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Hi all. I am Bethany. I am 23. I just moved to my dad's after a year on my own. Transferring schools and he lives close with an empty room. It works for now! I only have a year and a half till graduation so it can't be that bad...

All of my friends are about an hour a way so it is pretty lonely until school starts in another month (groan)

I have Hashimoto's and have always had a terrible time losing weight. Switching doctor's about 3 weeks ago, she asked if I would be interested in phentermine and I said I would give it a go!

I am so glad I did. I wanted to work out at the same time. But as luck would have it my body decided to get at upper respiratory infection.

Went to work out yesterday and forgot the lovely new accessory the dr gave me (inhaler boo) so I couldn't handle much cardio.

Though for the 2 or so weeks I have been taking the meds I have lost about 4 pounds which is unreal.

I know I can't do it without a life style change. I want to learn how to be healthy. All the healthy habits. Eating healthy, keeping track of my medications. And worst of all. keeping hydrated. I hate drinking things by themselves. so it's kind of difficult. : (

I have reached my heaviest weight ever at 265.5 And everything is coming into place to help me relieve that weight.

My eventual goal is to lose 100 pounds. This goal scares me though. At 265 I hold my shape fairly well (except when neked.. idk how my bf thinks I am sexy ) but clothes on I like myself. ) I don't want to lose my curve. or my breasts. I would love to lose cups as I lose weight but I would really like to stay proportional to what I am now. lol..
I don't know how to do a mini-goal because I am astonished by even shedding 1 pound let alone thinking about losing 10 15 or 50. The most weight I have ever lost is 16 and then my body was like hey. I want that back. : ( Plateauing was my homeland. I need to get control over my body. and this is the first real chance I have ever had to do that.

SO I guess summary:
starting weight: 265.5
current weight: 259.8
ultimate goal: 160
first mini goal: 10 pounds. So, 4 pounds to go!!!

Thanks and Good Luck!!

Hey there! :D Welcome welcome welcome.

Tell me how the phentermine goes? :] My doc said she'd prescribe it, but I want to do some research first yknow?

You will totally lose 100 pounds. The thing I like best about this forum is that I feel like we're all losing weight together, so I don't feel so overwhelmed by my goal and how far away it feels.

So what are you doing to work out? :D

I'm terrible at staying hydrated too. Specifically just drinking water. It has to be ice cold, sometimes adding lemon helps but...it's still not my favorite activity :p

And congrats on your loss so far :D Isn't it nice to see a change on the scale when you know you worked for it?

It's good that you see this as a life change also, I feel like seeing it that way makes it permanent and there's no way to really fail.

Anyway, Hi! :P I'm Autumn.

Hi Autumn!
So far, phentermine is awesome. I sometimes have incredibly dry mouth. But that could be because I don't drink enough water. and it kind of helps with my a.d.d. too!

She isn't set on keeping me on it though. During my down time, she is going to put me on an a.d.d. med. And then may put me on one of the newly approved pills. It is up to her. 4 almost 5 pounds in 2 weeks, whatever she wants!!!

Working out: Nothing as of yet. But I have a plan. I am getting over a chest infection.
I tried using a cardio machine the other day at the gym and ended up doubled over coughing..
I need to get my lungs into shape again. So tomorrow I am going to start swimming again. Doing freestyle you can only breathe at certain times and it kind of trains my lungs. (I have had to do this way to much) I am also going to be doing a lot more weight training.

My brother works in a lab and primarily with blood and got interested in blood types and read a bunch of books. He says for my blood type ( O+ ) I should do a lot of weight training compared to others. I guess we will see if what he reads is true!

But as soon as possible I would like to start the machine cardio again. I have a favorite machine. It doesn't feel like you're working out at all. And I seem to burn more calories on it compared to the elliptical (EWW) or the treadmill

Well that's neat. I hear most people don't stay on it for more than a month or two, it's just sort of something to kickstart a weight loss. I've been stuck around 180 for a few months so I'm going insane. I might just talk to her about it.

Chest infections suck. :c I hope that clears up soon.

Yayy weight training! That's fantastic. So many ladies on here have been lifting as opposed to (or at the same time as) doing a huge amount of cardio. They look great.

I wish I was brave enough to swim :p

What machine is that? :o The elliptical is the only thing I did when I had a gym membership lol, because treadmills are intimidating. I did the stair climber machine for awhile and it kicked my butt terribly each time.

I would be terrified of the stair climber!!

I checked for a name on it today and there wasn't a sticker. I can ask worker person!
It is kind of like an elliptical.. It is more like an elliptical than a treadmill... idk.. lol

I was swimming before I was walking. My parents started us in the water early. Which is fine because the water is where I feel the most at home.

You should definitely talk to your doctor about it! If you think it is what you need then fight for it! lol And do some research.I am a research nerd. I find something new and love to obsess.

The entire pill might be too much. I a lot of people only take half. I take the entire pill but I separate it. I take the first half before my first meal of the day and the second half around 4pm. I got super moody.

Hi Bethany, and welcome. You've definitely come to the right place for support, information and encouragement.

Swimming is fantastic exercise, and I especially love water workouts with hand water weights. I have degenerative arthritis in one hip so am limited in what I can do but am getting super workouts in the pool.

Best wishes on your weight loss journey. There is a special thread here for people in their 260s and 250s. Hope you will join us over there.

Thanks for the information!! I will look for that thread!

Hey Bethany! Great reading your intro (and a few other posts I've seen around). Living far from friends can be so tough!

I look forward to seeing you around and losing weight "together"!

Me too! It looks like we have about the same goals and distance to said goals!!

Hello!

Congrats on the weight lose! I've never heard of the phentermine pill. Did you get a lot of side effects from it? My doctor blamed my weight on the depo shot, but I swiftly informed her I was fat before I got the shot! I just did my first day back at the gym today and am feeling quite satisfied, hope you end up finding the exercise routine that's right for you.

I noticed that, thats why I thought we should be forum friends! Good luck! :)

Lucy- I think the big brand name is Adipex?
Side effects: um the first couple of days my mouth was so dry that I was constantly drinking something which isn't bad because I am known for being dehydrated. Also when I took the entire pill at one time in the morning around 9pm I would get so moody. (I am abnormally moody anyways but it was worse than normal) So I started taking half in the morning when I am supposed to take my synthroid and then again the in evening about an hour before dinner.
You sound like you have a nice deprecating humor!
How do you like the shot? My doctor just prescribed Yaz (Oh man, is it expensive!) I've never taken bc so I am a tiny bit nervous..

Katie: Thanks you too! Want to be buddy list buddies?

For sure!

: ( Bad day for me. Not choices wise, just discouraged. I unwisely checked my weight today after dinner.

And my family has kind of nudged or hinted at the idea that they are going to be moving out of the house they are in now. (They rent and the owner wants to put it up for sale in April) And it took forever for them to find this house with enough room for all of us and my room isn't even technically a bedroom, more like a storage room with a curtain so I don't have to see all of my dad's tools. Which is kind of rough, but they're only charging me 50 a month so that's ok. So, it would be easier if I moved out for them to find a new place. I just don't know what to do because I really don't want to get a job again until after I graduate because I won't be able to take the max hours and still pass the classes and I don't think I would qualify to get a loan privately.

And it is a Saturday night and I am sitting on my mom's couch watching How the Universe Works and wondering where all my friends are. (They're with their bf's) And my boy person not technically bf is off drinking with his best friend (probably) So I am bored. (Sorry for the pityparty)

Nah - not a pity party... what's what we're all here for, right?

Sucks about the housing situation. Have you looked into applying for bursaries and scholarships at your school? It's great that you're aware and wanting to help them by moving out. April is a ways away, is that when they'd move? You could help try and find something suitable for all of your or just get a part time job. Is there anyone that could co-sign a loan with you?

I went through similar things in my undergrad... I ended up moving out and getting a job and a few scholarships to pay for rent. My marks went down a bit but they were still okay overall (enough to get into grad school, I guess).

How the Universe works is great!!! I'm writing up applications for moooore school, maybe I should just stop and get a job!

Thanks for thinking so!
I have not been the best student. So I was kind of amazed that they even accepted me let alone getting scholarships. After this year I hope to be eligible for scholarships, but I don't want to depend on that if it doesn't happen.

April is when the owner is putting it up for sale. And with our economy it probably won't go super fast but just in case I want to have something lined up. or at least a plan. She has already offered to sell it to my parents, but they are probably not going to buy it. (It is about 200 feet from a small river/creek, so when it rains everything downstairs has to be put up on cinder blocks. Luckily the main living space and 3 of 5 bedrooms are upstairs. but it's still VERY inconvenient and my stepbro is probably moving out this summer so they will likely be able to find a decent 3 bedroom a lot easier than a 4 or 5 bedroom and for a lot cheaper)

I have been thinking about a part time job. But all of my experience is in retail and when you start you say you want to stay at 10 hours and then it goes to 15 and slowly you are working 30 hours a week and they act like they can fire you if you say you want less hours. So I spoke to someone in my schools career center and she said they want like 20 hours. (The actual career counselors were out of the office and she was the dean of something and didn't look up actual numbers so I plan to go talk to people that deal with the information on a daily basis. Cause I would die with 20 hours plus 18 credit hours.)

I had planned to take summer classes, but if needed I can go for an extra semester or 2 but I don't really want to do that because I can almost smell graduation. (about a year and a half or so) But it would help get me out of the house at least and then I could get a job and work crazy hours in the summers. or even take a couple classes at a community college instead of a full semester at uc. SO MANY DECISIONS!! ahh!

This week alone I have watched the first season on netflix 5 times. I have A.D.D. and can't just be on a computer, so I watch and rewatch t.v. shows as background noise. (I have watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone so many times)

What are you doing in grad school?

Hi and :welcome2:

Hi! Welcome to you too! I looks like you are fairly new also!

Hi, beahawkins

I'm currently taking phentermine to help me with over eating, its doing a good job at it. I'm also exercising not as much as I should be but its a whole lot more than what I used to do. I didn't realized how much weight I'd shed until I logged on to add my current weight.

Before I'd started taking phentermine I had went up to 259 and when I started taking it my weight in was 247 and now I'm at 230. If I wasn't such an over eater I think consistent exercising and portion control would be enough
for me but my will power when it comes to putting the fork down is't as strong as I'd like it to be. Enough about me: All the best with shedding the pounds, you can do it.

I love when people talk about themselves!! : ) lol I am super jealous about that weight drop! How long have you been using phentermine?

I understand about the over eating. Last quarter I binged to deal with stress of school. It makes me nervous to think about other ways to relieve stress.

Well good luck with the housing, good that you have some time to figure it out. Doesnt sound like a good investment for your fam.

Retail jobs are also really stressful. Does your school offer like... work study programs? In canada you can apply for jobs on campus through the career center if you meet certain qualifications, could be worth looking into.

Taking longer to do a degree is not a big deal. I took my time and I'm glad I did. It made it easier to work and get good grades... also to volunteer and build a solid relationship with my fiance. Don't be afraid to stretch it out a bit, it often makes the whole experience more enjoyable, at least in my experience.

I'm doing environmental science... I study the effects of air pollution on the health of elderly in Shanghai... that's the case study I'm working with, but my thesis work is on making a certain methodology more useable in the real world. What do you do at school?

I don't think I qualify for work study. I checked it when I did my fafsa and they didn't mention anything on my results.
Yeah I understand but at this point I have been in college classes off and on for about 5 years. It just feels like I will never get out.

That's really interesting. I am in communications. Eventually when I get into grad school, I am either leaning towards teaching com at a community college level or getting my masters in college advising. I can plan a 4year degree completely in about an hour, once I understand the college's website. It is a weird talent lol.

Hi Beahawkins,
are you sure you can't get work study? Sometimes you have to go to your school's department and ask to be reconsidered for it (especially if you family situation has changed ie moving homes, income change, etc).

Try looking on campus for jobs. In my experience, they are usually more flexible because they understand you are a student (hence is why I quit my mall job and worked for my campus when I was in undergrad).

anyway, hope all is going good and you find a situation that works for you! Good LUCK :)

Oh cool! I will definitely check again. I figured, once denied always denied.
Thanks!!