I apologize if this post gets long. I am just going to let my fingers move until I'm done.

Hello everyone. I am here because I dont know how to do this anymore. I dont know how to continue living this way. Its gotta kill me eventually.. I am 6'3 300lbs, my low back hurts most of the day, my knees make popping sounds, I cant walk far without breaking out in a sweat, I always need to catch my breathe after sets of stairs etc etc. I am only 26! These problems crept up on me so gradually that now its just compounded to the point where I've almost just given up on it all. I eat horribly every day. I cant exercise due to this low back pain/sciatica...its crippling at the moment. I drink more than I used to. I look back even a year or two ago. I was around 260-270 lbs (which I know is still big)..but i was playing organized sports 3-4 times a week, working out, eating well but even if I didn't eat well, all the sports helped me keep my body where it was at. I was active in sports and eating decently. I have a real problem now. I feel like Ive given up. I eat out consistently. I don't care about what i put in my face. I am in constant pain with this low back but eating worse is only gonna make me gain more weight and cause MORE pain..so why do i do it? Eating junk and drinking a couple extra beers makes me feel good temporarily in that moment...and its like that's the only time I feel pleasure anymore. I'm not getting it from anywhere else now. I'm in a real rut. I need help. I need to lose weight immediately. I hate the person in the mirror. I don't even recognize him anymore. I need someone to tell me where to start. I need someone to tell me what it was like being in my situation and beating that situation. I hope I'm in the right place

welcome. I would start socking up the threads and posts on different sub-forums to look into which WOE you are going to plan and follow. Its 100% mental so you gotta want it.

Lot of informative and supporting members here so def' soak everything in.

Welcome aboard. You are in exactly the right place.

You said you need to know where to start. My advice would be to pick one small change you can make today that you can live with for the long haul. It doesn't matter what it is. Drink one less beer. Eat one less piece of bread.

Do that thing and say " Good job! " to the poor fellow you've been hatin' on in the mirror. Then do it again the next day and celebrate your win streak. You're on a roll and success breeds success.

If you keep taking small steps every day, you will get where you want to go.

Good luck!!

I agree that taking small steps is the way to go! so that you're not overwhelmed. Your food intake is the major thing at this point, maybe start by having one day a week when you don't eat out? and definitely some physical movement but I do hear that you are in pain with back/sciatica..check out youtube for something like 'seated workout', you can start some kind of movement that is easy on your back while you start some conditioning. Best wishes!! I know there is a Men's specific thread here somewhere. But you are allowed anywhere

As someone who struggles with crippling chronic back problems, my heart goes out to you! The pain is so awful and it colors every part of your day and night, it's terrible, it's life-consuming, it can pull you right down into depression.

The good news is you can start getting the weight off without exercise -- you can worry about getting exercise again once you've dropped a few pounds and feel a bit of improvement in your back pain. And you know you will get there, because you were in a condition to do sports not that long ago, so don't let that be a mental anchor weighing you down. And getting the weight off generally DOES improve the back pain and sciatica, there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

You'll be surprised how quick you can regain your fitness conditioning once you start down this path. So don't be put off by your perceived lack of conditioning right now, I know you are feeling it acutely because you used to be so active. It will come back, it really will.

You'll get there, one day at a time! You CAN do this.

But you have to want it and you're going to have to work for it. No one here will lie and say, "oh it will be soooo easy." Time for you to find your inner strength and fortitude and take control of your health -- no more time for apathy. No more time for hiding your head in the sand.

Don't hate the person in the mirror, you're going to rely on that good, strong man to walk you right out of this mess. And who hasn't been in a bit of a mess, right? We ALL have, we've all faced challenges -- some easier and some harder than the very ones that guy in the mirror is facing today. So buck up, you CAN do this.

You say you know you're eating horribly, I imagine you have a general idea of what healthy eating would look like. You say you were previously eating pretty well -- so do THAT again. Eat pretty well! It doesn't have to be rocket science. There is no "one, right magic plan". I think you can probably easily identify your problem foods -- maybe they are junky and nutritionally void. So drop them for now and focus on real foods. Meats, veggies, salads, soups, eggs, etc. A big guy like you can eat a fair amount real food. You won't have to starve yourself or anything, you don't need to suffer, you just need to focus and be consistent. You'll find lots of different plans discussed on this site, any one of them can work for you if YOU work the plan.

Just don't quit now that you've taken this first step towards regaining your health. You're young, this is just a blip! 2015 can be YOUR year, you've just got to grab on tight to your goals!

I hear your pain. I have felt your pain. I have been almost in your place. Or I have been in it but 45 years later than you.

And I don't have to tell you that is an awful place to be, because you already know it.

The things Mrs Snark said absolute correct and last year she also told my back pain would get better as the weight dropped off. She was 100% correct then also. So I am not going to repeat the things she said but will add to them. However I do not have the eloquent writing style she does and if I sound envious it is simply because..... I am.

I could write several pages here and that would only be the start. But I won't, and I hope I cover some of the basics for you.

I also got to where I was eating junk food, stuff I knew was unhealthy and fattening. Some of the things I thought were healthy were not. But let's back up a bit, back to about where you are. I used to be extremely active, spent my life in the building trades where I was some sort of legend for my physical abilities, sense of balance, strength, stamina .... you get the pic. Into my late 60's I was training bird dogs, about 15 at a time. Walking daily at a fast pace about 12 miles working with them. Plus the work I had to do around the place, building kennels, structures etc. I had lost weight before and went from about 250 to 196 and was n very fit shape, and in twenty years went up to 279 which I was last year.

The picture of me then was the picture of you. Bad knees, hurt and popping in every joint, eating junk food... I did not drink alcohol but I was drinking a 12 pack of near beer every day, same calories. That was what put the last 25 lbs on me in a few months. I felt awful and did not care if I lived or died. But... I realized I did not want to feel that way while waiting to die. I knew I really needed to start losing weight and eat correctly. Like you, I either ate out of ate stuff like loafs of cheese, sausage etc by the lb, 1/2 gallon milk a day, big bag chips... and I felt like ****... High blood pressure, high cholestrol, type II diabetes, eyesight going, hard to walk due to feet and knee problems, could barely manage to put my socks on, could not bend, hellayshis back pain... Etc.

One day at the doctors an substitute doctor (actually the doctor who owned the clinic was treating me) kinda sarcasticaly said that if I lost 10 % of my weight most of my problems would disappear, that weight loss would take care of it. That was all push I needed to get started. I stopped buying the near bear, cut way down on milk, cut out the chips and sausages etc. And started losing. And started feeling better within a few weeks.

I "diet" consisted of eating only when hungry, no snacking, not buying the things like cheese, milk and sausages. I soon completely stopped buying or eating any type of processed meat. I learned how bad the nitrites are in them and hopefully will never eat anymore again. None of a year and a half anyway. 27% weight loss, BMI from 38 extremely obese to BMI 26.6, just barely overweight now and 73 lbs of fat gone.

I eat mostly high fiber nutritious foods. No fad diets. I just watch the calories I take in and try to stay about from 600 to 1500 calories under what I need for maintenance to lose weight. I also take vitamin and mineral supplements to make sure I get all I need of those and that allows me to not have to eat as much of carrots, beets, broccoli etc to get them. I use a lot of spice to make my food tasty, I cannot stand bland food. Amazing how many things you can do with beans, brown rice, my mainstay and mixed in with them for many different recipes are squash, tomato, mushroom, okra and whatever other tasty high fiber veggies I like for variety. I am not saying eat these, but I am saying I not only eat those but love them and they are very healthy and tasty. Find what works for you and use that.

Many people say start small and don't try to correct everything at once. I say just the opposite.... Make a new you, or that is, head back to being that old you. However I would suggest getting your weight way less than what you were before because that much weight on your knees and back is BAD for them. We humans are not built to carry that much around, or not without it causing a lot of problems anyway.

I would heavily suggest to stop drinking. Completely. Zilch. If you have a problem with that I would suggest going to AA and get help with it. And then do as they will tell you, don't swear off drinking, just do it a day at a time. You use which works for you. I did my one day at a time and now it has been 21 years. One day at a time.

I would suggest going to a gym if you can and use the weight machines and different machines which will not make your back hurt. If unable to wait until you can then start. If there is a swimming pool that is an excellent place to get exercise without placing stress on your limbs.

I will list a few things that weight loss has done for me.

Way less depressed.

Better self image.

Back pain practically non-existant.

Knees still bad but I can walk ok now, hard going up and down stairs but way better.

I can bend down and pick things up off the floor no problem now. Plus I not only put my socks on easy but I can reach 8 inchs past my feet with no problem.

Food... unfortunately, or is it fortunately tastes WAY better!

Sex is better.

I feel lighter and get around way better. Almost as good as I did in my fifties.

I am more motivated about everything in my life now. I care. I do not want to feel like I did at all.

Blood sugar back to normal, type II diabetes non existent now.

Blood pressure back to normal.

Cholesterol normal.

Although I completely agree with Mrs Snark's post and would advise reading it again and again until it sinks in, I will still quote the last sentence of hers again.

Mrs Snark: "Just don't quit now that you've taken this first step towards regaining your health. You're young, this is just a blip! 2015 can be YOUR year, you've just got to grab on tight to your goals!"

When I introduced myself here last year someone, either Jacqui or Mrs. Snark invited me over to Chicks Up For A Challenge here in 3FC.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/chic...challenge-159/

I am extending the same invite to you. Lots of good friendly people in it and some near or were near the same place your are at who will give your support and make ya feel welcome.

B F R

PS: You already took the first big step... you have acknowledged that you have a problem, and you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Now come get well

You have quite a few years in you! I am 20 years older than you and started in about the same place, and I'm not dead yet...

I started slowly, by walking, a mile or two a day when I can, and cutting out late night snacks. I have since made more changes my diet (to foods I still love, but are less calorie-dense.) But honestly since the weather turned bad I have not done much walking at all and am still losing.

Maybe even walking is too much for you, if so, there is still hope. One of the best pieces of advice I got is that weight management is 90% diet and 10% exercise. So if you can't exercise as often as you'd like, or at all, you can still do it.

The booze is a major calorie bomb. Limit your drinks, set aside once or twice a week.

Eliminate fast food if you can. I know many men hate cooking or don't know how. There are some fast foods that are OK, calories wise, but you will need to do some research. Plenty of apps and websites like www.calorieking.com....etc.

Find your base calorie intake. Which for a young, tall man, should be 2000 or more. But to loose weight you need to cut around 500 per day, for 1 lbs of loss there is a 3500 calorie deficit needed.

Men typically can drop weight like nobody's business when they cut out bad foods, or cut down. (Jealous!)

That is a good place to start if your having pain. Try to walk, or maybe start off with some hand weights at home while watching tv. Just start moving in a way you can.

The easiest and best thing you can do though is change your eating habbits. Baby steps. Cut a few things out at first. Or eat less. DO research everything you eat. For example, your favorite fast food meal. How many calories are in it? You may find out it has 1500, and that is 3/4 of your daily intake already.

Find foods you love that are healthy, and replace those things you take out. I think you will find results very quickly to start. Good luck.

Panda1234 has not been back online since the post on December 21. Let's hope he/she comes back to read the encouraging posts.