You can see when I joined this forum. Back then, I was determined to lose and get back to my goal weight of 135 lbs. I weighed about 180.

Now, I weigh nearly 260. I joined the gym a couple of months ago, but am so exhausted by the end of the day, I rarely go.

I was diagnosed w/severe sleep apnea (oxygen levels averaging 70% which is really low) a couple of weeks ago and am having a terrible time adjusting to the machine.

The doctor says that sleep apnea may be why I'm fat. Or I might have sleep apnea because I'm fat.

All I know is that I'm tired and a slave to my cravings.


And I'm only getting fatter.

At this point, I don't know how to get control of myself. The doctor says I'll have more energy and less cravings when my sleep regulates. I'm not so sure.

Am I destined to be a failure topping 300 lbs?

Any ideas?

It is possible that the sleep apnea and lack of oxygen is killing your metabolism.

What do you eat? How many calories do you eat per day?

I despise the words fail and failure. You are not a failure.

I too had sleep apnea but once I lost a significant amount of weight, I no longer suffer with it. A lot of other conditions I had are gone as well.

I topped the scale at 330 pounds. This morning I weighed in at 186. So can it be done? Yes. Can you do it? Yes. You have to decide on a plan and commit to that plan 150%. It's not easy, I know it too well but it is so worth it. Decide to make your body and your health priorities. Make that choice today. Now. You CAN do it.

A. You are NOT a failure.

B. This is going to sound harsh, but it's what first came to mind when I read your post. I think you're looking for pity more than advice. Yes, sleep apnea is not a condition to be taken lightly. However, if your weight is the cause of the sleep apnea, then tackle your weight and see if that reduces your problem. Your weight is something you can control.

Instead of jumping in with both feet, try dipping a toe or two first to get used to the idea. By that I mean, start incorporating more veggies into your diet, good fats (avocados, fish, etc), proteins and carbs. Plan your meals in advance. Get rid of all the junk food in the house and replace it with healthy snacks. If your problem is overeating (like mine), then set out serving sizes and stick to them. I'm a calorie counter, I wasn't in the past, but I recently realized that this is the best method for me. I can eat whatever foods I want as long as I account for it. I think you will feel better once you get a balanced diet in place. I used to feel lethargic as well when all the majority of my diet consisted of white carbs. Now that I eat fresh fruits and veggies, my daily energy level is much higher and I look more awake as well.

Take it one day at a time. It doesn't matter when you started this journey, all that matters is that you are taking control of your health and improving yourself. I've been here since '06 and I'm just getting my weight under control. It's happened to many chickies and roosters on here, but we all picked ourselves up and got back on the wagon.

Good luck!

I have sleep apnea, I KNOW it's because of my weight- I never had issues until I hit over 200 lbs. Now I'm going down and I feel better at night when I sleep, I do have a CPAP (you got your CPAP right?) and that helped, but now with the loss I feel even better and am hoping when I get to goal I won't need my CPAP anymore!

You need to track your calories for a few days and how much you eat, then start seeing where you can improve. For me, I stopped buying junkfood, once the supply in my house was gone that was it- no more. Then I started cooking more, I'd spend a lot of time online so if I had time to do that then I had time to cook.

I hate the gym also so I cancelled my account and when my taxes came in I bought a treadmill and a bowflex. When I watch TV I use my equipment. I just recently bought a bike and hubby and I are planning on going this weekend to the beach for 1-2 hours to bike ride- I can't wait! The plan is to bike ride each weekend (we live in CA), so both of us can get more exercise in our lives

It's about progress, not perfection, small changes are what last over time, if you feel you won't go to the gym cancel it for now and concentrate on diet, once you have diet down THEN start taking walks, use exercise videos (heck if you have ON-DEMAND with your TV there are FREE exercise programs you can watch), get a treadmill at home, and so on. You don't have to go to a gym to see results.

Also pick a diet you CAN do- if you can't cut out anything- then calorie count- if you can cut out carbs try atkins or south beach, if you can live without meat, then do so.

Good luck!

No you are not a failure!

I'm going to direct you to an older thread that will explain exactly why you are not a failure.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...cant-fail.html

Please please ... don't go away again. We are here for you 24/7!

Take what Sunnigummi said and sign my name to it.

Sleep apnea can cause serious damage to your heart.Let this be your motivater.....

You're no failure. Promise.

I second beerab... gyms don't work for me. We bought an elliptical & a stationary bike - so now theirs no excuse. I can sit on the couch and watch TV, or I can use the elliptical and watch TV. Buying the machines has kept me on an exercise regimin longer than any gym membership has.

Good luck!

You can see when I joined this forum. Back then, I was determined to lose and get back to my goal weight of 135 lbs. I weighed about 180.

Yeah. You and me both, honey.

I joined in June 2009-- or so I thought.

Instead, I realized that I had a ticker that showed that I had done this once before-- I had gone from 267 to 262 then obviously quit....

2007? Then I noticed that was the same time Robin joined.

Dang.

You mean, during that whole time that I was ballooning from 262 to 295 there were people who had stuck with it?

That was a depressing eye-opener.

Then I went back and found the my own introduction thread from back then, and this is what I said:

I'm counting calories... and things are going surprisingly well so far... but that never lasts

Jeez. And I'm surprised I only stuck around for one week? That doesn't sound to me like someone who was PLANNING to SUCCEED.

Now, here's me posting in July 2009, almost two years and 35 added pounds later:

I feel like I have no choice-- like I HAVE to succeed this time and I refuse to let anything derail me now that I'm so close to achieving a lifelong dream.


Now, it seems so obvious to me. My effort the first time around was totally half-hearted. Of course I *wanted* to lose weight, but I wasn't willing to buy into it 100%. I left the door open to failure on the very first day.

Why? I don't know, but when I figure it out I'll get back to you.

I've heard other people say it and it's absolutely true. When you commit 100% it's a totally different ball game.

You ARE NOT a failure!! Maybe, like me, you're afraid to commit because you still not sure you have it in you.

But there are a lot of people here at 3FC who demonstrate that EVERYONE has it in them. You just have to uncover that deep down knowledge that you CAN.

Dig deep and ask yourself if you are really willing to do it. If the answer is yes, then you can do it.

Thanks, folks. I think the last poster hit it on the head. I'm not sure I can do it. Another board I go to (not a weight board) posted a link for a study that stated people significantly over weight have as good a chance as winning the lottery as losing and keeping off the weight.

I do have a meal plan. And, I stick to it daily for Breakfast and Lunch. But, after work, when I'm exhausted, I go straight to a restaurant rather than going home and eating what I had planned. Then I get dessert.

I still wonder how I got here sometimes. For the first 30 years of my life, I never had a weight problem. Oh well, I guess the "why" doesn't really matter.

I am where I am and I need to get motivated enough to change. I think I need to spend more time on this board again.

Thanks again for the support. It helps.

Well I guess there have been quite a few people here who have hit the lottery then

I've lost 150 lbs and there are people here who have lost over 200 lbs. It can be done.

Definitely. This forum is a great tool for those that choose to utilize all it has to offer. You CAN do it. You CAN do it. You CAN do it. Never stop believing in yourself or the power of YOU.

Exactly nelie!

Sometimes I feel as if I HAVE won the lottery. Only better. It came about from my own hard work and dedication. I had the winning ticket the whole time. The WHOLE TIME. I just didn't realize it. You've got the winning combination also. I know it for SURE. Search for it. Dig down deep. It's there.

You don't have to live this way. There IS a solution.

People ask me all the time how did I lose so much weight and I tell them - I DECIDED to.

So, I urge you to DECIDE to do this. Once and for all. NO MATTER WHAT. COMMIT to "doing this". Decide to do something and it shall be done. Make a plan. Tweak it as need be. Set yourself up for success. Plan. Plan and plan some more and STICK TO IT. NO MATTER WHAT. BEcause you want this more then anything More then the food. The food that doesn't provide happiness - at all.

Losing weight and lots of it IS a doable thing for anyone and everyone. Yourself included. Being overweight is a choice. Losing the weight (& keeping it off) is a choice too. Choose it. Make that plan and execute the heck out of it.

Stay away from those restaurants. Make your dinner ahead of time. Have it ready to go when you walk in that door. NO EXCUSES. FIND a way to make this work - and then work it and it WILL work. And you will be over the top, beyond belief elated and thrilled and wonder why the heck you didn't do this years early.