[Bluto424]

Hi all,

I'm a 52-year-old male in California who is at the very outset of an adventure in which I plan to lose about 140-150 pounds.

Unbelievable as it may seem -- to me and people who know me now but didn't know me *then* (circa 20 years ago) -- while I was never "slim" by any means I used to be very active physically, sometimes getting on my bicycle and riding for miles after a full day of work.

Unfortunately, in the intervening years I ballooned-up to close to 350 pounds and the idea of even getting on a bike in my present state would be, sadly, absurd to even consider.

For me, perhaps the worst thing about my current obese condition -- apart, of course, from all the related health issues -- is the utter uncomfortableness of being fat! This past summer, during which my family took an out-of-state vacation, was the clincher: add extreme heat to obesity and being out of shape and the result is misery!

I am not following any particular commercial "plan" such as Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem but am instead simply limiting my daily calories (I'm trying to stay in the 1000-1200 cals./day range) and increasing physical activity. Also significantly increasing dietary fiber, which I believe has been VERY helpful in reducing my appetite as well as facilitating weight loss.

I'm very appreciative to have such a resource as this website available to support me in achieving my goals, and I wish everyone else here who, like me, is fighting the battle of the bulge great success. WE CAN DO IT!

[Wyllowbelle]

I really love that you call it an Adventure. Seriously a lot. Thank you for that!

And welcome (I'm new here, too)!

-Kiki

[Bluto424]

Originally Posted by Wyllowbelle

I really love that you call it an Adventure. Seriously a lot. Thank you for that!

And welcome (I'm new here, too)!

-Kiki

Thank you -- and I absolutely *love* the name "Kiki"!

[Onederchic]

Hi and welcome to 3FC.

1000-1200 calories a day seems awfully low to me. Where do you go if your weight loss stalls with that? Just curious.

Good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

[Losing It 2010]

Welcome to 3FC, we are glad you are here

[Liliann]

Hello! Good luck with your efforts!!

[guynna]

Welcome!

I'm newly back here, and I was attracted to your thread b/c we're about the same age. But I confess that, when I read that you're a guy, I had this little sense of "oh, no, he doesn't know what it's like." What a stupid thing for me to think! You totally get (unfortunately!) the heat misery, the fitting-into-airline-seats misery, the shopping-for-clothes misery, etc etc etc.

This is a great place for info and support -- best wishes with your weight loss adventures. I agree that 1000-1200 sounds kind of low for you, imho.

[ducktape54]

welcome and good luck

[Bluto424]

Originally Posted by Onederchic

Hi and welcome to 3FC.

1000-1200 calories a day seems awfully low to me. Where do you go if your weight loss stalls with that? Just curious.

Good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

Thanks for your response!

I recall reading the Eades (authors of "Protein Power," not that I'm actually following their low-carb diet at all) writing that dieters shouldn't go below about 800 calories/day. In fact, although my goal is about 1000 cals/day the reality is that I've been going over that on most days.
Regarding the question of what to do if my weight loss stalls on 1000+/- cals per day, I expect to do 2 things to try to deal with the stalled weight loss:

1. increase physical activity to "force" my body to start losing excess fat again;

2. try to be patient, because weight-loss "stalls" seem to be inevitable on whatever number of calories one consumes or whatever diet one is on.

Indeed, patience is SUCH a big part of the weight-loss game, in my view -- no doubt I and many others here tried to lose weight in the past but used the excuse, "The weight just isn't coming off!" or, "The weight's coming off too slowly!" as easy excuses to discontinue one's weight-loss program.

With about 150 pounds to lose, THIS TIME I'm taking "the long view." I'd be DELIGHTED if, by next summer, I was 75 pounds lighter. (Of course, I'd be ecstatic if I'd lost even more than 75 pounds by that time!)

One thing that keeps me motivated is telling myself, "I'm happy as long as I weigh less today than I did yesterday." I don't care if it'd just 1 ounce less -- as the Chinese saying goes, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

[DhaniCauldwell]

Welcome and good luck!

Dhani