I'm too young to be so fat

Hi everyone. My name's Jackie, I'm 18 years old, 5'7" and I weigh 280 pounds on the dot. I've been overweight my ENTIRE life.. and I feel really alone.

Most people who come to these sites to lose weight are just getting those older-age pounds and want to go back to how they were when they were younger. But..

I don't even know what it's like to be skinny. I remember being made fun of for being fat in the first grade. How do I change something that I've always been? I hate being this way.. but it's all I know. I'm not only addicted to food, I live it.

I recently went to the doctor and I was told that if I didn't lose the weight, I would become a diabetic within a few years. I could never deal with being a diabetic. I need help.

Is anyone else here young and/or has gone through this their entire life? It's so insanely hard for me to change.. I really just need someone to relate to. I'd love any advice or tips you'd have to share, too. And thanks for taking the time to read this.

i know where you're at. I'm 21 and at hit my highest weight of 235 this year. I am graduating college and knew I had to do something. I've always been big, all through elementary school, middle, school, adn high school. Finally my senior year of high school I lost a lot of weight adn was at my smallest and actually was fairly thin. Then I met my b/f and gained it all back plus some. Now I'm trying ot lose weight the healthy way so I can actually keep it off. It's very difficult to get started but once you get into the groove of it and start seeing hte numbers go down, it's excitign to realize it can happen! good luck and feel free to message me for help.

there are a ton of young people on this site! don't feel alone!

Thanks ktcort. :) What are you doing now to lose weight?

Hi there,

Don't feel so alone - I'm nineteen mself and have neer know wht it's like to be a smller person. I've lost a whole 16 lbs now and for the first time ever I feel like I will be thin instead of this diet being doomed tofail like the times before.  

Keep with it,

Emmy

Hi Jackie,

I'm not your age anymore (34 now), but at 18 I was about where you're at. It is a really hard place to be. You sound pretty well equipped to deal with this though; you sound smart and maybe ready to look at what's going on in your life. I'd say for the moment, assess your resources. This site is really helpful, but who's around in your life that can help? Did your doctor offer you any additional resources like nutrition counseling, etc? (And if he or she is just using scare tactics as a way to get you to change your behavior, and not offering any actual help, it might be to your advantage to switch doctors if that's a possibility for you.) Are you going to school? Are there counselors there that might be helpful? Etc.

Just remember, you're not diabetic now, which is great. Some pretty small changes could make a lot of difference right now. A little walking. Cut one soda, or one cookie, or whatever out of your day. You'd be surprised. You don't have to shoot for the moon immediately. You know how cargo ships and airplanes can take miles to make a turn? This is like that. Just nudge the wheel a little bit.

Take care, G

i've mainly just been cuttign calories. I am 5'5" and 222 pounds and eating about 1600 calories a day. I try to get tot eh gym at least once a week but that hasn't happened lately. otherwise i've just been trying to move more and take the stairs more when i can. a lot of food manufacturers are making lower calorie food so i've been getting a lot of that stuff: yogurt, sugar free ice cream, ruffles light potato chips, 100 calorie packs. I've also been drinking lots of water and cutting back on sodas adn alcohol (definitely not easy)

Thanks for the reply, Gail.

As for being helped.. My boyfriend is very supportive, but my mother has her own medical problems to worry about.. she doesn't really talk to me about my weight.

 My doctor did give me some papers on what healthy foods I should eat.. but it isn't very detailed. She keeps wanting to put me on medications that are known to cause weight loss (supress appetite), but my insurance doesn't cover it.

Thank you on the advice about keeping smaller goals. I think that is a big problem of mine.. I want it all gone now and I want it too fast. I really need to have patience and try to change my life permanently.

Hi there, I'm 21 and have also been overweight for a long time, my highest weight being around 225.  I too don't even remember what it's like to be skinny, but it's one of my biggest motivators as I've been losing weight.  One day last January I decided things needed to change, as the scale moved over 220.  It's been almost 4 months since then and I have lost nearly 30 pounds.  It is hard to change, and it seems very overwhelming at first, but you can do it.  If you have any specific questions you can message me, I'd be more than willing to answer them!  Best of luck to you :)

Thanks a bunch, Chris and congradulations on losing 30 pounds! 

I'm 21 have been overweight my entire life, and I'm working on losing weight and exercising because I know I need to for my own health and well being.  What has helped me so much is to love myself for all the things I am rather than to hate the things I'm not.  I think I was in a cycle where since I was fat, I would be sad, and when I would get sad, I would eat.  But eating just made me bigger and sadder, and would just reinforce all the bad things I believed about myself.

I sense your anguish in your postings, and I just want you to know that you're not alone in your struggles.  But perhaps more importantly, being overweight does not mean you are bad, weak, or beyond hope; regardless of your weight, you deserve to be appreciated and respected.  Especially, you deserve to appreciate and respect yourself.  Treating my body to the nutrition and exercise it deserves is an empowering image for me -- I'm becoming healthier because I deserve it!  And your body deserves it, too.

Thank you so much z_l_h, I can definitely relate to the cycle of sadness and eating. Your words are very inspiring. My body does deserve to be healthy. A lot of people don't have the power to change their health, but I do.

Again, thank you :)

Hi Jackie,
I hear you. I lot of people on this site weigh 220, 235, etc. and I can't WAIT until I get to where they are. My highest weight ever clocked was 286, at the doctor's office, and that's when I started getting scared. I actually stopped getting periods for several months in a row, and my doctor said it was because of my weight. That freaked me out, and convinced me that I couldn't live like this anymore.

And I'm 21, by the way. I've been overweight all my life too, and I don't even know what being average-sized (nevermind skinny) is like. But I hope to someday. I don't want my future kids to grow up the way I did, so I want to be a good example.

It took me awhile to find what really works. I'm 25 days into CC right now, and I think I've found my answer. I've been losing weight all month, and people can already notice, even though it's so subtle (8 pounds on a 265-pound person isn't that significant, unfortunately.) I tried exercising, and not dieting, at first. I tried to exercise every day for about six weeks, and I did fairly well. I lost a few pounds and inches doing various videos and going to my college gym. But CC is already helping me a lot more than exercising was, and although I know I need to learn to exercise AND diet, dieting seems to be working better.

The trick is, it's not really dieting. It's just watching what you eat, and when you've reached a certain number of calories, you stop. You can survive the rest of the night without that bedtime snack. I've done really well with this, much better than trying to NOT eat certain foods, like most diets. I've been eating ice cream, pizza, etc, but counting the calories in them as honestly as the fruits and veggies. It works.

As for doctors, they just make me feel bad. I don't think they can help me, and I don't think I need their help. CC works very well for counting your calories, and if you're not doing anything drastic, I think you'll be fine. Give it a shot. I'm just beginning my journey, too, but I feel like this is the answer for me. Maybe it is for you, too.

I've been overweight since I was 9/10 years old, or so.  I have been obese since then and I too have no idea what it's like being thin.  It's almost scary, the thought of being thin, and for the longest time that thought was what kept me fat.  But I just hit tilt, couldn't take it anymore.  Then I was diagnosed with diabetes, which sealed the deal (I am 24).

Don't wait!  Do something about it now.  I caught mine early, still.  Now I've gone down to 247 from almost 290 and I feel much better and my blood sugar and cholesterol have improved greatly.

Hi Jackie...

First of all, NEVER feel alone. You always have the great ppl here to help you & motivate you. Im older than you, but i have been overweight pretty much since the age of 11/12. I am now at my heaviest and have *gasp* 200 lbs to lose. I know all about going through teen years & young adult life being heavy. Its still hard now mentally and physically, even though Im older.

You can change and only you can do it. You have to commit to a lifestyle change. Change the only way of life that you know. With motivation & determination you CAN DO IT!

Im trying to teach myself to eat healthier, eat less and exercise. Its the little tricks that can help. Learn new & healthier ways to eat. Learn to enjoy food in moderation. Repeat to yourself daily "Today I will eat to live, not live to eat". Get out more. Walk more. Take the stairs, park further away etc. Measure everything. Log everything you eat, it makes you more accountable for what goes into your belly. Drink a lot of water, esp before a meal. Learn to finish eating when youre full, not stuffed. Learn what real portion sizes are. There are SO many helpful tips on this site. I just started it last Tuesday and already itsbeen a big help. FInd a buddy on here (hell, as many buddies as you can) you have similiar goals to help keep you motivated.

It takes time to lose the weight. You didnt wake up one morning overweight...its been a long time coming. 1-2 lbs a week is the best way to go, slow and steady wins the race! And its the best way to help make sure it stays off for good. And remember, set backs are ok. If you have a bad day, its no reason to give up. Get back up, dust yourself off and start over. No one is perfect.

I struggle to deal with these things too, but Im going to keep trying until I make it. I want to be healthier, learn to love/treat myself better, forgive myself for mistakes and not give up so I can live a happy, healthy long life.

We are all here for you...You can do this... Good Luck!

I can't relate to the thread here but you're new to calorie counting so what I want to suggest is three things.

1. Use this sites features.   You can plug your info into your account and it'll tell you how many calories you can have to lose 1&1/2 pounds a week.   Since you well over weight you can actually cut more calories than most people and lose weight in a healthy way.

2. Use the forums.  No question is a bad question... even the questions that get repeated over and over and over.  We're all here for the same reason... this diet/lifestyle change.

3. Get a notebook and track your calories.   You may not be able to get to this site 24/7 ... so take a small notebook with you everywhere and log your calorie intake for the day.   Remember to be HONEST with yourself.   It won't hurt any of us if you cheat on your diet... it only works to undermine your overall goal.


YOU CAN DO IT!    I've been here only 3 weeks and lost 9 pounds!   That's partially due to my metabolism kicking in high gear and my degree of exercise.   But you can easily loose 2 pounds a week just by finding out what you need to maintain your current weight and cutting 1000 calories from that.

So, don't be afraid to talk to people here... even private message them when you don't understand something.


Just don't go crazy and crash by undereating.   Yes it may seem crazy now but there are people that get so into the diet they get into their brains the less they eat the quicker they'll lose the weight.   Well that only leads to undereating which either leads towards anorexic bad things happening to your body and the weightloss stops/slows.... or leads you to a bingeful overeating yo-yo diet.   So always at minimum get 1200 calories ok?   Just keep that line in mind.


So start out slow.   Use this site... go walk for some exercise.   And try to drink water alot!

We have a lot in common.

I was always heavy.

I was 263 lbs. at 23.

Over the last two years I've lost 80 lbs. and have about 30 to go.

Here is what I have done:

The last 80 lbs. I lost on low carb. No pasta, bread, potatos, carrots, rice, corn, etc. Even here I only ate lean meats and no heavy cheese/oil/fats. Mostly grilled, sauteed, or baked, boiled. I also had no fruit b/c of the sugar.

I too would have become diabetic and therefore the low carb really worked to stabilize my blood sugar and reduce my insuline resistance.

The remaining 30 I'm trying to lose thought low calorie. I'm still really careful about carbs but now I do eat whole grain stuff in moderation and some fruit (lower glycemic index the better).

Overall here is what I found:

Pre-diabetic = blood sugar problems = watching carbs is vital.

Simply low calorie with some carbs is slower but with a busy lifestyle it's more manageable. Right now I'm not looking to see how quickly I can lose as long as I do lose. I'm OK with it being slower because I'm not as miserable denying myself. The carbs I do have now are fruit, pita pockets (one pocket at a time), low calorie Thomas English Muffins. I avoid all cereals b/c the small serving size I can have doesn't last long enough. For breakfast I usually have egg beaters with pita pocket and tomatoes. For lunch, protein and veggies with small amounts of brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

Also, exercise is really important. Also, exercise will make it FASTER!

Good luck. I wish I would have done it when I was your age. Right now I'm 29 and I just know that doing it now will leave my skin not as nice as it would have bounced back if I were 18 ;).

shoeofkuribo,

I think we have a lot in common. I never want my future children to go through what I have. I'm really glad CC is working for you. My doctor always wants to fix my weight problems with medications, and I just don't want to do it that way. So far I really like this eat meter thing! Thank you for your reply :)

kerry07,

Thank you so much for the motivation :) I still have a lot of site searching to do here so I'm sure I'll find some weight twins. Good luck with your weight loss and healthy life!

nightc1,

Yeah I've been checking out the features as much as possible. I watched the walkthrough and I'm using the eat meter which I really love. I really doubt I could ever under-eat.. I like food too much! Thanks a bunch :)

violeta_carmen,

Congradulations on losing so much! I've actually tried the low-carb route, and it just isn't for me. I lost 40 pounds on it very quickly, but I would get depressed because I felt like I couldn't eat ANYTHING. After I went off the low-carb diet I gained all of my weight back. I don't want to go through that again. I'd much rather lose the weight slow and keep it off forever.

But I'm glad it has worked for you! Good luck with the remaining 30.

I was almost 300 lbs when I started and now I've lost 81 lbs through diet and exercise since last June.  I shock myself when I look in the mirror.  I'm still working to lose more, but even now I'm so much happier.  My point is that you can do it, you really can.  And it isn't even as hard as you might think.  The trick is to be realistic and eat enough to lose about 6 to 10 lbs per month maximum.  I eat 1500 to 1800 calories per day and I still lose.  There's no reason to go on a starvation diet.  If you make smart choicces at meals, chicken, fish, veggies, little butter etc, you can afford a little splurge now and then.  If I couldn't do that, I wouldn't have stayed with it this long.  It's really worth it too, I'm thrilled to have gotten this far.  Everyone here can support you along the way.  Also, if you go off track don't beat yourself up.  Just get up, shake yourself off, and get back on track.  Little cheats have really not impacted my weight loss at all.

Hi Jackie! At 15 and never being small my entire life, I can totally relate to you. I was always made fun of in elementary school and it would just make me so depressed that I probably became an emotional eater. My highest weight was 221 in 7th grade. But I know you can do it and reach your goals!! Overcome your past and break through strong! From 221, I've lost about 34 lbs and still chugging along slowly but surely. Good luck and don't ever feel alone because we're all here for ya! ;)

twindaze,

That is a great accomplishment! If I could lose 80 pounds I'd be so extatic. About the calories.. CC is telling me that my daily intake should be 2300 to lose 2 pounds a week. I've been inputting my food for the day and I've only eaten 1000 so far.. I don't really feel like I'm eating less than usual. I guess that's a good thing? haha :)

Thank you very much for the encouragement. I hope to be as successful as you have been!

lilydream35,

I am so happy for you that you've lost 34 pounds! Just make sure that you never give up and go back to your old eating habits.. I made that mistake when I was your age and gained my weight back. That's why I'm here now. Thanks for the kind words and good luck with your goal!