Overwhelmed

mariahp23
mariahp23 Posts: 57
edited October 3 in Introduce Yourself
Your going to die.

Those were the words that I have driven me to this website.

My name is Mariah, I am 23 years old and 304 pounds. I have no idea how I got to this point. I went to the doctor yesterday and was told I have, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and last but not least am at very high risk for a heart attack. " What I am trying to say Mariah, is if you don't loose the weight, you will die young, very young."

Whoa, I knew I felt sick and tired all the time but I have no idea I am basically dying, cutting precious time off my life each time I make a bad food choice.

I am not going to lie I am overwhelmed by this news. I have a LOT of weight to loose, it almost seems like I cant do it, but I am going to try. I have so much to loose.

I am looking for friends that will help motivate me and I will do the very same for you.

Have a great day.
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Replies

  • Good luck to you! Remember, healthy happens one choice at a time!
  • twocsmom
    twocsmom Posts: 120 Member
    You can do it. One step at a time. One pound at a time. And one nutritious bite at a time. Believe in yourself...because everyone here will believe in you too!
  • Tonnina
    Tonnina Posts: 979 Member
    Oh my goodness... I WANT you as a friend on here... I NEED you as a friend on here! I want to help you! I was told I had hypertension and high cholesterol and I was only 21. Now I'm 22 and don't have either. I've finally stopped over salting everything and drinking more water than a fish! Let us be friends, oh please let us be friends!!!
  • LisaMDJ
    LisaMDJ Posts: 18
    You're not going to die. You've taken the right step by coming here and deciding to make a change and to save your life. I came here yesterday and joined as well, because I want to live a long life for my husband and my son. I lost 110 pounds a few years ago, so I know it can be done, but I gained back 80 of it when I had a baby. I don't want to die either. You have so many years ahead of you. By the time you're my age (nearly 40), living in a heavy body will just be a memory, because you're going to change it NOW. You can do this, and so can I. I'm going to add you as a friend and maybe we can help each other. :)
  • cavaaller_85
    cavaaller_85 Posts: 94 Member
    You are taking a big step right now! I do not have as much weight to lose as you do, but I can still go off of my personal experience with weight loss. The first week will be relatively easy and you WILL see results if you follow your calorie restrictions and are honest. After that, the novelty wears off and it can be a little more difficult to push through. Starting where you're at, I'd suggest giving yourself one "day off" each week to eat the stuff you miss eating and have fun. Also, eat your exercise calories from time to time to give yourself a boost!

    You can totally do this. Lots of people have started off at higher weights than yours and been successful! MFP is a great resource for support! Feel free to add me as a friend. I'm a 26 yr old female from Iowa. Good luck in your weight loss!
  • mugofire
    mugofire Posts: 110 Member
    You started in the right direction just by posting a message on here!! We are here to support each other and it does not matter if you have 0 pounds to lose or 300!!! We are all here to help each other get to where we need and want to be. Welcome to your new NFP family!!
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
    Welcome to the site Maria. Facing our demons is part of our personal growth and many of us here ran from them right to the food we shoved in our mouths.

    I hope you get the support you are looking for.

    Your best allies will be educating yourself on nutrition and exercise. There is lots of good advice available here. Don't take it as gospel though, back it up with your own research. Remember you are also an individual and there are many variables from person to person physiologically and environmentally, so to an extent you have to find your own way to your goals.

    The big thing is make a lifestyle change that you can live with for years to come. Don't go on a diet to produce some magic number on a scale.

    Some days will suck. Other days will be filled with personal victories and some days are made up of both. Keep your focus and remember the long term goal.

    Now go make a change.
  • You ABSOLUTELY can do it and you made the right choice joining the site. There are so many kind, supportive people on here who will give you great tips, advice and support. You CAN do this!!

    Set small goals so the overall goal doesn't seem so daunting. I'm doing 10% of my body weight at a time...I'm shooting for every three months. I started on July 17 at 364 and my first goal was 327 by 10/17...and I hit it last weekend. It does seem daunting at first, but, you can do it!! I can't even imagine turning back now.

    Good luck to you!!
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
    You can do it. One step at a time. One pound at a time. And one nutritious bite at a time. Believe in yourself...because everyone here will believe in you too!

    Don't ask the world of yourself, take it literally, one step at a time,when you fall you get right back up. Each day is a new chance to start over. But stick with it, the world is a better place with you in it.
  • BreakinTheChains
    BreakinTheChains Posts: 381 Member
    you can do this.. One day at a time.. You came to the right place.. Good Luck on your JOURNEY we're all here for you.. Please feel free to add me for support :happy:
  • Edithrenee
    Edithrenee Posts: 546 Member
    oh wow you can do it. Just remember to take it one day at a time. The good news is with your weight even small changes will make a big difference at first. There are so many people here who has been where you are and i am sure they will be here to help you as well as i if youd like. I have been struggleing myself but i have got my blood pressure down and i am now into the exercise so much that i love it...

    I wish you luck and I will pray for you and your Journey!!

    A phrase that helps me even tho this is a slow process is remembering we didnt get here over night so it take a bit of time.
    "We wont get healthy overnight" But one day at a time and you can and you will do it.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Welcome to the site. You've done the right thing by coming here. There is a lot to learning about nutrition and fitness but take it one step at a time so you don't get overwhelmed. I'd be glad to be your friend.
  • fitacct
    fitacct Posts: 242 Member
    A health concern is also what brought me to MFP 80 days ago. You will find excellent resources and a wonderful group of supportive people here to help you along your journey to good health. As a result of faithfully logging my foods each day and the support of my Fitness Pal family, I have lost almost 13 pounds since July...a healthy, gradual loss...and I hope to bring down my cholesterol and triglyceride levels (I see the doc again this month for more blood work). Best wishes to you in your journey here. You CAN do it! God bless! : )
  • iamahealthychick
    iamahealthychick Posts: 207 Member
    I, too, have a lot of weight to lose. I have been here since July and have lost 24 lbs.

    The thing to do is to be here, start counting calories, and DON'T panic. Get a set of measuring cups/spoons and an electronic food scale and you will have everything you need. Start drinking water, cut out pop/salty/sugary snacks as a staple in your diet and only have them occasionally. Measure EVERYTHING every meal..don't go by eye. Meal planning is your friend. Try to cut down processed foods and make stuff from scratch. Drink your water!!!

    Lace up those shoes and make a goal of getting around the block,,then twice....then.....

    Log everything.....even if you go over calories be honest with yourself.

    Most of all, realize that this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. This is something that will take you though the rest of your life. You will have good days and bad.. Good weeks and bad... The trick is to not let it throw you off course completely. Just pick yourself up and get back to it. Obviously, there is no chucking the towel in on this for you.

    Remember go slow, stay calm and focused and that the search button here is your friend too. There's a lot of great info on this site as well as a lot of great people. Welcome to a new chapter in your life.
  • cherylwhite
    cherylwhite Posts: 68 Member
    You can do it one day at a time! Starting now, you are on your way to a healthier lifestyle! You've already made the switch, now just keep going ... one day at a time, and before you know it, you'll be feeling so much better that you will want to keep going all the way to that healthy weight, and your lifestyle will be healthy too. Thank God for a wake up call, and don't waste it! Surround yourself with encouragers on here and people you can see and touch as well! Yay!!!
  • PJFaber
    PJFaber Posts: 47
    Don't be overwhelmed. You can do this. One day at a time and don't beat yourself up over the little things because stress can keep the weight on. Keep on working. You have your whole life to live. I know that you can do it and you will!!! But don't forget that this is a mission to save you. Don't forget the feeling you had when the doctor said those words to you that motivated you to begin this life changing process. You go!!!!!!!!!!
  • MIMITIME
    MIMITIME Posts: 405 Member
    You are at the right place. This site is amazing and the support is great. Last week, a young female had posted her story and it was amazing. When she started, she weighed over 500 pounds - yes - over 500 pounds and she was brave enough to show her starting photos. She set her goals in terms of getting into 400 land then three hundred land and then 200 land. Yes, she is now in the 200's and showed more photos. It was amazing. I wish I knew how to go back to her post but I don't. Like you, she was diagnosed with some serious medical conditions resulting from being over weight. She is a great inspiration to all of us. If she can do it, you can do it. I enter my food before I eat and it helps me stay on track. Good Luck
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
    Nobody really knows how we all got to this point you are at. S*It happens. But you are in a great place here and if you are committed, you'll find people committed to helping you.

    I weighed 325 when I hit rock bottom and I recognize where you are at today. I was prediabetic and winded walking to the candy machine. I had chest pains and difficulty breathing, I had a herniated disc, was irritable, cranky and maladjusted. I know the feeling of impending death.

    Now for the good news. You've made the decision to stand up and fight!

    My first suggestion is throw the word DIET out of your vocabulary and think LIFESTYLE.

    Pay close attention to what people here have to say (but always with a grain of salt). You will get lots of advice some good, and some not so good. If you are like everyone else it took years to gain your weight. Realize that it will not come off overnight. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

    Set short term goals for yourself ( 5 pounds per month ) and reward yourself sensibly (new shoes, outfit, etc).

    Set longterm goals as well and reward yourself for them (in my case it was completing the 2009 Honolulu Marathon (goal and reward in the same)

    For success to occur, changing your eating habits can accomplish nice results, but ensure you include physical activity in your lifestyle. The largest muscle group in the body is the legs. This also means they are your largest fat burning engine in the body. At 325 pounds, I started by walking... and when walking wasn't enough, I started to jog, and then I ran. Today I run for the enjoyment of it and while running isn't for everyone, it is amazing what even 15 minutes walking per day can accomplish. Stay challenged as your body adapts to exercise.

    Finally, If you want my support, I offer it freely. All I ask is you are committed to yourself.

    Welcome to MFP
  • shoshi68
    shoshi68 Posts: 407 Member
    You can do this, and this site can help. Please let me offer my assistance as a friend here. We are all here for much the same reasons, we realized we had to change.

    Taking baby steps, every day, in the right direction, really helps, and being kind to yourself is also important.

    It is a simple thing to do, this losing weight and getting healthy thing, but it is fraught with all of our issues about eating, love, self-image, and who knows what else.

    You have taken a very important step, you are here. Congratulations!

    You can do this, and we can do this all together. You are not alone.

    J
  • mariah, my name is dawn. i am sorry to hear that u had a bad visit at the dr. it will be hard, but what are your options...death or health. sometimes i have to ask myself am i eating to live or living to eat? or sometimes i think of people who cant eat for days cause there is no food. its all about whats important to u. do u have family close to u? i think im talking to myself right now. if u ever need a ear im a good listener. take one day at a time
  • Luckiestmomever
    Luckiestmomever Posts: 44 Member
    You can do this. I am about the same weight as you, and while I don't have health problems yet, my doc told me in August that I am a ticking time bomb. I do not want to be on meds due to my own bad habits. So on Sept. 1st I started counting calories and using MFP actively. (I had joined last spring but didn't change my lifestyle until Sept.) Since then I have lost 16 pounds. I only walk about 30 minutes about 3 times a week, and the rest of the days I walk 10 minutes if I can squeeze it in. But I have been religious about counting the calories. I am eating 1200 calories a day, and on the days I exercise I do often eat those calories back. I have also had a few days where family functions meant high calorie days, but then I would follow it up with strict days. I eat all the kinds of foods I like, haven't eliminated anything, just less of it. It took me a few days to adjust, but it's worth it and I find I really don't have the cravings like I used to. I suffer through cravings maybe once a week now as opposed to 5 or 6 days a week before. LOL. Feel free to add me as a friend, we both have a lot of weight to lose, so maybe we can help each other :-)
  • pope369
    pope369 Posts: 159 Member
    There are as many ways to lose weight as there are folks here on MFP, so don't feel like you have to adopt someone else's diet. Each of us have our own style, and the important part is to listen to your body. When I started on MFP this past July I set a modest weight loss goal for myself to lose 30 pounds at 2 pounds per week, and MFP suggested I stick to 1200 calories per day. In the first few weeks, I found it hard to keep under that goal and often felt like I was starving.

    About six weeks later, I decided that I didn't need to lose weight quite as fast as I was, so I reset my goal to a lower overall weight but at a slower 1 pound per week rate. MFP reset my calorie goal at 1370 daily. Since doing that, I've felt much better, have been able to meet my daily goals with ease. I get hungry, but I don't feel like I'm starving. My point is; don't be afraid to change things up and reassess your goals.

    And don't be afraid to cheat once in a while. I've made a regular point of exceeding my daily calorie goal at least once a week (my cheat day) and I've continued to achieve my weekly mini-goals. Some call it calorie spiking, I call it necessary.

    Anyway, welcome to the community. Let us know how we can help you on your journey.
  • You're starting off on a great road! I believe in you! Good luck!
  • victoria543
    victoria543 Posts: 51 Member
    Well done firstly by joining MFP and also for being so honest, yes it will take time and yes it will take effort and yes at times it will be hard but............you are worth it !! So best of luck am sure you will make lots of friends here to spur you on me included so feel free to add me as a friend xxxxxx:smile:
  • Thank you everyone! You are an amazing group of people! Best of luck to all! I can't wait to get to know all of you :)
  • comeback0903
    comeback0903 Posts: 114 Member
    Time,effort,motivation and making consious decision

    remembering that one bad day wont make u give up its just a bad day
    logging in all food even on ur bad day
    pushing urself and counting on us for support
    you can do it one day at a time!
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    Hey Mariah! You've taken a huge step by signing up here and letting us all know a little bit about where you're starting :smile:

    This is an awesome place with lots of great people. There are tools and resources everywhere you look, as well as some fun stuff for laughs, hehe

    I started at 250 in August '10, and was 210 when I started on here. It's a long journey, but it sort of becomes an addiction. This is usually the first site I log into when I get up to see what my friends have been up to. I WANT to get out and do something so that I can log it. When I'm out, I'm thinking "how many miles have I walked?" "How many calories have I burned?" "I have to make sure to log this when I get home!"

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like!! I'd love to help support you on your journey!
  • ycc1964
    ycc1964 Posts: 698 Member
    There is so much help and dedication on this site, you will not only loose the weight but gain precious friend that will love to work with you and encourage you during this journey. Just remember to keep logging in daily because that makes it easier because there is always someone here who understands and are willing to give you an encouraging word.

    Congrats on joining.
  • kaimi2011
    kaimi2011 Posts: 141 Member
    welcome you've taken the first step in joining. take it one day at the time and feel free to add me as a friend. :flowerforyou:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    You have come to the right place! I know at least 5 people who lost over 100 pounds with diet and exercise alone! MFP provided the tools to log and figure out what was going in and burning off. The boards gave them encouragment and support.

    One of my best MFP friends lost 135 pounds.....................another over 150!!

    (Check out the Black Team thread, some big losers on that thread :laugh:)

    Welcome!!!!
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