649lbs and 3790 calories
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Nothing to add. Just want to wish you all the best from way over here in New Zealand. You can do this!!4
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Congrats on your first steps on becoming healthy. Take it one day at a time.3
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spagano8888 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »
the thing is, there is easy access to food pretty much everywhere these days... i just walked into the kitchen at work and there is a sponge cake on a table next to a note saying 'help yourself'... i didn't because it doesn't fit into my calories and macros for the day, but there is always 'temptation' around if you look at it that way.
It's all mindset and mine hasn't been the best. Every time lately when I go off I say to myself I don't want to be on a diet I want to eat this, and then I do.
I'm on my 5th day and lost another 3. Down 12lbs. I know I shouldn't be weighing myself everyday but it feels like trial and error this week
People who weigh themselves every day are more likely to stay on track. It's one habit that is easy, sets the tone and your focus for the day.4 -
@spagano8888 first and foremost congratulations on your first step towards a healthier you. IMHO, the MFP system works. Like you, I have a lot of weight to lose. I've been at it for 4 months and am down 58 lbs. When I started this journey, the goal that MFP set for me was 3270. This is based on all my individual factors. In this timeframe, I've exceeded that number, 5 days. What is great about this lifestyle is that even if you have a rough day, it's easier to get back on track the next day. The biggest thing that I noticed is that I rarely would come close to eating the goal. My average daily intake is approximately 2,000-2,500 per day. And I am completely satiated. I changed 3 simple things from my lifestyle. I eliminated soda(Coca Cola) and desserts(ice cream, cake, cookies etc). I reduced the amount of bread that I consume. I replaced desserts with fresh fruit. What this system made me realize, is that I was eating a lot of empty calories. I find that sugar is like a drug for me. The more I eat the more I want. I also find that as long as I budget for it with my caloric intake, it's OK. When you have large calorie goals, like ours, you can be flexible in what you eat. I had a pizza craving the other day. I enjoyed my pizza. I had my birthday a couple of months ago. I had my slice of cake (380 calories ouch). It's ok. It's also important to get moving. Some folks say just walk. If you're having trouble moving, that may not be so easy. I found that I enjoy swimming. Much easier on the joints. And there are specific exercises that will help you strengthen your legs which will help your back and knees. There's also you tube videos on chair exercises with stretch bands etc. Get a tracker like Fitbit if you can. I wear mine all the time. This will help you see things like daily steps, calories burned, resting heart rate. It will integrate with MFP. Lastly become a tracking monster. Get the food scale out. Track everything that goes in your mouth. Good or bad.
I don't know you as well as your physician. I am not a health professional either. I am just sharing some of my experiences on my similar path.
Good luck to you on your journey!! And well done on your recent success!!7 -
spagano8888 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I get it, I do. But to get to 600 pounds, there is a significant disconnect in your brain between a normal amount of food and an obsessive, anxiety based behavior. Just give it some thought.
I also culpulsively eat. I eat and I don't stop, even when full. I don't know why I do it.
I can relate to this. I was almost 400 lbs and the first thing I did when I realized it was do or die time was start therapy because I felt there was nothing "normal" about engaging in behavior that would lead me to being almost 400 lbs. I felt that I had to deal with my emotional health as well as my physical health and it was one of the best choices I ever made.8 -
spagano8888 wrote: »Does 3790 calories for a day seem like too much for a person of my size?
394lbs when i started my "life style" changes...ice cream and a pizza, yes, a pizza were my usual meals.
When i got the ap i tried to eat the calories alotted for me and could never eat enough...
I was always in a calorie deficit...
Got stuck at 366lbs for awhile...
Started lifting weights...cut cardio down to 20mins 2 days a week.
Lost 6 more lbs in 30 days...
So...
I asked everyone...read everything...
Found the keto diet...now down to 301 at last weigh in...Monday is my scheduled weight in...but
Weight is not my worry anymore. I have been concentrating on measurements
58 waist down to 44...way more definition in my upper body and legs...yes my gut is down but not where i want it.
And i finally did 3 pull ups...and 10 dips...
Have not been able to do that in a long long time.
On keto i get to eat eggs and bacon!...lol
And getting results...
So i hope this helps...its not gonna happen over night and you wont notice a difference in youself for a long time...but...girls come talk to me at the gym now lol.
So do guys..
Ask me questions...
Anyway...thats when you know its working...
Lol4 -
@spagano8888 lean on the MFP community for help and support! As you can see from the above, we don't always agree with each other -- but we are consistent in our support and in helping others find their way. I'm looking forward to following your progress.4
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spagano8888 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I get it, I do. But to get to 600 pounds, there is a significant disconnect in your brain between a normal amount of food and an obsessive, anxiety based behavior. Just give it some thought.
I also culpulsively eat. I eat and I don't stop, even when full. I don't know why I do it.
I understand this. I used to compulsively eat, too. For me food was a friend, and way to deal with the stresses of every day life. Sugar and breads and chips and cookies and ice cream and pie were like kryptonite for me. I had to stop buying the things I would binge/compulsively eat.
These days I make my decisions at the store.
I used to go to the kitchen any time I had any stress whatsoever. Guess where the stress came from? Inside my own head. Like @garber6th said, I knew it wasn't right, so I set out to figure out what was bothering me.
One thing you said earlier was that you were afraid to lose friends so you just went along with them on the drinking and eating escapades (or something to that effect.) I had to get to the point where I was not concerned with other people at all as far as how I looked at my food and alcohol intake. It doesn't matter how much food is in front of me, I still have to monitor my own intake. I stopped hanging around with people who tried to influence me to eat/drink in a way that made me uncomfortable. I put myself first in every situation. What people think of me is none of my business. My health is my business.
You've gotten some really insightful replies on this post. Keep it going! We're on your team.
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It sounds to me like you are on a good track. Modify as needed and carry on!
So glad you are here!
Aggie
SW 431
CW 381
GW 230ish2 -
Just chiming in with everyone else to cheer you on. I vote for starting with the doctor's calorie advice and modifying it upward if you feel it's unsustainable to eat that low. You'd probably lose weight on both--just a matter of how quickly it would come off. You might have other health risks your doctor is trying to avoid by having you lose faster than the MFP recommendation.
In my not-so-expert opinion, I'm of the mind that the early part of weight loss is simply building the habits of planning and managing your eating and understanding the calorie deficit. Focus on making progress, not perfection. Those eating habits are so hard to change and there are so many feelings baked in to why we overeat. On paper, weight loss is easy because it's just math. In real life, we all know it's much, much harder than that.
I wish you the best and hope to see you around!4 -
spagano8888 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I get it, I do. But to get to 600 pounds, there is a significant disconnect in your brain between a normal amount of food and an obsessive, anxiety based behavior. Just give it some thought.
I also culpulsively eat. I eat and I don't stop, even when full. I don't know why I do it.
Not going to mention much cause I think you've gotten some great advice from the folks above me but I couldn't help but notice this.
It will be important for your long term success to start thinking about why you're compelled to eat when you're not hungry. If possible, having someone to talk to about it (a therapist, if possible) or even just to start keeping a journal of your thoughts will help you gain clarity and ultimately help you stop that behaviour.
You're off to a great start by beginning to log and I wish you all the best of luck going forward! Emotional and compulsive eating is something that affects many and it's no walk in the park, that's for sure.3 -
cmriverside wrote: »there is a significant disconnect in your brain between a normal amount of food and an obsessive, anxiety based behavior. Just give it some thought.
This gave me a total illumination moment regarding my own food issues and behaviors. "Obsessive, anxiety-based behavior" is such an accurate and useful description, and it's a way for me to think about my behaviors in the moment that I think might help me stop them -- at least sometimes. It's a new tool in the kit. Thank you.
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I have not read the whole thread, but when you get to weighing 300 or more, the data for calorie burns gets fuzzy. This is primarily because calorie burn information is based on putting a person in a room where all food intake and energy expenditure is carefully controlled allowing for actual measuring of the energy expenditure of the individual. They did many such measurements of many people and from the data developed the charts we have now based on the averages measured based on sex, age, height, weight, and the like. Thus, since there would be less people over 300 pounds, and maybe none in these studies over 400, the data is largely an extrapolation of what has been gathered from smaller people. Thus, it may or may not be accurate.
With the amount you have to lose, I am thinking 2000-2500 would be more than adequate, and you would lose fast. Since you have a lot of fat to lose, losing faster is not going to be an issue right now as you can burn a higher maximum of fat in a day than people who have less fat to lose. I would tend to go with the numbers you have gotten from professionals at this point largely to get yourself used to eating what would be a normal amount of food to likely support your body when you lose weight. If you want to go up to 3700 you will likely still lose, but it won't prepare you significantly for what you new normal will be.0 -
cmriverside wrote: »there is a significant disconnect in your brain between a normal amount of food and an obsessive, anxiety based behavior. Just give it some thought.
This gave me a total illumination moment regarding my own food issues and behaviors. "Obsessive, anxiety-based behavior" is such an accurate and useful description, and it's a way for me to think about my behaviors in the moment that I think might help me stop them -- at least sometimes. It's a new tool in the kit. Thank you.
You're welcome. Someone mentioned journaling above. When I was going through my weight loss and trying to get a grip on what happened, I would journal about my food compulsions.- What was going on just before?
- What did I tell myself about that event that caused fear/reaction?
- What did I eat?
- How did that food make me feel afterward?
- How could I better handle that emotion?
If it's a relationship problem, there's a lot of books and online resources. If it's money/finances, same. If it's loneliness, boredom, anger, fatigue - there are better solutions!
If it's actual hunger, maybe my calories are set too low or I'm eating too many carbs.4
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