Well Yesterday I saw my doctor and talked with him on many different issues but the hardest one I believe was the weight loss. My sister, mother and now me as of this morning are going on a 3 day a week diet that is also known as the cardiac diet, my mother says it is a great little diet and everything. My doctor likes the idea except that it is based on a 900 calorie a day diet, with only three meals. He wants me to combine with Weight Watchers and eating 5 to 6 times a day, along with walking at between 4 and 7 times a week for now. I know nothing of weight watchers except that it costs money that I do not have.
So what am I suppose to do? it isn't like I know anyone that is on the Weight watcher's routine or have the cash to buy anything even with weight watcher's brand on it...any and all ideas would be grateful.
I am also at the current weight of 352...and I have set a goal weight of 250 but that isn't set in stone, from all the ideal body weight tools and BMI i should weight between 115 and 130 lbs, id be happy with under 200lbs.
any help can and will be used! thanks for your time.
Hey, great job on taking the first step You have come to a great place
There is a Weight Watchers forum here where I'm sure the people there can help you find information on points values and things of that nature without officially joining the program. I know there are guides and such floating around the internet.
You can also try counting calories, which is very similar to weight watchers except it is free. There is also a calorie counting forum here you can check out where we can help you figure out how much you can eat in one day.
A lot of this is trial and error and you'll have to find out what works for you. You may need to eat 5 to 6 times a day like your doctor suggested, or you may find that more or less works for you. We're all different and thus different things will work for us.
Weight Watchers is just a nicely packaged version of counting calories. So you can definitely do it on your own without having to spend money.
900 calories is very little and seems more of a crash (and eventual burn) amount. I eat 1200-1300 calories a day and sometimes still feel a tad hungry!
My suggestion is to browse this forum a bit, choose what you think is best for your lifestyle. Then research the heck out of it...(ask more questions when needed!)..and simply start! You will learn as you go, but as long as you are trying...that's what counts!
There is more to Weight Watchers than just "calorie counting in a package with a price." You get weekly support at meetings, you don't have to fool with the counting so much because everything is assigned low numbers that takes into account the macronutrient breakdown of your food. So there is way more to it, that's why they get people to pay money. If it was just calorie counting then no one would pay. So there definitely is value to the program.
However, it is expensive... I am calorie counting now bc I do not have money for WW much like you, phatchickaz. I would be inclined to agree with your doc and go with a more moderate plan than 3x per week 900 cals - something that you follow every day, something that is sustainable. That being said, if you think the cardio diet will help you jumpstart your new lifestyle and enforce your commitment to health, then it probably isn't going to kill you as a way to start. There is just no way that at 350lb you have to start so low as at 900 cals. Keep that in mind.
Congratulations on taking a step in the right direction! Deciding to lose weight is the first step and now that you have done it, you are on the right path!
I have no experience with weight watchers because I also cannot afford it. It seems like a good system but when you are strapped for cash...
I am going to very seriously and worriedly discourage you from the 3x week, 900/cal diet. That is a very extreme diet for anyone. People are recommended to not eat UNDER 1,200 calories a day because your body need those nutrients. 900 would, quite possibly, shock your system since you would suddenly be removing a large portion of calories. I know I eat 1,600 a day (at 225lbs) and there are some days I am STILL hungry after I am maxxed out. At 900, I would be a raving, hangry, lunatic that would be prepared to cannibalize someone for food. It wouldn't be pretty.
I would look into a more moderate system. If you can find out how many calories you are eating now (via a "caloric need calculator" you can find online by googling!) then subtract 500 from the total, you should be ok.Sites like "sparkpeople.com" and "myfitnesspal" can help you with it. If you joing, myfitness pal I am on there (user name srt485) and I can keep the encouragement coming!
It is better to start, slowly and work your way up to the large cuts.
No need for luck, you got this. Let me know what you decide!
My feeling is that going on a 900 calorie/day crash diet is just going to set you up for failure (and major binging the next day!). There's just no good reason for a person who weighs 350 pounds to engage in such severe calorie restriction--and probably won't be good for you (and will establish a starve-binge pattern that you might struggle with for years to come).
Spend some time here, reading threads, and start thinking about making lifestyle changes. Walking several times a week is a great start. So is calorie counting. At your height and weight, I bet you would lose really quickly on 2000 calories per day. Play around on a site like myfitnesspal.com and see what a 2000 calorie diet would look like. What foods would you eat to get the most bang for your buck (in terms of satiety, nutrition, etc)? How could you plan your meals to get a good balance between protein, fats, and veggies? You have a long way to go, so coming up with a plan that you can live with is going to be really crucial.
I'm near your weight and being on a 1200 calorie diet drove me insane! I can't imagine doing 900 calories/ day three times weekly! I imagine you will make up for it on the 'off days' and ultimately be unsatisfied. Webmd has many articles and tools for weight loss and is a trusted source of health information. You can find their diet center here. Spend a little while browsing. They have great articles on calorie counting, nutrition, and exercise. Also browse our forum here. There are great threads that are full of information!
Thanks for all the help and advice. I went ahead and registered for the myfitnesspal.com and used the same name has here. if anyone is there please add me. also any other tips would be great!
well i dont eat much as far as meals go, i tend to get too busy cleaning or playing on the computer or going to town or something and i forget to eat, then when i do eat i eat ALOT of food...so thats one problem and the second is i cannot count down or out my sodas...ive basically eliminated most of my sugary and junk foods like cakes, chips and dips, ice cream....that stuff....and so i have to fix the way i eat as well as how much i eat in one day.
I was near your starting weight and am close to your current goal weight, so I just wanted to chime in and say you can definitely do this.
Once you get started, you'll begin to get a better feel for what works best for you and you'll be able to make adjustments. It's different for everyone! What seems to work best for me is writing everything down. It not only keeps me accountable from day to day, I can also look back and review how I'm doing, and I actually look forward to making healthier choices so I can be proud of what I'm writing. As for my plan itself, I eat a lot of veggies, some fruit, and stick with lean meats and whole grains. I also stay away from simple carbs and overly-processed foods as much as possible as it really helps keep my cravings in check.
Lots of people here have great advice! Keep looking around with an open mind and gather any information that seems helpful to you. You've made that first step in making the decision to be healthier, and it won't take much to get the ball rolling. Most important of all, always be kind to yourself. Embrace the healthy changes you're making rather than resent having to make those changes; not saying you're like that at all but that's the main thing that has always held me back in the past.
Good job on taking the 1st step!!! You'll find a lot of support here! If you're looking for further advice, another good idea would be to go to the 100+ lb forum and search around there - people often post their reccomendations etc. for losing at a higher weight. Obviously every person, diet is different but you might be able to search around for what you are looking for.
I do have to say, I'm shocked your doc would put you on a 900 cal diet. Does he mean that plus unlimited fruits, veggies etc. that WW offers on their current plan? From what I remember with WW, the more you weigh, the more you would eat. 900 cals seems WAY too low if you are starting out - you would end up starving your body...just a thought.
I think the best advice I could give you would be to just start! It's trial and error. You don't have to know everything to begin, learn as you go. What works for some people wonderfully, doesn't work so great for others. Don't get discouraged if your 1st plan isn't working amazingly for you, just go on to the next thing. Hanging around here will give you so many new views on things, new ideas! Sometimes there isn't *a* diet out there that is going to be perfect, sometimes you have to do your own thing. If it's working then that's the diet for you. If you're exercising, then that's the exercise for you! I've spent years searching for that perfect fit, and what I've found is that I'm super special (haha, not really, everyone has to find their niche), and that I kind of am still figuring it out, there isn't just 1 thing that works for me, I have to kind of switch it up every few weeks or I get complacent, bored and tend to get off track. Keep researching, keep asking questions, and while you're doing that eat what you know is good for you, if you eat treats eat them in moderation. Start walking. You can do this!
The start of a new month and lifestyle...I hope.
You have come to a great place 
