De-Lurking w/ a Question

"determined" wrote

You need emotional support, and medical supervision. Perhaps a program like HMR would work for you. Until you get away from the mindset that you are not willing to give up the very thing that is killing you, you will be unsuccessful.
***In case Matty doesn't know... HMR is a liquid, soup and protein bar medically supervised low calorie diet/fast. I did it for 3.5 months with a 50 lbs loss. It changed my life. The weight loss and increase in energy was enough of a push that I was ready to let go and really change my ways and lose weight a little slower. I needed to see that rapid change at first because I was feeling very hopeless. It was a bit expensive ($550 a month includes weekly counselor session and food). However, I saved a ton of money avoiding going out to eat and grocery shopping. After a few months, I couldn't maintain my level of exercise on 500-800 calories a day. I didn't want to lose all of my muscles and worsen my metabolism.

I also like Det's suggestion of seeking emotional counseling. I started this change in my life by going to a psychologist bi-monthly that specialized in food disorders. My disorder is addictive binging. I no longer go, but I did go for about 4 months.

At this point, I am happy losing slower and eating 1500-1700 calories a day and exercising 4-5 days a week on weights and cardio.

Matty... don't do the surgery. It is not worth the risks. Are you able to take short walks? Is your family overweight as well? I would start by setting small goals.. maybe 499 would be your first. Just slowly cut back on a few of the items you are eating and watch your calories. At your weight, I would start counting calories and keep them at about 3000 a day.

Perple
284/209/199
324 in 1999

det

You get two 15 minute breaks a day, right? What about walking around the
inside or outside of the building or outside in the parking lot? Does your
building have a gym? What about taking your lunches and walking around at
the local mall?

One thing about this group is that it doesn't do any hand holding and it can
be a little, how shall I say... blunt. This is not meant to insult or
discourage you.. but simply to help motivate you. When I first joined here
about 4 months ago, I was taken aback a bit by some of the members. Since
I've "gotten to know" a few of them from this forum... I realize that they
have some good advice and really want to help.

"Matty" wrote in

I was hoping this group would help with ideas and support, we'll see how
it
goes. I'm going to start a food diary and if anyone has information on
exercises to do at my desk(ones that actually help...) if they could post
I
would be appreciative.

Thanks,

Matty

Stretching is a great idea! Matty could get a headset for his phone and
even stretch while making calls.

"alien"
tons of help here! You can always do some stretches at your desk. Even
standing up and raising your arms up and down is something. Hold out your
arms in front of you for a minute or so. Stretching is awsome for anyone.
It releases stress relieving hormons that actually can aid in the
prevention of the storing of fat. Because stress can aid in obesity. So
anything to reduce stress helps.. Soooo stretch!!! Im assuming your not
really up to starting a vigurous exercise routine. I would suggest 3 15
minute stretching sessions a day to get those muscles used to working.
Then move on to some handweights. Keep in touch with your doctor before
you start any kind of long cardio. I would say start with walking in
place for 10 minute blocks and go from there. Please dont overdue it.


--
365/218.5/200

NC In Da House

Exactly... that is why I did HMR for 3 months. It was cheaper then the surgery and a good quick loss alternative w/out knives. It is an awesome start for someone that is desperate.
"Paul" wrote in

Since you are almost forced to change the way you eat anyway, why not do it without the surgery?

Hope this helps you,

Paul

Just browsing the group and getting ideas on what works and doesn't work for people wanting to lose weight.

At this point I want exhaust all other options before committing to the Roux-En-Y surgical procedure (which my wife, wife's family, my regular doctor & sleep doctor are all pushing towards).

I have seen the benefits(losing a massive amount of weight) and detriments(sallow, gaunt-looking, thinning hair, "dumping syndrome") to the surgery and am not sure if I want to commit myself to such a lifestyle(no pop, beef jerky, sweets, etc.).

I have the want to lose, but no way to gauge my progress and no real support system. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, LA Weightloss are all out because of the sexism that I've heard about(I'm a male).

Are there others out there like me? Is there a scale that I can purchase that goes above 350lbs? I know a scale isn't an accurate indicator, but with the way my body is proportioned, the measuring tape method won't help(measuring thighs, stomach, arms, etc.).

I guess I can reveal my particulars, if that will help responses to this question:

31 yrs old
5'9"
520lbs
Currently an insurance agent(I sit about 7-8 hours a day)

I did try drugs like Redux(it worked for me, but now I'm a part of that lawsuit) & meridia(didn't work at all).

I can offer more information if it'll help...

Thanks in advance!

Matty

"Matty" wrote in message ...


Just browsing the group and getting ideas on what works and doesn't work for people wanting to lose weight.

At this point I want exhaust all other options before committing to the Roux-En-Y surgical procedure (which my wife, wife's family, my regular doctor & sleep doctor are all pushing towards).

I have seen the benefits(losing a massive amount of weight) and detriments(sallow, gaunt-looking, thinning hair, "dumping syndrome") to the surgery and am not sure if I want to commit myself to such a lifestyle(no pop, beef jerky, sweets, etc.).
---------------------------------------------------------

HELLO??? You weigh 520 lbs for god's sake! Pop, sweets and other crap are killing you bit by bit. You need to take drastic measures - whether surgically or dietically. You need to stop shoveling garbage in your face and you need to do it NOW! You are committing suicide with food. You need emotional support, and medical supervision. Perhaps a program like HMR would work for you. Until you get away from the mindset that you are not willing to give up the very thing that is killing you, you will be unsuccessful.

det

"Ignoramus18995" wrote in message
...
In article , Matty wrote:
I have seen the benefits(losing a massive amount of weight) and =
detriments(sallow, gaunt-looking, thinning hair, "dumping syndrome") to
=
the surgery and am not sure if I want to commit myself to such a =
lifestyle(no pop, beef jerky, sweets, etc.).

...

31 yrs old
5'9"
520lbs
Currently an insurance agent(I sit about 7-8 hours a day)

I did try drugs like Redux(it worked for me, but now I'm a part of that
=
lawsuit) & meridia(didn't work at all).

I can offer more information if it'll help...


I want to ask one question. Suppose that a dangerous man stood with a
gun to your head, saying, if you eat one more sweet, or beef jerky, or
whatever, that he would shoot and kill you right away. The sweets and
beef jerky would be right in front of you, but you would know that you
will get killed right away if you eat them.

Would you eat that stuff in such a situation? I hope not.

I would like to point out that your life is not that different from
the situation described.

That stuff is killing you very quickly, you might as well go for an
inconvenience of not eating it. I highly doubt that you will live that
long if you do not make changes... You might as well just suffer from
the inconvenience of not having junk food if you want to stay alive.

Have you read about low carbing? It works for some extremely fat
people with similar addictions.

I personally have never been that fat, but I also was a junk food
eater and I gave it up entirely. Not a piece of candy, not a gulp of
pop, not a potato chip in 8 months. After 2-4 weeks, I was not even
missing that stuff.

i

Thanks for the insight, but I guess I wasn't clear in my original post. As
far as the comment about the pop, chips, etc. - that was in reference to
having the surgery. I have read many articles and personal stories that
these items can no longer be eaten after the surgery due to difficulty in
digestion/possibility of stomach blockage/onset of "dumping syndrome". I'm
not addicted to these items, but I do enjoy a couple of pieces of beef jerky
from time to time as well as a nice glass of ice-cold pop or soda water(with
a twist of lime) on occasion. If I never ate another piece of jerky I
wouldn't miss it.

As far as the low-carb thing, my wife's family was on it for a time and lost
some weight - but got off of it because of some health issues and with all
the talk about the Atkins and South Beach diets, it makes me very leery. My
mother lost quite a bit of weight on a doctor prescribed shake diet, but the
failure rate and costs involved are high.


Matty

Matty wrote:


Just browsing the group and getting ideas on what works and doesn't work
for people wanting to lose weight.


I'm no expert, nor am I a medical practitioner of any kind.

What (if any) exercise do you take?
What is your daily calorie intake?
What is the difference between the two?

Even if you are ill in some way, the laws of thermodynamics need to be
adhered to - to be the weight you say, you must have been, or still are,
operating a pretty large calorie excess.

Why not just try monitoring your calorie intake vs usage, and maintain a
deficit? As I say, the laws of thermodynamics *will* be obeyed - you
*will* lose weight when running at a calorie deficit. At some point you
will also need to address the matter of "lean tissue", and how you don't
want to be dumping that when losing weight - but initially I would think
most weight-loss would be fat.

--
Succorso

If you want to be healthy, whether you get the surgery or not,
you have to exercise. It helps your heart, your lungs, your
vascular system, prevents osteoporosis, builds muscle to help
consume calories, prevents dementia including Alzheimer's and
helps prevent prostate and colo-rectal cancer, it helps
insomnia and migraines, and that's just the benefits we know
about.

Oh yeah I forgot it also burns calories.

If you have never had a regular exercise program, you haven't
exhausted all the options. Get a stress test from your
cardiologist, and then start at least a program of walking
every day. If the weather stinks, and you have a mall with a
roof or a large public building nearby, go there and walk the
concourse. Build up to a half hour walk every day.

In the meantime, keep a food diary so you can see what your
eating habits are really like. It's extremely easy for people
to ignore some of the things they put in their mouths. When
you see what you're really eating, then you will be able to
figure out how to change your eating habits.

This will be a permanent thing. Nobody ever lost weight for
good on a temporary change of what they were doing.



Matty wrote:

"Matty" wrote in
:


Are there others out there like me? Is there a scale that I can
purchase that goes above 350lbs? I know a scale isn't an accurate
indicator, but with the way my body is proportioned, the measuring
tape method won't help(measuring thighs, stomach, arms, etc.).

I guess I can reveal my particulars, if that will help responses to
this question:

31 yrs old
5'9"
520lbs
Currently an insurance agent(I sit about 7-8 hours a day)

wow. OK first thing I want to say is good luck on anything you decide to
do. I commend you on taking these first steps. I'm getting a mental image
to help me here. I mean my life was in jeopardy weighing in at 365 6'3"
when i started my new way of thinking and eating. Opting for surgery will
be nothing but a low low calorie diet with medical supervision. Hell you
can do that with determination and save a bundle. And even then I'm here
to tell you I know someone personaly who had gastric bypass lost over 150
pounds. Guess what.... To date she has gained 100 of that back!!!! Yes
gained it back. She slowly stretched her stomach back out to the point
she was comsuming more than she worked off. So even surgery is not 100%
maintainable solution. I feel you will get alot of beef about your
comments about soda and jerky and such. My freind like me and others here
you must put 100% into your decision. It is going to be very very very
very very hard in the beginning. I wont lie. It does get easier. Just
like eating late at night or gross amounts of food when noone is looking.
(been there done that) its a habit. Eating healthy and exercising
reagularly in time will become habit. I am on my butt 10-12 hours a day.
You throw in 8 hours sleep and 2 odd hours for running errands and normal
daily stuff. That still leaves me with 2 hours of time to exercise!!! All
i need is one of those. the rest I spend browsing forums. ) what
works for alot of people here is counting calories and exercise. YOU MUST
ECERCISE. Now and for the rest of your life my friend. You have a long
journey ahead of you and I wish you well. Post frequently here for
support! If you must have the surgery all this is telling me that your
not willing to give 100% to a healthy life. And if your not willing to do
this,, surgery will only be a temporary solution. Some of the answers you
get here may sound harsh and offending, but they come from,been there
done that, people. The comments are no worse than what we were doing to
our bodies to get that out of shape.

peace my friend and good luck.....
--------------
starting weight 365
current weight 218.5
goal weight 200
hieght 6'3"

NC In Da House