinations to eat that don't leave you starving. And try to make sure you eat enough protein :smiley:

    And use a weight trend app to record your weight. Libra for Android, Happy scale iphone. www.weightgrapher.com or www.trendweight.com in conjunction with a supported scale, or through a free fitbit account-available without a fitbit.

    Weight yourself at the same time and location after using the bathroom and before you eat or drink. Make sure the floor is level and has no "give" to it. The doctor's office scale at a variable time of the day and with clothes on means diddly effing squat other than as a gross trend approximation

    I'm 5'2''...28...3 pregnancies, 2 to full term & my youngest is almost 3. Sedentary job with high stress & varying hours - 911 dispatcher. Healthy...just chubby. But I'm working on that. My next appointment is now with the doctor, not the NP...I feel someone should build patients up, not tear them down during this time.

    Thanks for your comment!!
  • FrankieandSpots
    FrankieandSpots Posts: 446 Member
    Kudos to you!
    If you have to make changes to lose weight it seems like you would be so much more aware and able to maintain the change.
    And when your motivated and MAKING changes on your own... just a little enchouragement to help you on your way is what you really need. You'd think they'd be excited and happy to have a self motivated patient!

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