So does this actually work?

Some semi random points to make, coming from someone who spends a lot of time on the forums telling people they don't have to starve to lose weight and to keep weight loss at 0.5% to 1% of body weight per week with caloric deficits at 20% of TDEE (25% while obese).

* Because of your current weight you are most likely relatively sedentary and activities or exercise that would stress your joints may be difficult. I would definitely discuss what you can or cannot do with an expert because protecting your joints is important when it comes to maintaining your weight loss in the future.

* This is a long game. Don't think you can short circuit the process and succeed. You will have to lose weight just by consuming less food, then as you get lighter with a combination of food, increased activity and exercise, and you may well have to deal with health issues along the way as well as address other issues that have contributed to your weight gain. Your dream end result may not be perfect but I can guarantee you that your health and success will be worthwhile!

*MFP is set to operate in a narrow range of weight loss topping at 2lbs a week. Since most people on MFP start at under 300lbs this rate of loss is appropriate for the high end and still achieves losses not exceeding 1.5% of bodyweight per week for most people.

At 600lbs two things come into play. The BMR * activity factor equations used to determine your total daily energy requirements may be slightly innacurate, and your bodyfat is sufficient to provide you with energy without as much danger to your lean mass.

As such you are one of the few cases where I would advocate that you can and should target a slightly faster rate of loss, without necessarily getting silly about it.

For a few months at least you can probably tolerate losses that are between one and one and a half percent of your body weight a week. Subject to such rapid losses not making life so difficult you're about to give up.

Compliance and staying the course comes way ahead of speed!!!

I am also a believer in stages as opposed to trying to do everything perfectly at once and in setting yourself up for your future maintenance by avoiding dropping to silly low calories.

All this to say that I would aim for somewhere around ***3000 to 3500 *** calories to eat (not less than that, but not necessarily the full 4000+ given by MFP)

Then when you become more mobile I would take the extra loss generated by increased activity while keeping to around the same caloric intake range.

As your weight loss at that point of time and probably around 300lbs settles I would consider again how to proceed (dropping to 2500-3000, changing exercise, etc)

* Right now you can lose weight just by being mindful. You don't have to eliminate anything and you don't have to do any special specific diet or even use a scale.

* As your caloric budget reduces with weight loss you may have to become more precise when it comes to measuring.

I do agree with the people who say you have learn to log everything. Nothing you put in your mouth is calorie-free in sufficient quantity. Most calorie free products claim their status on a mythical portion size that ends up being just under 5 calories, allowing them to legally claim they're calorie-free. Eat 10 times that and it's not calorie-free.

Looking at what you log and reviewing whether it was worth the calories is a most powerful tool in making positive changes to what you're eating

*You will have to explore your own way of eating which should hopefully include things that fill you up and things that you're eating purely for fun. While you may have to go through a time period of abstinence in order to better appreciate that things you now consider staples are really just suitable for the occasional treat, I would be very hesitant to tell myself that certain things are forbidden never to be eaten again. This leads to silly thoughts of "I failed right now so I might as well eat all the stuff I'm not allowed and start again tomorrow"

*I would reframe the process and retrain myself to think along the lines of "am I getting enough out of this food or item for the calories that I am spending out of my daily or weekly budget"

*And incidentally the time to get back to it after a momentary failure is Right *kitten* now. As in immediately as of the next decision that you're about to make. And most certainly as of your next meal. Not the next day or next week.

* Hand in hand with the above, you don't try to make up a failure but concentrate on each day as its own Target.

And yes. Take pictures and record stuff. Possibly even start using a trending weight application.

Embrace and see this as a fun process of exploration. Don't view it as eliminating things you like but as discovering other things you also like that are less calories.

It is a fun optimization problem where you try to maximize satiation, health, and fun within your budget!

Just in case OP is still reading this far into the post - one more bit of advice. Take a series of pictures of yourself now from the front and side. I know it’s probably really awkward and you might not be entirely comfortable but take the pics anyway and stick them in a draw or on the cloud somewhere safe.

When you are all skinny and svelte you’ll want those pics to amaze and impress people with your willpower and dedication.