Does anyone else have this much to lose?

So I've just started doing CC two weeks ago and yesterday weighed myself for the first time in a very long time. I had originally estimated I weighed about 350 pounds, but I was wrong - I actually weigh 392. 

I want to get down eventually to 150, so I have to lose 242 pounds. Is anyone else out there in the same boat as me? Has anyone else done this successfully? 

I've put in a goal date of my 32nd birthday - January 27th, 2012, which means I'll have a 900 daily calorie deficiency, according to what I've read, this is good. I also plan to slowly begin exercising more over time, starting with walking 30 minutes more per day than I do now (I already spend about 30 minutes during a typical weekday walking as I don't have a car so I walk from home to train station to bus to work and back again). 

I've been obese for over ten years now and have never really tried as hard as I could to keep up weight loss over a long period of time. It's always seemed impossible to get my head around, however CC has quantified it in a way that makes sense to me and is simple and clear, so I hope this is the change I need to make that improves the rest of my life for good. I'm well aware that I may have to track my calories for many years and I'm prepared for this, also that I might not achieve my goal by my 32nd birthday, and possibly not at all, but hey, if I lose weight and keep it off, that's a win. 

I'm not quite at that range, I'm sitting at 97kgs, or 213 pounds and I want to lose a fair bit of weight... I know I'm not exactly the same size, but I have half my body weight to lose, and if you're interested in getting a weight-loss buddy, I am more than willing to help a fellow.

If not, then I'll keep my piece to myself, and wish you well for your journey.

i'm totally unqualified to answer this question, but i think it's a good idea to set mini-goals.  weight loss tends to be sporadic, so if you set a long-term goal like that and expect to lose a certain amount every week for many months, you're probably going to be disappointed.  and disappointment is dangerous.

instead of choosing a date for your ultimate goal, it might be a better idea to go for your first 20, then the next 20.  as you get closer, you'll probably want to scale that back and shoot for the next 10, because it does slow down.

this is a good place to be for what you're trying to do.  the community here is fabulous - especially if you have a sense of humour .  when you get sick of the weight-loss talk, come and visit the lounge.

I have about 140 to lose. I am 278 and started at 300 on May 2nd. I just bascially follow what people here on cc recommned and follow my doctors advice about calorie shifting and meal shifting. I know this can be done cause its working for me and I know its going to be a slow thing but I am in it for the haul. You can do it.

I don't have much to lose at this point, but I thought I'd drop in and wish you the best; you're doing the best possible thing you could do for yourself.  Sometimes it will be frustrating, but it will always be rewarding when you get to watch the numbers on the scale and measuring tape go down.  If you ever want someone to chat with, I'm always up for it. :)

Well i was 262 pounds so close enough to me.


Ive lost 77 pounds and it realy hasnt been that hard .


Of course ive been realy strict but if you can make your self eat some veges it will help i eat carrots and brocoli with my meals since they are very low in calories and it helps me fill up wich is a great thing.

Ive lost that 77 pounds in 5 months by the way so if i can do it anyone can.

I agree with PG (looks around worriedly waiting for the sky to fall ).  If you're only looking at your ultimate goal, you're going to get frustrated because you feel like you're always so far from your goal, but if you set smaller goals, ones you can realistically achieve in a relatively short time-frame, you'll feel like you are accomplishing something and the will empower you to go on.  I think that 20 pound increments is perfect because you will see a difference in yourself, no matter how slight, and then you'll be ready for the next 20, and the next, and so on.  I don't have as much to lose as you.  I started at 200 planning to get to 135 and re-evaluate, and I'm currently sitting in the mid-150's and this is really hard at this point.  However, I'm available if you need someone to talk to or to cheer you on!  Good Luck!

I do it 20 pounds at a time, its easier to wrap your head around that then it is a larger number.  I started at 289 and in all honesty would like to get down around 120....that's 169 to lose which if I had looked at it that way I never would have bothered to try.  That number is just too big and to think maybe i'll get there in a couple years was just too much.  20 pounds a time, even 10 or 5 if that works for you.  Now I have 102 to go, even looking at it like that seems crazy so I look at it as I have 23 pounds to go and then I'll be under 200. 

I started at 286.4 and I'm now at 221.0 (with my actual lowest being 209, but I slacked for awhile and JUST restarted.)

Add me as a buddy and then I can see your journals and such. Also - if you need some inspiration....my best friend Megan is also on the site (although she's basically done losing weight) and had nearly the same start weight as you (I think 370ish) and she's now 135 or lower. CRAZY! Check out her profile here..

And Good luck! Work hard and keep yourself accountable too and it will happen!

Hey Starbrow!  Welcome to the site!  You're definitely not alone in your goal.   I've met lots of wonderful people here that are on a similar journey and some who have completed that journey.   I'm currently at 343.   I lost my first 6 pounds last month, and I'm aiming for my goal of 8 next month.

Pgeorgian is absolutely right about mini-goals.   It's discouraging to think about the big picture sometimes.   I just look forward to celebrating my first 20. 

Good luck.

The good news is that really overweight people lose their excess weight a lot faster than average people lose. If you're diligent, the first ~200 lbs should come off pretty steadily. It'll take a couple years, of course; but it's a lot of weight.

Hey Starbrow

There are plenty of people on this site who have lost a significant amount of weight, I started out at 330 and am currently at 199. There is an AMAZING group for people who are or started at 300+ pounds http://caloriecount.about.com/club-g1235 there are men and women of all ages, weights and goals and is super supportive.

A shout out to one of the assistant moderators of the 300+ group- Sun123 who has lost 290+ pounds :o)

it has taken me 2 and a bit years to drop 130 pounds, admittedly is slowing down a lot as I head towards a healthy BMI (I'm 6'1"). But slow and steady is the key. Make lots of mini-goals and be kind to yourself.

Feel free to message me or add as a friend. Good luck!

Original Post by j9gwen:

I do it 20 pounds at a time, its easier to wrap your head around that then it is a larger number.  I started at 289 and in all honesty would like to get down around 120....that's 169 to lose which if I had looked at it that way I never would have bothered to try.  That number is just too big and to think maybe i'll get there in a couple years was just too much.  20 pounds a time, even 10 or 5 if that works for you.  Now I have 102 to go, even looking at it like that seems crazy so I look at it as I have 23 pounds to go and then I'll be under 200. 

 I agree as well - make some short term goals whether its a number of pounds or to be able to walk around the block without having to stop 5 times.  My first goals have been health related - get blood pressure down, get more active.  I was over 300 when I started on here at the end of April and have dropped 33 pounds but better yet I'm almost completely off my blood pressure meds and am now adding in more activities each week.  Some of the things I've learned while using this site (and I've tried everything over the years):

Definitely don't worry too much about the numbers because some times they will go down, sometimes they'll go up or stay the same but don't feel discouraged - just know that you're doing the right thing to be healthy. 

Follow the suggestions on here about tracking your calorie intake and calorie burning activities to stick to a healthy deficit. 

Don't be afraid to ask for advice - reading the forums I've found so many people have the same problems/concerns/issues that I thought I was the only one that had.  There are lots of people who've successfully lost lots of weight so learn from them and find what works for you.

Don't sweat it when you slip up - we all do.  Just get back on track - don't wait til tomorrow to do it or that will turn into tomorrow or the next day.

Think of it as a lifetime change rather than a short term (even 2 years is short term compared with the rest of your life) change.  Be comfortable with what you are doing is something you can do for the rest of your life.  I don't deny myself an occasional treat - but I track it and take it into account for that day's calorie limit or up my exercise to burn off the extra calories to keep my deficit at the same level.

Good luck and welcome! 

I would echo what many people have said about setting short term goals and not worrying too much about the final goal.  It can be discouraging to make a good choice today if you won't feel rewarded for years in the future.  Also, there are lots of health benefits to losing even 10% of your body weight, so I set that as my first goal (I already achieved my first goal, yea!), and then give myself small rewards (non-food) for every 10 pounds.  There is something just so satisfying in dropping into a lower "decade".

I would also encourage you to try to develop a healthy relationship with health-giving foods.  Food is necessary to health, so try not to demonize it, it is not the enemy.  Overeating and under-exercising is the problem, not eating itself.  Good luck!

good luck

you can do it. i started at 300 lbs and over a year a lost 180 lbs.i gain some back . i am at 167 right now. i just cut  out all soda and some sugar  ( i love cake). i love fast food too . but i stoped that too. i know how you feel, give it some time . my doctor gave me  some weight loss pill ( they are called watso), to lose the first 100. but then it was all me.

I'll be 64 in August 2009, and weigh 383 lbs as of last Thursday in my doctor's office. I decided that this is the last straw for me and I absolutely have to do something about it. I suffer with osteoarthritis and my joints have been really painful these past few weeks.  I actually had gained 10 lbs from the previous doctor's appointment earlier in the year which was actually a surprise, but it explains all the extra pain I've been suffering...and fatigue. This is the most I've ever weighed, but I also have diabetes II, which is another reason I MUST lose this weight.

I started gaining weight after I had my tonsils out at age seven. People told me that my tonsillectomy didn't have anything to do with my gaining weight, but the same thing happened to my brother. My other brother and sister - neither had their tonsils out and neither gained weight until they were in their 50s.

I've tried all sorts of diets, even doctor-prescribed diet pills before they became a controlled drug. At age 14, I weighed in at 205 lbs. A doctor put me on diet pills and I started losing weight. I thought Wow! This is great! I feel wonderful and I'm not hungry and I have all this energy. Once my body got immune to whatever pill I was on, it didn't work anymore, and I started gaining weight. The doctor would give me a stronger one and I'd lose a little more. This went on for almost a year. I was in tenth grade and I began to get paranoid and emotionally unstable. I quit school and wanted to be transferred to a different school that I attended in eighth grade. I liked that one better, so my dad fixed up a car for my brother to drive both of us to and from the other school. The same thing happened there, only worse. I couldn't face people and had no self esteem.

In that one school year I quit tenth grade twice. I had gone down to 156 lbs, close to my goal weight, which at that time was 125-130 lbs, but that didn't help my self esteem after being on those diet pills. That was the year when we moved and I decided I would never take another diet pill. The following year I repeated the tenth grade at the new school and finally graduated in 1964 (instead of 1963). It also opened my eyes to how good the other schools were. It was the diet pills that clouded my vision of reality, and sense of worth.

Needless to say, my weight has gradually increased over the years. When I was in my early twenties, I lived alone for a few years. I was able to maintain my weight at 200 lbs, give or take a couple here and there. I watched what I ate and didn't allow certain “no-no” foods into the house. I had no one around me all day eating in front of me and tempting me. Then, after marriage, having a baby, and trying to work, take care of a house and a family, then a divorce, I lost track of dieting. The stress of being a single mom and all other stresses from then on got the best of me and all the diet plans I tried, I could never stay with. I'd lose 15 lbs and then the plateau would stay forever and the only thing that I lost was an interest in going on a diet.

I joined CC on Thursday, June 26, 2009, after my doctor's appointment and I'm glad to say that I've lost seven pounds so far. I realize that the pounds will not always be coming off at that rate, there will be times I will gain, and times when I will lose more. But even the plateaus won't be as hard because having all the information in front of me concerning nutrition, calories, activity chart, etc. will help me to keep up with my diet and nutrition plans.

I have talked too much, but I wanted you to know that on Thursday, the day I started CC, I promised my grandson pizza when we got home from the doctor's.  So with the pizza that I ate, plus three meals within the next three or four days consisting of chicken dumplings...listing everything I ate, and reaching around 3000 calories on two of those days, I still lost.  I am restructuring my food intake and watching my nutrients closer, as well as calories.  I've been able to find the calorie intake for such things as pizza slices, homemade dumplings, and things that don't actually come with a “label of nutrition facts” and that, in itself, is extremely helpful.

Start Weight: 383 lbs (June 26, 2009)
Last Entry: 376 lbs (Jul 02 2009)
Goal Weight: 149 lbs (Jun 23 2012)

Status as of July 2, 2009: Lost 7 lbs, 227 lbs to go! A great start!