I need to vent…
I posted this somewhere else, not originally planning to post it here. Then I changed my mind. I suspect it might piss some people off, but it’s something I just feel I need to say. Sometimes I just want to shake my fellow dieters and tell them to wake the hell up.
Maybe it’s because mostly I don’t feel like I’m dieting. I really do consider that I’m working on a healthier way of living. A nice side effect is that I’m losing weight. But seriously, has our society really progressed to the point where we can’t be happy with a modest weight loss? I find the diet boards quite supportive. I tend to stick to the 300+ group though. I mean, with a top weight of over 400 pounds it is sometimes good to talk to people who understand. Those who have struggled with the same issues. Someone who has never been more than 20 or 30 pounds overweight just can’t understand what it’s like to deal with being so heavy. I remember looking at home gyms more than a decade ago, and not being able to fit on the ones available locally. I mean, does that make sense, that equipment should be manufactured for people who don’t need to lose weight? Anyway, that’s a completely different rant.
I see an annoying trend lately. People who aren’t happy with losing 1 - 2 pounds a week. Completely unrealistic expectations as well as very unhealthy practices to lose weight at all costs. Posts from women who suffer mood swings based on their morning’s weigh-in. Yes, I weigh daily, but only to chart it, not to really look at it. Women who freak out if they go up .5 a pound day to day but jump for joy when they lose 4 pounds overnight. Two days later they’re depressed because they ‘gained’ 3 pounds back.
I mean, come on. Do they really believe that a 4 pound difference in 24 hours is a sustainable loss. Oh, or the ones who have the flu and lose 10 pounds in a week. Happy happy joy joy… until some of it comes back. What a shock.
I’ve seen at least a couple of posts from people recently who have probably lost 50 pounds or so… complaining that they’re only losing 1 pound or a pound and a half a week. I really want to tell them to wake the 
up. (Decided not to type the actual word.)
Having said all that, maybe I’m just mad at myself. When I see the women eating 1200 calories a day, losing 5 pounds every week, I’m just a little bit jealous.
Only a little. 
I quickly remember that eating like that, and exercising a lot, and sleeping very little landed me in the hospital. Not specifically from those things, but it left me unable to fight off a simple infection. Also, not being willing to slow down when I knew my energy levels were dropping week to week. Oh, and ignoring the pain that started in my side and eventually traveled up to my shoulder every time I took a deep breath. (It was a pleural infection, which resulted in about 900ml of infected fluid needing to be drained, a hospital stay of almost 3 weeks, a boatload of three different kinds of antibiotics, and walking around with a drainage tube sticking out of my back for at least another month.)
Oh, and did I mention that my hair had thinned out quite a bit. Seriously, like clumps every time I washed my hair. Good thing it was so thick to start with.
So, I’m a little angry about the people who think a pound a week isn’t good enough. And I’m a little angry at myself for wanting that 5 pounds a week loss myself. I’ll settle in the end for my modest 2+ pounds a week (and be happy even if/when it slows) eating way more food than I thought I’d be able to.
The difference between you and the others you’re mentioning (probably including myself, although I don’t lose 5 pounds a week) is that you are living healthier, you’re in this for the long haul, and like you said you’re LIVING HEALTHIER! The others (again, probably including myself, sad enough) are dieting. That’s all, dieting.
I admire you and what you’re doing. When I need a reality check- which is pretty often- I come to your blog and read how it should be done. I reinspire myself through you towards my goal of healthy living.
Oops, I typed in twice you’re living healthier in my comment, anyhow, you know what I mean- it’s my most important point, although I usually try to watch my typing better.
you have the right attitude and that is what has kept you losing weight. if you ever get upset at just 1 pound, think about the fact that it all adds up AND that it all counts.
and besides, we all need to rant at times, otherwise we’d be crazier than we allready are…LOL! keep it up!
oops, forgot to put my name… findingeuphoria : )
I just found your blog, and I am so glad. I have been beating myself up lately, and your commonsense, your story and your whole healthier lifestyle makes so much sense. Did you have to start slow with the exercise. I cannot even walk ten minutes without being winded…at 260.
I actually prayed for direction this morning, then “stumbled onto” the 3FC site, and you. Hmmmmmmm.
Bunti - I answered your comment in an email, but decided I’d add it here as well.
To answer your question, I’ve had jobs where I’m on my feet all day, and have walked a lot from time to time. Even back in December I struggled with even 15 mins on the treadmill. So, I started with 15 minutes. You should always start slow when adding exercise. You don’t want to wear yourself out too much, or feel so bad about it that you don’t do it again. If 10 mins is what you can do, then do that each day until you’re not winded. Even if it takes a week or more, don’t worry about it. Then try 15 mins. When I first started with the treadmill (many years ago) I would do the same amount for at least a week, then add 5 mins. When I was more comfortable I added another 5 mins.
Oh, and make sure you have good, comfortable running shoes. I did 30 mins with a pair of casual shoes one day and almost rubbed the back of my foot raw.
Good luck with your journey.
I had a pleural infection as well two years ago. I have no idea how much they drained out of my stupid tube over the weeks it was in, but it was a lot. It was a scary experience and it’s been a really hard recovery. I was never as large as you, but complications that resulted in my needing prednizone caused me to gain 20 pounds really quickly, because I could no longer live the active lifestyle I had been living. Before my infection I would run on the treadmill every day for 30-45 minutes. 2 years after my hospital stay it is a struggle to walk fast for 45 minutes on the treadmill. Keep up the exercise and go really slowly with increasing the time you spend exercising. It will come back eventually. Try adding a minute every week or two and you’ll eventually see yourself on that treadmill for 30 minutes! Then you can increase the speed or ramp. Keep at it slowly. I know how hard it is for your lungs to bounce back after a serious infection. it’s not easy. Good luck to you.
It’s actually been about three years now. I’m finally to a point that I don’t get the occasional pain when taking a deep breath. Up until last year that could also be brought on by tiredness or lack of sleep.
I have worked up to more time on the treadmill now. I usually do 30 mins at a time (up to 3 times a day), with an incline of about 5-10%. On the days I’m running behind I can go an hour if I need to. I need to also start working on increasing the speed. But you’re right, it took a long time after the illness before I was back to where I am now.
I’d actually done 60 mins a day on the treadmill (M-F) at about 3.5mph with an incline of at least 5%, the week before I ended up in the hospital. This is why the first doctor didn’t catch it as my oxygen levels were perfect. I understand that I’d likely increased it through the regular exercise. I wasn’t smart enough to get the early symptoms checked out. And just worked through the tiredness. It sometimes does make it hard to push through a bad workout day. I’ve become a little better at listening to my body. The trick is not to let it stop you from doing reasonable levels of exercise.