Hello everyone this is my first post here. Arrived here via Google this morning. this looked like one of the more intelligent forums I hope that is the case! :-)

So....this month has been a month of big time wake up calls for me. It began with *extreme* pain in my right knee. It appeared out of the blue as I had not injured the knee or performed any physical actions that would cause that kind of pain. So, I went to the doctors and found out that it was gout. What the heck is gout? I know now, but more importantly I know WHY one gets it. LOL [this was big time wake up call #1]

Not only did I find out I have gout, when I went to the docs I weighed in at almost 280 pounds. Now, I'm almost 37 years old and because I'm also 6'8" I can hide that weight well. I haven't used a scale in years so it came as a huge shock that I was closing in on 300 pounds. HOLY (FAT) COW. [this was big time wake up call #2]

I played basketball in college and was in terrific shape. I could eat whatever I wanted. I had a high metabolism and worked out daily. Neither of these things have been true for me though for probably the last 10 years.

I have made some drastic dietary changes and right now I'm just flat out ticked at the world! My mind/body/whatever is CRAVING red meat and FRIED FOODS. But this is my 11th day of eating *very* healthy. By God's grace and with my wife's help I will continue. I am extremely motivated and want to get back to where I was in college. And this is why I signed up here today...because I could really use the wisdom/encouragement of those of you that have "been there done that" and/or "are there doing that."

Here are my questions.

#1. Are there any pills that really help? I'm not talking about a magic pill but I am talking about a supplement that can help me achieve my goals. After searching for a couple hours out there on the landscape of the www I am so leery and my intelligence feels incredibly insulted by just about every supplement site I visit.

#2. What is the best kind of in home exercise? Right now my knee is still very painful so exercise is tough...but I want to get going with something; however, I don't want to waste money on fad machines...you get my drift.

#3. Has anyone tried the Flex Belt? Okay so here's the sucker in me...I came very close to ordering one this morning but I am NOT GOING TO FLUSH MONEY!!!!!!! LOL

#4. I took a profile test on a site this morning and it said I have a "thyroid body type" whatever the heck that means. It recommended a thorough DETOX. Is this baloney? If not, how should I detox?

I'm sure that some of you more experienced peeps can recognize from my questions that I'm just beginning on my journey. I know my questions may appear dumb/n00besque. It's cool...I need help....this is one reason I'm here. I'm committing not to spend a dime on anything until I hear some seasoned counsel from real people.

I would really appreciate your feedback. Thank you very much. I'm teachable! Help a guy out!!!! :-)

I am not a medical person but will give you a couple of thoughts, as a rule pills do not work and are sometimes harmful, save your money. Detox is not necessary , your body is fully capable of cleansing itself. There are no quick fixes, eat less , move more , works every time.

Welcome.

To be honest, I don't know know jack so I can't answer your questions. I'm kind of new to this too. But I've been taking 'Activit' pills that I found in my sisters closet (I asked first, of course). The product doesn't make any huge claims, it just advertises itself as a multivitamin with antioxidants. It seems pretty legit, and the weight is coming off, but I don't know if the pills are helping with this or not. They seem alright though. I wouldn't go out and buy them right now if I were you, but I would if someone seconds this.

You've found a great community here.

I'm leery of pills, and I wouldn't buy any machines until you know beyond a doubt that it will get used. My treadmill currently holds my un-ironed laundry.

I think the fact that at one time you were in good shape will work for you. You know how to work out, and your body supposedly will have "muscle memory" of what it's like to be in shape.

What kind of plan are you following?

I share your pain about meat and fried foods. I think it takes a few weeks of abstinence to re-develop tastes that don't include that high-fat/protein/sodium taste of restaurant food.

I'm just a newbie, but based on my past weight loss experiences, I can say that pills don't work. They may seem to initially, but your body seems to adjust to them quickly and they stop working.

I do take a multi-vitaman everyday which seems to help with energy levels and getting nutrients I probably miss when I am on a bad eating run.

I bought a treadmill when I was thinner a few years back. It spend many days folded up in a corner the last few years. I finally dusted it off and use it occassionally. I wouldn't spend the money up front. It's too much pressure staring at you from the corner of the room. And the flex belt doesn't sound like it would do much realistically. I bet if you went on e-bay, there'd be tons of gadgets like that being sold by others who found it out the hard way. If you really want one, that might be a place to get a deal on one.

When I'm starting out again, I use Richard Simmons tapes for indoor exercise. They are not too strenuous and you can go at the intensity that you choose. You either keep your feet on the ground for low impact or do more jumping for higher impact, etc.

I never de-toxed in my past weight loss attempts and at one point was able to lose up to 55 lbs without it. I think the only thing it may help do is de-tox us from the salt, carbs, sugar we've OD'd on, but if you've been eating healthy for 11 days, you're probably already "de-toxed" from that physically, anyway. Now, just the emotional part is left to deal with, as it sounds like you know already. I feel your pain about fried foods. I gave up french fries for Lent and I'm dying!

Welcome to the gang and good luck on your journey with us!

This is a great place to be! I wanted to say that I do take some supplements, but not any really aimed towards weight loss so much as meant to keep my body in one piece while on this voyage.

I take an Omega-3 supplement. It seems to help the inflammation in my foot, and I have been working out every day on an elliptical for 30 minutes. I find that it's a lot easier on my joints than the treadmill. I only bought an elliptical after deciding that it would have to live in the family room where I could watch TV and be with my family, or it would never get used. I really had to make a committment to make it a part of my schedule or I wouldn't have spent that money.

Is there any chance that a Glucosamine/Chondroitin (sp?) supplement might help the pain in your knees? That would make it easier to exercise. Obviously since you were in great shape before, you know how to work out, and your body will probably react very well to it.

Good luck!

I've lost over 40 lbs. and, at first, I tried Alli, but gave it up after two months. It hurt my stomach no matter what I ate. I now drink a lot of green tea and it seems to help with cravings. I have also found that my cravings have never really gone away. I guess it is psychological.

I would recommend joining a gym to experiment with equipment that is easy on your knees. After you find something that works, you can drop the membership and purchase something you can use at home. Or you can meet with a personal trainer who can help you with exercises. I have found that running is the cheapest and easiest way to drop weight, but it hard on your knees.

I don't know very much about detox. Sometimes I detox by getting a massage.

wakeupcall! Great to have you join us!!
There isn't a pill that will help you at all. If there was, we'd all be thin! No joy there. Sorry. But, having said that, if you're craving red meat, eat it! There is NO HARM in eating red meat, in fact, as long as it's lean and you're eating in portions, 3-4 ounces two to three times a week is good for your health. Cut out as much fat as you can and grill it on the BBQ. I eat it four times a week since I'm a woman and tend to be more anaemic. Red meat is the best source for bioavailable iron next to some leafy veggies.

Use upper body cardio; one where you don't have to move your legs so much. I'll look through a SAS/SBS (the equivalent of the Green beret/Navy SEALs) exercise manual I've got and see what they say. They've got an entire section on keeping fit when injured. Standing (if you can't, then sit) and do karate-type punches is great for raising your heart rate.

Your body detoxes itself... that's what your liver is for. The best thing to do to lose weight, eat right and exercise. If you slip a day, get back on track as soon as you can. You'll have hard days, we all do. We don't mind if you complain or destress here. That's what we're here for... to provide motivation, butt kickings and share information.

Good to have you with us and good luck.

Thank you so much for the helpful information thus far. I have benefited already from your answers today. THANK YOU.

riley i started reading up on that Alli you mentioned and laughed so hard I almost pooped my pants! :-) TOO FUNNY! But talk about motivation....

Some of the reviews on Amazon are pretty hysterical

[quote=wakeupcall;3164803]riley i started reading up on that Alli I almost pooped my pants! :-) TOO FUNNY!
/quote

That is exactly why I stay away from it !

Yeah - if you're already having accidents just from reading about it, it's probably not something you need. Keep reading those reviews and you'll get your detox in at the same time. Clean yourself out. Ha ha.

Doing well. Yesterday I ate "larger" than I have in about 11 days...but still ate healthy. Had bowl of mini wheats for breakfast, chicken caesar salad for lunch, bowl of fruit and almonds for supper...and some more almonds as a snack later.

Need to figure out some exercise...my knee is still very painful...I hate gout!

Also, the pangs for junk/fast food are subsiding a bit. Very thankful for that I hope it lasts!

I am going to go out shopping today for a decent multi-vitamin...as after reading tons and tons of stuff I am sold on exactly nothing. So down to business...eating healthy, eating less, moving as I am able....let's do it.

Mind of I chime in? I have been at this many years. Lost 90lbs in 2003/2004 and now am working on some that creeped back on during 2 babies in less than 2 years.

#1. Are there any pills that really help? - My feeling is that their effect is largely placebo. I feel that anyone can benefit from a good multi-vitamin and an omega-3 supplement - it's just to hard to get everything from our diet. With processing and non-organic farming we don't get the proper nutrients.

2. What is the best kind of in home exercise? - I purchase videos off of eBay and workout in front of the TV. My favorites are Slim in 6 and P90 Masters Series. My husband likes these as well, as they are not "dancy" and use normal equipment like weights and resistance bands.

3. Flex Belt - no idea, sounds like a sham.

4. Detox - no solid evidence that even does any good. I have heard of people busting through a plateau with a fruit and veggie feast for 2 days, but that's as close as I would be willing to go.

Just my two cents. Stick around, see what you think. There's a guy called EZMONEY on here that has lost some poundage and seems to be a pretty down to earth dude.

Hi Wakeupcall I'm still pretty new myself so can't offer a lot of advice but I do have a husband with gout and can offer a few tips there.

How much information did your doctor give you about gout? There are lots and lots of foods that can worsen it. Obviously it will vary from person to person, but my huband doesn't eat things like peas and green/yellow beans also he can't eat bran cereal. Booze and red meat are also very hard on gout, especially if that meat is rare... hubby eats his medium or medium well (and grumbles through every bite of it!). Also, drinking lots and lots of water will help to flush the crystals that cause gout out of your body.

Visiting a dietician could help you out more.