Long Time Listener - Indiana

As the title suggests, I have been on MFP for several years but I feel like I'm at the point now where it's time to do something consistent and be held accountable.

Feel free to add me, thanks for your support! I look forward to giving you mine.

Here's my story:

I've struggled with excess weight my entire life. I never remember being normal size as a child although I have seen pictures. As I started going to school I started to put on excess pounds and was always a little pudge. I look back now at pictures of myself in High School and early college and think it wasn't as bad as I remember. I always felt I didn't fit in with most of the other kids. Now I am almost 30 years old and fit the criteria for a medical diagnosis of "Morbidly Obese". I don't feel morbidly obese but the diagnosis is clear, I am. So, now I am turning to a medically supervised weight loss program that uses full meal replacements and VLCD to promote rapid weight loss. The program also will include education classes relating to behavioral, exercise, and nutritional health. This knowledge is intended to give me the tools to maintain a healthy weight once I shed my excess poundage. I've lost weight before on my own, with support from a few friends/family members, and was close to my ideal weight at 21 years old. Compliments on my improved looks and a stable relationships (acceptance, being content) factored in my desire to be healthy fading. In 7 years I gained 108 lbs to arrive where I am today. A lot of life events have occurred in that time frame, and I had weight gain more rapidly at times than others. The last year has been especially poor as I have gained 33 lbs this past calendar year alone. I've had enough, it's time to change, the right way!

Being fat (pc: overweight) is horrible. There isn't any positive things I can think of besides the euphoria you get when eating that next unhealthy meal. The meal that is packed with sugar & carbohydrates, making everything else included (protein, fat, etc.) excess and wasteful. But, that isn't all! You have to wash all that down with a yummy soda, which kicks your sugar haze in to high gear. Soon, you feel awful, ashamed, fat, and default that you are "tired" because you've had a long hard day and you just need to sleep it off. So, off to sleep you go, possibly angering your friends, family, and/or spouse for always being so "lazy". You sleep but are awakened by discomfort. This could be acid reflux, stomach/bowel pain, etc. The first thing on your mind once you wake up is eating again. It just continues, and will repeat until YOU break the chain.

I want to get in shape because being obese has effected my life negatively in the following ways...(I'm a big Intervention fan!) It has strained and destroyed personal relationships. It has been a factor in being undervalued professionally. It has changed my outlook & attitude on life in general and I am worse off because of it. It has brought me a large sum (to me) of medical bills in which I have forwent purchasing desired material items in order to pay them off. It has caused me some health issues that a normal 30 year old male should not have. It has taken control of my life and me saying anything less would be denial!

I'm a big believer in earning your keep and reaping what you sew. This statement could apply to relationships, politics, marriage, professional status, extracurricular's, etc. One area I never made a connection with until now is that it also applies to your general health. You have to earn that good health, it sure won't be in that double cheeseburger you are eating or in the bottom of that XL soda you are gulping down. I love food, and I mean I food! But, getting through the first couple weeks of my program has given me lots of hope. I'm on track, I have a plan, and now it is just a matter of time. If I stick to what I have been given, and what I have learned, then I got this. The beautiful part is that I still have a long journey and many things to learn, implement, and form healthy habits. I'm excited and hope I can report back this spring with some kick *kitten* results!