Lucky's Diary

lucky_starz

lucky_starz

New member
After a visit to the doctors office today I realized I can no longer hide my head in the sand. I need to change and fast. With a family history riddled with diabetes, pancreatic cancer, heart disease, and kidney problems I have to change my life. I am 26 and as of today weigh 442 pounds. I didn't want to look at the scale, but I knew I had no choice. I am a fairly active person, I am involved in Bellydancing and work with a personal trainer a couple times a week. I don't do enough cardio, but I'm trying to improve. I know how to eat well, I just find it difficult. I have stopped eating all fast foods and ceased all late night runs to the gas station for sweeties. I have an appointment with my doctor in a couple weeks to discuss weight loss options. None of which will be surgery. I guess I'm hoping for some type of catharsis with this site. Perhaps I can find some people who can share thoughts and insights with this me about all of these issues. I don't like focusing solely on weight, it's too fluid a measurement of success. However, after seeing the scale I realized I need to become more conscious of my weight versus relying on inches to measure progress. I guess the main reason I am admitting all of this to perfect strangers is I have let so many times pass when I could have changed. Every time I gained weight I let it slide thinking I would lose it later. This is my line in the sand. I won't let it go any further. I won't let myself hit 450. It may seem like an inane moment to take a stand, but I am. So there it is, my post and my official line in the sand.
 
There is no time like the present to take a stand and draw a line in the sand.

Decreasing fast food is definitely a good step in the right direction. And for times when you do go to fast food, there are some healthier options. At home, we stopped having any chips or snacks in the house. It was a tough adjustment with late night cravings for doritos...

I'll be here with you on this journey of yours. Keep stepping along :).
 
Hi Lucky,

Welcome to the forum and to your journal. You have made some very positive steps towards your goal of losing weight. You will find tons of support and advice here. Don't be afraid to share or ask anything. Drawing a line in the sand at this time is not inane ... its wonderful that you are doing it!

~Jenna
 
Once you're ready to do it - you can do it - and it won't seem that daunting... just take it step by step, day by day, meal by meal... surgery or pills don't have to be an option.. starving yourself on a super low c alorie diet isn't an option... eat, move, patience and you will get to where you want to be...
 
Fast food for me is sort of an addiction. I have to go cold turkey. Maybe comeday I can use those healthier options, but for now I worry about my self-control. Thanks for the support though. It is much appreciated. I think this forum is such a wonderful thing. It's definitely because everyone seems to share a common goal. Thanks so much for the encouragement and bear with me, this is my first forum and I'm a bit thick about how to respond to individual people.
 
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If you go to the nutrition threads there is tons of information to take in on how to eat the right things. Its not about super restriction and making yourself feel hungry. I'm not saying that's what you're doing because I don't know what your eating.

Laying off the fast food and having a personal trainer is a great start!

This forum is great... there's tons of support and advice. Everyone has a common goal of getting to a healthy lifestyle and its soo helpful. Don't be afriad to ask questions and peek around in others journals. Everyone is here to help.

~Jenna
 
Hi again Lucky :). Cold turkey works too for the fast food. I have trouble with planning ahead and am currently working on that. Trying to write out breakfast and lunch on my to - do list so I actually start eating better. Mainly, I fall short on the protien.

What does your nutrition look like right now? How many calories are you aiming for? I've temporarily stopped calorie counting and am protien gram counting now :).

Have a great day!
 
Onward Ho!

Sorry to those who have written and received no acknowledgement. It's been pretty wacky lately. I've added another day of training and to my schedule, so that's three times per week. Which kills me, but is good for me as well. I've decided to start the Medifast program to get a jumpstart. It's not permanent, more something I will do for 6-9 months with weight training and cardio to get some of the really dangerous pounds off. Then I would start transitioning back to normal foods and re-learning how to eat. Basically, at this point I feel like I've been following the definition of insanity. I keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. So now it's time for a drastic change. By the way, if you're not familiar with Medifast think of it loosely as Slimfast with but with 5 mini meals of soup, oatmeal, shakes or various other things.

Thanks Jenna for the advice on the Health threads I am definitely checking that out. I really appreciate the community vibe and support system.

Re: notme Tell me about it. I suck at planning and journaling my foods. It's one thing I am trying very hard to work on because I lose track of food. For now with the program I am on my caloric intake each day is between 800-1000 which I will grant you is low. However, their food is very high in protein because I don't want to cannibalize my muscle.
 
Hey,

Its great to realize that you have to drastically change yoru lifestyle in order to get results. I made the mistake of thinking many times that I can go on a diet and fix myself... but the truth is it must be a LIFESTYLE change. You're definitly taking steps int he right direction.

I would go over the medifast diet with your doctor...the calories are really really low.

The community feel here is awesome... it makes this journey a lot easier.

If you need anything feel free to pm me
~Jenna
 
I had to go over to the dark side and am now a fitday member. The USDA website is down way to often.

Three days of training a week is a good start. Of course, if for one week you miss a day, no reason to beat yourself up over it. Just hop right back on track :). We all have mini-lapses I'm sure.

The cals do seem low but I've never heard of that plan before.

I suppose, I should head out. My mom is going to be here soon, we're going out dancing tonight :).

Have a great night!
 
So far, so good

I am trying to keep myself really psyched for all of this. I'm planning mini goals every 3 months. Also every 3 months is picture day and measuring day. Gotta keep track of those inches as well as pounds. Then I'll input all the info into an Excel program and have a chart of my progress. I was never a math or science oriented person, but I love me some charts. Plus it helps that I have functions around my mini-goal times.
At the end of October I'm going to some wineries in North Georgia. I know how that sounds, but not everyone can live near California wine country. Then in January we have a mini family reunion, I'll get to show off my new digs. That's all I have for now, but it's a beginning. I'm journaling my food, and actually getting on the elliptical for 30 mins. OK I took 5 minute break in the middle, but still.

Hope the dancing was fun. And you are so right about the lapses. I think the hardest part, for me at least, is realizing one mistake doesn't mean giving up entirely. I'm still trying to learn that lesson. It'll probably take my entire life for it to sink in. What is fitday?

Jenna I am totally with you on the lifestyle change. I think that makes it extremely difficult. You can never really quit, you have to keep on top of it every day.
 
fitday is a website that people use to track their calories.

30 minutes is 30 minutes even if you took a five minute break... you still got 30 minutes of exercise done ;)
 
Fit day lets you track calories and activities and gives you your basal metabolic rate, how much cals you burn from activities (I laughed my ass of on the sexual activities category, that'll be one I'll never need...).

I had a week long lapse and as the week went on, the lapses just got worse. I really had to kick myself in the ass to get back on track and felt terrible about the regain in weight, too. One day and I probably wouldn't have had regain, one week... and I had regain :(. Ah well, back on track now :).

Going out with my mom was fun. She called me today and said she gets so excited when I invite her out with me. She's 54 and sometimes thinks she's too old to have fun. I've got to show her she's wrong ;).

30 min is great, even with a break. On running, I'm only up to 18 min, so we'll both get there :).
 
Hahaha!!!

So I weighed in this week and per my new official scale I am down to 421 lbs. Thank you medifast. It's been a bit hellish. I had my visit with my doctor today and my therapist. My doctor was not 100% keen on the lo-cal diet because people tend to regain the weight and then some when they come off. However, I feel this needs an addendum. Many people regain weight when they go off these programs due to insufficient nutritional training and lack of continuous exercise. I was warned I may get gall or kidney stones from rapid weight loss. I'm hoping this won't happen, but nothing comes without a price. My therapist was thrilled with how everything is progressing, but warned me to be careful about falling off the bandwagon, so to speak. All in all, though a very productive day.

RE: Bully for you getting back on track. That's spectacularly difficult in my opinion. I can't wait until I can run for 18 mins., that would be awesome. My mom gets like that sometimes too, but we go out to a bar cheer her up.
 
Congrats on the loss!!!!:jump:
That's sooo great.

Just listen carefully to your doctors advice.... keeping your calories too too low is hard to maintain through life and that's why people have a hard time keeping the weight off.

Keep up your great work:)
~Jenna
 
Back Again

Whew! It's been a crazy few weeks. My internet got knocked out during a storm when several very large tree limbs fell around the house. Lest anyone think my motivation or work ethic has waned, let me present my new accomplishments. Thus far I have lost 42 lbs. and several inches in various places such as legs, hips, and the ever annoying tummy. I have been training regularly and working up to 5 days a week of cardio doing at least 20 minutes.

I have to say that not only can I see differences, but I feel different. I just hopped off of the elliptical doing 20 minutes of cardio, without stopping, and it is sooo much easier that it was just few weeks ago. I am getting compliments from people I work with and inspiring my family to start doing better with eating and exercise. Yeah, life it pretty much as good as it can get right now. Oh, and I am down about one or two pant sizes. It's sort of hard to tell since there is no uniform size, but hey I'm just happy I can zip up pants I've been trying to get into for over a year.

Perhaps the most interesting development in my new success is the medication I was given. Now I am not sure how much people are trying to lose or what their experiences are, but I know that I have never really talked to anyone going through things like I have. I've tried for almsot 25 years to lose weight and I was never successful. I thought it was a character flaw, because that was what everyone said. I was too weak, I lacked will power and the fortitude to change my bad habits. I will admit that I had very bad habits, however, I know now it wasn't really me. I know this sounds like a copout from personal responsibility, but hear me out. When I started taking the medication I noticed and almost immediate change in my behavior. I could go a day without thinking about food, or what I was going to eat, or how much. It was a non-issue because I didn't really care about food. My days became filled with exercise, work, training, and anything else I felt like doing. In all my life I have never gone a day without obsessing about food. I mean literally obsessing for what seems like every second of every day. Only now after the chemical imbalance, because I truly believe that is what it was, has been corrected I feel "normal". I can look back and logically see how I could never lose weight. If you can never stop thinking about and craving food you will never lose weight. I'm not saying this is everybody's way, but for me it is the most liberating thing that has ever happened. For the first time in my life I feel like I can lose weight and keep it off because whatever imbalance I had is being corrected by medication. Part of me feels somewhat weak for needing the medication but then I realize I am healthier than I have been in years due in large part to the drug. So I will end my horrendously long entry with an apology for disappearing and wishing everyone well. Also stay safe if you're in the midwest, that's some nasty flooding.
 
Congratulations. Remember though, if the exercise your doing is getting too easy to the point you can do it and casually speak to a person it means your heart isn't beating hard enough to continue burning more calories than it can.

Start increasing the intensity of the exercise or switching it up.

And I totally agree with you, when i was overweight i was in complete denial and thought i was normal. I blamed others for my problems and i didn't have the self-determination to change.

Thank god I saw the light.
 
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