Hi, I am 39 years old. I am 5'6" and weigh 277. That probably makes me the fattest person here! I have been yelled at by skinny friends to stop eating food and work out for an hour a day and that will solve all my problems. I work at a very demanding job and only get to sleep four hours between shifts. If I work out for an hour that only leaves me three hours to sleep. this makes me hallucinate, but I guess it is good for me because being thin is more important than sleeping, right?

Welcome and good luck ! You definitely are not the fattest person here, and it wouldn't matter if you were. Why not just try a good low calorie diet ?

You don't have to work out to lose weight! I lost most my weight with no exercise. Focus on your food choices. I counted calories, but do what will work for you.

to the site. May I be the first to suggest you start off by choosing a more positive and affirmative name? Just post it here and one of us MODs will change it for you.

four hours of sleep isnt enough for a human body to run on long term. I also worked "demanding" jobs and multiple jobs most of my life, and I strongly suspect that the chronic sleep deprivation did more than just about everything else to get me TO nearly 400 lbs with an assortment of health problems including IBS, borderline diabetes, fibromyalgia, and chronic bronchitis (and almost yearly bouts of pneumonia), and chronic seborrheic dermatitis, and possibly mild rheumatic arthrits (the last four symptoms, if not all of them being caused by an autoimmune disease attacking my respiratory tract, skin, and joints).

If you deprive a rat of restful sleep (even if you let them sleep "some"), they die of immune system problems - autoimmune diseases and infections like pheumonia.

Long-term sleep deprivation is so dangerous, that researchers haven't experimentally caused long-term sleep deprivation in many years. In fact, it's even difficult to find current studies where a person's sleep is intentionally disrupted for more than a couple nights in a row.

About eight years ago, I ended up having to give up my demanding job, and just about everything else of value in my life except my husband and my life itself (what little was left). I ended up on disability, before the age of 40, and I may never get back to work, completely wasting my master's degree in psychology.

Get a different job, or give up something else in your life to get a MINIMUM of 7 hours of sleep.

I have had various doctors, including my family doctor, a rheumatologist specializing in fibromyalgia, and my neurologist tell me that for decent health and weight loss, sleep is key.

There's been much research recently implicating sleep deprivation in obesity.

Your sleep is actually more important than your weight right now. Don't take my word for it - talk to your doctor.

And anyone who tells you that it's "easy" to lose weight is stupid, and anyone who yells at you and expects you to survive on three hours of sleep - isn't a friend, in fact, they're pretty close to an enemy.

Treat your body with respect, or it will betray you. And losing weight at all costs, and depriving your body of sleep, isn't respecting your body, and it definitely isn't the answer.

When I was first treated for my sleep disorders (I had sleep apnea and wasn't spending any significant amount of time in REM sleep, the restful sleep), my pulmonologist told me that I would probably lose some weight "without even trying."

I thought he was NUTS, with a capital N, because I'd been dieting (mostly crash dieting) since kindergarten, and I had never lost a single pound "without trying" in my life (unless you count losing a couple pounds with the flu, and gaining it back again when the flu was over).

Sure enough (during a time I didn't even weigh myself, let alone "diet"), I lost 20 lbs, without trying.

If it weren't for those 20 lbs, I wouldn't be here, because I had sworn of trying to lose weight, because in my experience it only ended with me getting fatter. So I decided that if I couldn't try to lose weight, I could try to keep the 20 lbs off and "maybe lose one more."

And that's how I've lived my life since then. Putting my health above my weight maintenance, and my weight maintenance above my weight loss. I won't ever again do something that makes rapid weight loss more important than permanent weight loss. I won't ever again be tempted to thinking that "not losing" is almost as bad (or even nearly as bad, or even sort of as bad) as gaining.

That's what let my weight get out of control - the belief (and we're all taught this belief in this culture) that "if I can't lose, I'm such a loser I might as well be gaining."

I worked those demanding and double jobs to "prove I wasn't lazy" and it nearly killed me. Please, please, please don't make that same mistake. It may not kill you quickly, but it will kill you, and you deserve a decent life.

If you can't give up your job, protect your sleep. It's going to keep you alive. And don't trust me on this - see your doctor. Tell him about your sleep habits, and your sleep requirements. Get a sleep study done if you can (because if you DO have sleep apnea, your four hours aren't doing you much good - and you need to get it treated so that the sleep you DO get is the kind that will protect your health).

You're not dispicable, and you're not lazy. Fat is not the worst thing you can be, despite what our culture sometimes says. You're not drowning puppies or kicking toddlers. You may not even be "eating too much," you may be mostly "sleeping too little." Sleep deprivation isn't a crime, but it should be because it can get you killed.

Of course I'm passionate on this subject, because if I had learned the lesson sooner, I'd not only be thinner, I'd still be working in my chosen field, and even more importantly I wouldn't be digging myself out of this health crisis "hole" with a teaspoon. Even so I've done miracles with that teaspoon, but only AFTER I started getting a good night's sleep.

My doctor's tell me weight loss, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disease does not get better until sleep deficits are repaired. Please consider this carefully, because no job is worth jeopardizing your health and future for.

But I really feel despicable. I feel like skinny people hate me for existing.

That is not true but it sounds like you hate yourself.

By looking at your profile image - you truly are lovely. If your friends treat you like trash then move on. To me it seems this is going to be emotional, as well as a physical change for you. It's definitely about making a plan as to what's right for your health. Also, making the assumption all skinny people hate you is ludicrous. Sure there are people who don't understand overweight people, but there are plenty who are loving and very supportive. Also, we are all skinny girls inside .

You are definitely not the largest person here so no need to feel self conscious.

Exercise is great but if you can't fit it in right now I would focus solely on making good food choices. You don't need to choose between too little sleep and weight loss.

Lastly, don't worry about what others think; most people are very focused on themselves.

I looked at your profile pic and you are beautiful! It's true weight loss is possible without exercise, at least up to a certain point.

Welcome!

Of course you aren't the fattest person here. This is a weight loss forum. If you are 39 and still deciding to do things based on what your "skinny" friends think you should do, I agree with scondy, dump them and move on. You have to make the decision to be fit and healthy for no one but yourself. Seek positive reinforcement to help you achieve your goals. This is the place to do that.

I have mobility issues from an auto accident so exercise is limited, though I did find a way to incorporate some into my program. It helps my mood as well as my mobility. However, you are probably better off getting more sleep and leaving the exercise to later or incorporating it into your daily routines (stairs v. elevator, parking a distance from the door).

As others have pointed out, 4 hours of sleep is probably working against your efforts to lose weight. Check out http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders...t-sleep-habits for more information and some additional links.

If you have made the decision to modify your diet, I recommend counting calories. You don't have to be overly fussy about what you eat, just how much and there are several tracking apps that help you stay in control while you're on the go. Gradually you learn to eat healthier foods because they make you feel more satisfied.

First, make the decision to do this for you. You'll start loving yourself as soon as you start to see results.

I looked at your profile pic too and I think you should change your name to "hot chick with unsupportive friends" :-)

I wish I only had 23 pounds to lose! I weigh 277 and I need to lose like 170

I cannot get a good night's sleep BECAUSE i work nights. I get off at 6 am, get in bed around seven thirty if I am very lucky and my husband is willing to take our son to school, then I have to get up around 2 pm to pee and usually cannot go back to sleep and it is time for me to wash my scrubs and such and I have to be at work at 5:30 pm.

First,

Second, breathe...You are not the fattest person here. Look around, you'll see there are a lot of us! I weighed in at 275...that was like 3 weeks after I started trying to loose weight. I was too scared to see the "real" number.

Third, small steps. Even changing one bad eating habit for a better more healthier eating habit can make all the difference in the world. Example, trade a soda for a flavored sparkling water. Trade that cookie for apple slices/raisins. Try walking for 10-15 mins a day. If you can't do it, go as far as you can, try for farther the next time.

Fourth, find a group here that suits you...they are groups by age, weight to loose, special needs, beliefs, etc...just take a look around. I KNOW you'll find you niche!

You CAN do this! We WILL hellp! GOOD LUCK!!!