100+ lbs to lose.

[Her Lady]

Although I'm not morbidly obese appearing, I am extremely obese. I don't look like it but I weigh almost 300 lbs. I'm 36, no children and 274 lbs with virtually all of those lbs in my torso. I'm EXTREMELY broad shouldered & all of my fat is in my belly area, face & neck. My arms are large with a good amount of muscle but not toned. My legs are pretty (naturally) muscular and toned with a very small amount of fat. I've included lots of veggies, (mostly fresh frozen) and a bit more fruit in my diet. I've also cut back on my soda and I'm drinking diet soda, I drink a lot more water, NO juice except orange & I've worked my way up to walking a full 20 mins at least 3 times a week. I have high blood pressure and even with my meds, it's never been lower than 159/99. It's now 136/80. Anyway, long story short...I'm trying. I really am and I don't seem to be losing anything. What am I doing or NOT doing?

A friend of mine was juicing for 3+ weeks, not exercising consistently but lost some noticeable weight. She weighed 290 lbs and I'm sure she's down to at least 275 lbs. Should I fast? Juice? Cleanse? I'm not sure if it's healthy for me considering I have some medical issues and on meds. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

[alli]

Personally I don't think it's a good idea to lose weight in a way that you cannot continue it. I don't think fasting is a good idea, because obviously at some point you are going to have to eat again. If you are incorporating a diet & exercise program that is manageable for you and you lose weight, it will make you feel like "Hey, I can do this!" and you will be set to continue losing weight. However, if you only lose weight when you do dramatic things like fast, then you will start to feel like the only way you can lose weight is by starving yourself, and that's not a good way to do it. Plus, it's hard to exercise when you haven't eaten anything. So try to only lose weight in ways that you can maintain. I'd say get on the scale twice a week. Do it in the morning because you weigh less then . And write down your weight each time so you can track it.

 

You could also keep track of your food intake by keeping a food diary. You can include healthier foods in your diet but if your caloric intake remains the same, you aren't going to lose any weight. If you find that your caloric intake is higher than it is supposed to be (I'd also meet with a dietician) I think it would work best if you slowly tapered off eating those extra calories. Cutting 100 or 200 calories a day, while it will result in slower weight loss, will be much more manageable for you than cutting 500 calories a day, and losing motivation to continue because it's too hard. A food diary is good because it inevitably shows you how many calories you have been eating, so you can't deny you intake & wonder why you can't lose weight. It's all right there for you to see. Plus, you are less likely to grab a handful of M&M's here & there if you have to write it down every time.

 

That's good you are walking to incorporate a bit of physical activity, but really a leisurely walk isn't going to burn that many calories. I don't know how fast you're walking, but if you power walk I think that would really help you. Try to keep increasing your amount of physical activity. 20 minutes, 3 times a week is good. Over time, you should try to increase it to 30 minutes a day, at least 4 or 5 times a week. Walking quicker, maybe eventually jogging.

 

I'm sure it's hard, but if you are burning more calories than you are taking in, you will inevitably lose weight. You will not keep the same weight if you are burning more than you are taking in, so if you aren't losing any weight, either you haven't given your body enough time to show the difference or you aren't having a regular caloric deficit & you need to make a few more adjustments to your diet & exercise. Good luck!

[karvala]

Recent research shows that weight is partly about exercise, but predominantly about diet, and the bottom line is calories in must be *consistently* lower than calories out if you want to lose weight. The rest (exercise, types of foods etc.) is really just details, ways of optimising that weight loss, but none of it will help if your calorie intake is not significantly lower than your calorie expenditure.

 

Your friend lost weight while juicing because she was undoubtedly taking in fewer calories whilst doing so. But, and here is the crucial point, weight loss is not about temporary dieting or fasting, it's about a permanent change in eating habits. If your friend, after losing 15lbs juicing, goes back to her previous diet, she will return to her previous weight. A stable weight is nothing more than an equilibrium point between calorie intake and calorie expenditure; if you want the point to be lower, permanently reduce the intake.

 

So don't fast, but instead permanently change your diet, and in particular simply reduce the overall amount you eat. Make a distinction between eating when you're really hungry (those times when you rush to the kitchen ahead of the bathroom ), and eating when you just want a pleasurable experience. Chew gum and drink water instead, and above all keep yourself happily occupied and busy.

[mandyc]

Have you considerd joining a group like weight watchers? A family friend lost something like 80lbs doing it. I hadn't seen her in awhile and when she came over I was shocked. She had done weight watchers and followed the plan, and having that support group and having to way in every week really helped her.

[petite]

Proper nutrition, healthy lean food, smaller portions, no white sugar or white flour, NO SODA! Diet or no diet it's the same junk. No full cream milk. Lots of almonds, lots of prunes, nuts, fruits,fruits, fruits. No junk at all!

 

Walking 20 min 3 times a week is not enough. You need to walk every day for an hour at least or jog.

 

Also try Bikram (Hot Yoga) as it can help with weight loss.

Have you thought about joining a gym?

 

Truth be told, you have to make a lifestyle change, you can't expect to just cut some things out or rearrange a little, everything has got to change. From the way you think, to what you eat and what activities you do.

 

It's not easy, but in a few months you could feel amazing and feeling amazing motivates you to try harder and achieve your goal weight wise.

[itsallgrand]

Of course talk with your doc about it, but I think you could incorporate more exercise into your routine. Building muscle will help you in the long run - it's not just about losing weight right? You want to look good and feel good as and when the pounds fall off. Building muscle, doing stretches as well, will help you do that.

 

It could be something simple to start out with, like toning bands. Or very light dumbbells. Simple lunges and squats.

 

Swimming is a great exercise too, and relaxing. Very easy on the joints and you can build endurance + tone muscles.

 

I think the key is to find exercise you can enjoy long term, too. Anything that gets you moving. Try some new things, have fun with it, so it doesn't all seem like work to shed some pounds and get moving. Golf is a good one. Curling. Whatever interests you...

 

Losing weight is about calories in , calories out. But it's health you are really after - and that means making sure you get the nutrition you need as well and exercising regularly. No getting around that.

 

Have you tried speaking to a nutritionist or dietitian to help you with the food part?

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

I'd warn a bit against dried fruit and fruit in general. It is very good to incorporate them in your diet, considering where you are likely starting from, but don't forget they're full of sugar. Cutting down saturated fat, sodium, sugars, and starches are your best bet.

[FathomFear]

I would highly, highly recommend this book: link removed

 

If you like fruits/vegetables and are willing to cut the vast majority of meat/pasta/breads from your diet, you'll definitely see results.

 

I don't have anywhere near the same amount of weight to lose and I've lost around 16 pounds in three weeks so far. The diet is outlined here: link removed

[FathomFear]

I'd warn a bit against dried fruit and fruit in general. It is very good to incorporate them in your diet, considering where you are likely starting from, but don't forget they're full of sugar. Cutting down saturated fat, sodium, sugars, and starches are your best bet.

 

Well, the standard thinking (which I abide to) is that there's nothing wrong with eating lots of fruit. There's a rather stark difference between unrefined and refined sugars. I wouldn't lump them in the same category.

 

Dried fruit I definitely stay away from through because they lack the nutrients of fresh fruit. The calories are ...emptier.

[diamond78]

You first need to determine how many calories you should be eating a day in order to lose 1-2 pounds a week.

 

I use link removed to help me determine my needed daily calories. For example, at my current weight of 210 I need to consume 1200 calories a day with 3 days of 20 minute exercise in order to lose 1.5-2 pounds a week.

 

You need a starting point and then track your food for a few weeks to get an idea of how much food you need a day. I wouldn't be surprised if you're not even consuming the right amount of calories for efficient weightloss.

 

When I eat too few calories I do not lose weight because my body goes into starvation mode and my metabolism is real low. However, when I am eating the calories I do need, but lower than the excessive amount, the pounds do come off. Doing a few days of exercise helps and it increases your metabolism and builds healthier muscle which burns more calories even when resting than fat.

 

But you definitely need a good starting point. You need to figure out how many calories you should be consuming to have weightloss.

[alli]

I use link removed to help me determine my needed daily calories. For example, at my current weight of 210 I need to consume 1200 calories a day with 3 days of 20 minute exercise in order to lose 1.5-2 pounds a week.

 

I've never heard of that site but I joined it after I saw your post. I've gained like 4 or 5lbs in the last month & I'd like to lose at least that, if not 9 or so pounds total before my wedding in June. I also need to consume 1200 calories a day to lose 1.5lbs a week. urgh!!

 

It is difficult to keep track of servings. I don't normally count the number of crackers I eat at a meal; it feels a bit obsessive to get into that much detail. But you do need to do that sort of thing in order to know how much you are consuming!

[Genuine Duck]

I feel for ya OP. I myself was/am morbidly obese at 228 lbs last year and I'm slowly making lifestyle changes bit by bit to reduce weight. I am almost under the 200 mark (weighed in at 201.5 this morning).

 

Like I just said, weight loss is definitely about lifestyle changes, moderation, and slow improvement. The hardest part for me was accepting the fact that I didn't gain an extra 100 lbs in a couple months and that it's going to take longer than that to lose.

 

I have to leave soon so I can't share too much at the moment but I've been using this picture as a resource and I've found it helpful:

 

link removed

[Hermes]

Lady:

 

I would urge you as a first step to see an endocrinologist. He or she will advise on what is best for you. This is not a question of losing a few pounds, and you also mention your high BP.

Don't undertake any kind of diet without first seeing the specialst.

 

Best wishes

Hermes

[alvin]

I use the daily plate at link removed but it is probably more or less the same as the other site mentioned. You fan search for foods you eat to automatically track calorie intake, and you can set an ongoing goal (such as lose 1 lb per week, 2lbs, etc) and it will update your maximum calories to sustain that rate of weight loss as you update your weight. I've lost 100 lbs in the last year, March to March, and that website is a huge part of it. As someone else mentioned, weight loss is most easily and successfully achieved in the kitchen rather than the gym.

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

Well, the standard thinking (which I abide to) is that there's nothing wrong with eating lots of fruit. There's a rather stark difference between unrefined and refined sugars. I wouldn't lump them in the same category.

 

Dried fruit I definitely stay away from through because they lack the nutrients of fresh fruit. The calories are ...emptier.

 

Like vegetables, not all fruits are equally healthy. My only point is that even with "healthy foods" you have to be careful and monitoring any sugar intake is very important. You won't lose much weight eating a great deal of carrots, and grapes, for instance.

[mfan]

I think walking 3x a week for 20 minutes is great, if it is more than you were doing before. Any change like this will eventually make you lose weight, but only once your body "realizes" you are serious about it.

 

Let me put it this way: Bodies do NOT like to change. The human body has hundreds of systems which were all developed over millions of years to keep itself stable. Everything you do, your body has a counteradjustment for. If you go out in the sun, your body sweats to keep your temperature the same. If you drink water, the body adjusts its water/salt balance to keep that constant. Acidity levels, blood sugar, balance, circadian clock after traveling; bodies exert constant effort to keep any of these from changing.

 

When confronted with a change in actions (e.g. walking more; eating less), the body's first response will be to try to AVOID changing. You could stop eating entirely and you wouldn't lose any weight during the first 2 days except for water and the disposal of existing waste. The body would do anything it can to avoid losing weight - whatever chemical processes it can figure out to avoid changing its weight. Even if it has to deactivate your brain and try to save calories that way - it will, at least in the short term.

 

After a while of this changed eating/exercising habits, the body will no longer be able to apply "short-term fixes" and it will have no choice but to allow a change in weight in order to support your lifestyle. I don't think the process of homeostasis (the ability of the human body to keep itself constant) is fully understood (at least not by me), but it's a strong force to go up against. But please do not be discouraged because it can be beaten.

 

Congratulations on your progress so far and I wish you the best of luck.

[FathomFear]

The biggest mistake people make with dieting is that they try to just try to eat less of the same food they've always eaten. That rarely works as you need to resort to calorie counting. A much better approach is just to change to a diet based on healthy foods (fruits/vegetables). Unless you eat massive amounts of them you won't be consuming too many calories.

[mfan]

The biggest mistake people make with dieting is that they try to just try to eat less of the same food they've always eaten. That rarely works as you need to resort to calorie counting. A much better approach is just to change to a diet based on healthy foods (fruits/vegetables). Unless you eat massive amounts of them you won't be consuming too many calories.

 

Sorry, but I disagree with this. You also have to train yourself to eat less stuff in the first place, e.g. get out of the habit of constantly putting stuff into your mouth. "Eating all you want so long as it's fruits/vegetables" will NOT work, because eventually you will get tired of fruits/vegetables and you will still be in the habit of constantly eating. And what will you eat when you're tired of vegetables but still feel the urge to put stuff in your mouth? You guessed it -- junk food.

 

The only solution is a plan where you reduce the physical amount of stuff you eat, and redirect that time formerly spent eating into other activities.

 

While you're eating less, sure, even better if it's vegetables. But getting used to less food in the first place, and finding other stuff you can do instead of eating, is just as important.

 

(Also, why would you need to resort to calorie counting if you know you're eating less than you used to?)

[FathomFear]

Sorry, but I disagree with this. You also have to train yourself to eat less stuff in the first place, e.g. get out of the habit of constantly putting stuff into your mouth. "Eating all you want so long as it's fruits/vegetables" will NOT work, because eventually you will get tired of fruits/vegetables and you will still be in the habit of constantly eating. And what will you eat when you're tired of vegetables but still feel the urge to put stuff in your mouth? You guessed it -- junk food.

 

Your argument is predicated on the assumption that the person falls off the diet. Going back to your old ways is always going to be damaging. My point was that the volume of foods does not necessarily need to be decreased. In fact, it can radically increase as long as what you're eating is healthy. For example, I have close to doubled the volume of food I consume since starting my diet--but this is not relevant as it still much lower in calories than what I was consuming before.

 

Of course, I completely agree that portion control is important--but it is primarily a concern when you're eating high calorie foods which are low in nutrients. A little handful of this kind of food is the equivalent of plates of more healthy food.

[alli]

I think whether or not a person should decrease their volume of food intake really depends on the individual person. If a person eats a volume of food within a normal range (I need a scientist to define this normal range here!) then you probably wouldn't need to decrease the volume.

 

However, I've heard that some people have a problem detecting when they are full, so they continue eating, and eating, and eating, because their body doesn't tell them when to stop. Eating much slower, and perhaps measuring portions, can give a person an idea of if they are eating larger portions than they should be. Some people really do overeat. You really shouldn't eat to the point everyday where you feel as stuffed as you do on Thanksgiving. A dietician would best determine whether or not the volume needs to be decreased or not. I think you are both right. You can still eat a good volume of food on a diet if it's healthy enough. But some people really do need to decrease the volume of food they eat. Just depends on the person.

 

I've lost quite a bit of weight in the last 2 years. I wouldn't say I over-ate initially; I was even in a normal weight range (5'7", 150lbs). I didn't even intend to change anything, but I know that I don't eat the volume of food that I once did & now weigh 125-130lbs. I really think it would be difficult for me to eat the volume of food I once did & not return to my previous weight. Unless I ate 4 bags of celery a day- bleh. I just got used to smaller portions & only eating when I'm hungry, & stopping before I'm completely full.

[lavenderdove]

I think 'juicing' is basically a fad, and not a good way to diet. Juice is all sugar and carbs, and no protein/fat. And sugar tends to give you a quick boost, but then you crash and are hungry again.

 

Research has shown the quickest way to take off weight is a low carb diet and reduction in sugar/carbs, especially if you are significantly overweight. So you might want to look into a low-carb diet like Atkins or one of the others. If you genuinely feel you can't reduce carbs (some people have mental trouble reducing carbs because they like them too much), then you might try Weight Watchers (online) or some other program where you closely monitor your food intake to avoid overeating.

 

there is also a good free website called sparkpeople that lets you track your exercise, food intake etc. and is really helpful.