Anybody out there over 300 pounds?

I keep seeing threads for people in their upper hundreds and 200's but I never see anything from people over 300. Are you out there? If so, what kind of diet are you on and is it successful? Is it a temporary diet or a new lifestyle change?

I started here at 320.  It's a lifestyle change for me..I just couldn't continue to eat the high calorie, high fat foods I cooked and ate and not expect to keep gaining weight. 

I eat approximately 1,300 calories a day and I walk 3 miles about 4 times per week.   From Jan. 8, 2007 til this morning I've lost 76lbs (244 this a.m.) so I'd have to say it's been successful for me and I hope that it continues to be since I still have quite a ways to go. 

There are more here that started or are currently 300+ so you are definately not the only one. 

Count me in this group!! 8)  Well hopefully not for much longer..LOL  I started here at 371 at the beginning of the year.  I am now weighing in at around 307.  I have lost my weight by staying around 1200-1400 calories (monitored closely by my doctory) and exercising for 3 days a week approx 1 hour.  I do 30 minutes on the treadmill, a few minutes on the elliptical (that kicks my butt) 10 minutes on a bike or step machine and then approx 20 minutes of light weight training.

I definately think this is a lifestyle change for me.  I am eating healthy food so all my calories are nutrient packed...they have to be at my intake level.  I drink around 80-100 oz of water every day. 

So welcome ...there are a lot of us here!!

HumorPam - Me too! Now you have motivated me to write my first post, so you will know you are not alone. I am 34, 5' 2" and I started at 343 about 6 weeks ago. I am down to about 321 as of today. I have been eating a lot (about 2500 calories a day on average), but I have been exercising a lot, too. I walk about 3 or 4 miles most days of the week. Sometimes it is relatively flat but usually there are hills involved, which helps with the intensity.

All I have really been doing food-wise is counting calories and trying to make high fiber and less fatty/salty food choices, but I am in this for the long haul so I will not deprive myself. If I really want something, I have it, and I have found so far that as long as I let myself do that and count the calories into my total, that I am satisfied with smaller portions than I might have eaten in the past and I do not go overboard. If I do one day go overboard, I know I can't possibly undo all my hard work with one meal so I will let it go and get right back into the groove afterwards.

So yes, this is a lifestyle change for me. I have been overweight my whole life and I am ready for something different!

Im 310, i was last time i weighed lil over a week ago, and im new here, i think only 8 or 9 days. It is definatly a lifestyle change. Just to let ya in on something, even if i didnt lose weight i feel loads better. I feel the same way i did 5-6 yrs ago when i was 180 lbs just wish the weight wasnt here then i would feel loads better. *grins*

Count me in. I started in Feb. @ 308. My highest has been 322. I'm now down to 269 (well it's typically lower, but that TOM ALWAYS gives me a gain!!).  I've lost 9 inches off my waist. I drink plenty of water (3 liters), walk 2 miles (5-6 times a week) and count my calories (1200-1400).

I fal off the wagon, but I get right back on. A loss of 39-44 pounds in 3 1/2 months, ain't bad. I have to keep reminding myself that. This HAS to be a lifestyle change, otherwise, there is really no point in it.

Good Luck....you are so not alone!

That'd be me too.  I just joined this site today to help me recommit.  I'm not on a "diet", it's lifestyle for me too.  I eat 5 or 6 small meals a day and work out.  No quick fix.  Lots of protein, water, veggies, etc.  The "old fasioned" way.  I started at 360, got down to 340, stopped working out for a few months because of a back injury and am now at 345 and back at it with a vengeance.  Good luck

Thank you for all the wonderful replies. I too have embarked on a lifestyle change. I was at my highest weight a few weeks ago, at 354 pounds, then began a change in my way of eating, lost some weight and got down quickly to 340, which I believe was mostly water weight, but then on May 23rd, I began a wonderful lifestyle change that my doctor recommended, and it is basically "Back to basics" I'll call it. He told me of a book to get and follow so I did, and since May 23rd, I've lost 7 pounds. Best wishes to all of you and thanks again for sharing your stories!

I started here at 413.  I'm now at 385ish (keep bouncing up and down).  Been having some problems as of late and for the most part have been plateauing for the last couple of months.  I guess it's better than gaining!  However I post in the forums quite a bit - and my journal as well.

As for the 'diet' I use - I use the Food Pyramid as a guide and just keep within 1700-1800 calories a day, and try to get to the gym every other day (schedule permitting).

Count me in this category also!  I just started, though, and I'm at 370.  Cutting out Pepsi (of which I used to drink two 2-liters a day) and adding tons of water.  Also just starting riding recumbent bike tonight.  So...even though I'm just starting and really don't have many suggestions for you yet, Just wanted you to know you are not alone!!

I started out at 299, it's not over technically, but it's pretty much there.  I'm now down to 216.5 and hoping to break into the one's in the next 2 or 3 months.  So you can do it!  Slow and steady wins the race, at least for me it seems to.

been doing this since march and I've lost 26 pounds. Started at 303. I eat about 1700 to 1800 cals a day and have been kind of hit and miss with the exercise. Couldn't have come this far without this site and the good folks I've met here. We can make it happen.

At the beginning of this month, I decided it was time to change my life.  I have been so sick of my body for far too long, and at 3x, I was beginning to worry about how uncomfortably tight some of my clothes were getting.

Not knowing my weight, I started dieting and exercising.   Within a week, I bought a scale so I'm not exactly sure how much I lost that first week.   My first weigh in was May 8th.  I was 335 pounds.   Since then, I've mainly just counted calories.  I vary the exact number of calories day to day depending on how I'm feeling, but I try to stay within my suggested range. 

I'm at 327 today.  It's not a huge drop by some standards, but that's astronomical for me.  I've been grinning from ear to ear all day.   It's comforting to know that I'm not alone, and I wish everyone success on their journeys.

Pixieninja - way to go. That's a great start! Thanks for sharing.

Blueotter - 26 pounds since March is wonderful. I hope I have these kind of successes.

twindaze - 83 pounds lost? Fantqastic!!! What's your gameplan?

Leeci - It sounds like you're on the right track!  I wish you the best. I unfortunately can't exercise much because of my health, but I'm hoping for a bright future. :>)

Willowraven - 28 pounds is a great start! I know it's frustrating when you stay the same for a while, but like you said, at least you haven't been gaining. When you use the food pyramid, I would recommend that the foods that you use in each category be "back to basics" meaning unprocessed, natural, fresh froduce, lean meats, and whole grains. As for fats, olive oil is very healthy for you. Best wishes!

To all who have replied, I thank you so much for sharing your stories and I wish you all the best!!!

~ waves hello.  for me, it's all about lifestyle change instead of how fast I can lose... for the 1st time in my life because trying to diet never worked for me, since 1983 when I started making my 2 or 3 serious attempts each year ~ always gaining it back plus more so that i would gain 5 - 8, maybe 10 lbs a year....  Didn't work so well.  

Some how, some way... it is important to figure out how to lose this weight and really keep it off.  It's not something that will happen in a few weeks.  Rather, 3 years minimum but maybe more like 5.  And that's ok, if I can really turn this around.  I'm working on it since last year... and that's longer than I ever *dieted*!!! :)

Now, I try to eat at maintenance calories (the number of cals you burn) or up to 500 less.  If I cut back more than that, then I feel mentally deprived and overeat.

I schedule in a sweet treat and a chip/salty treat each day, usually for my mid-evening and my bedtime snacks.  I have 3 meals a day with a snack in between, mid-evening and bedtime and 2 am if I need it (usually an easy peel & eat banana).  I use a food exchange diet (a way to measure food) and also count calories (also another way to measure food).

I haven't lost a bunch yet, but I am now eating regular and nutritious meals for the 1st time since my mother was in charge of my food, and most importantly, I'm learning how to cope with life instead of eating food for comfort and a bazillion other reasons.

I have looked at how, when, where, what and why I'm eating... and if the behaviour/choices are good, then I keep them.  If they are bad, then I try to figure out what would be appropriate and practice that behaviour instead.

I'm trying to create a way to eat that I can do and enjoy the rest of my life....

So far, ok.  Have a very long way to go, but this time, I can see going instead of another fad and crash diet....

United2gether - I like your attitude about just finding the program that works, sticking with it and not worrying if it takes 3 years or 5. If I had thought that way, 15 years ago, I would already be a nice slim 135 pounds, but hey, I'm not. But now I am on the right track, and excited about my journey for health.

bump

Well, when I first started this lifestyle change in Feb 2007, I was at 406. Today I'm at 332 so I have had some success. I eat 1200 calories, sometimes straying up as high as 1500, but only on vacations or special occasions. I eat a lot of raw veggies (I don't think there's one that can be eaten raw that I haven't tried now) & fruits, lean meats (95% lean ground beef is a real lifesaver 'cause I'm a burger fan!), whole grain products, 2% cheese (I don't like the texture of the fat free cheese), and peanut butter. I walk at least an hour a day, sometimes as many as 2 or on occasion even 3! If I want something, I usually try to work it into my calories, which is hard at the level I get to eat, so I tend to make it myself out of lean or lower calorie ingredients.

Oh and I do Bowflex for my weight training 3 days a week for around 30 min a time.

I try to grill most of my meats because I like the flavor and it's a healthful way to prepare it.

I'm also fond of Skinny Cow icecream treats for an occasional treat and Lean Cuisine dinners when I simply don't have time to pack a lunch!

The thing I miss most is beer, but at my calories, I just can't fit it in without depriving myself of real nutrition. So I drink diet root beer or diet Dr Pepper while grilling. It's not exactly the same, but it is a pleasureable flavor.

Wow aovermy, that's 74 pounds lost! That is incredible. I applaud you! You've worked hard. You deserve a diet root beer occassionally. :>) I hope I can do as well as you. I wish you had some pictures up on your profile. That would be awesome!

Great to see im not alone. I've been a single father to 2 kids for the past 3 years and now they have moved to their mom's so I am making a priority of getting in shape. I've been under the impression I was at about 330 for the past 3 years ( last time i weighed myself). I'm being followed by a trainer at the gym taking in about 1500 calories a day and doing 1 hour of cardio every day ( burn about 800 calories ). To my surprise I went to the doctors a few days ago and found out im at 374!! The last 2 days have been really tough cause getting under 300 now feels unsurmountable. Its nice to read others stories it's really appreciated.

Hey everyone, I started at 301 pounds and lost half of that weight in 2 years. You can all do it, nothing is impossible. Good luck everyone xxx