[terry169]

Im currently reading a book by a OA member the book said she eats 1 fruit and 1 carb serving at breakfast, she ate somewhere around 40 ounces of veggies a day she allowed herself a specfic amount of oil , veggies and protein but didnt say what that amount is. She had 3 meals a day she weighed and measured EVERYTHING she would call her sponser each and every morning and tell her what she was going to eat for that day. She ate nothing with sugar or flour. She lost 170 pounds.

What I need to know and what Im looking for is what to eat and when to eat it. I have been through so many diets during my life that all it has done is make me fatter each time I went off and made me absolutely crazy about what to eat or what not to eat Im literally scared to eat for fear its the wrong thing.

Im 44 I have lived through a heart attack 5 years ago and Im dealing with chronic back pain and fibromyalgia and deep depression and the recent diagnosis of my 17 year old son with bone cancer. I had all but given up the dream of weighing a healthy weight for me and being able to wear a white t-shirt with jeans and actually looking nice in them.. I had basically given up and was just waiting to die--that is until I saw how my son fought cancer and won. He wanted life -he fought for it and He is my hero and he has given me a gift of wanting to be healthy and wanting to try again. And wanting to be part of life. I guess I can say he has given me a new lease on life.
So can anyone help me and tell me what I should and should not eat and when to eat? How much to eat? I want to get a handle on this. I am ready to admit I have a problem with food that I have no control over and Im ready to take steps to get to where I need to be. I dont think I binge but I do know I eat too much and I dont eat right. There are times that I will eat a whole package of cookies but is that a binge? Im not sure. I watch TV and hear people talk about them eating so so much when they binge --a astronomical amout of food but Im wondering is a whole package of cookies a binge as well? Im 342 pounds and I want to be somewhere around 169 that is where Im supposed to be at for my height of 5ft 9in. and bone structure and age.
I would apprieciate any help and thoughts ideas and imput. Any ideas on exercise with fibromyalgia and back pain would also be helpful. That is also a great problem for me I dont exercise because of chronic pain. Im ready to turn this over to my higher power because I realize I cant do it on my own. Thanks Terry

[Sakai]

Hello Terry, And welcome to 3FC
I know compared to some of the other wonderful people on this site, I'm young and still learning ^_^ but i saw your post and really wanted to help.

First, before you diet, I think it would be best to talk to your doctor. Ask questions. are you are any medication that might need special attention while on the diet? are you lacking any sort of vitamin or mineral that you need to make sure you get enough of during the diet? Are you healthy enough for excercise once your pain starts to go away? Or can you do low impact work-outs? Like swimming?

About the food. I know what it's like to be afraid of food. That one wrong thing will throw the whole thing off. It's not true. You shouldn't ever be afraid of food. If you know what you're eating, what's good and bad about it, then you should no longer be afraid of it.

I believe in whole foods. fruits, veggies, grains, fish and meat. If you can go outside and get it right from nature, then its gonna be healthy. (some people stay away from red meat) If it's been turned into something else, then most likely it has added salt, fat, calories, and chemicals.
Calories are key. you need to find out how much you need to eat everyday. If you eat too much, you will gain...too little... and your body will think you're starving and hold on to the fat.
It takes a while for you to fnd the magic number, but just keep at it.
Diets that say, "only eat this kind of food" are not that great. for one, your limiting the vitamins and minerals and all other good stuff. Second, your body gets use to the same food day in and day out, and stops burning calories as fast. Plus you'll get bored with the same food and be more likely to stray off the beatten path so bad, just for a taste of something different, that you'll feel you could never save the diet.

It will be hard, but don't give up trying.

[kazem1]

Oh my, what an inspiring story - but I know that you have one to tell as well. It just hasn't happened...yet. I think what you can transfer the most to your weight loss success is the idea of perserverance. I know it is corny but I speak from experience. I won't lie and tell you that this will be over and done with when your reach goal, because it won't. It is a process that you perfect over and over for the rest of your life and you still maintain after you are where you want to be. Just plant in your mind for good the seed that I will exercise even though I want to quit, I will eat well even though I don't want to right now, and when I don't see results for weeks or months (which will happen in the weight loss journey - and it is a long one so be prepared for that too) I will stay with it no matter what - even if you have procrastinated for days or weeks - get back on the wagon. Also, make sure you are accountable to someone - don't go it alone. This thing was not meant to do by yourself and there are so many people out there that you can get help from. Getting help from WW and eventually my personal trainer and perseverance is the only successful formula for weight loss I have come up with so far. I write this to tell you that it can be done no matter what circumstances have been put in your way. You and only you have the power to do this for yourself. I wish you the best of luck!

[kgb]

Hi Terry

Your storey is like many of ours at OA. I would recommend getting to an OA meeting in your area. The meeting is for free.

Regards KGB

[Magic Flute]

Hi Terry,
This is what I did to get started in addition to going to an OA meeting and getting a Sponsor. I had to have a Food Plan that works for me.
I found a "Calorie Needs" website, put in my age, ht, wt and it calculated the number of calories I was taking in to maintain my current wt. WOW!
Then I entered a lower wt (50 lbs lower) and that's how many calories I allow myself now...as if I already weighed 50 lbs less. I keep a daily food diary and count all my calories.
Just for fun... calculate the number of calories in a whole bag of cookies, write down how you felt 1. when you bought them 2. when you opened the bag 3. the 5th cookie 4. the last cookie and lastly were you alone when you ate the bag or were you with people that love you?
Keep posting and find a meeting, you will be so glad you did.
Bumps