Quarantine Disaster! Now I am fed up...literally

TheWaistBasket
TheWaistBasket Posts: 56 Member
edited May 2021 in Introduce Yourself
I gained 126 lbs over the last 4 years ..and I just let it happen. All of a sudden the weight just jumped on me..slowly but steady. I didn't understand...my eating habits didn't change, so what was going on. It's called Menopause H*E*L*L. My system changed, my body changed...I was beside myself. My eating habits did change, but I was in denial.

Then I decided to give up smoking. I smoked for 15 years and decided that's enough. I quit 24 months ago. This is something only an ex-smoker will understand. You quit smoking and you live in the refrigerator or at least close by! I read up on it and it's normal but just really bad if you are already overweight. They say "don't worry about it" you can take care of the weight later. Later never came. I gained 38 lbs when I quit smoking. My metabolism was dead and let's not talk about non-existing bowel movements (they joke that it comes back after 2 months and it wasn't a joke).

I don't have eating spells anymore, I don't need candy anymore to overcome cigarette craving. So I am a fat ex-smoker now and I HATE IT.

Then Covid came along! Working at home. A dream. No bra, sweatpants, food deliveries to my home morning, lunch and evening. They know me by name. Every new restaurant got me excited and there were many. Others used the quarantine time to lose weight, I ate myself happy and happier. I gained 80 pounds in one year. I ate...I ate and loved it.

***Warning -don’t read if you are sensitive***

I have a hard time walking across the street. I can’t stand for long. I have a hard time in the shower. I can’t clean myself. I can't reach certain areas. It's embarrassing. Last night I went online and looked for help, a tool that would help me to wipe myself and when I read the reviews and looked at the pictures it all sunk in.

I found a page full of morbidly obese people and realized I am one of them. I made it from 235 pounds to 270 +/- when I gave up smoking and last night I weighed in at 361. I watched an episode of MY 600 LBS LIFE and it grossed me out. I am like them, just not as heavy. I will be one of them if I don’t stop now.

Sorry, I am writing a novel, but it seems to write itself.

As of right now, I am going on a very strict diet for four weeks. Why? Because I need success really fast, I know myself. 5 or 10 lbs off my weight would motivate me for months.

I closed my door dash account. I signed up for grocery delivery and ordered for tomorrow vegetables, fruits, lean meat. Deliveries only as planned, no extras. I have no plan but a goal. I am either going to stop now or this will go on and I will be housebound. Laying in bed like the people in the TV show. There is not much difference between me and them. I have to sit down when I cook. My ankles are swollen. I am already them.

I am looking for people who want to be my friend. I need a daily kick in my bum and a reminder that I can do it. I am hoping I won't have to be alone on my journey.

I can’t work out but will try to walk. I am older, but not old enough to change. It's time.

Anybody with me! Anybody willing to help me!
Really sorry for the novel!

Replies

  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    Like @AnnPT77 said, may you have the best of success. Never apologize for sharing your experiences and feelings.

    I hope you're able to take your current reflections on your past to help curb future negative actions, like, in the moment.

    While I used Doordash for some great sushi the other day, nothing beats homemade food. MFP's blog has some great recipes (and if you're into dishes from different countries you may be pleasantly surprised). It doesn't have to take hours in the kitchen or a chef's know-how.

    Hope you're being followed by a healthcare team too; it'll make the process so much easier (from start to "finish" - finish being more like maintenance)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    You HAVE to have a plan. Or else you'll end up being a ship without a rudder.............you'll wander aimlessly hitting land every once in awhile. You can order all the "healthy food" you want, but if you eat it all too fast and reorder, you're back to square one. It's still about CICO.
    Write down a doable plan of action. How many calories you eat, how much physical movement you'll do a day and how you will positively reflect on your day. Write down key notes on a sticky and stick it on your bathroom mirror, your fridge and car visor. Daily reminders work.
    Then do the smart thing like portioning out your snacks in little bags. Don't carry the whole box or bag around with you and pretend you'll stop when you eat the right portion out of it. It seldom works with people who don't control intake well.
    And measure your food on a scale to be precise. Because that's what it's going to take to do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • TheWaistBasket
    TheWaistBasket Posts: 56 Member
    I have an appointment for a thorough physical in August. Not looking forward to it.

    I appreciate your replies. Thank you. I was afraid nobody would read, or answer because there is so much of me.
  • TheWaistBasket
    TheWaistBasket Posts: 56 Member
    edited May 2021
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    You HAVE to have a plan. Or else you'll end up being a ship without a rudder.............you'll wander aimlessly hitting land every once in awhile. You can order all the "healthy food" you want, but if you eat it all too fast and reorder, you're back to square one. It's still about CICO.
    Write down a doable plan of action. How many calories you eat, how much physical movement you'll do a day and how you will positively reflect on your day. Write down key notes on a sticky and stick it on your bathroom mirror, your fridge and car visor. Daily reminders work.

    I really don't have a plan other than eating less and healthier. Now you have me panicking. A diet plan? What is CICO? What's a good diet plan? How do I know what will work for me? I thought all diets are doomed to fail sooner or later? I can't move much but thought I walk in the house until I feel stronger. I really don't have a clue just a goal.
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 563 Member
    I can't wait to see your success on here! You're going to do great. Set your goals, get some friends, log daily, and watch the transformation! I didn't have all that much weight to lose, but it piled on right at menopause for me too, and this is where I came to get rid of it. Some of my friends on here have achieved amazing losses. The changes you're making already will make a difference. Great start!
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    I really don't have a plan other than eating less and healthier. Now you have me panicking. A diet plan? What is CICO? What's a good diet plan? How do I know what will work for me? I thought all diets are doomed to fail sooner or later? I can't move much but thought I walk in the house until I feel stronger. I really don't have a clue just a goal.

    OK...so it's OK to not have a clue. You've snapped out of denial--that's a huge step. And you're here -- another big step.

    CICO is "Calories in Calories Out"...it comes down to your intake of calories and the calories you use. Fundamentally, if you are eating more than your burning, you gain weight...not really any more or less than that. (NOTE: there are exceptions, such as those with thyroid issues or metabolic diseases. Only a doctor can confirm that.)

    As for "diet plan"... rethink towards "eating strategy". Yes, you're going to be reducing calories in your diet to lose weight, and once you get to your goal weight you MAINTAIN...you will be eating in a way that isn't about losing weight but keeping it steady. (Many diets fail to take that into account. That's a big reason why people rebound after diet plans that just go "good job, see ya!" after you've lost the weight.) But right now, that's waaaay off in the distance...you'll get there but don't worry about that right now.

    No, diet plans aren't doomed to fail. I lost 40 pounds 4 years ago, kept most of it off. Yes, there are failure stories but there's no reason you're not going to be a success story.

    My advice to you is actually NOT to try to lose weight...immediately. Just practice measuring and logging your food for a week or two...it's simple but getting started isn't always easy. Getting into the routine of stopping, measuring your food before eating it, and logging it is sometimes a challenge. It's good to get a baseline of how many calories you're currently intaking and what nutrients you're getting and not getting to reflect on later.

    You don't have to exercise for MyFitnessPal (some of us can't for various reasons), so your current level doesn't mean you can't be here. Just do what you can.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    TheWaistBasket wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    You HAVE to have a plan. Or else you'll end up being a ship without a rudder.............you'll wander aimlessly hitting land every once in awhile. You can order all the "healthy food" you want, but if you eat it all too fast and reorder, you're back to square one. It's still about CICO.
    Write down a doable plan of action. How many calories you eat, how much physical movement you'll do a day and how you will positively reflect on your day. Write down key notes on a sticky and stick it on your bathroom mirror, your fridge and car visor. Daily reminders work.

    I really don't have a plan other than eating less and healthier. Now you have me panicking. A diet plan? What is CICO? What's a good diet plan? How do I know what will work for me? I thought all diets are doomed to fail sooner or later? I can't move much but thought I walk in the house until I feel stronger. I really don't have a clue just a goal.

    No need for panic. A diet plan can be simple, it's not necessarily some complicated set of rules. Here is one possible diet plan that plays well with recommendations above to start with logging current eating, get a calorie goal, work toward that goal, etc. It's basically a methodical way to remodel your eating to hit your calorie goal (so lose weight) while moving in the direction of good nutrition, eating foods you personally find filling and tasty.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

    That's far from "the only way". It's one way. Some people like more structured, rule-based plans. They exist, too, but I'm not very knowledgeable about those because I lost weight the "remodel your eating" way.

    No, all diets are not doomed to fail. The majority of attempts *do* fail, though. Sometimes those same people succeed on re-tries, in the sense of staying at a healthy weight long term . . . but maybe not by repeating the exact same approach that failed before. Different things work for different people, and you know *you*, so you *can* figure this out. It's OK to experiment, fail sometimes, backtrack, whatever. Just keep going. Only quitting altogether is failure.

    I was obese for around 30 years, and I've been at a healthy weight for 5+ years now. There are other people here who've lost far more than I did, and maintained the loss longer. People succeed. IMO, a key factor is thinking through what habits you can establish to make weight loss do-able, even maybe easy, and then transition smoothly with tested, happy habits (and a few hundred extra calories to stop losing!) into maintenance once you reach goal weight. Weight management isn't a project with an end date, after which things go back to normal. Successful weight management is a change in habits, with a firm view toward "forever".

    And yes, you can walk in the house until you feel stronger. Exercise is optional for weight loss, but useful for health and good functioning, so it's worth doing. Start with what's manageable but a small challenge. As you get fitter, push a little harder to keep it always a small, manageable challenge. That's how fitness is built. Walking in your house is a fine start. There are other things you could consider as you feel more able, like chair exercises (they come in various difficulties, and there are many videos on YouTube) or pool exercise classes (if these exist near you).

    Don't let this overwhelm you. You can handle it. Take one positive step at a time, and you'll make it happen.
  • TheWaistBasket
    TheWaistBasket Posts: 56 Member
    Thank you Zinka. I am excited now too.
  • TheWaistBasket
    TheWaistBasket Posts: 56 Member
    edited May 2021
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    CICO is "Calories in Calories Out"...it comes down to your intake of calories and the calories you use. Fundamentally, if you are eating more than your burning, you gain weight...not really any more or less than that. (NOTE: there are exceptions, such as those with thyroid issues or metabolic diseases. Only a doctor can confirm that.)

    I am morbidly obese because too much is going in and hardly anything is burned. Now that makes sense.

    I decided to make an appointment with a dietician, a licensed nutritionist (Learned the difference today). I think I need guidance from a professional until I get more knowledge about food and nutritions. That's a big step in the right direction I hope.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    I really don't have a plan other than eating less and healthier. Now you have me panicking. A diet plan? What is CICO? What's a good diet plan? How do I know what will work for me? I thought all diets are doomed to fail sooner or later? I can't move much but thought I walk in the house until I feel stronger. I really don't have a clue just a goal.

    OK...so it's OK to not have a clue. You've snapped out of denial--that's a huge step. And you're here -- another big step.

    CICO is "Calories in Calories Out"...it comes down to your intake of calories and the calories you use. Fundamentally, if you are eating more than your burning, you gain weight...not really any more or less than that. (NOTE: there are exceptions, such as those with thyroid issues or metabolic diseases. Only a doctor can confirm that.)

    As for "diet plan"... rethink towards "eating strategy". Yes, you're going to be reducing calories in your diet to lose weight, and once you get to your goal weight you MAINTAIN...you will be eating in a way that isn't about losing weight but keeping it steady. (Many diets fail to take that into account. That's a big reason why people rebound after diet plans that just go "good job, see ya!" after you've lost the weight.) But right now, that's waaaay off in the distance...you'll get there but don't worry about that right now.

    No, diet plans aren't doomed to fail. I lost 40 pounds 4 years ago, kept most of it off. Yes, there are failure stories but there's no reason you're not going to be a success story.

    My advice to you is actually NOT to try to lose weight...immediately. Just practice measuring and logging your food for a week or two...it's simple but getting started isn't always easy. Getting into the routine of stopping, measuring your food before eating it, and logging it is sometimes a challenge. It's good to get a baseline of how many calories you're currently intaking and what nutrients you're getting and not getting to reflect on later.

    You don't have to exercise for MyFitnessPal (some of us can't for various reasons), so your current level doesn't mean you can't be here. Just do what you can.

    Apologies for the aside, OP.

    To the bolded: Those people (of whom I am one) are not an exception to CICO. They (we) may be different from average, i.e., have a lower maintenance calorie number or even BMR/RMR for a variety of reasons, but once their (our) individual calorie needs are pinned down, calorie balance still works. Lots of people differ from calculators' calorie estimates for lots of reasons; hypothyroidism or other metabolic conditions are just one type of example. A few people have cycling conditions (need more calories at some times than others, absorb or excrete more calories at some times than others), which makes calorie counting much more difficult as a practical matter, for sure.

    But we still follow the same laws of physics: Can't make energy out of nothing.
  • TheWaistBasket
    TheWaistBasket Posts: 56 Member
    edited May 2021
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    To the bolded: Those people (of whom I am one) are not an exception to CICO. They (we) may be different from average, i.e., have a lower maintenance calorie number or even BMR/RMR for a variety of reasons, but once their (our) individual calorie needs are pinned down, calorie balance still works. Lots of people differ from calculators' calorie estimates for lots of reasons; hypothyroidism or other metabolic conditions are just one type of example. A few people have cycling conditions (need more calories at some times than others, absorb or excrete more calories at some times than others), which makes calorie counting much more difficult as a practical matter, for sure.

    But we still follow the same laws of physics: Can't make energy out of nothing.

    Please, don't apologize, just take over the complete thread, you seem to need the attention more than I do. :-)

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