Hi my name is Robin, this is my first day. I am 53, stress fractures on my feet so walking much is a challenge.. work 4 10 hour days at the computer. And I weigh 325 pounds.... this is the beginning of my diet that my doctor put me on. 1200 calories a day.. this is day two... hoping to get support and success. Here goes nothing .......

Welcome!

Welcome, Robin! I understand where you are coming from. I was in my 50's and started somewhere over 300 pounds (don't exactly know how much) and had great difficulty walking.

Here is some unsolicited advice, take what you want and ignore the rest. I am not a doctor so this is not medical advice, just what I learned through my experience. If your doctor has you on a specific diet for medical reasons, please disregard the inappropriate advice.

* Don't worry about exercise yet. You can add that in later.

* Don't look at the big picture, just focus on small goals. I look at 5 or 10 pound goals. They start mounting up.

* It is great if you can stick with the 1200 calorie diet the doctor gave you, but if you find you can't, then customize the diet. I tried 1200 calorie diets many times and just could not do it. I finally decided that I would give myself 1500 to 1800 calories a day and adjusted down from that. I had to learn the best way to get the most food for the calories.

* You are in the most difficult stage, getting started. Commit to staying on plan for a certain amount of time. If you stick with a plan for a year, I can promise you that you will be glad that you did!

You can do this!

PS - Losing weight has changed my life. This is more than wanting to look better. My quality of life has improved so much.

Welcome, Robin! You'll find lots of support here. I agree with Cheryl that you have may to adjust the calories upward somewhat. 1200 is not very many for a 300+ lb. person.

Oh and by the way, I'm 58, and I go by Fi (pronounced "fee").

Just keep posting, like in the chat thread, every day if possible. It's really helpful, especially for forgiving yourself and getting re-focused if you slip up.

Hey Robin! You can do this so ALWAYS tell yourself that...ALWAYS.

Welcome!!

Posting here on a regular basis has been a great boost for me. Weight loss is hard and there is no reason we need to do it alone!!

Best of luck to you

Welcome Robin!!! I'm 53 too, and I certainly understand! Hang in there with your doc, and if you've been lucky enough to find one that will help you, then work with him/her. Just hang in there, and know we're all here for you!!

Coming to 3FC helps. It helps me be accountable without condemnation. I started a post on another thread and thought I'd really slipped. But in writing it down I was able to look at the bigger picture. Not perfect - but there's always room for improvement. And compared to what I HAVE been doing, it was such a huge improvement that I'm encouraged.

Thanks time to lose, those are words of wisdom and I feel you are going to help me a lot. Thanks.. Will keep trucking. Thanks

Thanks everyone... so nice to be wanted. I did slip up yesterday, went to a major event and the food was free, not to mention the beer.... but back on track today.... I find myself better at 1500 cal a day... but still cutting out the eggs, mayo, cheese those are my favorites... thanks again gang... will make sure to check in as often as i can... I have to do this.. the clock is tickin.... and you all are so insporational... kudos to you all

New to this diet h:ting.... not new to the gaining weight thing. Bought a new scale and wonder what is the best ... weigh everyday, once a week, once a mo ? scared.....

Dear notmymama,

I am 51 and had virtually resigned myself to being overweight . At 287, my bmi was almost 45 (which for some strange reason I still didn't think was that bad at the time! but my knees were telling me that I was going to have to move into a one story house if something didn't changel I'd tried so many times without success so was starting to think about surgery.). I once scoffed at 'clinic' programmes but when my brother found success on a version of low carb moderate protein diet, I decided to try it, too.

It has been frankly the easiest diet i've ever been on. High level of satiation and really good results by sticking to the protocol. I am doing the Ideal Protein version which besides my clinic, Has a is a good support group here on 3fc, too.

There are many versions of low carb moderate protein law carb. Once I investigated issues like metabolic syndrome X, glucose intolerance, and things like how much corn is used in so many different kinds of food these days, The principles of low-carb moderate protein began to make sense to me.

And for me the proof has been in the pudding...in the first 4 months, I sailed through 75 lbs.

Because calorie counting does not address situations like metabolic syndrome and glucose intolerance, it works for some people but not for everyone.

Wishing you success on your journey, you can do it!

Annik

This depends. If you can psychologically, emotionally, and intellectually embrace the fact that our weight has a fluctuation range, weighing often can be an encouraging thing because carefully tracking the results can remind you during a weight gain that it is just that fluctuation.

But weighing often can also be a huge stressor and the source of discouragement for many people. If that's the case I think it is better to weigh just once a week on the same day of the week and at the same time.

It is also very important to keep the food and physical/emotional journal. That way, if there is a fluctuation you can check in with other indicators ( and not just the scale) to see what might explain a temporary gain.

Annik

So what you are saying is no starchs and small protein... lots of veggies.... what was the best thing you cut out of your diet.....

I actually eat little more protein than I used to (this is a moderate and not a high protein programme.) if you follow the Ideal Protein protocols, you actually are on a low calorie diet but the food selections ensure that my daily carb intake is below 40 grams a day.

Foe the first phase, that means no root vegetables, and no veggies like corn and beans. Sugars are restricted which means no fruit at the start. And no aspartame at all.

Your body goes in to a state called ketosis. One of its side effects is suppression of appetite. And because sugars/carbs are restricted, your pancreas gets to rest. Instead of turning to food intake for energy, it has to draw immediately from fat stores (I literally could feel the heat of fat burning inside me sometimes!)

The programme is about 25 years old, comes from France and is super popular in Western Canada.

I will dig out some links for you to explore about Ideal Protein specifically and moderate protein diets generally. I just feel like I have become an evangelist! I have struggled for so many years and what this programme has shown me is that I am super sensitive to carbs and suffer from insulin resistance....making it very easy for me to gain weight...and unless addressing those issues, very hard to lose and then maintain weight loss. This way of eating is so different from my history.

Sidebar -- Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth Ann
Have to agree with this!


My new favourite drink -- helps with weight loss, detox, and immunity.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Ginger Drink | Rubies & Radishes's Digestion Mocktail.

I use Stevia instead of honey. In the one I made last night, I used cinnamon instead of ginger

Going to try the ginger next

http://www.rubiesandradishes.com/201...cktail-recipe/

A different version of it uses a bit of cayenne pepper. This recipe explains the benefits of each spice...

Ingredients
1 glass of water (12-16 oz.)
2 Tbsp. Bragg – Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 dash cayenne pepper (optional)
1 packet White Stevia Powder
Directions
Blend all ingredients together

Secret Recipe Detox Drink will help your body burn fat, lose weight, fight diabetes.

Apple Cider Vinegar is full of enzymes and good bacteria. It contains acetic acid which has been shown to lower blood pressure up to 6%. It can also help eat up the starches if you do eat grains in your diet. (I use Bragg – Apple Cider Vinegar)

Lemon juice helps balance blood sugar and has an alkaline effect on your body helping to regulate ph. It contains, Vitamin C and is ok to use on a low carb programme.

Cinnamon is one of the best anti-oxidants on the planet. It is the number one herb/spice for balancing blood sugar.

Cayenne Pepper has been shown to drop blood pressure, increase metabolism.

Stevia is an all natural sweetener made from the stevia plant and it is a great replacement for any artificial sweeteners. (I use Organika – White Stevia Powder)