Newer User New to Message Boards, in need of HELP!

aspurgeon2000 · February 2012

Hello MFP users!
I'm 20 years old (21 in June) and I weigh CLOSE to 500 pounds, i'm not exactly sure because I can't seem to find a digital scale that will tell me my exact weight, I put a quarter in a digital scale at the mall and it told me 476 pounds, but that was about a month ago. As of now i've been just trying to not go over my calories, eating ALMOST anything, but not going over calories.... the sad thing is, I can't weigh myself, I did find a scale online that as soon as i have the funds I plan on ordering, so that i can tell MFP what my weight loss/gain is every few days or each week. At this current weight, what would be some good advice as to how to start losing right now even without a scale? I don't always have time to cook, and I don't make much money, so i need CHEAP and QUICK food ideas, I have some of the Kroger Brand Slim Fast shakes, however, they seem to only make me not hungry for AN HOUR, after i have one.... seems like a waste of 170 calories to me... also, I seem to be most hungry right before bed, especially after closing at work, and working 10 hour shifts, i just want to eat, like 5 cheeseburgers from McDonalds, and go to sleep, most of the time, it makes me so full, that I am ready to sleep, what are natural ways to go to sleep? I just can't seem to get anywhere, one of my really good friends, and roommate, is using MFP, she works 70 hours a week, and is still losing weight, however she can map her weight. I just need suggestions, its time to do this, and I keep slacking off after a week of calculating every calorie, I'm Lost. HELP! Thanks, Aspurgeon2000

arewethereyet · February 2012

Hi, and welcome!! You have taken the first step in seeing the problem, and joining here to make good changes!!

First let me say, in my experience the scale only drives you nuts!!

You can use the pants test. Put on a pair of tight pants-something you cant really wear. Keep them out and once a week try them on!

If you eat, log and are at your calorie intake recc by MFP, you WILL lose weight. It is science.

As for being hungry. Those shakes are full of sugar and carbs. If you can get some protien powder to make a shake, it will help a lot. Fiber and protien make you full. Like if I eat an egg in the morning I am full until lunch, if I have toast (same calories) I am hungry before I get to work!!

If I have an egg and a high fiber slice of toast, with a bit of real butter BAM I feel great for hours!!

Balance is key. Take your time and learn. It took me a year to lose 36 pounds but I kept most of it off and I never, ever felt hungry.

Good luck!!:flowerforyou:

Kimmy0905 · February 2012

Hey!
Congrats for getting onto MFP, I haven't had my first weigh-in yet but this site is amazing for meeting people and getting some great tips so I'm sure you'll love it.

From what I've seen and heard and based on what I"ve started doing, cutting out all junk and processed food is step one. Don't stop eating food, just swap for a healthier alternative like wholegrain bread vs white, low-fat smoothie vs milkshake, grilled meat wrap vs burgers etc. Shakes are only a short-term fad and will not help long-term. I know because my dad lost 25kg (approx 50lbs) and gained them all when he stopped the shakes.

Wholegrain cereals and low-GI foods like oats, quinoa and bran are great breakfasts. As are eggs on wholegrain toast. They have protein and will give you the carb hit to curb morning cravings. Spread your foods over 3 meals and 2 snacks and use your calorie counter to help. Walk as much as you can whenever you can but don't exhaust yourself everyday, just start with 20 or 30 mins and build up. Eat protein and plan your meals everyday. Having them planned out leaves less room for on-the-spot hunger-panic-induced choices to eat junk. After a few days of eating healthy, you won't want that Maccas rubbish, I know after constantly craving sugar and chocolate and Maccas, I now walk past the chocolate aisle and couldn't care less. That's after one week.

It's in your mind. If you make the choice and resolve yourself to it, you can do it. Our minds can influence our bodies in unimaginable ways and positive and healthy thoughts will manifest in the positive outcomes for the body.

Good luck and feel free to add me if you need to :-)

aspurgeon2000 · February 2012

Thank you all so much for your advice! Keep it coming, it can only do me good, i'd like to be HALF of me in as short of a time period as possible... Planning Meals is a good idea, that i need to do!

medic9111 · February 2012

I agree with the girls never mind the scale it sets people back to fast if they don't see the numbers go down. Ay place that does large shipping would have a scale you can get your base number to start. then don't check for a month at a time, not days. you have to figure out how many cal to eat. you can't do the 1200 because your body will shut down due to the weight you are at now.

To maintain your weight you are eating around 3652cal a day. you need to slowly decrease this calorie amount. Start with 2922cal a day for about a month until your body feels satisfied then drop down to 2191 then slowly decrease that down. Get off the junk and processed foods. and start walking. you should notice a big change in your clothes in the first month. I agree with kimmy0905. Don't do the shakes, they screw up your glycemic balance. And once you start eating food you gain it. again you need to eat the foods that are true foods, whole grains, fruit, veg, protein, good fats, and good carbs. it needs to be a balance. Smaller meals like 6 for you instead of 3 big ones with snacks in between. I look at my food and ask, did it grow and come to me in the same way or has it been altered, if so then it is probably processed, stay away. LOL.

If you don't balance your food, you will soon have diabetes if you are already not prediabetic. All this is my opinion I am not a Dr. But I do work in the medical field. Also listen to your body when you eat. If you get unset stomach or indigestion after eating this is your body telling you it doesn't want this food, your mind tricks you and you crave it. once you are off the high sugar and fats for a month your body won't crave it anymore. wish you the best of luck and don't give up.

MelJack68 · February 2012

Welcome and best wishes to you on this difficult but soooooooo worth it journey!! You will see health problems disappear along with the weight. You can do this!! Feel free to add me as a friend if you want. You will not find better supporters anywhere. This site is fantastic!

AnotherJenn · February 2012

WELCOME! I wouldn't worry about the scale as the others have said, it will seriously make you crazy. My husband confiscated mine because it makes me crazy and actually will affect my day depending on the number. The pants test was a great suggestion. As for food to eat, you can friend me and view my diary to get ideas on what to eat. I'm not a fan of shakes because, for me, they don't seem to stick very long but on occasion I will make a fruit smoothies and add protein powder. Also, I really like to chew my calories :-)

Night snacking is tough, I think you should have something healthy before bed. You said you wanted something filling, you could try some oatmeal or a small bowl of whole grain cereal with bananna slices or try a cup of yogart with 2 tablespoons of granola which should fill you enough to sleep without spending too many calories. Honestly you can eat whatever you want just make sure you save enough calories throughout the day so you can still eat before bed and stay within your calorie limit. Good luck!!

Ish1313 · February 2012

It is awesome that you are taking charge of your weight and recognizing your need to be healthier. My best advice is to START. Use the mall weight and plug it in to find out how many calories you need. Slim Fast shakes have no lasting power. If you want to do a shake, I suggest a 100 calories whey protein shake. Buy a can of it. The health food store has it for around 10 bucks. The whey protein is more filling. It can be mixed with bananas, strawberries, peanut butter, whatever. If fast food is a must because of cost and lack of cooking, try a side salad and a grilled chicken sandwich and a water (or unsweetened tea or diet coke). Try making small changes...grilled not fried. Salads. Yogurt. If exercise is overwhelming for you, start small. Take short walks daily and try to go a little further each day. You can do it. Let me know how you are doing.

auntstacy · February 2012

Hi and congrats on taking the first step. I personally think that eating any refined food (esp carbs) when you are overweight is counter productive. This page http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/#axzz1mpn5A35S has a lot of reading and resources about the low carb/paleo way of eating. It is a very satiating (keeps you full) diet that makes it easier to follow.

yummymummyto2 · February 2012

hi and welcome, im pretty new myself (4 weeks) but im finding mfp helpful and the friedns ive made are really supportive and helpful! i agree with the other posts about the scales driving you nuts, try a tape measure to measure certain parts of your body to see a difference, i wish you every success on your journey :flowerforyou:

marianne_s · February 2012

Hiya....!

I don't normally respond to new member posts, but read your message and wanted to welcome & congratulate you for starting this journey.

Like the other posts have already mentioned, don't worry about weighing yourself because you will be able to tell in other ways if what you're doing is working.

For example, if you make sure your meals include non-processed (ready made) food with equal or larger amounts of protein... not only will you start losing weight, but you won't feel drowsy after eating and your sleeping patterns will improve.

Add me as a friend if you want.

LaurenMichelle004 · February 2012

Welcome!! This is really a great place for support and for tools... Congratulations on starting your wonderful journey! I just wanted to share what has worked with me!

a) Preplanning is a must! I know you already mentioned this, and I completely agree! Especially when eating out, you can do a little research and make sure you choose a good option. If I know what I am getting before I go into the restaurant, I'm a lot less tempted to order something else. Also, there are some great tools out there for saving recipes/creating grocery lists (I've been using ziplist.com).

b) I know you said you can work long hours and are often tired when you get off of work... if you are able to, something that works well with me is when I make a recipe, I try to make a lot of leftovers. Then, before I even make my plate for that night, I put them in individual storage containers (one container = 1 serving) and put some in the fridge and some in the freezer. Then, I know exactly what 1 serving is. So, when I'm tired from a long day, I just take it out and pop it in the microwave. Definitely helps save some money too!

mixedfeelings · February 2012

Hello! Welcome! and Good Luck!

I try and exercise portion control, I weigh my food as I know in the past I would do more than one portion. A good way to think of it as a portion being the size of the palm of your hand (not stacked up of course)

Fruit is a great snack, bananas very filling. Lot's of high fibre, wholegrain foods are filling. Plus make sure you drink plenty of water.

Make sure you stick to the calories recommended, don't eat too little but make those healthy foods.

are you seeing a doctor to help you along the way or any other professional advice. Don't worry about weighing yourself just yet. If you make positive changes starts doing bits of exercise then you'll feel the weight coming off.

Karmynzahringer · February 2012

Welcome to MFP!! I agree with the others! What I would do is just take your measurements. Waist (2 inches above the belly button) hips, arms at widest point, thighs, neck, calves etc and write them down. Then once a week or every two weeks take them again. Losing inches is far better than losing pounds in my opinion! As far as easy snacks, here are a few we do around here!

Boil a dozen eggs and keep them in the fridge for a snack when you want one
Apples
Bananas
Almonds (not roasted, raw) they really fill me up, but don't over do it on them, they have a lot of calories, but are really good for you, I eat 1/4 cup and it staves off hunger cravings. Takes a bit to get used to the taste but I love them now!
Tomato slices with cottage cheese on top (soooo good)
Protein shakes (not the slimfast type) You can get a huge can of it at Wal Mart for about 15 bucks (body fortress)
Broil a couple lbs of chicken breasts in the oven with plenty of seasoning (minus salt) cut them in half and broil on low for about 20 minutes or until fully cooked, turn every 5 minutes, and then put them in a ziploc baggie in the fridge and grab one. when you are needing a snack.
If you want something "fast food and quick" stop at subway and get one of their salads! They are huge and really healthy! Just get fat free dressing, or learn to eat your salad dry.
LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER... I mean LOTS!!! For your weight honestly you should be drinking I would say at least 2 gallons of water a day, maybe more. That will help flush out toxins and reduce your water weight.

Feel free to add me as a friend or check out my food diary for other healthy options. I am not 100% clean eater, but I do try my best to maintain a good diet, full of good tasting foods, that I can make quick and easy and that will keep me good and full, I do not like feeling hungry!!

Best of luck to you!!! You can do this! I have seen several people here who have lost hundreds and hundreds of lbs. If they can do it , so can you!

Karmynzahringer · February 2012

Oh and for something to help you sleep, try taking Melatonin about an hour before bedtime. It is a natural sleep aid, and really helps!

douglasmobbs · February 2012

You have found some scales that work for you. OK they do cost a little bit every time you use them, but you can track your weight every fortnight for little cost.

There are some lower calorie ready meals that do not cost too much, if you have one of those with a couple of big portions of frozen veg it makes a good meal. If you want cheaper versions of the ready meals do you have time once a week or so to have a big cooking session and freeze portions? The advantage of doing things in big batches is that you only have to calculate the calories etc once then add the food to the data base.

When I switched from food with high fat and high sugars to a correctly portioned meal with a plate of veg I was amazed that it was possible to feel satisfied on fairly low calories.

1953Judith · February 2012

This is really great that you are ready to lose weight. If it is possible I would start with a full physical. They will check your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, etc. These can be strong baseline measures at the early part of your journey. I would also ask the dr. to prescribe (literally on a sheet of paper), how much walking you should do in a day. For example, 10 minutes, 3 xs daily.

With regard to eating habits. . . I found it hard to improve everything all at once. I would pick 1-3 areas to tackle at a time. Maybe focus on liquids first and replace any caloric beverages with water, herbal tea, etc. Watch the other areas of eating as best you can, but practice the habits and discipline with the liquids first. After two or three weeks, keep the new liquid habit and add another. Please note that this is a method that worked for me and that you are unique so I am just putting it out there as a different approach.

mreko2005 · February 2012

There is a group, 300+, that offers great support and motivation for members who need to lose more than 100 pounds. Needing to lose at least 150lbs.myself, I need all the help/tips I can get. You've already taken the first step on the road to weight lose by joining MFP. Good Luck! :flowerforyou:

pilgrimtone · February 2012

Hello there, I just started yesterday but would like to offer this.
All the advice about food etc, I agree, nothing to add but as for the exercise:
I am disabled, my knees are shot with arthritis so walking any distance is difficult however if you use your stairs you get just as much if not more exercise value with the added bonus if you push too far you do not have far to go to get home! lol
I try to use the stairs as often as I can, if I climb up and down them several times then I am breathing harder and my heart rate has increased significantly, this is precisely what a long brisk walk does for you, makes your body work and burns calories!

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=11681

RumOne · February 2012

Like others have said, Protein and Fiber are the key to keeping you full. Protein on a budget normally includes beans, lentils, hamburger, chicken breast, Greek yogurt (plain so I can add what I want to it), Cheese (not proccessed), and nuts (almonds and pistachioes are a hit with my kids). I sneak the beans in by adding black beans or lentils into the hamburger for tacos. If you cook up some beans and have then avalible in the fridge, then its not a big deal to throw some in when you are making meals. I also cook extra (doesn't take any extra time) and have meals in the fridge ready to heat and eat.

Good Luck and remember it takes time to make a lifestyle change.

neverlost · February 2012

Here is my advice, I'm only 4 weeks into this so take it for what its worth.
1. Get a scale or weigh yourself somewhere regularly. You need the motivation that the scale will provide and when you are a higher weight, the pounds do drop quickly enough to keep you motivated.
2. Add friends - go here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1157-300- and add a bunch of people. The support is priceless. I'll send you a friend request, as well.
3. Log every little thing you put in your body and leave your diary open. The accountability will keep you on track and it teaches you portion sizes and the calories that go with them.
4. Drink water. Try for at least 10 cups a day. If you drink soda or sweet tea or the like, don't. just give it up.
5. Don't under-eat <- don't learn this one the hard way. As someone told me recently, 'work the program'.

You can eat cheaply, you can eat what you like, just stay in your calorie range. Good luck.

mreko2005 · February 2012

Check out this topic thread, it may be of interest to you: Weight Over 300lbs - anyone else need to lose over 100lb?

Newer User New to Message Boards, in need of HELP!

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