I have decided non-surgial way for now need support

HI All, I am new to this site and have been reading your posts. I have decided not to have surgery and try to eat 1200 cal day. My surgery would have been today. But I could not do it..  If you have a min. I could use your support. I can do this....... Thank you  Sickofh20 :)

Welcome to the board! You keep telling your self that you can do it. And remember we all mess up, we're not perfect. We just have to go back on track, which I am trying to do now, because yes I messed up and I am trying to wiggle my way back on track. So you need support you will get it here! Just feel free to say what you want and ask whatever you want! Soon you'll be doing the losers dance!  Woohoo! Good luck on the journey! ---Christa

Heya,      This will probably be the most difficult thing you ever do longterm but it will also be the most rewarding.  Post us some info so we can give you some help...age?  starting weight?  fluid intake?  any exercises you like?  any physical limitations to consider when exercising?  any medications which cause weight retention/gain?  your favorite diet foods and your favorite naughty foods?  over weight from bingeing/grazing/or just poor food choices?  your goal weight?  how long or short of a time you're wanting to lose the weight in?      We can give you a lot of suggestions if you input a little data into the giant computer that the members of this forum make up. LOL      And today is the first day of the rest of your life. :-)

Hi KS-Julie I am on several meds. pain meds, oxycotin, oxcodin, diabetic meds, ameryl and actos. high chol med. crestor WOW to many pills. ......  I am 5'9 and wt. 280lbs.  I had 2 back fusions so I can not exercise. I am going to start swim class soon I start grazing about 1pm. so I bought apples, 100 cal pak of cookies for a treat once aday eating chicken, no white bread or rice. etc. I would like to have 30 pounds off before summer (can this be done).  Thank you so much for your post. I look forward to any help you can give me. Good Job on your wlj. V 

On the bread thing, if you're going to do just wheat or even if you do want white bread they make diet bread "Wonder Light" they have it in wheat or white.  Just look at the Calories if the calories per slice is 40 or less thats the diet bread. :) Ad you can do brown rice instead of white. Just some suggestions if you don't want to give it ALL totally up. Apples yummy, my fav. apples are Honeycrisps, and Jonagolds if you haven't tried those you have to! :) They're crunchy and sweet! And there are MANY ways to have chicken if you want any help on chicken, trust me I have lots of ways to cook chicken in a healthy way! Just ask! Good luck.  Oh and the 30 pounds....by summer I believe it is totally acheivable. Because if you start now and say calculate 2-3 pounds a week. By mid-June or early July, you can do it!  ---Christa

Hiya V,      Well, the good news on the meds is that once you get back to a normal weight, in all likelihood the Amaryl, Actos, Crestor, etc... will probably become unneeded.  Just think about how much money you'll save.       After your spine procedures did they ever send you to physical therapy?  If not, request it now from your spine surgeon.  If they did, try to dig up your old instructions on which exercises they wanted you to do so I know what was allowed.  I'm after a disadvantage since I don't know which procedure they used, the location, and haven't seen your films.  And yes, starting with water exercises will be an excellent way to go since it's non-impact and the buoyancy with your floating soft tissue will take much of the strain off of your spine.      And yes, taking 30# off by summer is possible if you want it badly enough (although I don't recommend ever shooting for dropping more than 2#/week except in that initial week when the "easy" weight comes off).  But it's going to mean some dramatic changes.      First off, aside from your User ID, you're going to have to drink a bunch of water! LOL  Try to get your intake up to 80oz initially and then slowly work your way up to 100-120oz every day.  One this will keep you hydrated to prevent kidney issues (a special concern since you're diabetic) and help you flush out the waste products your body produces when it loses weight.  Two, it will help keep your metabolism running well and moisturize your skin for a better post-weight loss appearance.  And three (the most important of all), it will help keep you full and AWAY from those cookies.      Second, try to keep your calories no higher than around 1,500 per day and make sure those are spread between 5-6 small mini meals.  Never skip breakfast, and try to include some protein content in every meal.  Your priorities for food choices should be lean meats, low-fat/non-fat dairy, vegetables, and fruits.  If you want to lose quickly, step away from the cookies.  They will make you hungry quicker and cause you to crave simple carbohydrates.  We have enough cravings as it is. :-)  If you absolutely feel you MUST eat a 100-calorie pack, then do it at bed time so when the post-sugar crash hits along with the hunger/cravings, you will be asleep.      Since you're an afternoon/evening grazer, you might try putting your mini meals on a time schedule.  That's what I have to do.  Absolutely NOTHING in between scheduled meals (I eat every 2 1/2 hours).      If you want to send me your number, I can call and go into all of this in detail (or let me know if you want me to send you mine).  If not, just keep posting your questions.  :-)  Good luck!

We are all in this together.  We can do this.  The swim classes are great.  My mom has had 3 back surgeries including a fusion and loves to do water aerobics.  Also look for chair aerobics.  Everything is done sitting in a chair.  I took this class when I weighed over 300.  Back in October of 2006 I weighed 320 lbs.  I am 5'7".  My BMI was 50+  I had sleep apnia, pre-diabetic, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, incontinence, back pain, and all those other aches and pains that come along with being morbidly obese.  My insurance company denied my doctors request for surgery so when I started having chest pains I decided now is the time to take control of my life.  As of yesterday I have officially lost 98 pounds.  Thank you Jesus.  I bought myself a bike and a good pair of shoes.  This is what has worked for me so far.  Whole grains and fiber.  Non fat milk, yogurt and cottage cheese, chicken breast and fish, lots of fruits and veggies, salads and homemade veggie soups, Kashi cereal and weight control oatmeal, lots of water, sugar free jello, sugar free fudgesicle for that time of the month cravings and such.  I avoid most bread, rice, pasta, salt, soda, fried food, fast food.  When I need something salty and crunchy I eat pretzels.  Take a serving out of the bag and close it up.  Don't eat from a big bag.  It leads to overeating.  I am feeling so much better except for one small setback. I now have gallstones and will have to have my gallbladder removed.  This was bound to happen.  At 320 pounds I had "sludge".  The rapid weight loss and family history have caught up to me.  Good luck on your journey.  I still have 70 pounds to lose so I will keep you all posted.  By the way,  I weighed less than my husband yesterday.  I was 222 and he was 228.  A small but ever so delightful goal.  HEE HEE! 

Heya,      Grats on passing your hubby by weight-wise!  That was one of my favorite NSV. :-)

Virgie, that's great that you walked!!! That's my biggest downfall..the exercise bit! But now that spring is here...and this blasted upstate NY snow will melt, I'm out the door... I'm going to start walking the mall I think for now. Kris, I can't answer  your gall bladder Q as mine is no longer present! I have been drinking alot of the Propel water... trying to wean off the soda... it only has 2 grams sugar per serving... eventually i will switch over to plain water.

You can do this and I am glad you read my post. We can do it together. Surgery was not the way for me ,I was reading all the horrible stories. SO lets do it .... I just walked about 1hr. IT was slowwwwwwwwwwwwww... but I got out in the nice weather and just did it my dog needs to loose wt also 0ff we went and I made it I am out of breathe and my knee hurts but I did it..... You can to . Please mail me when you can this is for you.  Virgie.