[AML08]

Hello
I am a whooping 320lbs and I look good lol. Problem is being so heavy I am at risk for so many illnesses. As of now I am as healthy as a horse. The reason for my weight loss is to be around for my daughter. She is 7 months and means the world to me so mommy is going to be healthy for her so I can be around for many many many more years "lord willing"

I began my journey February 1 2012. I have been walking 2 miles a day and eating the cabbage soup diet with lean meat added. Im down 5lbs and feeling quite sore any tips on what foods to eat????

[Vortex_VVV]

Hi, AML, congrats on deciding to improve your fitness. I was healthy at high weights for a long time, too. In my late 30s, I developed type II diabetes and high blood pressure. It got harder to lose weight once I had those complications.

I don't know what the cabbage soup diet is like, but here's the advice I can give you about eating: Make sure that what you're doing is developing new healthy habits, not dieting. If you're eating in a way you can't imagine eating for the rest of your life, then you might lose weight, but you'll struggle with keeping it off.

Stick around and share the journey with us!

Angela

[Candeka]

Congrats on deciding to prevent yourself from getting a weight-related illness!! However, the cabbage soup diet is extremely unhealthy and not maintainable at all. You miss a lot of nutrients and the low number of calories is not good for the body. It is much better to have whole balanced meals as opposed to just soup. There are many great plans out there on the internet. I personally count calories and try to eat healthy as I don't like restricting myself to much, but I know a lot of people also do well with low carb or something similar. One good step in the right direction is planning your meals ahead of time, usually about a week. It makes it super easy when the day comes or when you are starving and don't know what to eat. If I look in the cupboards when I am hungry, chances are I will eat the worst thing possible. However, I have my food plan up on my fridge so that I know what to snack on when I am hungry.

You're doing great with the exercise. Keep it up!

[Lovely]

Welcome to 3FC and congratulations on making healthy changes!

Kudos on the walks! Walking is a great way to get in movement. It's low impact. It can really get your heart rate going. It's easy, you can do it anywhere. It's phenomenal exercise.

I want to echo what the previous ladies have said about food. You might be more successful on this journey if you try to balance out your meals instead of sticking to just a few things like cabbage soup.

That might give some good short term results, but it also might be boring after a while or even cause you to miss out on some very important nutrients that your body needs to function properly.

The concern is always on making sure we're healthy while we're taking the weight off. I assure you it's very possible to eat a great variety of things, and still be losing weight. I'm living proof. So are a number of members on this site.

If you're curious what others are doing to lose weight, you might want to check out Diet Central.

If you'd like to get some more recipes or just find out about different foods, there's a Food section.

Hope to see you around the boards along your journey

[runningfromfat]

Welcome to 3FC, I hope you stick around, it's been an amazing source of comfort, advice, and support throughout my journey.

That's great that you're walking! When it comes to exercise the best thing to do is something that you'll stick with and do consistently! It sounds like walking works for you so keep up the good work! If you feel like you want to try new things check out the exercise forum on here. Personally, I swim and weight lift and have learned to love it (I have some injuries so that's about it when it comes to what I can do).

As for the diet. Well, I agree with finding something that will be easier to stick to long term. I've lost a good chunk of weight making small changes in my diet (little to no sugar/artificial sweeteners, eating only who grains, lots of fruits/veggies/meat etc). Some lose well with calorie counting, others on the South Beach diet. Ultimately, you need to find something that works well for you. Something you feel like you can stick to for the rest of your life. It's taken me a lot of experimenting but I feel like I've found that. Don't be afraid to change things up every now and then either. As long as you're eating at a calorie deficit and exercising you're on the right track and WILL get to your goal.

I'm not one of those women who was healthy at my highest weight. That being said, I had health problem then that I never realized I had because I had gotten used to them. After losing the weight I noticed that:
-I sleep better at night, less insomnia
-I have more energy, even work related things
-I'm also better organized.
-My allergies seem to affect me less
So maybe with weight loss even if your cholesterol and everything checks out you'll find some other benefits.

Oh, and also have a daughter and I can relate. She definitely was a big motivation for me and this journey.

[Sunshine73]

Welcome!!

I think walking is a GREAT start to getting fit and being healthy for your daughter! It's good exercise, can be done anywhere and it's totally free - that makes it a total win!

I would second (or third) the advice about your diet. The important thing is to find something that will provide proper nutrition for your body and be something you can maintain comfortably for your lifetime. I'm not sure the cabbage soup diet is very nutritionally sound nor am I certain that it's something that would be sustainable for the long haul.

Remember dieting isn't a one size fits all proposition so don't be afraid to try different things until you find something that works for you and sets you on a path that you can stay on!