Welcome to the new over 100 to lose club!

Howdy guys and gals!  I'm taking over this club, not because i think i have all the answers (i so know i don't) but because i'm super pumped up right now and motivated to help those people out there who have a lot of weight to lose.  we need a place that's more than a "can i join" place.. we need a place to talk about issues related to being this overweight.. 

Who here needs to lose over 100 pounds? Who needs to lose over 150 pounds? Or more?

I did! I did! And yes.. i did!

A small amount of background on me for those of you who don't know: i am a binge eater. I have had a problem with emotional eating, hidden eating, over eating, eating with a hang nail, eating because i have split ends.. you name it i stuffed my emotions down with the greasiest, nastiest food i could find!

Why did i do that (you might ask)? Because of many many different reasons.. frankly i think it was because this is how i was taught from a young age, this is how we handle stress and emotions. I learned that it's not proper to talk about your feelings.. or god forbid, express your emotions! You have to shove them down with a piece of cake and a smile!

Anyway.. onto the reason for this post.

If you are out there and need to lose a lot of weight.. just like i've got to.. i think we need to have a place where we can discuss these issues with each other and try and work through them together. Because, let's face it, people who are morbidly obese (yes.. i hate that word too) have uniquely different issues to work through and deal with than the average person.

Losing weight, for people who have this much to lose, have to deal with so much more than the formulas to figure out how much to eat.. and exercising. It's more complex than that. We have to deal with years and years of poor eating habits that have to be unlearned, we have to deal with the emotional torment of just being this size, we have to deal with the harsh looks and comments from strangers or from loved ones, we have to deal with our emotions for the first time in our life because we aren't shoving them down our throats anymore..

this is the hardest thing ANYONE has to deal with.. but, from my experience, things are different for us bigguns. :)

also, for those of you who don't know me very well.. (because i've kinda been in hiding and not posting much and there are so many new people out there) i started out in january weighing 324 pounds. I now weigh 232.5.. i have lost 91.5 pounds so far. I am not telling you guys this to get kudos.. i got those yesterday. I'm telling you guys this because i want anyone out there who is struggling with knowing they have, what seems to be, an insurmountable amount of weight to lose, that there is hope.. it IS possible.. you CAN do it.. but it's hard.. and you will hurt.. i know this because i've been there.. i've done it.. and i'm still dealing with it.

so.. come on in and share your stories.. i want to hear them and i want us to support each other until we are all at our goal weight!

Hey Everyone~

I just wanted to say that we can't be down on ourselves about this.  We managed to get here and are trying to change things.  That's a HUGE step.  If we continue to focus on the negatives then all that will happen is the attitude of "screw it I already weigh XXX lbs what does it matter".  We all matter and choosing a path to a better lifestyle (after all this is about healthy lives) is wonderful and worth celebrating.

Here a cheers ::raises water bottle:: to all of us.  We can do it!!  One day, one ounce at a time.

AMEN!!!!

Good morning all.  I am with it today.  I am really weak but I can walk a bit better now.  Good luck to us all.

I have a ton of questions. *laughs* To those who have lost lots already, how bad is the excess skin? A friend of mine (he's 53, but still a friend :p) had a gastric bypass and he lost SOOO much weight, he needed surgery. I'm hoping when losing weight slowly, my skin will adjust. But, meh. I dont know. My skin doesnt look all that tight anymore. I've had stretchmarks since I was 11!

Next question. Any advice on buying semi-afforable equipment for us who are 300lbs and thus too heavy for standard stuff? Most equipment is only meant to be used for 250lbs. or less.

And scales. What scales do you guys use? I know most scales I have had in my lifetime wouldnt accomodate my current weight. Any scales that go to about 320lbs?

I found a scale that did at costco... 

and planned to check at Sears for a dreadmill ( ;) that would be reasonably priced...

i'm hoping for the same thing on the skin!!! no doubt about it ;)

catharina,
you're still a baby :) and your skin should still be very adaptible and flexible. Of course everyone is different, but if you lose weight slowly I think it should mostly tighten up. It will be nothing like the post-op results, it will be much better. I've seen someone "shrink" after the lap-band and I've seen her skin too, and trust me you are better off with a slow and steady healthy lifestyle changes.

My fellow dieters, I have now only 99 pounds more to lose.  I can't believe it.  I started at 258 and now am at 224.  Do I have to leave?  I hope not! 

I'm happy today.  I reached my first goal...13 pounds, which is 10% of the amount I want to lose.  I also did it 10 days earlier than I had "allowed" myself.  I started at 260 on Jan. 28, and am now 247 4 weeks and 5 days later.  So that gives me 7 weeks and 3 days to lose my next 13 pounds.  :) 

Laps

Hey catharina: I've lost 70lbs and I haven't had a problem with saggy skin.  Well, aside from flabby underarms that I've taken up some light weight training for... but for the most part, it's shrunk with the rest of me.  Keep hydrated.  That helps tons! 

michellesmith0: nope, you can stay here and help motivate the people who are just starting out!  This is a club for people who have a LOT of weight to lose, and it's wonderful to see people who have succeeded!  It gives encouragement.  The point is that you understand because you've been there!

Wow, you look great beanie. Love the outfits too. Mind if I add you as a friend? It's great to see someone in my age range, with the same goal. Oh, and thank you for the reassurance.

HI - Am a newby still - I joined curves on feb13 2007 - havent gotten on a scale since i started wt. was 278 that day. but have been very good at going 3-4 x per week. I think its a great program its a quick 1/2 hour workout and leaves me feeling good when i'm finished. The next week or so will be my 1st weigh an measure with them since i have started. I'm hoping for the best. I feel better anyway and that's most important. Have a great day all. Alice

K I am new to this still. So I want to lose 140 pounds (Current weight:280). My problem is that once I am unstimulated all I want to do is eat!! I can have a 'good' day, but once I've got nothing to do, I'm a ravenous beast!! How do I stop these cravings? It seems like I always have to be eating or drinking something. Has anybody out there been through this before?

Hi everyone, I just joined and I need major support and motivation! According to my info, I am depressed, it says my weight goal is to loose 197 pds(sigh...). I am about, not quite sure, 320 pds and am so tired of trying to go on diet, I decide one day I am dieting and then the "squirrel syndrone" clicks in and I stuff my face for the long diet ahead, then realize what I have done and quit, I end up gaining weight instead of loosing.

I want to be able to get out and do so many things, walking, ATVing and Ski-dooing with hubby, gardening in summertime, playing with neices and nephews, or just be able to do housework, like cleaning my walls and ceilings myself again but either I don't have the energy or just too ashamed to be seen in public.

I want to be able to visit my baby grand-daughter end of August for her 1st birthday, but want to be able to go on plane without being embarrassed about squeezing my butt into one of the airplane seats or having to ask for a seat belt extender!

I could go on and on but don't want to bore any of you, all who have alot of weight to loose know how I feel, so please please help me get started, tell me what to do, how to get exercise into my day, (I have a treadmill, bought 3 years ago, got on once for 10 minutes, got light headed, didnt' get on again), what to eat, can I still drink diet pepsi,( my one true have to have) need to drink 8 glasses of water a day? Help!!

kinkychicken, if you make the right choices, you'll be tired of eating soon! I know I am. You could be eating all day long. The key for me is to eat lot of little meals.And maybe you dont drink enough? A lot of people think they're hungry when their body is actually telling them that they need to drink something.

Stitch, welcome :) I'm not an expert at this, but I think you need new outlook to begin with. It's not a diet, it's a new life. A life you have to start slowly. Cut down what you are eating slowly, dont go from eating everything to eating nothing. That way your inner squirrel wont kick in.

A lot of people say diet soda is really the worst thing there is for someone. Guessing you're 'getting older', you may want to be careful with the pepsi. It's been shown to be really bad on women's bones. But as said, if any changes are needed, do it slowly. Just cut out one, and perhaps a few weeks later another one. You'll probably start feeling better too.

You didn't get to this weight overnight, you're not gonna change it overnight either. Take it slowly, make little changes and ease yourself into it. Try moving a little more, one day at a time.

Hi all!  It's me again!  I feel like a lost child that just found my home!  There are so many new names on here!

I'm back and motivated with a weight loss challenge with my husband.  I just wanted to pop in and say hi!

Catharina, thanks for input about drinking enough, I didn't know that.

Have a great day all! 

It's one of those animal instincts we misunderstand or misinterpretate. That's why it's best to drink a glass of water when hungry, then if you still feel hungry, you know you weren't thirsty atleast :p

Catharina: sure friend me!  I like friends.  :)  That goes for anyone in "the club"

Stitch: 197lbs sounds like a HUGE amount if you take it as a whole.  Don't think of it that way.  First set a small, but achievable goal: 10lbs.  Or... You want to weigh 300lbs by summer.  It's simple.  It's finite, it's achievable. 

Once you get there, you set your next goal.  Work mini-goal to mini-goal, and yes it will take a long time, but you WILL get there.  You will reach a healthy weight. 

Drinking! I'm going to try that today, it sounds like that might be a big part of my problem, any tips on getting Mr.chicken to follow suit? I think being around a working guy who NEEDS to eat isn't very helpful either.  It's so much easier to overeat with a man around. Not to mention the old "I love you just the way you are", which I am sure is true for him, but not for me!! 90 pounds! in 12 months! I need some control.

My guy is a big BIIIIG guy. He eats too much junk, but I dont let it derail me anymore. He can have his tortilla chips and burgers and microwave junk. I'll get my own, healthy stuff.

A prime example: we used to buy ben and jerries icecream, we both would eat a WHOLE PINT to ourselves o_O; That's easilly over 1200 calories. Last weekend he got his pint of B&Js, I bought Mayfield non-fat frozen yogurt with real strawberries. I ate a huge bowl, and it was only 300 calories without any fat! Best part: real strawberries count as fruit ;) And honestly, it taste just as good if not better as my usually double fudgey chocolatey nut loaded ben and Jerries. Only the after taste of guilt wasn't there this time.

I know not everyone is as strong (read: stubborn) to ignore their spouse chowing away on junk. But I know next summer I'm gonna look good in a bikini and he wont.. well.. not that he ever did. But you know what I mean.

Also, he's been reviewing his gut and has been pondering about healthier fare. So you can inspire someone if you set the first step.

hi everyone,

just checking in to see how you all are doing. I'm still hanging in there. Had a few rough spots,but I'm still here. This is a new  month so I set my goal for 10 lbs. I really like being able to talk to other people and share stories. It's great!

catch you later

craftin