Hi all,
A friend recommended joining this forum, so here I am.

I have put off dieting for a long long time, all previous attempts failed, or I gave up. But my current weight is such that if I don't loose, I am a heart attack waiting to happen. I've used all the excuses under the sun so far as to why i've not started to diet again. But, weekend before last I met up with a friend who I knew was going to a slimming class, but I didn't realise was a morning one (I have to go to a morning class because of work), so I invited myself along to his class last week. I joined Slimming World on the 26th January 06... I'm 28 and currently weigh (I think this is right!) 322.5lbs. (UK= 23st 1½lb) It upset me no end when I got on those scales. And it was made even worse by the fact, I was the biggest woman in the room.

I have gone down the doctor route, but it left me feeling humiliated. I was actually due to see my doctor today (31st) but I cancelled because I couldn't face sitting there being told I'm "beyond help", which I have had from 2 previous doctors.

I have done the eating plan religiously since Thursday. I've followed it to the letter, even weighing the correct amount of meat, or pasta... something unheard of in my household.

I wouldn't say I over eat. I have always been overweight, both of my parents are overweight. And since starting at my current job, my shift pattern meant I was coming home at 10pm and eating a full meal. I've put end to that now.

Thankfully my mum has agreed to eat as I do, so finding it easy at the moment. She lost weight before, without any help. She lost over 4st, but put it all back on when she had a bad few months. She had to loose weight because her doctor warned her she would be put on insulin for her diabetes. I think that has happened again, because she's doing this diet with me.

I have no life, I just exist. I make excuses why I can't go out, I just don't want to! Being this size, I know people watch me if I go out for meals, so I don't... skinny friends say i'm being paranoid, but I think that's the case! I find it uncomfortable sitting in chairs. (Actually afraid I will break them!)
I've lost friends because I won't go out anywhere. And I have no boyfriend, I hate my body, I wouldn't wish it on anyone!

I'm not exercising and I don't plan to until I've lost a fair bit. Call me stupid if you will, but muscle weighs more than fat... I want to get some of the weight off, not add to it.

I need support though. I need encouragement, tips, advice, help, tellings off, anything to help me stick at it. I'm determined to keep at this diet, but there may be days where I think about giving up. I just would like to know there are people willing and ready with size 9 boots on, to kick me up the backside!

That's about it for now,

Luv
Mands xx

By the way, I know 140lbs is a far fetched wish, on my little progress bar thingy, but if it's there and those scales get closer, i'll carry on going just to get it to the end.

Hi Mands, welcome to the forums! I see you're a Brit and there is a forum just for UK chicks here, if you are interested.

It is true that muscle weighs more than fat, but it's important to remember that muscle also burns more calories than fat. Keeping your muscles in form also boosts your metabolism. Exercise has proved vital in my continued weight loss and is instrumental when a dieter enters maintenance phase. I began at around 15 minutes a day of exercise because of the physical difficulties. I could only manage 4 minutes at a time on the treadmill (now I can do an hour with great ease).

I've also heard that beginning with diet OR exercise (not both) is a good route. It is difficult to make both changes at the same time, and I suggest you do whatever is more comfortable for you.

Depending on you height and frame, 140 may not be far fetched at all. But quite a few ladies on here like to break their goals down into smaller ones. I'm like you though and like to aim for the final goal.

I wish you tremendous luck and strength as you begin your journey.

Hiya, thanks for the welcome.
I'm not really worried where the support comes from. Or shall I stick to the UK part of the forum?
Once I get down a bit, I will for sure start the exercise thing. But it's too uncomfortable right now. And I am using all my will power on eating healthily alone! It's taken me long enough to decide enough is enough, so one thing at a time.
My weigh in isn't until Thursday Morning, but I feel different. My boobs (am I allowed to use that word?! ) feel much, much lighter. Today walking around work, I noticed I am definitely walking taller and straighter, not hunched over.
And my bum didn't seem as tight in the chair. Maybe i'm just wishful thinking as i've only been on it a week.

Truth will be told on Thursday. I will be devastated if I haven't lost anything! But hopefully that isn't the case.

I'm absolutely amazed by your weight loss. I hope I can be as successful as yourself!

You're welcome anywhere in the forums I just wanted to let you know about the UK forum in case you didn't see it. You are very much allowed to use 'boobs.' There are much worse terms that that!

I do understand about the uncomfortability factor when we have the extra weight to have to move. It is difficult, but it's also important, but like I said before, whatever you are more comfortable with. Yes, one change is definitely better than none.

My weight loss journey has been a difficult one, I can say that. It's definitely been a struggle. But I like to encourage and support others because I've been there (and still am).

My official weigh-in days are Thursdays as well. It's when I change my tracker.

Feel free to ask me any questions and tell me when you need a kick in the bum, I'll be happy to do it!

LOL! Thanks.
Thursday my bum might be in need of a kicking. Cause I think if it's not good news, a chocolate bar or crisps will be my best friend for the rest of the day!

How do I change my tracker? Do you have to create a new one everytime you loose something?

When did you start loosing weight, may I ask?

Don't be discouraged if you don't lose! That's the kiss of death for dieters!

You have to create a new tracker everytime you have a loss. They don't have any kind of automatic updates for trackers.

I started my diet/exercise regimen June 1 2005. I've had quick results because I'm on a VLCD (very low calorie diet). I also started right away with exercise. But it's getting harder as each day goes by. I have to exercise more and I can't cheat as much because I'm so much smaller.

I spotted how to do the tracker on one of the stickies. You change the last number to the current weight and it should do it.

A VLCD. How do you overcome hunger though? I messed up the first 4 days of my diet, I didn't eat nearly enough. I was so hungry! But I resisted the snack machines in work.
I really need to loose a lot. It's beyond a joke the size I am now. I wear UK size 30/32. I can't even shop in a fat persons shop because their 30/32 is too small! I have to buy from a catalogue. I don't have many clothes because they're expensive.

Roll on the day where I can just throw anything into my shopping trolley and it will fit!!

I lucked out somewhere along the line, because I rarely got hungry before my diet and rarely get hungry on my diet. I was suprised too: I began (while in the morbid obesity stage) on a 600 calorie a day diet and never got hungry. I actually only get hungry when I haven't eaten after 8 or 9 hours. And I can eat a few crackers to satisfy the hunger and it won't come back for another few more hours. Isn't that strange? I can even do a juice fast with minimal hunger. I consider myself very lucky, because my mom says she starved to death on a 1200 calorie a day diet, and mine is 1000!

At my biggest, I wore a US 26W (and my pants were tight) I actually shopped in the mens department for shirts! (What an embarrassing secret) I used to only have 2 pairs of pants that fit and a few t-shirts. Now I have a new wardrobe! Buying smaller sizes is one of my favorite things about losing weight. And you'll be able to do it too!

Here's what I suggest you do: Sit down and make a master list of foods you like that will work with your diet. From vegetables, proteins to snacks and convient foods. Try to strive for more real foods than processed or junk food. Even as I say that, I am munching on a string of twizlers. Keep revising and adding the list. The purpose is to create something that will help you shop with variety and will help you when you are needing something in a pinch (instead of grabbing the first food you see which may be junk food).

Get a fitday account. www.fitday.com. That'll help you track calories.


I personally don't recommend going that low on calories because when you start to lose weight and need to shift down, there is no room to go.

That sounds familiar. I literally only have 2 pairs of Jeans... although one I had to buy a size too big because they didn't have the length in my size. I have long legs. And a handful of tops.
It's embarrasing wearing the same clothes into work all the time. I'm clean and tidy though... so it doesn't really matter. But it makes me paranoid people think i'm scruffy! Bleh.
I went for a job that doesn't require a uniform because all the places I looked only went up as far as a UK26!

I said to my mum when we've lost our weight, i'm going to do a pretty womanesque thing. Go into a shop and spend obscene amounts of money on new clothes!

I'm on the Slimming World diet. It consists of a Red or a green healthy eating plan, or alternate the two.
On a red day you eat as much lean meat as you wish. On the green, you eat as much pasta and potatoes as you wish.
You eat a weighed amount of potatoes/pasta on the red and weighed amount of meat on the green.
Veggies and fruit are all free foods, so you can pig out on those if you so wish.
You are allowed 10-15 syns (correct spelling) a day. Which can be used on anything from more potatoes on a red day to a chocolate bar.
You have to have 1 or 2 'A' options a day, which is your milk or cheese. (set amounts) And 2 'B' options, which is your crispbreads, potatoes on a red day for example, or bread. (All set amounts)

I have been on the diet before and did ok. But I didn't have the willpower to keep it up. I hope at the age I am now, I can. Because I don't want to stay this big and do the old coffin dodging!
I have to jot down everything I eat or drink over the next 4 weeks. If I don't loose, they look back through it and try and work out why. That is getting on my nerves a bit, but their website has a food diary section, so I can just pick what i've had from the lists.

I've been good, in the nearly a week i've been doing it, the only naughty i've had was a sugar free mint yesterday because I had a cup of coffee and i'd forgotten my toothbrush!

Some people try and feed you with crisps or chocolate, it's annoying.
I am not telling people how much I have lost in work. I will tell them if I have lost, but not how much... or how little.

Yes, I'm feeling that as I type. I'd die if I go down any further. I don't recommend it at all. I regret it. But there isn't anything I can do about it now. I'd probably GAIN if I upped my calories. I can blame my poor choice on my terminal impatience.

Mands, I know what you mean about only having a few shirts for work. Back when I was working, I think I only had 5 shirts in rotation. And one got deemed inappropriate (it was from New Orleans and had a skeleton on it (I worked in a preschool)) and I couldn't wear it anymore. It was embarrassing as ****. Now, if I actually had a proper job, I'd have 20 shirts in rotation.

The key to sticking with a diet (besides willpower) is being aware of it (like in journaling and reading labels, etc) and not kicking yourself and falling further off the wagon when you do something off the plan. Give yourself the flexibility to be human so that you don't say "ughh, forget this diet." I also think of dieting as a learning experience. It makes it kind of fun. It helps that I do what I can not to feel starved, but in a good way.

BTW, I ate a HUGE bacon cheeseburger last night. Is that on my plan. NO WAY. Kids wanted to go to this special place and I never take them out anymore. Today, I only ate 600 calories of food (too busy at work, should have had my meal bars but forgot them. ). Is that according to my plan? NO WAY. I try to find a good balance most days but sometimes life gets in the way. Like our principal (teacher) said this morning to the students "if you make a mistake, learn from it then move on."

And so will I one day. *crosses fingers*
I wanna wear a skirt too! LOL! The old Gypsy style skirts are all the fashion here right now, they're really pretty. But I can't wear skirts... my legs are too big... lots of rubbing if I don't wear jeans.
I'll beat it! Grrrrrr.
This is me by the way, if anyone is interested... no full body ones I don't think... cause it's damn embarrassing!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...yRox/po043.jpg (me and Matt Lucas (from UK's Little Britain TV comedy show), people think we're related haha!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...x/mexmas05.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/SkullyRox/me3.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/v70/Sk...h_Picture1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/SkullyRox/bbv.jpg (about 2 years ago)