Motivation

Howdy guys and gals!  I'm taking over this club, not because i think i have all the answers (i so know i don't) but because i'm super pumped up right now and motivated to help those people out there who have a lot of weight to lose.  we need a place that's more than a "can i join" place.. we need a place to talk about issues related to being this overweight.. 

Who here needs to lose over 100 pounds? Who needs to lose over 150 pounds? Or more?

I did! I did! And yes.. i did!

A small amount of background on me for those of you who don't know: i am a binge eater. I have had a problem with emotional eating, hidden eating, over eating, eating with a hang nail, eating because i have split ends.. you name it i stuffed my emotions down with the greasiest, nastiest food i could find!

Why did i do that (you might ask)? Because of many many different reasons.. frankly i think it was because this is how i was taught from a young age, this is how we handle stress and emotions. I learned that it's not proper to talk about your feelings.. or god forbid, express your emotions! You have to shove them down with a piece of cake and a smile!

Anyway.. onto the reason for this post.

If you are out there and need to lose a lot of weight.. just like i've got to.. i think we need to have a place where we can discuss these issues with each other and try and work through them together. Because, let's face it, people who are morbidly obese (yes.. i hate that word too) have uniquely different issues to work through and deal with than the average person.

Losing weight, for people who have this much to lose, have to deal with so much more than the formulas to figure out how much to eat.. and exercising. It's more complex than that. We have to deal with years and years of poor eating habits that have to be unlearned, we have to deal with the emotional torment of just being this size, we have to deal with the harsh looks and comments from strangers or from loved ones, we have to deal with our emotions for the first time in our life because we aren't shoving them down our throats anymore..

this is the hardest thing ANYONE has to deal with.. but, from my experience, things are different for us bigguns. :)

also, for those of you who don't know me very well.. (because i've kinda been in hiding and not posting much and there are so many new people out there) i started out in january weighing 324 pounds. I now weigh 232.5.. i have lost 91.5 pounds so far. I am not telling you guys this to get kudos.. i got those yesterday. I'm telling you guys this because i want anyone out there who is struggling with knowing they have, what seems to be, an insurmountable amount of weight to lose, that there is hope.. it IS possible.. you CAN do it.. but it's hard.. and you will hurt.. i know this because i've been there.. i've done it.. and i'm still dealing with it.

so.. come on in and share your stories.. i want to hear them and i want us to support each other until we are all at our goal weight!

Thank you Willowraven. Hope everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Welcome Bobby! even I am working to cutdown from 300 currently I am at 291. I eat haelthy and I am more happy now. I would suggest as most of the people told Have a journal and keep noting down your weight and maintain a daily calorie intake . Write down and mentally be prepared what you are going to eat and how many calories the food contains. Wish you good luck. I know it is a long journey! But, as many have already done it.We can also do it.Just keep reminding it Taste lasts for some time but it takes a lot to burn those calories!. Hope this helps! Keep us posted about your progress.

Merry Christamas and a Happy New Year to all of you!

Hi Asaianu,

Thanks soo much for the positive feedback. Was really hard to keep count yesterday. just all the wondefulness of Christmas... but I stuck to it and instead of having that big fat bowl of GUMBO....(new(3yrs old) Christmas Tradition) I had a small bowl and only went back for 2 shrimps.. love seafood! I had one peppermint candy which I savored and a glass of champagne. If this was like any old Christmas... I would have finished off 3 fat bowls of gumbo, had a plate of rice, some of my moms "crazy chicken", some thin chinese vermicelli noodles with lop cheung(chinese sausage) and dried shrimp... yeah it's a different holiday at Bobby's house:)  SO I am pretty proud of keeping my food intake to a minimum. Thank you once again. Take care.

Just started today, feeling over whelm by the amount I have to lose. Help

Hi everyone,

New here...so far things are going good. I'm 25.....I was 295 lbs. when I joined and started on Dec 26. when I weighed last I was 293 lbs. so I guess I'm heading in the right direction.  I also get those overwhelming feelings about the huge amounts I have to loose, but this time I've started with a different attitude and so far the whole tracking food thing is really working out.  

My questions is where are all the 100+ to loose people working out? :)) I've was at the gym 3 times this week and saw maybe 2 other really overweight people...I do my thing and try ignore all the fit toned people around me, but being overweight and self concious its not always easy.

i know what you mean..safantasia..you feel like you are the onlyone out there!!!big and trying to get fit!!

Hi Everyone :-)

Safantasia,  Congrats on your first loss!! I get what you mean about where are the people like us at the gym?? I know for a fact that some of those super fit people were once like you and I. They just got to their issues sooner than us!

On a personal note, I dont gym. For many reasons, not in the least my self confidence. But I dont skimp on my fitness. I walk home from work each day. (30 min) and I use a low impact aerobics tape on the weekends. I have been on this for 38 days (have lost 14.4lb) and can almost get right through the tape without falling over... (low impact cause I think if I had to jump around all the things in the cabinet would fall out! plus my knee joints just wouldn't handle it.)

Hi safantasia,

I had your question in mind when I was at the gym today. (I go to a small neighborhood branch of YMCA) It's true I rarely see someone 300+ there. (sometimes some 250-ish folks, though) But I do see a whole range of body types, ages and fitness levels. Today there was an older, slightly timid looking woman in a wheel chair working out with the medicine ball which I thought very cool. I tried to make eye contact with her and smile, but she seemed kind of inward-turned. This is the first gym I've ever used that I've been at all comfortable in. It took some work--the repetition of going--to get to the level of comfort I'm at now, though. I'm still a bit phobic about using the area with the free weights. I'm kind of working my way over there via the nautilus equipment :-) I'd guess a lot of people, regardless of what they look like, but maybe aren't natural athletes, feel some apprehension at the gym. Perhaps it might be helpful, instead of ignoring the toned people, to try and be open to a nod or smile, and think about what their struggles might be. But you are right, it is definitely not an easy environment to be in at a large size. I've been there (heck, I'm still at 230) and know what you're talking about. It just depends if going is more important to you than the discomfort. (I like the structure of a gym visit myself, though I do walk, etc on other days as well.) Anyway, done rambling. Good luck!

Hi safantasia,

I want to suggest my favorite way to exercise, water jogging or a water aerobic class. Its a great calorie burn and the water is bouyant, providing support. The biggest plus for me is that this group attracts a group of large size women who exercise together. It is a great workout. My JCC also has a weight room and I do exercise there. I figure that I pay my membership and I have every right to be there. There are people of all ages and sizes there, though I am probably the largest. No hassles as of this point and I feel so much better exercising. Don't let the fat phobics keep you from being healthy. And remember, the most critical fat phobe may live inside of our own mind.

I still go, well atleast have been going for the last 2 weeks and doing my thing...just an observation!

Thanks for all the tips and encouraging words.

I used to be really social phobic until I realized one day everyone else is probably just as self conscience as me!  They are probably  worried that what everyone is thinking about them.  So if someone is thinking negative then they are the ones with the issue.  It also motivates me by thinking "I'll show them. I'll keep coming and they'll see how much I lose".

Hello Everyone~

I just joined yesterday.  Weighing in at 263lbs.  My highest was last January at 292lbs, and I was able to lose the 29lbs and keep it off last year just by changing my eating habits (thank you points system).  So I know I can do this.  I have 123lbs to go.  Like a lot of us I have never been "thin", the excuse was always "I'm big boned".  Well being "big boned" allowed me to trick myself up from a comfortable 175lbs to where I am now.  No more excuses, that's what all of this is about.  I can happily say I have been going to the gym for 1 hour daily since the new year and I am not going to settle anymore.  Here's to putting my husband in debt because of all the clothes I am going to buy when I succeed!! 

By the way, I completely understand the gym issue, I joined Cardinal Fitness and I can go to that gym where the people there are like me and actually look like they need to be there and it's comforting.

I am a 100lb-er.  My total weight goal is to lose between 100-110 lbs.  I have lost 13 already so I'm getting there!  My starting weight was 230.  I couldn't believe it when I got on the scale and saw those awful numbers.  But 18 lbs and I will be 199, then I will have to cry because of happiness.  So yeah.  Remember people to give yourself many praise for each and every pound you lose.

Joey xoxo

Hi all! I joined recently and have about 130-ish pounds to lose. So far I'm doing good. I'm pretty skittish about going to the gym but reading what ya'll posted has helped me look at it in a different light. Friday I am going to go sign up at one of the local gyms (no $$ before then) and am quite excited about it. I'm also starting water aerobics on Monday morning.

Thank you so much for sharing your ups and downs with everyone. It's nice to know I'm not the only one!

AJ

Hi everyone. Well here goes. I am now at 285 I started loosing weight a month and a half before I joined here so I am not sure how much I lost in total. I am on my way to 140 lbs. I know I am down one pant size. I have lost 5 lbs since joining and here I sit. I seem to have hit a plateau or something. This is the first time I have publicly told anyone my weight and if it hadn't been for everyones postings here I am not sure I would have had the courage. Not even my family knows.

 I have had a thyroid disease since about the age of seven, (discovered it at age 40), tried most diets, fads and pills out there and continued to gain weight. Now I have had enough. I am afraid of dying and I want this to end.

This site has given me so much information and hope, when I read of all the successes here, I can't help but live healthier. We eat very healthy  regularily but my metabelism apparently has suffered from years of abuse. So with the help here I am now trying to rebuild it. I even started exercising regularily. That's a first.

Well I seem to have developed motor mouth all of a sudden. That's what happens when you finally break the silence. HEHEHE! Feels good

Thanks everyone for the encouragement!! 

I belong here! I've got 140 to lose.. *sigh* I'm a newbie. Just joined up a few days ago. Lookin' for motivation! I haven't read the rest of the forum yet (so many pages!) but I was so spazzy happy that there were other people that had lots to lose that I had to come fit in first. *grin* *group hug!* Whew.

Okay, now that that's out of my system... I would like to know, if anyone would share, what sorts of exercise type things you do the most of.. What works.. And what to stay away from. I've got so many DVDs.. From Yoga to Pilates to Bellydancing to Steppercizing to Tai Bo and Tai Chi etc. etc. etc. What gives you guys the best results? :D

Hi all!

I am new here, just joined today. I am not new to the diet thing, but I have a really hard time committing to it. I am at my heaviest now at 248. I have gained so much weight since July after my mom died. My problem is that I am always on the run and I have just started my 2nd job so I am really busy, I could use some suggestions on being able to eat on the run etc ..... I have 130lbs to lose and it seems impossible.

Welcome Vrykolia, Minajaxgrl, Alaskanjayhawk, Chippertoo, Spamshick, and Tracymarie.

You are in good company here. Most in this forum have gone through or are going through similar situations. I know first hand what its like to feel like your the biggest person, in your class/office/gym... Here you can feel at home. I know I do. You are all welcome to add me as a friend, the more the better.

HI all my name is matt, but my friends call me skeet. i am 5-6 and just at 300. just about a year ago i was 355. I went on a tear and got all the way down to 287 or so. I miss being solidly under 300. I am a pretty good looking 300 pound guy though. I always played football infact played college ball. I played college ball at about 250 but then kept eating after i hung up the paids just like i was eating all those years. i gained a ugly 105 pounds over a years time. well now I am on the road to 205 what i was before i tore my knee 6 years ago. I do have alot of muscle so 205 looks about 180 on me so none the less I look good when i get there. I just would like to help coach people and to take advice from people on here. 14 days ago i was 312 to 315 since then you can tell i have focused up. well hope to hear from everyone soon

late

skeet