I am 391 pounds

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What kind of ideas do you have for me to lose weight
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  • ehmeloy
    ehmeloy Posts: 1 Member
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    add me as a buddy lets do this together!
  • jacobsl221
    jacobsl221 Posts: 75 Member
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    Welcome! A little at a time. Really a scale makes a lot of difference. And measuring cups. If you are determined to lose weight, you will do it!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Same ideas as for everybody else: Consistent calorie deficit. It's that simple. MFP makes that as easy as possible. You make it work. Set up MFP with your stats, pick maximum weight loss rate, use your food diary and an electronic food scale. Pick correct entries, weigh everything, use the recipe builder if you cook. Hit your calorie goal every day. Don't undereat, cheat, forget. Make sure you are accurate, and then be patient and trust the process. You can, and probably should, eat anything you like. To be able to stick to your calorie goal over time, you may have to and want to make some adjustments to food choices anyway.

    Work on habits, environment, mindset. If you need professional help regarding emotions/self image, get it.

    Aim to get enough sleep and rest. Do something important and something fun every day. Exercise moderately. Learn to differentiate between too little and too much. Practice saying yes and no.
  • beanz744
    beanz744 Posts: 221 Member
    edited June 2017
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    at 391, u know something horrible will happen if u dont change ur lifestyle. starting using MFP n keep track of ur caloric intake consistently n eat a a calorie deficit. it is a guarantee way!

    1. buy a food scale (the most important u will need)
    2. set up a profile (because u r 391 so start with 2 lbs a week). MFP will give u a daily allowance so u dont need to figure it out yourself.
    3. LOG everything u eat EVERYDAY
    4. only eat back half of the calories u burned at most if u pick up exercising
    5. join an online challenge (optional)
    6. ditch any non supportive friends
    7. donate all junk foods (ASAP)
    8. dont tell people that u r trying to lose weight coz most will tell u to EAT MORE (smile n ignore them if they do but do not give in coz u have a goal n they dont)
    9. google search for recipes if needed

    GOOD LUCK!
  • thewindandthework
    thewindandthework Posts: 531 Member
    edited June 2017
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    You're in the right place! MyFitnessPal is a fantastic tool for weight loss. Use the food database to log every single thing you eat and drink.

    And I really mean everything. Even stuff that seems like it wouldn't make a difference, because that stuff adds up quick. Condiments, beverages, a little taste here and there, milk in your coffee. Before you know it these end up being hundreds of calories.

    The trick is simply to take in fewer calories than you're burning. If you put your details (age, weight, activity level) into MFP it will suggest how many calories you should be eating per day in order to meet your weight loss goal.

    As far as actually eating less goes? That's the hard part for a lot of us. But it works and you can do it! The good news is that the more you weigh, the faster weight falls off. I've been shocked at how quickly I shed the ~50 pounds I've lost so far.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
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    All great advice above. There is a lot you'll learn if you keep asking questions. Do some quick googling to find out and understand what your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expediture). This is the starting point to roughly figuring out how much you should be eating on average to stay at the same weight. If you want to lose some weight, the simplest thing to do is to track what you eat and have it be several hundred calories less than your TDEE.

    It's a journey, you're in it for the long haul. Expect to learn a lot and have some setbacks, but it's all good. Keep going, never give up, all the answers are out there.
  • SweetP27
    SweetP27 Posts: 216 Member
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    You are in the right place to learn and make a change in your life!! Welcome!!! I'm going to send you a friend request - would love to cheer you on! Make small sustainable changes....not all at once!....and be ready for the long haul. Set small goals so the end goal is not so overwhelming. You can do this!!
  • Stowen_Owen
    Stowen_Owen Posts: 24 Member
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    I'm coming into this in the 415ish neighborhood, so this post was exactly what I needed to see. Thank you!
  • smn888
    smn888 Posts: 50 Member
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    I would not try to get too fancy just starting out. Take it one step at a time.

    All you need to do is run the guided setup for your goal... then log your food honestly every day. I do it after every meal. I went from 280 to 270 lbs in 3 weeks and I did very little other than reduce my calorie intake.

    I did read some FAQ that was sticked in hrm.. maybe it came in the welcome mail... anyhow... the best advice I found in that was to understand satiation. Basically it explained how some foods are high calories.. but leave you still feeling hungry... while other foods are low calorie yet leave you feeling full. It gave examples of both types of food... so I try as much as I can to avoid foods that will not satiate me... and instead buy food that will. I have discovered for me anyhow that skinless boneless chicken breasts and fish.. (even battered) are fairly low in cals yet very filling. Chicken is like my saviour right now.... I have it in one meal at least every day and its working to keep me from feeling hungry.
  • kjurassic
    kjurassic Posts: 571 Member
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    Be very patient and never, ever give up. Follow the advice given above. You CAN do it!
  • SephiraAllen
    SephiraAllen Posts: 78 Member
    edited June 2017
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    Seven weeks ago, I weighed 390 pounds. Today, I weighed in at 350.

    As directed by my doctor, I've been eating approximately 1200 calories per day, with less than 75g carbs (I don't always make it, but that's the goal), and 80g-100g of protein. I drink 2-3 protein shakes a day for breakfast, dinner and sometimes a snack (I use Bariatric Advantage - they taste a little meh when you first start drinking them, but after a bit they are pretty tasty), then I eat regular food for lunch and a second snack. I also drink about 65oz of water a day.

    The main thing that I've found that has helped me stick to it, is that I never tell myself that I can't have something. If I want it, I eat it. Sometimes it might only be a small bite, but that's usually enough to kick the craving down to a more manageable level where I can just ignore it. Either way, I always log it and, if a bite isn't enough, I find a way to make whatever it is fit within my day's goals. The other thing - if you find that making a lot of major changes is too hard, start with small goals and work your way up to the bigger ones. Set yourself up for success and if you end up overeating on one day, it's not a huge deal - just start again the next day.

    Exercise-wise... for the first month or so I was walking 1-2 miles a day, though this past week I started swimming since I am having a major achilles tendinitis flare-up (makes walking a bit difficult). The biggest thing is to just be more active, even if you can't get out and walk or go to the gym, just moving more around the house can make a difference.
  • dadsafrantic
    dadsafrantic Posts: 183 Member
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    they have all given advice that has worked for me. i'll add a couple of things. sooner than later start eating less conveniently. meaning eat without holding the food in your hands. no sandwiches, burritos, wraps, etc. no eating in the car. no eating in front of the tv or computer. sit at the table and have a meal.

    start top eliminate packaged food. meaning start to cook from scratch. that means no more canned beans, beets, corn, spaghetti sauce, anything like that. no rice packages, stuffing, etc. they all have hidden stuff in them like sodium and "enriched" additives.

    get in the kitchen and have some fun. there are some good threads on meal prepping ideas.

    take it easy and remember EVERYONE has off days when dieting. pick yourself up and get going again.

    you didn't wake up one day having gained all the weight in 24 hours so don't think it's going to disappear instantly either. it will disappear3swrsiiqs2pr.jpg
    though for sure.
  • ETsjourney2017
    ETsjourney2017 Posts: 4 Member
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    What kind of ideas do you have for me to lose weight

    You are on this app.... that's a start, you already took a step congrats!
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    they have all given advice that has worked for me. i'll add a couple of things. sooner than later start eating less conveniently. meaning eat without holding the food in your hands. no sandwiches, burritos, wraps, etc. no eating in the car. no eating in front of the tv or computer. sit at the table and have a meal.

    start top eliminate packaged food. meaning start to cook from scratch. that means no more canned beans, beets, corn, spaghetti sauce, anything like that. no rice packages, stuffing, etc. they all have hidden stuff in them like sodium and "enriched" additives.

    get in the kitchen and have some fun. there are some good threads on meal prepping ideas.

    take it easy and remember EVERYONE has off days when dieting. pick yourself up and get going again.

    you didn't wake up one day having gained all the weight in 24 hours so don't think it's going to disappear instantly either. it will disappear3swrsiiqs2pr.jpg
    though for sure.

    Just sayin', I got myself hugely overweight doing those things you have suggested. A calorie deficit is needed, don't make it complicated for the new guy.
  • tealtortoise
    tealtortoise Posts: 53 Member
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    Stay positive! You got this!!!!
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,988 Member
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    Don't be confused by the fact that people can be referring to two different things when they talk about the calories you burn.

    They can refer to calories burned specifically from "intentional" exercise that you log on MFP, as in this case:
    beanz744 wrote: »
    4. only eat back half of the calories u burned at most if u pick up exercising

    or they can mean all the calories your body uses, whether for basic functions like cellular activity and keeping your heart beating, for getting out of bed and brushing your teeth, and for intentional exercise that you log:
    The trick is simply to take in fewer calories than you're burning.



    Also, you need to adopt goals that are suited to you, preferably, given your extreme situation, based on medical advice intended for you by a medical profession who has examined you and knows your medical history. Not based on medical advice given to someone else:
    Seven weeks ago, I weighed 390 pounds. Today, I weighed in at 350.

    As directed by my doctor, I've been eating approximately 1200 calories per day, with less than 75g carbs (I don't always make it, but that's the goal), and 80g-100g of protein.

    This poster may have only been offering an example, not advice, but however it was intended, you shouldn't take medical advice given to someone else as advice for you.

    If you don't have medical advice meant for you, get a recommendation from MFP:
    If you put your details (age, weight, activity level) into MFP it will suggest how many calories you should be eating per day in order to meet your weight loss goal.


    And while the approach recommended by this next poster could be helpful, and cooking from scratch can give you much more control over what you eat, it is absolutely not necessary, so if an approach that relies more on convenience foods is easier for you, don't feel like you have to eliminate packaged food. And don't let people make afraid of things in packaged food with vague references to additives and chemicals.
    they have all given advice that has worked for me. i'll add a couple of things. sooner than later start eating less conveniently. meaning eat without holding the food in your hands. no sandwiches, burritos, wraps, etc. no eating in the car. no eating in front of the tv or computer. sit at the table and have a meal.

    start top eliminate packaged food. meaning start to cook from scratch. that means no more canned beans, beets, corn, spaghetti sauce, anything like that. no rice packages, stuffing, etc. they all have hidden stuff in them like sodium and "enriched" additives.

    get in the kitchen and have some fun. there are some good threads on meal prepping ideas.

  • youdoyou2016
    youdoyou2016 Posts: 393 Member
    edited June 2017
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    Reading success stories in other threads was very helpful for me in terms of keeping me "locked into" my goal.

    When I started over a year ago, I did not think it would be possible for me to ever be at an ideal weight. Reading people's successes and looking at before-and-after photos of people just like me always keep me going. Somewhere on here, you will find your "twin"; mine made a huge difference for me. So, I would encourage you to hang out here as you go through this process.

    Also, as I lost weight and how I lived changed, I realized that I was depressed and that eating and my weight were the only ways that I was able to cope. Now that I am nearly done, I find I have a totally new kind of life -- to me, that is both exciting and a little scary. Therapy has been invaluable, and might be something to consider doing if you do not already. I wish I'd started earlier. I do not mean to imply therapy is necessary if you do not do this currently -- more like try it if you can and see where it goes because it cannot hurt.

    I guess my advice is to surround yourself with as much support as possible as you do all the other things needed for weight loss.