My Super Obese life at 500lbs - Taking my life back 1 day at a time!

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  • brians_girl_89
    brians_girl_89 Posts: 12 Member
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    Congrats on your 30lbs! You can do this !
  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
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    @brians_girl_89 Thanks! It's been a challenge and can't wait to do 15 to 20 more so I can hit my first goal!
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
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    itprofessional wrote: »
    @MarkusDarwath Really I just started with counting calories and restricting them...that helped and has helped some in the past but really I've done tons of reading about carbs and how our bodies process them. I don't think I could really ever do 0 carb or even super low carb but that's just me.

    I do low carb for blood sugar control (diabetes), but there really is no need to get insane about it. I try to limit my carbs to 20% or less of my daily calories, and as long as I stick with that, my testing number stay pretty well where they belong. As far as counting calories and weighing/measuring/logging my food, I absolutely have to do that to lose weight. I am no good at judging portion sizes, and while low carb does help me to not feel hungry under calorie restriction, I can't rely on that to keep me in check. I'm one of those people that can easily over eat on proteins and fats.

  • KimJW1980
    KimJW1980 Posts: 2 Member
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    Congrats on this new journey you are taking to a better life :) You can do this
  • Trailtramper74
    Trailtramper74 Posts: 135 Member
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    Yo've got this. I think the most important lessons I have learned is from my many past weight loss experiences. Be patient and don't rush things. Whenever I lose too quickly, I gain it back almost as quickly. Don't give up. Jump back in the wagon if you veer off course whether for a day or a week. Good luck. I look forward to following your journey.
  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
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    MarkusDarwath wrote: »
    itprofessional wrote: »
    @MarkusDarwath Really I just started with counting calories and restricting them...that helped and has helped some in the past but really I've done tons of reading about carbs and how our bodies process them. I don't think I could really ever do 0 carb or even super low carb but that's just me.

    I do low carb for blood sugar control (diabetes), but there really is no need to get insane about it. I try to limit my carbs to 20% or less of my daily calories, and as long as I stick with that, my testing number stay pretty well where they belong. As far as counting calories and weighing/measuring/logging my food, I absolutely have to do that to lose weight. I am no good at judging portion sizes, and while low carb does help me to not feel hungry under calorie restriction, I can't rely on that to keep me in check. I'm one of those people that can easily over eat on proteins and fats.

    Yeah I know what you mean...Show me a good Ribeye and I can easily put away 20oz of steak! I'm not so bad on the fats, but sometimes the sweets kill me. I limit my carbs but not eliminate them. Doing probably around 100 a day or so. Most of those aren't net though as I just track carbs. I guess I always really wonder when you hear things like "sugar alcohols and fiber" doesn't count. I've read a ton on both sides of that and really it seems the answer is does it spike your BG.
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
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    I do net carbs and it works for me. Some people are a bit different and I've heard of folks spiking on sugar alcohols. Never heard of fiber giving anyone high BG. It seems there are some differences in types of carbs too. Most people are fine with beans, they respond more to the protein and fat in them. For me, the carbs in beans causes more of an increase than would normally be expected. I don't necessarily avoid them, but I have to keep it in mind if I'm eating chili or things like that. What's really odd, I can occasionally have a donut and it will drop my blood sugar lower than I started after 3 hours or so. Has to be an actual fried bakery donut though. Cake donuts do not work like that. And I can't do it very often or I start to lose that effect. It's also a bear to get back in daily ratio with a donut in the mix. End up with mostly turkey, ham, fish and protein powder for the rest of the day :)

    100 grams is not a bad limit. I'm at 110 net on 2200 calories. You probably should subtract fiber from that limit since the recommendation is around 30g per day. You don't want to deny yourself the part that's actually good for you. One cheat that I like is Mission Carb Balance whole wheat tortillas. They taste good and pack in a bunch of fiber with very low net carbs. The big burrito size has like 29 fiber each and the small fajita size is 13. Makes it a lot easier for me to get fiber in, since most of the truly high fiber foods are also high in net carbs, or they are so low density that it's hard to eat enough of them. I used to think you could get all the fiber you needed from leafy greens, then I looked more closely at the numbers and serving sizes. You'd have to eat lettuce and spinach by the bale to hit 30g of fiber.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
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    Bookmark this thread for the days you feel like this is impossible: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1103164/3-yrs-312lbs-lost-1yr-from-bodylift-and-maintenance/p1

    Keep at it, you're doing so well so far!
  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
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    @Markusdarkus I was thinking about trying those Mission tortillas. I've been using Aldi's flatbread like flat out wraps for things like burritos or instead of sandwich bread. Seems to work out well lots of fiber in them. I heard of Mama Lupes tortillas too on a few low carb sites.

    Sorry about the fiber thing earlier...didn't mean to say it would spike BG but I meant that is it truly 100% not digestible and you can subtract that from carbs..I get a pretty good amount of fiber so I think I'm good either way but just not sure about numbers etc...and all you read for or against it. I'm kind of winging it as I go with my general rule of thumb of does it make me feel like crap or does it make me feel good. Good as in does it give me positive energy and no crash not good as in damn that was a good cupcake good feeling...lol
  • Mamawrain
    Mamawrain Posts: 9 Member
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    itprofessional wrote: »
    @mamawrain Thanks for the encouragement! If you ever need a laugh then I'm that guy...well most days I am. I warn you though I can be a bit of a nerd, being in IT and all that I know how the Geek Speak and all that jazz. Each day I wake up I've been practicing on my first thoughts of the day are about how I will succeed. What can I do better today than what I did yesterday. It might be just walking to the mailbox a little quicker, or turning off the boob tube and skipping an episode of "whatever it is I don't think I can live without watching" to do some more reading about being healthy or maybe a new recipe I can try to ruin on the stove. I soooo need to learn following directions in recipes..guess I'm too much of a free thinker to color inside the lines and think hey I be I could replace this with that only to see it flop but well ya gotta learn right? Haha. I'm droning on and on so I'll stop now but thanks again for the friend request and can't wait to hear more about your success!

    You are surely humorous lol and I like that. That in itself is encouraging to others. I like the way you can poke fun at yourself. I am a terrible cook and you are tempting me to try and get creative. OH NO! *Note to self, check the batteries in the smoke detector* :wink:
  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
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    @mamawrain Thanks! This will probably sound incredibly lame but hey since I've admitted to be a mountain of a person then I guess I can admit anything right...I learned my cooking from my Mom. I adore her in every way and I want to be the one thing she doesn't have to worry about. I'm sure she worries about burying her son. She's an itty bitty thing at 100lbs and barely 5ft tall but she's got the spirit of a Lion. I start with a hey you know sounds yummy! BBQ chicken then I look at about 100 recipes online from low carb, to low fat, to low everything and try to adapt something among them all that will fit my diet and then from there I try to see if I can burn it just enough to still be edible..and as for batteries...stock up on them because trial and error when cooking you may burn through a few..also stock up on Tylenol..those things can be pretty loud!
  • ronnesharobinson
    ronnesharobinson Posts: 6 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Let do this!!!! We are our brothers keeper!!!
  • lindarpolk
    lindarpolk Posts: 70 Member
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    You can do it! Don't give up! (I read the whole thing and was inspired--it's not boring at all.)
  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
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    @lindarpolk Thanks so much for the encouragement. I can't wait to hit that first 50 mark and i love your pic...it's so true and a great way to face things.
  • mittenswillet
    mittenswillet Posts: 697 Member
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    Hi Joker!!

    Really inspirational story !! I think you are the Sloppy Joe Dragon Slayer! hahah. Seriously, I can relate to you, I'm a huge introvert myself...and I just didn't want to add anyone as a friend for a long time, but I learnt the hard way, sometimes its just so nice to read comments from your friends who pat you on the pat for working out, and completing your food diary under you calorie goal...etc.

    I'm going to add you as a friend, don't be shy, open up and lets all help each other on our journeys!!

    ps, I have around 30 plus kgs to lose and my left hip used to friggen kill me and I'm the same age as you.... we are too young for this pain sh't!! lol

    Kitty.
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
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    itprofessional wrote: »
    Sorry about the fiber thing earlier...didn't mean to say it would spike BG but I meant that is it truly 100% not digestible and you can subtract that from carbs..

    I didn't think you were saying that, I was just commenting on the net carbs thing. You mentioned that those of us figuring net carbs subtract fiber and sugar alcohols... I just thought I'd mention that for some folks the sugar alcohols shouldn't be subtracted. If doing low carb for BG control it's one of the details that has to be figured out individually with the glucometer.
    You haven't said if you're diabetic or not. If not, the sugar alcohols probably don't matter either way.

  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
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    @MarkusDarwath Ah ok I see what you were saying and yeah the sugar alcs can spike some but not others, I'm on the same page with you now. I'm not diabetic...yet but I've had some hovering numbers that worried me so I try to find ways to make sure I don't cross that threshold.
  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
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    @kittygonzalez3511 Thanks Kitty for the great reply! Appreciate the kind words and hope to help others as much as the help and support has been given to me.

    I'm glad I posted and kick myself for not reaching out sooner.

  • JoenDeb1958
    JoenDeb1958 Posts: 229 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Great post
    Know that we will encourage each other to reach whatever our goals are
    For today have a great Friday and don't forget we are all works in progress.
  • LovelessFool
    LovelessFool Posts: 109 Member
    edited July 2016
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    @JoenDeb1958 I've changed a lot in my life these past 30 days to not be the over 500lb man I once was and I've done that! I think changing my food was actually pretty easy. I know for some doing that is a huge task. My next 30 days I'm working on changing how I think and today I thought this. For all of those who suffer from pain due to their obesity you have to tell yourself this, for me I'm moving a mountain of a person everytime I get up, or walk to the mailbox, or really do anything. I mean 200+ pounds is like 4 50lbs bags of dog food. Seeing that much weight stacked on the floor it can really get you down, but I look at that and I think...each time I move or do things I'm moving not just a normal person but I'm picking up those 4 bags and walking around with them...and you know what...I AM STRONG. I don't let the mountain stop me...I MOVE MOUNTAINS...and so do all of you when you choose to get up and move and do things a normal person finds easy you are doing it with weights attached all over your body and you CAN still do it. I think wow...I can move mountains, who says I'm weak..who says I will let this disease beat me. It's something I can control and I'm going to control it, it will not control me.

    All of that has come a little late in my life because I let myself hit that 500lbs mark but I realize it now and it's not too little too late. I won't be the biggest guy in the room, I won't be the guy who picks movie seats because the stairs are too steep, I won't be the guy who's afraid to do things because I might not fit, or there is a weight limit, or how will I feel when people stare....I am a lion hear me roar!

    Ok lol so now I'm done with my motivational speech I will look back at this moment and remember how I feel right now so when I'm down or when I'm having a hard time..I can see tell myself I got this..heck I might even record myself and go all Motivation Speaker on my butt so I can even play it back to me...that might be a good idea...who best to help get us motivated than ourselves right?

    Thanks to everyone who stands behind me. We can do this and if you guys / gals ever need someone to talk with or to add me. I'll do my best to help in any way I can.

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