I never thought I would find another person who had weight gain issues attributed to prednisone.

When I was 11 years old, I had double pneumonia, and I had to be home schooled. I was still young enough to go to a pediatrician and he diagnosed me as having asthma because it was very prevalent in my family, and my symptoms seemed very similar (couldn't catch my breath even when sitting, any kind of activity made me cough, and coughing made me hack up phlegm, and since there was so much of it and not enough breath, I would in turn inhale the phlegm that did not exit my throat, and proceed to choke on it, thus making it look like I was having an asthma attack).

The doctor, who we later found out was sued multiple times for malpractice in other cases, prescribed me 3 tablespoons instead of 3 teaspoons of the liquid. I lived in a recliner and on a sofa for probably 3 months while I took the wrong dosage of it and went from being a petite little 11 year old, to a morbidly obese 11 year old. I went from a size 2 to a size 14. After I was having such a hard time recovering from pneumonia, my parents took me to a general practice doctor and he was appalled at the dosage, took me off of it immediately and started me on some other kind of medicine that surprisingly after about 2 weeks, I felt better than I had in the last 4 months, but the damage had been done with the steroids and I continued to gain weight no matter what my parents did to try to stop it.

I lost about 50 pounds last year, only to get majorly depressed and gain 70 back. My stats are now, as of starting my diet again on 9/1/09: 325/315/260. I have my goal at 260 because that is the weight I need to be to fit into my wedding dress that I fit into when I purchased it last year. I am getting married in March and hopefully I can get down to that. 65 pounds may seem a bit much, but just seeing that I've lost 10 pounds so far (thank you phentermine, water, exercise and a loving fiance!) makes it seem so much more attainable.

Oh my God watching the biggest loser and im late by half hour darn it but the lady who just said she lost her husband and two children in a car accident.. I was bawling could not hold back tears for her and how brave to keep going and just not check out. Nothing on earth could be as hard as that and there she is. That was just really moving and what an impact she will have on so many people that there are no excuses you have to take care of yourself. Just unreal and i'm speechless bless her heart for being strong when it must be so impossible.

Naytally thank you for your post and sorry to hear you have had such difficult time with prednisone. I had surgery in 08 and they wanted to give me that and I actually lied and said I was allergic to it just to stay away from it. I would rather drink poison it was so devistating what that did. And I only gained like 70 pounds but it was within 2 months of going from 230 which I am so tall liked ok on me to 300 and that was crushing to my confidence and self esteem. And it does something to your system, I had hairs growing on my chin and it changed my chemistry because it would not come of no matter what I did and it was really hard on me to feel so unattractive and dirty looks from people and remarks from family.. It was rough so I totally understand and just happy that this occurred a long time ago and now it is out of my system and I can lose weight if I stay on track and do my job. Sooo happy for you and your wedding and just think 2.5 pounds a week will have you in that wedding dress in 6 months so go for it!!!! Woohoo and great to meet you. 21 is a wonderful age and good luck !!!

wow man they dont mess around on the biggest loser.. They were flying the f word all over the place beeps left and right lol. I didnt know they get so down and dirty like that and part of me wonders if they are crazy to push these people so hard right off the bat and land them in cardiac arrest or temp stroke. I wanted shay to punch that coach in her face for insulting her so bad in front of everyone but she just needs a reality check and she got one so hope she doesnt really quit..

Just got back from our big overnight seminar and got to stay at Embassy on the Plaza which was really beautiful. We had to wear our logo polos as a group and mine makes me look like wearing a tent and is too long so it shows every bump ohhhh I was pisses to have to wear that hideous thing and it made me feel ashamed of myself. People I know didnt even come say hello or make eye contact with me I have gained so much weight. It was a real honest moment to realize how low my confidence is and how embarassed of myself I am to have gotten this far gone. I seriously weigh 351 today and that is just unreal.. the number.. how do you go from weighing 7 pounds as a baby and then 40 years later 351. It dawned on me how foolish it has been to play roulette with my life and at 40 its about health and not even vanity anymore. I feel stupid for not making my health the most important thing I focus on and even if I have a treat now and then I need to be taking care of myself and getting good exercise and fresh air. It occurred to me I could just keel over and croak and my legacy would be she brought it on herself. I was really inspired by the biggest loser show and how you just have to let the story go and take care of yourself despite everything because you are all you've got.. Out of about 300 people today I was the fattest and most unhealthy person in there and I was mortified to realize this and felt total humiliation. Attending with the same people a couple of years ago I wore high heels and a shorter skirt suit with black hose and long hair and felt really good about myself and I looked like a morbid obese nightmare today and they were not receptive at all-- felt like they were thinking oh my god shes let herself go what a mess.. I could not run from the truth today I have to change my life this is for the birds.

What has worked for me was drinking only water, cutting out sweets, breads, pasta, counting my calories, adding in more fruits and vegetables, and then eating six small meals a day every two hours, to get my body out of starvation mode. I also cut out red meat. You have to find what works for you and do it for you and for no one else. Also exercise walking , strength training. Welcome to the boards, hope you stay for a long time, this is a good place and very supportive.

Wow for my weight - Turbo Jam falls under Kickboxing and for the 40 minute cardio party 1 it burns 833 cals.. I will be doing that baby now more than ever!

sparkpeople.com/resource/calories_burned.asp
Kickboxing (includes Turbo Jam)


I made a promise to myself last night that Im drawing a line in the sand and making my health my first and immediate priority. My kids are worried about me Im too heavy and a little lost in the blues right now because of feeling isolated and unattractive. My weight is in crisis and I've made a decision to take massive action and turn this around immediately. What I was doing is low carb which does produce definite short term weight loss, not working out at all, a walk once in a while if I had time, then binging when I could not go another day without chocolate and then crazy binge the night before I got back on the horse and this cycle has gone on since 1998. I think I would be in worse shape if I hadnt at least halfway maintained my weight on atkins for blocks of time but it has not worked and 11 years is long enough.

New approach - I'm requiring
1.A min of 15 min walking every day no matter what even if I have to do walk fit on dvd and
2. Im doing turbo jam,
3. I'm using food mover every day for a full year -- my youngest baby will be a senior one year from now getting ready for senior night and greeting his mama with a flower on the field.. I looked nice for my first sons night and I want to make my boys and myself proud. It's the end of a road for me and the nest will soon be empty and I want to meet that milestone with myself in tact. Right now I feel like I am lost and left behind and not even resemble me anymore and I want my life back.

I might be taking baby steps but I'll be making progress every day with this formula and I have an entire year of steps to get me to my magic moment!


So one entire year 9/20/09 to 9/20/10 to fresh walks, turbo jam and eating healthy balanced and controlled portions. Summer is over bikini season is behind me which I havent participated in forever and I have a long productive stretch of time in front of me to create serious fabulous results. Yea!

I cant wait to get my tickers on here and also the exercise ticker on here for the month..

Im going to set a goal of one hour a day for the next ten days so--

turbo jam plus a 15 min walk outside in the fresh air!

600 minutes!!!!

Wow this show on tv says an american adult has between 5 and 20 pounds of toxins in their colon.. .. another reason to drink metamucil, they are pushing for herbal colon cleanse products-- saying you must keep your colon clean and stay healthy- they say the secret to health starts in your colon.. I think they have a good point..

To a point. The problem is when you do a cleanse like that, and not just naturally, it can strip your colon of good bacteria, which you need. The colon and body will naturally cleanse itself, you can help it, but over doing it with these type of products can end up hurting you instead of helping.

Some people believe colonics detoxes your body and removes toxins. Before certain procedures a doctor may want you to cleanse your colon, but beyond that I personally don't feel it is a good thing for your body. Unless you have a reason for it, other than "detox" which I do believe in, but i feel you have to give your body the time it needs to detox. Anyone following a healthy diet goes through a detoxing process. I myself have and am while I continue eating healthy. I wouldn't get a procedure like this unless I talked to a doctor first. The reason why is these products that advertise "healthy colons" can be harsh, however adding a fiber type product to your diet doesn't seem harsh to me. I'm talking about the colon cleansing products.

Personally, when I want to do a body cleanse or spiritual cleanse, I just drink more juices I make or green smoothies. That flushes me out and then I go on my way. I don't feel I have a reason for getting a colonic or etc...but if I had digestive issues I would talk to my doctor about it and see what their advice would be.

http://www.webmd.com/balance/natural...s-it-necessary

Noelle, be very careful of what you see on TV or the Internet, especially when they're trying to sell you something. The human body is highly resilient and self-regulating in many ways. When we feel bad, physically, there are reasons for that and it is good to see the right health specialists to help us achieve optimum health.

Feeling bad for so long is a very strong motivator for making positive life changes. Approaching the goal to optimum health fueled by an all-or-nothing energy is a recipe for disappointment. It was my downfall for many years. I didn't start experiencing consistent success until I learned to love the small changes I could make for myself, trading out bad fats for good ones, eliminating refined carbohydrates, quitting the fast food, getting 30 gm of fiber in a day, walking every day, drinking more water. Pretty soon, those things became a part of my lifestyle and I shed almost 40 lbs. And have kept it off for over a year.

Start with healthy changes that you can make for yourself at home. Do go see a doctor to get a complete physical and rule out or discover any medical issues that can get in the way of your goals. Clear your pantry of foods that divert you from your path and restock with healthy ingredients that support you. Drink plenty of filtered water (you'll need 12 to 14 glasses). Get plenty of sleep. Don't forget to take a little time each day to breathe correctly and get some good oxygen in. Create an exercise program you are willing to do six days a week. If you only do that, I promise you will start to see great benefits.

I too have been on the prowl for an illusive answer to all my problems with weight and physical health. There is no single thing that will solve it all for me. Success comes from multiple points of action and multiple sources of support. Surround yourself with with an arsenal of success-encouraging people and materials. Walk away from or minimize the influence of the success-killers (and you'll be surprised how many of those there are in very unlikely places, including the TV).

At first the weight will come off quickly and that feels so good! Do not be disheartened when your weight loss rate is "only" 1 or 2 lbs a week, or per month (for me, 1 lb a month at times). It's still in the right direction, and it seriously smacks of success! It means your lifestyle change is succeeding and you will lose the weight.

You have wonderful enthusiasm, and it's very infectious! Thank you for sharing that!

Remember when they said Princess Diana had a machine do a colon cleanse all the time for her complexion.. I always thought that was very drastic and would never do that lol- ever! It is a wild world out there with everyone trying to sell you everything and making it seem like its a miracle cure all, its usually about profits... But I do use sugar free metamucil usually a teaspoon in water every day which is helpful..

It's hard not to be gung ho about making changes and altering your life and habits though. I really honestly have spent every day of my adult life on a diet and beating myself up for not being enough. I have never had one day where I was content and could just let the self consciousness roll off and enjoy my day. I can remember when I was younger and doing my hair nice and picking out something cute to wear and it didnt matter pretty much anything looked nice on me and I just got dressed and went out and lived my life up for anything and completely oblivious to my weight because I was enough. I was about 187 in high school and that's how long ago that was. I was always watching my weight and had a complex about my weight even then but it didnt consume me like now..

Part of my journal I keep in my purse is a fun journal. Every day I try to list at least 3 fun things I do just for the sport of it, just for the sake of being alive and having a good time. I focus so much on doing this and not doing that, eating right, drinking water counting carbs or calories, worrying about my kids or expenses or continual drama with my x their dad--that I realized I was forgetting to live. On my atkins journal half the page was for FUN. I'm going to get a new one and go for it. Full moons, starry nights, just this great thing called life you get so worked up in the bs and where did it go??Just goofing off, something that makes me laugh and feel joy - that is what it's about. I really appreciate all the support on this board, just knowing that people totally relate and understand and its a place to breathe and get inspired. It's Awesome!!!

Doing great - doing turbo jam after work and following my food mover and have already dropped a couple of pounds since I began my new way of doing things on the 19th! Work is a pain and frustrating workload but I feel good because Im taking care of me first and feel like I have more patience and inner calm because I didnt rob myself to make more time to be other peoples thumb. It feels like being selfish leaving on time and being serious about my workout time block but im not.... I'm taking care of myself so I have energy to help others. It's all in the presentation and how you reason things out and that is so clear. Im feeling really good and out of the dumps and this is on a full 5 food group diet and so far so good. Feeling great!

I can talk a good talk and get really excited and motivated but I lose my momentum quickly because there is so far to go and deep down I have tried so hard already and had no results. A part of me is so afraid to fail yet again that I am finding it hard to give a real effort now. I cant seem to get on the horse and go in one direction for long becuase it is so equal to pushing a semi up the side of a mountain and its hard to start from a place of feeling defeated. I feel ashamed of myself for letting this happen, I want my health and pride in myself back, confidence is on the floor because "I" am not visible in this mess any longer. Trying to be postive, there is so much wrong with my life and Im alone and deal with so much drama from my x husband. Part of me has taken on the identity of being a survivor and sometimes I wonder do I create problems in my own life to keep that role going? Im the underdog who gets up and fights continually, I get knocked down all the time and refuse to stay down. I would like to have stability and an even plane of peacefulness. I deal with depression and a strong sense of shame in myself because Im so huge. If my friends from school saw me they would be horrified. I havent had a boyfriend in 4 years and feel like a freak. Thats whats on my mind and home with the flu tonight alone. All this negativity covers up the underlying truth that I made poor choices and I did this to myself. I just dont know how to get out of it and where to start now. And I need my little ticker, I am so excited about that. I see myself going gung ho very high and then the reality of how far I have to go leaves me feeling defeated on the floor. Im going from a total high to a total low and that part is difficult emotionally for me.

Im anxious to get my little ticker going..

Noelle - I started out by walking and then mixing in Turbo Jam and other fitness DVDs too until I was light enough to switch over to learning how to run. The Turbo Jam DVDs are so fun just make sure you modify the moves as needed. My favorite out of the series was Punch Kick Jam BTW, but they are all good.

You have to find the program that clicks for you everyone thrives on something different for me it was the commitment to exercise (6days a week) and calorie counting. Keeping trigger foods out of the house even if they are healthy ones etc. etc.

It's a long road try not and get overwhelmed you'd be amazed in how much you can achieve in one year. Maybe look at smaller goals. 10lbs at a time.

Let me tell you though as someone who lived her entire adult life as obese (and I'm 35) The process while not always easy is SO worth it.