I've been overweight my entire life and obese since high school. All of my immediate family members are also obese. I currently weigh somewhere around 326, my highest weight was close to 350 and lowest adult weight probably around 175. I'm 5'4.
I've been on various diets over the years. I've had some success with slim fast, nutrisystem and deliciously yours, but quit all for a combination of cost factors and either getting tired of the food or suffering from heart burn and other unpleasant side effects.
I've also had success with some various do it yourself plans, but so far the most I've managed to lose was around 80lbs and ended up gaining it back plus more every time.
There seem to be so many contradicting approaches, i'm not really sure who to believe anymore, however after suffering a fractured tibia, fibula and ankle, which required surgery to repair two weeks ago, things have come to a head for me.
Not only is the extra weight likely to have been a large part of the cause of the injury, but it has made trying to get around after the injury a real hassle.
I'm planning on trying to talk with a doctor about the best nutritional and exercise approach, once just getting out of the house isn't such a struggle, but I'd like some advice from those who have "been there."
My main goals with this to find a weight loss solution that:
1) is healthy
2) won't further jeopardize my injured ankle
Pros:
I don't mind exercise or hard work
Cons:
I'm not sure what kind of exercise to attempt that won't result in further injury
I don't like and don't know how to cook
Any tips or ideas on what has worked for y'all in the past would be greatly appreciated.
Two knee surgeries and ankle surgery, plus bad back injury, so the best exercise for me is water aerobics. The only way to hurt yourself in the pool is slipping getting in and out and drowning. I know fat women hate being seen in a bathing suit, but you can not die of embarrassment, but you can die from obesity. Besides, they only people in the water aerobics class are the aged, infirm and obese. The hard bodies hang out in the room with the mirrors and the guys.
I started to lose weight after almost dying, so I took an extreme amount of motivation first. Take baby steps. It takes 6 weeks to 6 months to lose a bad habit or add a good one. Do things one at a time. I know that isn't the fast way, but that hasn't really worked for you, has it? As to learning to cook, I suggest Kathleen Dahlman's books. Buy them through the amazon link on the fat chicks website, and it helps keep this forum alive. You can also check them out of the library. Just remember that it is like anything else, it is a skill that you have to practice, and you have to have the right tools. Also check out cooking classes offered by the local heart association or diabetic association, or by a local hospital's nutrition department. They are often free, and will teach you how to cook "clean."
Mostly, don't give up. As long as you keep trying, you can't fail. I've picked myself up and dusted myself off so many times, my knees are permanently dirty.
I can only speak for myself as to what has worked for me. I am now 35 and at my highest weight I was 312 lbs and also about 5'5". My now husband (then boyfriend) and I joined Weight Watchers together. I lost 90 lbs (and gained back about half and am now working again towards losing it and more) and he lost about 15 lbs and was able to get much more control over his sugar levels.
My favorite thing about Weight Watchers is that you have total choice over what you eat. You eat it, you own it...that's the basic approach. If you want to cook and go that route...great. Fast food and monitor servings and portions super carefully...ok as well. Stick to a freezer full of pre-made foods...also can work. The point is you don't feel constrained by anyone else's choices.
As far as your ankle injury...you're clearly looking for something low inpact that isn't weight bearing. Can you swim? Is there a Y or a gym near you that offer aqua-aerobics? I know some people who have found it to be both therapeutic in terms of the weight loss it has helped with and also the fact that it was gentle to damaged joints and bones.
Also...until you can get around the house, there are exercises that can be done that don't require you to stand on your injured leg. Remember that any activity is better than none and anything you do to get moving is a great start. You can try to do leg lifts and crunches and things like that in your own bed. There are exercises I have seen that you do from a chair.
I wish you all the bes tof luck in finding a new plan and give you a lot of credit for not giving up all hope.
Welcome and good luck. I calorie count , it is effective and flexible and free. I think you are wise to talk to your doctor altho I have found many doctors are clueless about weight loss.
I love TOPS (taking off pounds sensibly). It's a non-profit organization, and each individual chapter is self-governing (so unlike WW meetings, they do tend to vary quite a bit from group to group, because members create and vote on many of the rules). The advantage over WW is primarily in price. A year at TOPS will cost you less than a month at WW. It's $24 per year (and includes a monthly magazine) and the monthly dues vary from group to group, but in most areas the monthly dues are under $5. In our chapter, they are $3 a month and there are several ways to win free dues (for every 10 lb loss, and if you have a loss 3 consecutive weeks in any month). Also, in our group we charge a dime per pound for gains (no one knows how much you gained unless you choose to tell them, you just slip the money into the fine cup) and the biggest loser for the week takes the fine money home.
In TOPS, your diet is your business, you can choose and food plan you wish, and you can choose to discuss it, or not. Though you are expected to choose a sensible one. If you mention that you're on the cabbage soup diet, someone in the group is going to (kindly) tell you that it's not a good long term choice.
In our group, about half of the members are former WW's and are still following the WW food plan. Several are following exchange plans. I usually follow a variant (fewer carbs, more vegetables) of the food plan endorsed (but not required) by TOPS, as found in the TOPS guidebook (an optional $15 purchase, most clubs have a copy you can borrow before deciding if you want your own).
TOPS also sponsors recognition events, retreats, and rallies. There is an extra charge for attending thse, but they are voluntary. Many clubs will pay part of your registration fee. Our club paid the entire registration fee for a member who won first place in his division for our region. (Awards and recognition is given for weight loss. I've been in groups that gave out trophies, and I think the recognition events also give our trophies. The division you are assigned is based on your starting weight and whether you have had weight loss surgery).
I love TOPS. The weekly accountability really does keep me motivated. In our meetings we always call roll, and say whether we've lost, gained, or turtled (stayed the same). The weight recorder reads the weekly loss total and weekly gain total, and if there is a group gain (more gained than lost) the next week we charge double fines (20 cents a pound). And announces the best loser and how much they have lost (this is kept private for everyone else). This sounds intimidating, but it really isn't. The first TOPS group I joined, I hated this (Weight Watchers doesn't do this) I thought. But, now I absolutely love it. It proves to me that everyone struggles just like me, that ups and downs are more common than linear weight loss, and that the average weight loss for each individual dieter is NOT 1 to 2 lbs, but much less (by taking the group loss or gain and dividing it by the number of members attending, I've seen that the average weight loss per person is less than half a pound - kind of puts things into perspective, doesn't it?)
I know I have to sound like a TOPS employee (but there are no employees), just a very satisfied member. Although I did run for the office of co-leader this year, and was voted in. Hubby is the new treasurer (I was shocked that he accepted the nomination, because he was a fairly reluctant member when we first joined). Now, we REALLY have a hard time finding excuses for not getting to the meetings.
I also take water aerobics and have just signed up for water pilates. I take the water classes because I'm a water rat, but the girls are correct it is a great non-impact workout. This will allow you to start losing the weight. As the weight comes off and puts less strain on your injured leg you'll be able to switch up if you like.
Okay, first of all congratulations on starting your life over and wanting to make a change. I myself am 5'4 and weiged 320 pounds. I have lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks so far. I really didnt do anything drastic, to be perfectly honest I havn't actually went outside to exercise yet. I work 40+ hours a week though, I'm a nurse and i am constantly moving for 8 hours strait, i'm sure that has something to do with it. But, I usually try to eat about 1200-1500 cals a day. What I found to be the easiest thing to do is get lots of veggies, fresh and frozen and some frozen skinless chicken breast. I bake my chicken in the oven with some lemon pepper, NO BUTTER, and I use the ziplock steam bags and steam my veggies with just a bit of lemon and seasonings. I dont use salt, salt makes you gain water. It really isnt that bad actually. The hardest part was telling myself no. I was so use to saying yes to those donuts at work, or that cheese steak. Now i realize that I have to eat better. I buy whole wheat bread at 35 cals a slice and i even get the boca burgers, they are only 100 calories a piece and i just put some laughing cow 35 calorie swiss cheese spread on it. Really yummy. That, and some veggies is my dinner. I also cut out all my caffine and Cokes. Even diet cokes. I only drink water now. I really hope this is helpful, i'm not telling you what or how to do your diet, it is all you. I know this has worked for me for 12 pounds and counting! Ps, i also love eating breakfast i usually have a cup of special k with a cup of skim milk, but hey sometimes i indulge myself. I get egg beaters eggs about 80 calories a cup and my 35 calorie bread and make myself french toast. put a little sugar free 35 calorie syrup and some cinnamon and it is a yummy and quite healthy breakfast. If you would like to talk sometime,just let me know! Good luck and god bless.
I also had an injury as part of my motivation to lose...
I think you do have to find something sustainable. Weight loss at our starting weights is a marathon. And then you have to keep living the new lifestyle to KEEP it off, so it has to be something you CAN do.
Figuring out what that is can take time, though. You have to give yourself permission to change things that aren't working.
So, I think the first step is to make a commitment to making this work. Think long term, not short term. I was 39 when I fell down the stairs and really injured my coccyx. As I recovered, one day I thought "I want to be fitter when I'm 50 than I am when I turn 40." Sometimes I think this long term perspective has really helped me.
For instance, if I'm tempted by, say, a brownie, if I'm in the groove, I think, "Yes, that brownie would be yummy, but there will be other brownies in life, I don't really want one and am only interested because it is right in front of me. I say no to the brownie and yes to me."
I have to say that Christi has made a lot of great comments...namely the ones about finding great subistitutes for higher fat/higher calorie foods. There are so many great options out there now that allow you still eat normal foods...and not have to graze on salads and more salads all day. Once you find the good stuff your only issue is portaion control.
My comment on Christi would be that 1200-1500 calories a day is not necessarily enough when you are starting out at 300+. Your body will need more energy initially to burn more calories...and so what might prove to be more effective cloud be closer to 1800-2000 calories per day which you would eventually taper down.
The other two things that Christi said that were so key were drinking water and eating breakfast. When I began WW and started drinking 64 oz (or more) of water a day...yeah I peed a lot but the first 10 lbs or so that came of (and quickly) were water weight. When you do not stay hydrated properly, your body will hold on to what water you have inside you for dear life. The more you drink the more you can get rid off without holding on to excess. Breakfast makes a HUGE difference. It gives your body energy right away to reignite your metabolism after sleeping all night and if you get a good balance of what you eat it can sustain you for a good long while without making you want to binge on anything you see that isn't moving.
Another tip would be eat more often. My general pattern in a day is 3 meals and 3 snacks. I eat about every 3 hours and it keeps me from having a sugar low and it keeps me more constant. I'm never totally empty and I don't eat until I am stuffed.
Heather's comment about the brownie was also great. When my husband was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, he went cold turkey on chocolate and sweets. To help him get through it, he'd tell himself "I don't want this today" and took it one day at a time.
The last thing I would say is don't obsess about being on a DIET. When you do, everyone else wants to chime in and either give you well-meaning (but annoying) advice...while they eat a brownie in front of you....or ask you "should you be eating that?" when you start to eat the brownie. If you're serious about changing your life...then that's personal...it's between you and you...because it's all about accountability and you aren't accountable to anyone but you. That also means being kind to yourself and not punishing yourself if you do choose to indulge or if you do "mess up." Perfection is not the goal..better health is. If you're striving to be perfect...don't bother starting. Perfection does not exist..not even for people with personal trainers, personal chefs, airbrush artists and billions of dollars.
It made a huge difference to me when I stopped eating sugar, white flour, and white pasta. I eat whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta (plus fruit, veggies, dairy, protein).
NO sugary foods. I can't stop eating junk food once I start. And I find white flour stuff starts my cravings for sugary stuff. No sugar & white flour has curbed my appetite and stopped my binging. I'm not battling with my will power.
I also use Overeaters Anonymous. For me, once I eat "trigger" foods, I can't stop. Food is an addiction to me (along with alcohol--I'm also a recovering alcoholic).
Anyways, since September 07, I've lost 61lbs. I still haven't gotten into an exercise habit which I need to do.
There are lots of options out there. I know thinking "diet" doesn't help me. I need to know that my lifestyle has to change, but I only need to do it a day at a time. If I think far ahead, I get overwhelmed and feel doomed to failure.
You can do it. Good luck. You deserve to be healthy and comfortable with yourself.
Amy
hi Julee, thanks for the advice, but actually the 1200-1500 calorie diet was suggested by my gynecologist. It is supervised so i'm not going at it alone. I would never try to eat that little amount of calories without a MD approval, nor should I suggest it to anyone else. Thanks guys!
I'm another calorie counter. I started at 2000-2200 calories a day. Now I'm at 1800. At our weight we can eat quite a few calories and still lose weight. We actually should eat a good number of calories for healthy weight loss because our bodies need them just to operate at this size.
I've learned a lot from this site, and adopted a lot of the practices of the most successful long-term losers here, with some tweaks for my own needs. My observation is that most long-termers count calories or Weight Watchers points. These two approaches (very similar) last in the long term because they fit with real life.
I used to think to lose weight I'd have to eat very low calories, starve, and be miserable. When weight loss is going to take more than a year, you have to build a system you can stick with for the long term, and 1200 calories starting out is not usually optimal or even realistic. Plus, you're learning how to eat, as maintenance won't look much different.
Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, most doctors do not know how to advise the very overweight how to go about losing weight. Their advice is usually more appropriate for a person who has to lose 20 or 30 lbs.
Need some advice
Good luck and god bless.
