I might lose weight, but I'll never be small

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FatGrib
FatGrib Posts: 4 Member
in Introduce Yourself
When I first signed up for MFP, I did it to appease a nagging wife... weighed in at 385 and was like "pff, whatev". I was hardly ever putting my food in and when I did I was waaaay over my calories most times, but I didn't care. Less than 6 months later (after my 30th birthday and with a divorce pending) I weighed in and was up to 400lbs. Time to change.

I got serious in a hurry, and now I am about a month into what I'm calling 'The Real Deal' I actually care about my body for the first time ever. I was always fat&happy, now, not so much. I'm 30lbs down and I've got at least another 100 to lose.

I'm right at 6'2" and have a huge frame. At 250-260 I reckon I'd look positively slim, and probably feel loads better, so that's my goal. It's gonna be a long road, but I've got the staying power to make it happen and, thanks to MFP, I've got the tools and support I need as well, because, let's face it, it's just plain hard to do this on your own.

Two strikes against me right off the bat:
#1 - I'm a gamer. But lately I've been leaving the keyboard and mouse behind for exercise!
#2 - I work with computers. Most of my day is spent sitting around and typing, or on the phone, or in the car.

My vices:
Taco Bell - I actually flinch when I drive past one... it's a sickness
Mango Habanero Buffalo Wild Wings - possibly the best thing ever... but so damn much sodium.
Mountain Dew - I try not to have more than 1 per week, but I do miss em.


So that's my story. I feel like MFP has been great for me, and on top of being an awesome tool, it seems to be a great community of people and I'm glad to be a part of it.

Grib

Replies

  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    This site has helped me a lot already, hope it helps you, too, now that you're serious about this.

    I'm a gamer, too, so I work out often using XBox Kinect. I burn a lot of calories sometimes just using Kinect Adventures Rallyball. It's not the same as my usual MMO fare of course, but then again, lately that fare has been boring and repetitive anyway. I also like my watch-heart rate monitor. Seeing those calorie numbers go up along with workout time is keeping score, and as a gamer who grew up in the arcade, I like keeping score.

    Anyway, thought I'd throw that out there in case you were looking for workout ideas and motivators.
  • galvodka
    galvodka Posts: 102
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    Good luck to you! You definitely sound motivated and even though you were happy when you were at your heaviest.....(I was too), it's totally worth all the hard work to feel happier!
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
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    I am a professional geek as well and also have a large frame. I can relate. It can be done. I started at 336 lbs and 5'7". Now I am 254 and much happier.

    Keep at it. I am.
  • esmecgg
    esmecgg Posts: 38
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    You said you're a gamer; this might be an interesting article for you;

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/368095-from-gamer-to-body-builder-it-all-makes-sense?page=1#posts-5004972
  • pfryern
    pfryern Posts: 9
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    Thanks for sharing your story and welcome aboard. I'm proud of you and the choice you have now made to take care of you.
    I really appreciated your honesty in sharing you vices.....as I realize when I am not honest with myself, I am not able to move forward with change and good choices.
  • _Bob_
    _Bob_ Posts: 1,487 Member
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    I also started at 385, dropped down to 315 at one point and then moved and got lazy and stopped logging or eating healthy and 4 months later I was back up to 345. back in the gym now and starting to watch calories again. I'm looking at getting to around 250 as well. that was my old weight when I was in the Army and in the best shape of my life. not much of a gamer but I also have a desk job and it's sometimes hard to stay active during the day. best of luck to all of us
  • 1thinkslim
    1thinkslim Posts: 1
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    This is my first day and your story inspired me. I want to lose 40 lbs. I would like to lose this weight by Mid-April. Not sure if it's possible, but I'm going to give it all I have. Any suggestions, send my way!
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
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    I used to be into role play games like Final Fantasy and play platform games, after I got Ataxia which caused problems with fine motor co-ordination I struggled with platform games I was gonna give up on gaming then Wii came out with Wii Fit.. so gave it a go and never looked back since!

    I love exercise based games now and used Wii for physio to build up what I could do and now I can do some cardio games I've really started to lose weight and get much fitter with them.

    If its the X box you got... get the Kinect add-on and some fitness games and play on them instead! If you play for an hour and burn 500 thats enough for 1 lb a week?.. you might easily lose more to start with.
  • mommemarrie
    mommemarrie Posts: 2
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    I really appreciate your topic sentence " I might lose weight, but I'll never be small ". I just want to be at a healthy weight, that I can feel good about. I don't need to be "small"
  • Speedtrap
    Speedtrap Posts: 216
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    Geek here as well, I am behind a desk all day as well! I am not a gamer but it was hard to start getting in some exercise .

    One thing I would suggest put on a pedometer and just work on getting your step count up a little each week until you can walk 10,000 steps a day
  • charlened11
    charlened11 Posts: 1 Member
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    Today is my first day doing MFP. Every time I step on the scale the number just goes up and up and I just realize this isn't okay. I am an AF wife, unemployed, not going to school, no kids... I do absolutely NOTHING with my day so why in the hell am I at least not trying to do something to make me happy, besides eat. My size 18 jeans are getting way to tight and I refuse to go a size up! I hide behind tshirts, jeans, and hoodies. I know I will never be thin but I want to at least be able to shop for cute clothes in a smaller size.

    My husband is an inspiration to me because he lost 50 lbs, joined the Air Force and works out almost every day and is so proud of himself. I want to be proud of myself so I am going to start every day making sure that I work out and eat better.

    I need all of the inspiration I can get so if you want to add me as a friend, please do. :)
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    This is great! I'm so glad you're having a good time getting healthy. I understand about the never being small thing, my husband is 6 foot 9 and he started out at about the same weight you did. He's now down to around 330 and looks so much better, but he has a very large frame as well and I don't think he can lose a huge amount more without looking like a walking stick lol. He still has a belly, if he lost maybe 30 or 40 pounds he'd probably lose that too. Great job and kicking butt at the weight loss game!
  • MermaidFaith
    MermaidFaith Posts: 495 Member
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    mango habanero bw3'S is the best!!!!!!!! i love how the sweet turns to fire!
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
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    I liked your topic title too. at first I thought, yeah, I know what you mean, with a sad face. but after reading it, i thought, yeah! I know what you mean! with a happy face.

    I am not at all the same regarding stats. I am 5'7" and female, but the tallest and heaviest of my friends, even after losing 59 pounds. I will never be small, but I feel better every day.
  • FatGrib
    FatGrib Posts: 4 Member
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    mango habanero bw3'S is the best!!!!!!!! i love how the sweet turns to fire!

    Indeed. Small on calories too... its that sodium thats murder. Good thing you gotta drink 4 gallons of water while you eat a half-dozen wings just to keep from crying.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    Er...hey OP? About that avatar pic, do you really want people to ask themselves what you were thinking when you put that up there?
  • FatGrib
    FatGrib Posts: 4 Member
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    Er...hey OP? About that avatar pic, do you really want people to ask themselves what you were thinking when you put that up there?

    You mean mine? I'd worry more about what you were thinking when you read it that what I was thinking when I put it up, I mean, I just thought that you would think that I thought it was funny... Maybe you think that I thought that you would think that I thought it was offensive? Don't overthink it.
  • ohnogogo
    ohnogogo Posts: 110 Member
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    Two strikes against me right off the bat:
    #1 - I'm a gamer. But lately I've been leaving the keyboard and mouse behind for exercise!
    #2 - I work with computers. Most of my day is spent sitting around and typing, or on the phone, or in the car.

    My vices:
    Taco Bell - I actually flinch when I drive past one... it's a sickness
    Mango Habanero Buffalo Wild Wings - possibly the best thing ever... but so damn much sodium.
    Mountain Dew - I try not to have more than 1 per week, but I do miss em.

    Ok, as a fellow gamer I can relate. I am a sick, sick woman though. I rigged a desk up on my treadmill so I can play WOW and walk on the treadmill at the same time.

    I think a lot of us have jobs where we are on our butts more than we would like. Suggestion for you if your employer will do it - if you are in a cube - see if you can get your desk mounted to lab table height. Standing at your desk you can do small stretching, a bit of walking/pacing and just plain ole moving around not just sitting on butt all day.

    As far as the food vices - time to start looking into so low calorie versions of the food you like. For example - you can get fat free tortillas, use black beans instead of refried, use fresh pico de gallo instead of preservative laden taco sauce.

    Take things one step at a time, pick a "vice" you want to work on and once you have tackled it pick your next target. Before you know it you will be at your goals!

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