Losing Weight On My Own, You Can Too!
Hello All... I'm a 41 year old female from Texas and have struggled with my weight all of my life. My highest weight was at 279 (size 24/26)when I was around 18/19, and I decided to intervene then. I started eating properly, added in exercise and, I did take adipex for about 3 months, which helped curb my appetite. By the time I was 21, I was down to a size 16 and weighed around 185. I remained there for many years, until maybe age of 29/30. I did have a tummy tuck, which took away excess skin. I was then able to get into 14.. and even 12 at one time. I didn't focus on my exact weight anymore, but rather on how I felt. I was working out 4-5 days a week... and intermittently, say for about 4-5 months at a time... then take a break for a couple months... then hit the exercise routine again. When I was 33, I was 175, size 12 and then met my husband - instantly family with a wonderful 18 month old daughter (she's now 9!). I found it difficult to find the time to exercise... and cooking a different meal for myself seemed too much trouble. Fast forward 8 years... I was in the 255 range and no exercise at all. Hubby and I (he gained weight also) tried eating better in 2013.. and it dropped me down into the 240s... and even 227 ( I remember that from a previous dr. visit). I went in to doctor for my diabetic checkup (oh yeah... I became type 2 diabetic) on March 30... weighing 234. I had labwork done and we discussed my numbers. I asked my doctor if I followed a similar diet to a gastric bypass patient - couldn't I see weight loss too? Did I have his approval to start this new journey? I had to get my sugar under control; he approved me starting a very low calorie diet. So I interrogated my next door neighbor who had bypass done in Aug. 2014 and in Jan 2015.. had already lost like 90 lbs.... she looks amazing. I also scoured the internet for these type of diets, and saw Mayo Clinic, Tufts in Boston, and one other I can't remember that were basically post-op instructions to patients (including what vitamins to take, etc.). So on March 30, my journey began. And did my exercise routine. I will say that since my stomach is not restricted to just liquids the first few weeks, I was able to eat normal foods and not have a liquid diet. The first week was HARD! But I did not cheat. I stuck to it. I keep a daily log of my foods (I use FitBit - love it!) and exercise. I exercise every day. I just added in resistance training a couple weeks ago (do this 4 times/week), and still walk 30-45 min per day. I weigh myself daily - this is good for me. It keeps me motivated. This site keeps me motivated. I know my number may fluctuate, but I don't stress. I have learned a lot from becoming a member here. As of today, my weight is 200.4. For those who can't do WLS, YOU CAN DO THIS! I love food. But I love my daughter more. I want to be there when she graduates, when she gets married, help her raise my grandbabies... I want to be there til the good lord says it's time to go home. I still have more weight to lose, but I will get there. I set my goal at 160. Right now, that number is attainable for me. And right now, I am in a size 12/14. So losing another 40 lbs may be the right number for me. My doctor and I will address that when I reach it. I know I'm older, my metabolism is not what it was in my 20s. But I'm excited about my end journey. I haven't hit a plateau YET, but reading the posts from those who have will help me stay strong through it... reassess my eating and exercise habits. Thanks for reading and best of luck to you all. I am happy to listen and exchange exercise tips, etc.
on 6/2/15 9:31 pm - Pompano Beach, FL
| Yeah........ Exercising is the best option to loose weight |
Hi Grits - i did not do liquids like most gastric patients have to do. I limited my calories to 400-600 calories per day. I omitted sugar, processed foods (so no bread, flour, rice, pasta) and starchy veggies. I ate lots of tuna (albacore tuna too) and chicken breasts, red meat, lamb.... drank whey protein after an intense workout... and most importantly, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO EAT HEALTHY FATS (ie grassfed butter (unsalted), coconut oil, olive oil). Contrary to popular belief, you need fat to burn fat. Now, patients who have had WLS can't process fat the way we can, so that's why their diet is low-fat. I notice on days when I have a higher fat intake (of the fats i mentioned above), my weight drops the next day.
I am still on my weight loss journey, current weight is 192 (need to update my ticker). But now that i have added more healthy fats to my diet, my caloric intake is around 850-900, and I'm still losing 2-3 lbs per week (my fitbit breaks out my macronutrient percentage, and I'm now eating 60-75% fat; 20-30% protein and around 5% carbs). I am doing a dexa scan next week to get my exact body fat composition, so it will tell me how much body fat i need to lose. When I was eating around 500 calories, here was a typical day for me: breakfast - scrambled eggs (Eggland's best organic, 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites), 2 slices uncured bacon (Simple Truth @ Kroger's.. or any uncured bacon that has no added nitrites or nitrates); lunch - Starkist Albacore Tuna or Hickory Smoked Tuna (these are like 110 calories or less) and one sugar free jello cup; dinner - 4 oz broiled shrimp. I always strive to drink at least 60 oz of water and green tea throughout day. Sometimes, I drank an Atkins shake (this brand has around 9g fat, versus other brands that have 1g or less - Healthy FAT keeps you satisfied longer!!). So don't be afraid to cook your eggs with real butter or your steak for that matter. There are all kinds of diets out there, but you need to find one that YOU will enjoy so it becomes a lifestyle for YOU... and you won't want to quit. I hope I've helped you some. Feel free to ask me more if you like or want more detail.
Molly
