Desperate to lose weight

IndigoSky1994
IndigoSky1994 Posts: 8 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm 24 and have struggled with my weight for about 4 years now. Before I was slim (around 70kg) but I am currently 113kgs. I look and feel terrible and am desperate to get back to what I used to be. I have had blood tests for medical causes, which have all been negative.

I've went through a rough patch mentally a few years ago, and used food as a comforting tool. I feel much better now, but I still can't seem to shake my appetite.

For the last week I've been very strict with sticking to 3 meals a day, and have been going to the gym most evenings to spend an hour doing cardio. I am considering going swimming in the mornings too.

Has anybody else been in the same boat? I feel like I have such a mountain to climb, and have low confidence in my ability to change.

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    edited May 2019
    Welcome :smile:

    First, take a deep breathe. There are many people here who have been where you are and have succeeded, but it takes time and there's a learning curve, so you have to be patient, as hard as that is.

    This thread is a great place to start:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    Desperation is not a great place to start. You might end up doing things you'll regret, like eating too little or spending money on useless junk.

    I am speaking from experience. =P

    Instead, work on finding things you like about yourself, and then wanting to take care of yourself. It's so, so much easier to approach this from a "I want the best for me" standpoint than a "I MUST lose weight" one. That's a lot of pressure.

    Not gonna lie, it's not easy. I also have days where I feel like I'm 5 feet up a 15,000 foot mountain and I'm already exhausted. But work on daily or weekly goals instead of final goals. The next ledge is closer and less intimidating than the mountain peak.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,463 Member
    Take heart. Calorie counting works. I didn’t care if I lived or died. Then CPAP saved my life. Actual sleep gave me a moment of clarity. We had two little kids. I weighed
    285 lbs. Today 171 lbs. Maintaining for years.

    Rethink. Strict isn’t needed. In some ways it can prove to be counter productive. What’s needed is persistence backed up with determination when needed.

    Start a food diary. Get a food scale. Calculate a modest calorie deficit. Make a plan and try to hit your number.

    Always keep your food diary no matter what. Over your number? Wildly over? Log everything. Don’t know the calories in what you ate? Make a good faith estimate and keep going. Every loss no matter how small is a step forward.

    Don’t be overly discouraged when you struggle. Beware the voice in your head trying to talk you into quitting. The only way to fail is quit. Don’t.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    I've been where you are. As others have said the desperation is going to make it hard to be sensible. What worked for me was losing slowly and safely. I of course started out on 1200 calories wanting to lose 2 lbs a week which is the max MFP allows. I actually averaged about 1.5. It took me 2 years to get to goal. BUT... I've maintained for a year and a half and in my entire life this is the first time I've been at goal since I was 16. I'll be 63 in September! Take your time. Learn to eat in a way you can live with for the rest of your life. As your weight goes down you need to adjust to a new way of eating. You don't need massive changes at the start. Just begin by weighing and logging your food every meal. Pick a reasonable rate of loss and take your time. Good Luck.
  • mstarks01
    mstarks01 Posts: 109 Member
    Congratulations, you have taken the hardest step. You're here and you have reached out for help. The good news is that there are plenty of wonderful people here to lend a hand.

    Take it one day at a time. Try not to be hard on yourself. This journey can actually be enjoyable once you get on track. You got this!
  • IndigoSky1994
    IndigoSky1994 Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks for your support people. The scales are still not shifting as much as I'd like, but we'll just have to be patient.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,130 Member
    IndigoSky1994 wrote: »
    Thanks for your support people. The scales are still not shifting as much as I'd like, but we'll just have to be patient.

    How much are you expecting them to shift? TV, Media & Clickbait have a lot to answer for, a healthy rate of loss is a trend of 1-2lbs per week and it's unlikely you will see the scale move every week.

    The weight didn't go on in a few weeks, it won't come off in a few either.

    Patience and consistency will get you there eventually.

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