Need Help Staying in Control of my Diet

I'm probably going to be very unpopular with you, but I will be honest out of concern for your well being. I care about you, but the first thing you have to do is get real about how you got to over 600 pounds. I'm hearing you blame thyroid problems and making excuses.

There are a lot of people with thyroid issues that don't weigh 600 pounds. Thyroid might be a small faction of the problem, but there is a lot more to this overeating issue than that. That is why seeing a therapist is essential to your successful weight loss. Find a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. Most people who are super obese have an eating disorder. We all suffer "head hunger" verses "true hunger". Learning to know the difference is really important.

I have absolutely no doubt that your mother is terrific, but grade school kids do not shop for themselves, or cook for themselves. Overweight kids get that way because they are over fed. Someone else touched on this already. Mothers show love by feeding us. I know that because I have a mom that loved me to almost 300 pounds. She still tries to push food on me that she knows I can't eat. Just be aware of it so you know how to say no if it happens. Therapy for both of you will be beneficial. I'm not saying it is your parent's fault that you are over weight. You make the choice on what you eat and how much. I'm saying that they may not understand that you don't have the willpower to tell them no when they offer you food, and you may feel ungrateful if you refuse to eat the food they prepared for you. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY NO!

It's fortunate that you are still independent. That means you can do your own shopping and prepare all of your own meals. If your mom does the cooking you can explain this to her and ask for her support in your weight loss. The most important thing is to weigh and measure every bite you take. Don't eyeball portion sizes. We did not get to be obese by having a good grasp on what a normal portion size is. You would be surprised at just how little food you need to thrive. I am 33 years out from WLS and would over eat at every meal if I did not measure my food. After all this time, I still do not understand proper portion sizes, and I still have issues with emotional/boredom eating. I fight those demons every damned day.

As others have said, eat meat, and non starchy foods only. No bread, rice, potatoes, crackers, sugar, anything made with flour. Eggs, cheese, and low sugar Greek yogurt are good choices. Drink at least 64 ounces of fluid every day, but always make sure you are not drinking your calories. Drink only zero calorie beverages. It is easy to drink thousands of calories a day in sugary beverages without even giving it a second thought. I have to drink 120 ounces daily to feel my best. Try to not drink with your meals. Fluids will push chewed food through your stomach faster, making you able to eat more. Dense food sits in your belly longer, making you feel full.

Keep coming to this site for support. Get involved in the "what are you eating/ menu" threads on the RNY forum to get an idea of how people are eating. It will help you wrap your head around the rules of weight loss.

YOU CAN DO THIS....I'm pulling for you!!!!

Thank you for you help and information, will start on a diet plan and go from there by getting professional help.

Also because of the gallstones I'm not about to eat certain vegetables or anything with oil in it. I have been only eating one meal a day because when I eat it hurts my stomach. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do? And can I use a Air Fryer to cook my foods?

Veggies never bothered my when my gallbladder was still around. (I had it out years ago). Oily food was AWFUL.

Yes you can use an air fryer...but you can not put any kind of breading or batter on that food. You also should not be eating potatoes..even if you crave french fries. The starch in potatoes will stop your weight loss.

Another side note: We are raised to believe that fruit is good for us and we turn to it while dieting. The body reads fruit the same as it reads a candy bar...sugar. Fruit will stop weight loss in it's tracks. If you want fruit, stick to a few strawberries sliced in some low sugar Greek Yogurt. Berries are the lowest in sugar.

Again...I'm going to be tough on you because I care. If you are truly eating only "one meal a day", you would be losing weight. It takes over 6000 calories a day to maintain your 600 pound weight. If you eat once a day, it would have to be a table filled with 6000 calories of food. It's science. You must be eating more than you think you are. Just because it's not a "sit down meal", doesn't mean you are not eating.

Be honest with yourself. It's the first step to success.

When I cook the vegetables I use olive oil, so that is the problem i through olive oil wouldn't hurt since everybody saying it more healthy than regular oil. Yes i only been eating one meal a day mosly. I started last year around November. I have loss a few pounds but not many because I don't move around like I should. Yes I eat fruit, I thought it was good for you now I know I will stop. And no seriously I'm not eating 6000 calories a day.

Steaming veggies would be best, but a little olive oil is fine. As long as you are not breading a deep frying it's good.

Don't eat one meal a day. You should be eating small portion meals, 3 times a day, with two small snacks (like a couple of pieces of string cheese or yogurt). Eating once a day messes up your metabolism and can cause you to over eat because you are famished.

If you are hungry you can load up on steamed veggies. They can be filling and very low calorie. Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, brussel sprouts, cabbage, asparagus, white mushrooms, green peppers, zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers, etc. are all great choices. Do a stir fry with all kinds of veggies and a little olive oil. Add some grilled chicken, beef, or pork. Use spices to liven things up.

You really can do this! I'm so proud of you for reaching out for help.

Ok let me just say this first I'm not going to turn to DRUGS or ALCOHOL to take the place of food. As long as I can remember I have been fat, my only problem is I'm a overeater which means I have a eating disorder and my mind tells me I'm hungry when I'm not. I don't eat because of ANY OTHER REASON. I JUST NEED HELP UNDERSTANDING WHAT NOT TO EAT. AND HOW TO DEAL WITH UNDERSTAND WHEN I'M HUNGRY AND WHEN I'M NOT. I'm not making excuses for myself. I'm so GRATEFUL for the help I'm getting from everyone so thank you.

The alcohol comment was not meant for you. It was for the other poster who I commented to.

After people have weight loss surgery some of them develop "transfer addictions" Look it up online. It's a real thing. Many people who have used food to cope with life will turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. to replace the food they can no longer eat after surgery. You have not had surgery yet so it's not a real worry for you. You do need to know the risk of transfer addiction for after you do get weight loss surgery.

If understanding why we choose to overeat when we know we should not was easy, none of us would have needed surgery to lose weight. Obesity a very complicated disorder. There are reasons why I allowed myself to over eat that I was not even aware of until I got help unraveling my feelings. Food was my comfort, my entertainment, my everything. I ate, and ate, and ate.

It is never as simple as I just eat too much.

I understand maybe it's more to me just overeating, I'm not sure. I'm seeking professional help because I know I can't do it alone. I am waiting on a appointment date from South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center.

I don't have the experience for your specific situation, however, I wish you the best and offer moral support. We have all faced the hopelessness of having to lose far more weight than we could do on our own. It doesn't matter how you got here, it just matters that you take positive steps to move forward.

Best of luck!