anyone start at 350+ could not walk & breath? Desperately need help b4 I die.

Is there anyone here that started out weighing over 350 who could not walk & breath at the same time?  

I am looking for anyone who has truly been at that point and can offer their stories of how they motivated themself to get started and kept moving even when they thought there were going to die.   I want advice, guidance, tips, etc.,  from anyone who is sincere and honestly did start out this way, and are willing to tell me about it. 

MY FEAR:  I have been told by several physicians that I might die within next five years if I don't start moving and losing weight.

MY STORY:  I am a married 47 year old mom of 2 boys who are grown and gone.  One is 27, married, w/ 2 small boys, and the other is 19 & just married.  I now live with just my husband who is a wonderful man, but....he is simply head over heels in love with me, loves me exactly as I am - says he doesn't care if I weigh 30 pounds or 3000 pounds.  He is a very kind, loving, generous person who treats me like a queen, but he simply cannot seem to realize how my weight is affecting ME.  He just cannot get it.  I have asked him to diet with me and he says okay, but he then eats all the time anyway - most of the time it's fruit, vegies, etc., but he eats constantly.  I have also asked him to walk or exercise with me and he says he will, but there never seems to be the "right time" for him.  So....I feel completely alone and helpless, and well....I'm about ready to consent to the fact that I'm just going to die.

MY EXCUSE:  I don't know...stupidity?  I feel that  I cannot exercise because of my weight.  I absolutely cannot walk more than 100 feet without getting totally out of breath.  I get pains in my neck, back, hips, knees....my heart beats so fast it feels like it will jump out of my chest....I sometimes get a dizzy feeling....I sometimes feel like I'm gasping for air because I'm breathing so hard.   And this is exactly what I explained to my doctors (including the heart specialist).  The heart specialist did loads of tests and bloodwork, and he tells me there is nothing CURRENTLY wrong with my heart at all, and that all I need to do is lose weight and walk OR my heart will simply just give out and I will die.  He did put me on two antidepressants and on blood pressure medication which stabilizes my BP around 100/60 to 120/70 (high BP runs in my family - parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).   Anyway....he says I am simply morbidly obese and extremely out of shape and that my lungs & heart are "out of shape" as well and that is why I get so out of breath.  He says I need to walk to strengthen my heart and lungs and to lose weight.  However....I asked him how I was supposed to do this if I can't walk without getting breathless, and he said baby steps.  Start with walking 50 feet a day...next week walk 75 feet a day, then progress to 100, 150, 200, ect., until I work up to 1 mile a day, then 2 miles, etc.  EVERY SINGLE doctor has basically told me the same thing "JUST START WALKING....START MOVING....AND KEEP IT UP."

HOW DO I DO THIS??  I feel so bad after walking 100 feet that I simply just want to give up altogether.  I don't know how to get motivated and keep motivated especially when I feel like I'm going to die afterwards.  I NEED HELP PLEASE.

CAN ANYONE OUT THERE WHO MAY HAVE OVER-COME THIS TYPE OF SITUATION PLEASE TELL ME HOW THEY DID IT??   PLEASE??

Ok leeci I just posted a couple of days ago on the fact that I could finally weigh myself on my digital scale without getting an error message.  Yes I was and still am at a higher weight than you are.  Yes when I started I could not walk to the mailbox and back, yes I used the electric carts at the grocery store and never looked anywhere but down and at the shelves because I knew people were staring at the big fat blob trying to make that poor little scooter work under all that weight etc..etc..etc..

Then I decided that I had lived my whole life for other people and it was time to take back my life and live it for me!  I am 51 years old and plan on being around to enjoy at least another 35-40 years, then I have time to be sick if I have to be.  I came on CC and asked very similar questions to yours and was told to walk to the end of the driveway, to the door and back, anywhere I could get to without passing out or hurting myself and to keep doing it everyday or a couple times a day.

I thought they were crazy, but one day I decided what the heck why not try it nothing else seems to be working.  Now I grocery shop without the electric cart, don't get me wrong it about kills me and I lean very heavily on the rolling cart but I make it!  I got some tapes to work out while sitting down.  Also I started making myself get up and get things for myself instead of asking my husband to get things for me.  I am coming into 125 degree summer now so walking is out for a few months but now I can start using my pool and as boyant as I am I should be able to float around and move things until my stamina is built up for winter walks.

Good luck email if you would like and we can compare notes.

My weight is not the same as yours, but i weighed 263 a month ago and i now weigh at 246.  When i first started my right knee hurt alot, so i would go around the block 1 or 2 times. Then i began increasing it to 2 or 3 times a day... then began increasing the distance. At any rate i am walking between 2.5- 5 miles aday. I can still have discomfort in my knee.. but as soon as i get home and rest it gose away.. not really pain but a little pressure now.

I have a great idea for you. I have read some articles to help get me moving... one article was about using canned vegies and just lifting them. Try doing that 10 times..lifting the cans... but do it a few times aday. If you find that too easy...add more reps.

Another idea... I do this also.. Go swimming.. in the water you dont put as much weight on youre knees and joints.. you could walk around in the shallow end. And it also keeps you cool. This i think is the best idea. Im not sure about you.. but I was totally nervous about going in public with a bathing suit on. Well i was a little uncomfortable at first but now i dont even wear a cover up i just walk down the street in my suit. i just couldnt encourage you enough to get into the pool... nice cool water..

Another small tip. I drink 2 cups of water before i eat. so i feel full quicker. You can eat so much food.. you really can. I eat more now then before i was calorie counting.

You CAN DO THIS..  You gave birth to two children.. fed them took care of them when they were sick...ect.. So you have it in you to be caring and nurturing.. its time for you to be caring and nurturing to yourself... Its youre turn! 

Hi, leeci!  Welcome to CC and congrats on trying to make some healthy changes!  I think there's a few things you could do.  First of all, simply cutting your calories to a reasonable amount (while still getting all your nutrition through lean protein, fruits, veggies, and whole wheat carbs) will likely cause you to lose at least some, if not quite a bit, of weight at first, even before starting an exercise routine.  Then, as the weight comes off, you'll be more able to get up and go do all that exercising without being completely worn out.  Also, you have two small grandsons, right?  Do they live anywhere nearby?  If so, get them over to your place and babysit!  Playing with little kids, even if you don't feel like you're doing a lot, can be quite a bit of work (as I'm sure you know, having raised two yourself--:) ).  Also, what the doctors said was true--start with baby steps.  It might wear you out at first, but if you can just get out there and do a small amount of walking every day, you'll start to see results and be able to start building up your tolerance to activity.  Another question:  do you have access to a pool?  Swimming can be a great way to exercise, and it's much more gentle on your joints, so less back, hip, and knee pain. 

As for your husband, maybe he is supportive in theory, but he loves you for who you are (which is wonderful!), which means he has no real reason to change his actions on his own.  If it's you that wants to lose weight, you're going to have to make the first definite steps, and stick with them!  Then, once he sees how important this is to you and that it really is about maintaining your health so that you can spend your life with him, he'll likely come around.  Who buys the groceries?  If it's you, only buy healthy items, and let him snack to his heart's content while you're able to start a healthier "diet."

And my all time favorite exercise activity to suggest, frequent "extracurricular activities" with your husband can really burn some calories, and make both of you happier people!  And if he still doesn't fall into line, buy some sexy lingerie, hang it in your bedroom in plain site, and tell him that that'll be his reward for helping you lose the weight. :)  Anyway, good luck with everything.  You can do this!

Leeci, I know exactly where you are coming from.  I am 31yrs old and currently weigh 308.6.  I started my weight loss journey at the beginning of this year when I went to the doctor and tipped the scale at 371 lbs.  I thought my life was over.  I layed down on the bed one night and told my husband that I wouldn't be long for this world.  I had given up. It was too hard.

I would drive around the parking lot at work and look for the closest parking spot to the door, because I knew by the time I made it into the building and to my desk, my legs, lower back, heart and lungs would all be burning.  I was a wreck.  I had to do something to change.  But how? I felt helpless and so out of control.  I was someone who would have to call ahead to see if a restaurant had chairs with arms or not so I knew if I would be comfortable.  That is no way to live, but that was how I was living.  I was miserable.

My husband suggested that I see a therapist.  I resisted at first, but he called and got me an appointment and he drove me to it and walked me in.  I cried the entire time I was there.  I felt like such a failure.  I felt like my life was over.  I could no longer do the things I loved to do and avoided seeing the people I loved because of my weight and my shame. 

With my therapists help I realized that the endless circle of negative thinking was feeding my inactivity which was feeding my weight and so on.  Eventually I had to make a change somewhere to stop the cycle.  I am still seeing my therapist monthly now instead of weekly.  This, for me was the most important part of my success so far.  I had to change my thinking.

I decided to see a nutritionist and weight loss doctor in my hometown.  They have been working with me to design a diet plan that works for me.  I have also started seeing an exercise physiologist.  She designed a workout program for me that is working.  It costs me a total of $150 a month, but the other option I felt was unthinkable.  I wanted my life back.

I remember the first workout, I thought I was going to die.  She expected me to get on the treadmill and walk for 30 minutes.  I had not been able to do anything close to that in probably 5 years.  But somehow I found the strenght and did it.  I realized that today could be the change in my life and I just had to try harder.  I went home after the workout and went straight to bed.  I was exhausted.

Now I am doing the elliptical machine for 3 minutes (not long but its a start), the treadmill for 30 minutes on an incline.  I walk approx 1.2 miles, I do a step machine for 10 minutes and do approx 20 minutes of light weight training.  I do this 3 times a week.  If I heard someone say to me in January that I would be doing this in May I would have laughed.  But here I am....62 lbs gone and feeling so much better. 

I have had a lot of support and I know the road would have been so much harder without it.  You need to find someone who will be your support.  If your husband won't do it, find a friend, make a new friend, ask one of your boys to help.  Someone out there will be there for you. 

I wish you nothing but happiness.  And I am telling you know you can do this.  You have to decide today that no matter how many times you try and fail that you will keep trying.

Please let me know if there is anything else you want to know.  You can Private Mail me anytime.

Best of luck,

Kelly

{{{leeci}}}  wraps arms around leeci and hands box of kleenix... sits down with bottles of rainbow bubbles to blow and some pink fluffy bunnies to watch while we chat...

yes.  been there. working on that.  you are not alone and you CAN change.  1 day, 1 meal, 1 snack at at time.

We could be twins, and have been trying to *diet* and lose weight since 1983!!!  But each year, each and every freaking year I would go on 2 or 3 serious attempts to lose weight ~ you know, a diet like the Cabbage Soup diet, the Medifast liquid semi-fasting protein diet (lost 60 lbs 2 times on that), the Ski team diet, the eat 7 eggs one day and 7 oranges the next day diet, the Atkins diet, the This Diet and the That Diet...  And I always QUIT the diet and gained it all back.... each and every time... would gain it all back plus some!!! 

So each year I gained about 5 - 8 lbs more... and like i said... we could be twins.

So, in 2005 or so, I did an online life expectancy calculator where you put in your history and condition and the way you eat and stuff... and it said I should be DEAD.  Boots up in a freaking grave. 

So, yes.  Understand what you are feeling.  Understand where you are.  Been there.

Changing that.  And you can too.

Start with 1 thing at a time.  1 meal, 1 snack at a time.  1 exercise at a time. 

Did you know that 1/2 hour of walking a day 4 or 5 days a week will rev up your metabolism and improve your cardiovascular (heart, lung and blood vein system).  You can even do it in 3 ten minute sessions and it is just as effective.  But if you have to, start with 1 minute once, twice or 3 times a day and build up. 

What I did that had the biggest help was find a water aerobics class because I could go at my own pace and the water kept it from hurting my knees and joints and back.  

The breathing is partially from lack of sustained aerobic exercise, but it is also because of your weight pressing on your organs, lungs and diaghram.  Your heart has to work harder to push the blood through the body.... You have more muscle structure to support your weight...  with a little work you can begin to improve this each and every day.


When I got here, I realized that I had been trying to diet since 1983 and that never worked for me.  Instead, I need to create a way to eat and exercise that I can enjoy and do for the rest of my life...

What was important for me was to figure out why and when and how and where and what I was eating.  Then I would look at the pattern.  If it was good, I kept it.  If it was bad, I tried something else.... Kind of like trying on clothes...  Keep the best you like and get rid of the stuff you don't....

Changing patterns is hard, but so will losing a lot of weight........ It takes time.  It takes ongoing committment.  It takes REFUSING to Quit!!!  It takes the desire...

All of that is possible.  And it is up to you.

But yeah right... been there, done that, tried that... and just thinking about all of it is too overwhelming...

That's why I break it down into pieces that I can deal with.

Focus on losing 10 lbs.  Then go have your picture taken holding a 10 lb bag of taters.  Then focus on the next 10 lbs...

but how are you going to lose it?  Do you have a way to eat that you like and enjoy?  For me? I like the flexiblity of counting calories.  It is simply a way to measure food.  If you over-eat, you gain weight.  If you cut back, you will lose.

Some days I can deal with cutting back a little in my brain.  Up to 500 calories.  If i try to do more, then I freak and feel deprived, eat and beat myself up.  That had to stop too.  I had to quit beating myself up.  I had to realize that this is a process.... that will take a lot of practice.  This will take time.  And I CAN do it... but... I can't do it all today... So.... let's figure out what I can do now... to make things better...

And then I take it 1 day at a time. 1 meal at a time. 1 snack at a time. 1 Pity Party at a time.  1 bad day at a time. 1 rant at a time. 1 joyful occasion at a time.

And I REFUSE to Quit.  When it gets crappy, I stay here and chat with friends in our journals.  I read the forums for inspiration.  I stay committed to making my life better.

And slowly but surely... things are getting better.

I still have bad days.  My goal is to have more Good days than bad days.

And you CAN too.

Here. Together with Us!

reaches out hand & waits...

{{{hugs}}}

ps ~ make a profile, add friends, create a locked journal for friends only... chat in the journals with people who are on the same hard journey... there are lots of us here...  Join us.

& check out this thread... it's all about people who have more than 100 lbs to lose...

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1034 1.html

hi Leeci,

I am not obese but would like to lose 5-10lbs. i want to comend you for getting the courage to open up and share your story.

I think that the suggestions given are great and that you should try aquasize. Just moving will help you to lose weight, take one step at a time and i know you can do it. Before you know it you will be running marathons.

I am a runner and i remember my first run, i couldn't even run a mile, but now i can run a half marathon.

Try not to be embarassed ( not sure if you would be:) ) to be in a bathing suit (they have really cute ones) b/c whenever i see a large person working out or swimming, i think good for them. infact i think that about anyone working out.

You can do this, only you can change yourself adn it's time to nurish and love your body.

I wish you lots of luck:) Hugs

Amy:)

Leeci,

I can't quite say I've been where you're at. I'm a bit younger than you and am blessed with a donkey-stubborn constitution. But two years ago I was 344 lbs @ 5'7". (And I know I've been considerably heavier at times prior to that.) The fluttering heart walking up a small hill--oh yes. Pain in knees, feet--yup. I once strained by lower back rolling over in bed... I could drive my car with no hands... I'm at about 210-215 now. I feel like I could see the near side of 200 in the next few months, and it will be the first time since about 8th grade. But even if I never drop another pound, I feel so much better. I can do so much more.

Others above have already covered the exercise part. Whatever you can do, a little bit at a time, until you can do a tiny little bit more at a time. That's really how it's done. Some people have success focusing only on diet and not excercise. That has not been my experience, for what it's worth. The two go hand in hand. The accomplishment of exercise motivates more careful eating for me. And though it's hard, I feel physically so much better, which also helps mood, which lessens mood-induced eating. If 100 feet makes you want to die, try 75 at first.

One tip I have with food, that I haven't seen on this board before I don't think, is before even worrying about removing things from your diet, focus on adding something healthy. This worked for me several years ago when I lost about 50 pounds, and at the start of my current effort a few years ago. I just concentrated on getting one more serving of fruits or vegetables into my day. (At those times it may have been the only serving...) I think it just starts to retrain your mind on what is good food. And it lays a foundation for cutting back something else, because when you're ready to do that, you've got some filling food in your stomach which will make it easier. I'm guessing it also helps even out the mood effects of blood sugar yo-yoing caused by simple carbs (sugary stuff, white bread, etc). (Note, this is based on my dietary experience. I have no idea what yours is like, so if I'm making inaccurate assumptions, please forgive that.)

If your husband won't walk with you, that's a shame, but don't let it stop you. One foot in front of the other. Get a dog. They will ALWAYS want to walk with you, and in fact will entice you out on days you feel like giving up, because they are beautiful souls and you won't want to disappoint them. (Sorry, waxing sentimental here! I love dogs and don't have one because I live alone now--too much alone time for a dog while I'm away at work and other things.)

Make use of whatever resources you may have available: medical folks like docs, nutritionists, physical therapists or psychotherapists (which was huge help for me, incidentally) or a local community center with a thai chi class, or hell, a knitting class, whatever. That will help with the aloneness of it.

Good luck to you sweetheart.

Hey, Can't say I know exactly how you feel. But I've seen tons of people on CC who have overcome the exact same thing. Don't you dare give up! You can do this. Baby steps! Focus on changing your diet first, with small walks every day, if only up and down the stairs once or twice, or a walk to the end of the road and back. No need to power walk, either, go at a nice slow pace and allow yourself to be proud of yourself for every little accomplishment.

I belive in you! You can beat this!!

I started out at 299 and noticed that my weight was definitely making it harder to walk for the first time, at least I had not noticed it much at 260 - 280 range.  I started doing a low impact aerobics class and walking, but it sounds like I was a bit more mobile than what you described.  The thing is though, you don't have to exercise to lose weight, all you have to do is eat less than your body burns.  I bet once you lose some weight your mobility will greatly improve and you'll be able to exercise more.  For now, just do what you can do.  If 100 yards is what you can manage, do 100 yards the first day, then add 5 yards or 10 yards per day until you get to a mile, a 1/2 mile, whatever.  Eventually you'll lose enough and improve your cardiovascular capacity enough that you'll be able to power walk 3 or 4 miles.  And by then your body will be smaller and burn fewer calories, so the exercise will be more helpful in continuing to lose.  I don't think that a lack of mobility is a reason to not be able to lose.

Also, there are chair exercises available, do those after you walk your 100 yards.  I think you can google and find them.

Hang in there.

Jenny

+scratches head+ I'm currently 485 (down 6lbs) and never had problems like that, I got a bad knee from being clipped at practice one day, but even that doesn't hurt when i take a walk,I've weighed 400+ since middle school, and could run a 7sec 40yd dash.... perhaps I'm just lucky...

But yea, start slow and ramp up, and try walking on a level surface, as it's infinitely more easy than hilly terrain

I started out at 225.  Even though I was lighter, my fitness level was nonexistant.  I couldn't breathe.  My heart would pound.  One can be unfit at any weight.  The good thing is that with some daily exercise within your fitness level, you will improve quickly.  You just have to start within your finess level, which for folks like you and me, is pretty low.  Start with walking.  Walk as slowly as you need to so that you can breathe.  I started out just walking back and forth in my living room and hallway.  It doesn't have to be fast, it doesn't have to be a big production, and it doesn't have to be for a long time.  All it has to be is daily.  Start with 5-10 minute segments, 2-3 times a day.  As you get stronger, and you will, start lengthening your walks by a few minutes.  If you start sucking wind, slow down.  If it's too easy, speed up.  Your docs are right.  The only way to build strength, and that includes your lungs and heart, is to do it.  If you can only start by walking for 3 minutes, then you walk for three minutes, and you try to do that 2-3 times every single day.  As you do this, your endurance will get better, and it starts to get better right away.

An online friend of mine started at 380lbs, and she's now lost 165 lbs.  She did it all with healthy diet and daily exercise.  Sure, she wasn't walking any marathons when she started out, but she did it, and now she is able to do so much more in her life.

Your health is your concern and your responsibility.  You cannot wait for your husband to decide to get healthy too.  You cannot expect him to make the same commitment as you do for your sake.  You cannot wait for him to exercise too, you need to do it for yourself.  If I waited for my fiance to get moving, I'd still be waiting and I wouldn't have lost 45 lbs since Jan.  He's a loving man, and he supports me, but he isn't going to do it with me.  He will eat whatever I cook for dinner and doesn't complain.  That's enough for me.  Because of this, he's lost 11 lbs!  Exercise, however, is just not his thing.  If you want to succeed, you have to do it for yourself.  If that means doing it by yourself, then that's what you have to do.

leeci *hugs*

I didn't start as high as you I was 220 but still had many difficulties and still do but it is getting easier as I get stronger.

Thankyou for posting your story and asking for help that is the first step there are many wonderful people here to help you.

I have some advice on how to deal with your husband just star doing it on your own when he sees it helping you and your going on walks on your own he will start joining you and it will become routine .

I wish you the best of luck great start!! hang in there!!!

Hi Leeci!

I was searching the net and came across this site and then your post...  Thanks for sharing!  As I read it, I had so much I wanted to share with you as I am in a similar situation and DEFINITELY understand your concerns!

At the beginning of this year, I weighed 377 lbs!  I had just turned 35 and really just had enough!  More importantly, I'm married for over 2 years and REALLLY want to start a family.  So, I tried to make minor changes on my own, but knew I needed serious help.  I found a local medically supervised (non-surgical) weight loss program in February and have lost 51 pounds since (a total of 60 pounds if you include the 9 I lost in January while making those "minor changes").  Now, I have been overweight my entire life, and this is the only life I know.  I adapted and was able to find an amazing husband who loves me totally the way I am.  He was also overweight, but enjoys working out.  He reluctantly joined the program in order to be supportive, and since Feb, has lost 80 pounds! 

Now, I ABSOLUTELY HATE exercise!  There is NOTHING about it that I like.  It is extremely painful for me (I have severely flat feet and plantar fasciitis/heel spurs).  I am not interested in going to  a swimming pool, so people can stare at me.  I know, I should not worry about that, and prior to this journey... I didn't.  I have always been told how beautiful I am and as a result, I was in denial about how big I had gotten.  (Honestly, this is my FIRST attempt at weight loss....yes, I was in SERIOUS denial)  ANYWAY, I've tried the gym with my husband and it's really not my thing!  So, basically, I had to find what works for me.  I now do this video, WALK AWAY THE POUNDS and I was able to start at the one mile walk.  The first time I did it I was in SO MUCH pain and I cried because I didn't think I would make it thru the whole video. I had told myself that I would stop if I needed to, but I did it.  It is in the privacy of my own home and I could move at my own pace. 

I will tell you what has worked for ME.  I lost most of the weight thru speeding up my metabolism by eating every 2-3 hours and taking in mostly proteins.  As a result, all of the 50 pounds I lost on the program has all been FAT!  (The program has a scale that prints out all kinds of info and breaks down your weight into fat, water, muscle, etc.).  So, if you can start to incorporate healthy small portions every 2-3 hours, your metabolism will start to burn fat for you and it will help you be able to increase your physical activity.  Next, I drink one gallon of H2O/day!  It's alot, but when burning fat, you must flush it out!  I also take lots of vitamins and I journal my experience, food intake, and whatever else I need to keep track of to get me thru the day. 

Overall, if you told me in Jan. that I would be following a weight loss program and that I would be 60 pounds lighter, I really wouldn't have believed you.  I didn't think it was possible.  But then I worked on changing my mentality and trusting that I can do ANYTHING, and here I am today!  I hope you find this somewhat helpful, and please let me know if I can be of any help.  So far, this site seems great and I'll try to navigate my way thru this (never replied to a post before, but I couldn't resist!)  Good luck! 

YOU CAN DO IT!

When problems overwhelm us and sadness smothers us, where do we find the will and the courage to continue? Well the answer may come in the caring voice of a friend,a chance encounter with a book, or from a personal faith.
For Janet help came from her faith, but it also from a squirrel. Shortly after her divorce, Janet lost her father, then she lost her job.
She had mounting money problems. But Janet not only survived she worked her way out of despondency and now she says, life is good again. How could this happen? She told me that late one day when she was at her lowest she watched a squirrel storing up nuts for the winter, one at a time he would take them to the nest. And she thought, if that squirrel
can take care of himself with the harsh winter coming along, then so can I. Once I ripped my problems into small pieces I was able to carry them,just like those acorns, one at a time.


Take all your problems
And rip 'em apart
Oh Oh Oh
Carry them off
In a shopping cart
Oh Oh Oh

And another thing you
Should've known from the start
The problems in hand
Are lighter than at heart

Be like the squirrel, girl
Be like the squirrel
Give it a whirl, girl
Be like the squirrel

And another thing
You have to know in this world
Cut up your hair
Straighten your curls
Well you problems
Hide in your curls

hello lecci

i am new here and am starting at the weight of 268 i can hardly walk up stairs or short distances without my leg muscles telling me they hurt like crazy - i get breathless - i wheeze a lot. i have one daughter aged 9 who i love to bits and i feel i am letting her down by not being able to play a lot with my hubby loves me no matter what - and is now at last realising how unhappy i am and is now helping me more - maybe talking to hubby more may help - let him know how your are feeling and see if he can do anything to help in anyway. we are all here to support one another - i have found already this forum is the best thing and have had some valuable advice already. dont lost heart - you can do it - if i can - i know you can. i know i live in the uk - please email me if you want - i am here to listen.

hey leeci..

just checking in to say and see how you are doing?

hope you had a great day!!!!

if you need help please just ask we are all here for you!!!!

Hello, i read your story, i am very touched by it. It makes me realize how good i really have it. On the downside i really feel for you. Drs are good they know alot, but sometimes it seems they can be a bit unforgiving? Inhumane? I have problems walking i couldnt last 15 mins on concrete and about 30 mins in the grass. Weight takes a tow on your body including organs. The more fat we have on our bodies the more fat we have on our organs, liver, heart, surrounding our lungs ect.  Today I know i ahvent lost much if any at all, but i realized its time to face the pain, i know it hurts but you gotta think positive, its this weight or the ground. Motivate yourself come here every day talk to us, we do want to hear from you! We need to hear from you. There are various exercises out there for people with such problems, not necessarily walking, me for instance i have some nasty back problems my cartlidge is almost gone in my l3 l4 and l5 vertibrates and when i walk it grinds like crazy and sometimes causes pinched nerves.

Eating healthier, drinking plenty of water and finding that exercise that will help you. I for one switched my coffee for green tea, i drink 6-8 glasses of water a day *formerly a 12 pack of diet pepsis a day* ive totally cut out refined suger from my eating habbits. No suger in coffee or tea anymore.  My exercise as of today is 30 mins on a recumbant cycle, why that because it has great back support for me i am currently 310lbs and working my way down hopefully. I origionally started out at 5 mins on the recumbant why because i would get dizzy, light headed and exhausted. Now yesterday i felt good enough to go and weedeat about 200 ft of fencing. Im getting healthier, regardless of weight loss i feel good and my body doesnt hurt as bad and i can breath better.

I know that my situation is no where near what yours is, but i hope this can atleast help motivate you into making a better life for yourself. I was a hermit, i am no longer because being here has made me feel better about myself. So please whatever you do stay here, talk to us, we are here for you and ready to help when we can. You will be in our prayers.

My two favorite weightloss blogs, written by women who started out at 350+ and who have lost half their weight... and are still working on it:

The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl: http://www.dietgirl.org/dietgirl/

Half of Me: http://www.pastaqueen.com/halfofme/

They have online archives that go back for years; it is fascinating and very encouraging to go back and read about their journey and process.

Congratulations to everyone on this thread who is working so hard - you are all superstars!

Hi Leeci,

I have only been on this site for a few days now and currently weigh 355 pounds.  I cannot really comment on food as I have my own problems here and the advice might not be good, however I know exactly what it feels like not to be able to exercise with all the pains and being short of breath. It does feel so easy to give up but what has worked for me is to start moving to some of my favorite songs while sitting. Believe me, it WILL get your heartrate up. I started with just five minutes (all I could handle) and worked up to now 30 minutes twice a day. My plan is to keep this up for awhile until I no longer get short of breath. 

Walking is also in my plans and I do mostly around the house but I give out so easy so fast. Hopefully in a few weeks that will change.

Basically what some of the others said, just take small steps. Every single one makes the difference in your life and you deserve to be happy and healthy.

If you would like to private mail me, feel free. Perhaps we can help each other along in this journey.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to write and/or email me.  I just sat down this evening to see if anyone had responded (thinking in the back of my mind that no-one would), but what a surprise I had seeing all of these responses.  I just sat here and cried.  I can't believe how supportive everyone is and how you are rooting for me when you don't even know me.  Thank you for all the suggestions....there are some really good ones here, and I will be trying them out.  I pray that I find something that clicks and works for me.  I do have a recumbent bike that I hadn't used much since I bought it 2 years ago!  So....I actually took time to warm up the pedals this evening.  I was watching George Lopez on T.V. and something made me sit on that bike and try to ride - I actually found out that if I pedaled backwards, it was easier for me, and believe it or not.....I went 1/2 mile.....HONEST.  And my husband can actually vouch for me because he sat on the couch and watched me!  Of course it took me almost the whole show to do that 1/2 mile, but I did it.  He did ask me why I did it, and I told him I was tired of feeling like crap and that I wanted to be around to see my grandchildren grow up (God willing, of course).  His reply?  He said "good for you.  I hope you keep it up."   I know he loves me and doesn't care what I look like (we've been married almost 20 years and I've always been overweight....I just kept getting bigger and bigger.  I don't know...maybe he didn't notice that I kept growing.  Who knows.  Anyway....He does love me.  And I think he supports me in his own way (?)....but my problem with it is that he always "promises" to help me and never follows thru.  Maybe he is this way because I've tried many diets, exercise fads, etc., over the years and never stuck to anything so maybe he figures I'll never do it or maybe he's tired of watching me try and not succeeding?    BUT....everyone is right - it is MY problem.  And I need to be the one to do something about it.  So I'm starting.  I actually started Monday the day after I found this site and wrote my post.  I stopped drinking soda (regular soda, not diet because I hate diet drinks) - I was drinking two 2-liter bottles of Pepsi a day.  YEP...you read that correctly...two 2 liter bottles.  I have stopped it cold turkey and have replaced all of it with water (and I made a big pitcher of iced tea with mint and lime in it).  Today I decided to try out that recumbent bike, and I did 1/2 mile.  Of course I probably won't be able to move in a few hours, but...at least I did it.  I plan on going thru this site and learning all I can and posting here and checking out the links that perdita put in her post.  I will try to not give up.  Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.  And please continue to post your comments here so that I can read them for encouragement - I really appreciate it.  I look foward to checking in with you all again in a few days to let you know how I'm doing.  Thanks again.