Never even concidered dieting before!

[Spbeyond]

Okay, im 22, male 282 pounds and a type one diabetic. While watching John Candy's last movie (Wagon's East) last night someone told me that right before filming wrapped he died of a sudden heart attack. Looking at him I had the sudden realization that he isn't that much heavier than me. It was one of those moments when you realize that you really are putting yourself at risk and YOU could die. Anyway long story short I need to live healtier. I dont wanna go on some fad diet and hope for quick and easy results. Im convinced that the only way is to change my habbits and kick my fast food addiction. I know its going to be hard. I LOVE fast food. Probably adverage 2 meals a day are fast food. I crave it like a smoker craves his smokes. Anyway I was wondering if anyone had any advice? Or does anyone know a Pscycho ex russian special forces personal trainer? You know the kinda that says "I will snap your neck if you dont keep running" and "get out of this bed before I shoot you" You know the one were you actually beleive they are crazy enought to kill you? Anyone know anyone like that? Come on there must be someone out there fitting that discription! That would help alot ;) Anyway rant over!

Wish me luck
Andrew

[Keezheekoni]

Hey Andrew. My hubby (a T2) and me (a T1) both joined Weight Watchers and 24 Hr. Fitness in January. Actually I joined the gym just a few weeks ago. Weight Watchers has been great because you *can* still eat fast food, but they help you to change your thinking about fast food. It comes down to "you have x amt. of Points to use per day"...and "how many Points do you want to waste on fast food?" Personally, I don't like to waste my Points because I like to eat about 5 times a day (3 meals and 2 snacks), and I just don't have the wiggle room for fast food. We've spent more money on easy to make meals, but in the long run it'll be less money than going out would be.

At 24 Hr. Fitness, I joined for 3 years up front, which gave me 4 personal training sessions. I told them that I needed the ex-military type of person to push me. They gave me that! My trainer is a royal pain in my rear! I do love her though. I feel great after my workouts! I'm definitely going to pay for more training sessions with her.

I am also starting a weight loss forum for WW people in my area. I've already got it started, but haven't tweaked everything yet. Once it's up, it'll start with locals but grow, I'm sure.

I know that a lot of guys think that it's "unmanly" to go to Weight Watchers, but there are about 15 guys in the meeting I go to, and I know two guys who are WW leaders. My husband was a little put off at first, because of the amount of women there, but then again...I really don't think he minds it so much, if you know what I mean! :D

[shutterbug]

Andrew,

You are posting here. This means that you already took a first step towards healthy living. Doesn't it feel good already?

Ok. I'm 32, T2 (diagnosed less than 2 months ago). I was 220 lbs and now after a month of health diet and some exercise and meds, I'm 210 lbs now. I eat healthy now and I feel very good about it. Like yourself, I love food too. Although I wasn't so crazy about fast food, I was addicted to carbs.

You can still eat healthy food and feel full and satisfied. If possible, see a Nutritionist. This will get you on right track as far as what you eat.

Good luck and keep posting your progress here.

[HollyB]

Good luck, we're rooting for you. In addition to a trainer and a sensible weight loss program like Weight Watchers (lots of people I know seem to be doing really well with that program) -- watch the movies Supersize Me and Fast Food Nation. It's like aversion therapy for fast food...

[RobiJo]

It may be very hard for you to cut out the fast food. I would suggest trying to make better choices when you do get it. There is a book out called Eat This, Not That by David Zinczenko. that may be able to help you get the fast food you crave, but also cut out calories and fat.

Do you drink regular pop? Switch to diet. It may be gross at first, but eventually you won't want the regular anymore.

Walk everywhere you can. There is a McD's about a 1/4 mile away. When we are really feeling like a Big Mac we walk to go it.

Good Luck!

[notme]

Supersize me was the final straw in my inability to eat fast food. I understand how any food can become addictive. If you haven't seen the movie, watch it. Think about what is in the beef that is being used in fast food. If you saw what was in that meat you would never eat it again.

I am glad you are considering giving up fast food. John Candy is just one of millions of people that have died from eating poorly. Don't forget to add some type of exercise in the "new you" attitude. Take a picture of yourself in your skivies and put it in your wallet. Everytime you open your wallet for fast food, you will see what you are doing to your body. If nothing else, maybe you will fear someone else seeing your picture and not open your wallet! :T

Can't wait to hear how you are doing.

[jerryn]

Okay, im 22, male 282 pounds and a type one diabetic. While watching John Candy's last movie (Wagon's East) last night someone told me that right before filming wrapped he died of a sudden heart attack. Looking at him I had the sudden realization that he isn't that much heavier than me. It was one of those moments when you realize that you really are putting yourself at risk and YOU could die. Anyway long story short I need to live healtier. I dont wanna go on some fad diet and hope for quick and easy results. Im convinced that the only way is to change my habbits and kick my fast food addiction. I know its going to be hard. I LOVE fast food. Probably adverage 2 meals a day are fast food. I crave it like a smoker craves his smokes. Anyway I was wondering if anyone had any advice? Or does anyone know a Pscycho ex russian special forces personal trainer? You know the kinda that says "I will snap your neck if you dont keep running" and "get out of this bed before I shoot you" You know the one were you actually beleive they are crazy enought to kill you? Anyone know anyone like that? Come on there must be someone out there fitting that discription! That would help alot ;) Anyway rant over!

Wish me luck
Andrew
You can do it! Watch your carbs. I tend to eat the Kaschi frozen diners at work, they are low in carbs. If you stop drinking soda that will help. I drink unsweetened brewed iced tea, sparkling water with lime, iced coffee no sugar, and just plain water. I used to be a lot bigger than I am too. It took 4 years but I went down from a 44-45 waist to a 38 waist. Slower is better I think, because if you loose it fast you will just put it back on. Slower usually means you are making a lifestyle change.

[Jan B]

Good for you Andrew! Make your plan about substitution, not deprivation. Find something you like, that you can have ready to eat instead of stopping at McD's for instance. Make little goals (20 lbs at a time for instance, or even 10) and celebrate those goals with something other than food. There is so much advice, but we are not all motivated by the same things, so it makes it hard to give great advice (hard for me anyway). You have taken a great first step. And if you screw up, start again; don't give up!! Keep posting your successes and your failures.

You GO boy!!! (you know . . . . that "you go girl thing").

[TexChem]

Like Shutterbug, I'm newly diagnosed but I have had some experience in losing weight in the past. It does require the life-style change and the conscious choices that others have referred to. Over about an 11-month period I went from 265 to 195 and once I got in the swing of things it wasn't TOO hard to do.

Not sure if this is essential but it won't hurt. I was taught a long time ago that a wish becomes a goal when you write it down. So I printed out "I want to weigh less than 200 pounds by "this date" next year" and included some stuff about the changes I was willing to make to reach that target weight. I only weighed on Fridays because weighing daily can be discouraging. I'm a science-nerd so I even plotted the weight-loss over time in an Excel chart. All of this helped me to remember my goal, to stay focused. That in turn, made it easier to turn down a slice of pie or a bowl of ice cream. Much like the WW approach, I figured, I'd rather spend those calories on something else.

Well over five years have passed and the life-style change kinda fizzled. As a result I've slowly regained the 70 pounds. I spent half of January in the UK, working. I was a part of a group and we generally would go to dinner together. We walked everywhere. On the weekends there was nothing to do but watch soccer (zzzzzzzzz). So I found myself walking for 3 hours at a stretch, looking over the town I was in. Forget that I was largely scouting out restaurants. But I was walking. And when I got home, my 265 was about 252. I though, what the heck - I've got a running start, I may as well make an effort to shed some of this weight.

I'll confess that the motivation was at first, cosmetic. I have a profile that resembles that of Homer Simpson and my clothes don't fit. If I get pants large enough for me they tend to slide off or at least slide down. I started the diet thing because I wanted a waist again.

Fast foward to March and I find out I have type 2 diabetes. A gazillion reasons now to take a look at what I'm eating and to pursue a life-style change. I'm losing at the rate of 3 to 4 pounds per month, weighing in at 244 last Friday. I have my goal set for 190 by next March.. it's written out. And I'm graphing my Friday weigh ins.

Avoiding carbs and looking for lower fat foods (oh and drinking about 1/4th the amount that I used to) - coupled with walking a brisk mile a day are coming together to lower my BG and to help me slowly lose weight.

Not sure about the fast-food thing but I understand cravings and addiction. One thing that helps me stay on track so far is to know today what I'm going to eat tomorrow (or even 2 days from now). Having it all planned out and doing that planning when I'm not jonesing for some "treat", helps me to stay on track. I don't get the temptation to order a pizza because I know that tonight I'm eating "whatever" - the point is that it's planned. I think if I got home and said "hmmm what's here that's good to eat?" And if I were hungry, I'd be on that phone with the pizza-guy.

I like the suggestion about the diet soda vs. sugared soda. Little things like that seem to go a long way. I worked with a guy who drove a front-end loader. He said that his wife packed him 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for lunch. And he ate all 3 routinely. As he picked up pounds, his wife suggested that he try making it thru the day on 2 sandwiches vs. the 3. He did and within a year he lost a fair amount of weight. To be honest I don't recall how much weight but it was a noticeable amount. So the small things eventually can add up.

Well, if you could burn calories typing I'd be a lucky guy huh? Sorry to have droned on, but I wanted to share a bit of my weight-loss experience and to cheer you on. You have taken a big step. Congratulations and best of luck. Keep us posted as you continue in your journey...

[Kim_in_TN]

Welcome! You have come to the right place for great advice, understanding and support! I am also in the very early stages of trying to get my BG under control while dropping quite a few pounds! I've only been really working hard on it for 2 months now but I've lost 14 lbs. Basically, I am eating very low- carb and no bread, pasta, rice, and only potatoes occasionally. I have also started to exercise. I began with one walk around the block with my dog which is 1/2 mile. Now I am up to a 2 mile walk at our local Greenway and I am doing some of my own stretching / aerobic exercises at home. Yes, I still get in slumps and skip the exercise part but I start back again! I have to admit that I sure feel much healthier and much more energetic with just losing the 14 lbs. and getting some exercise! Start slow and the results / benefits will follow!

[Scrabblechick]

Congratulations on making positive lifestyle changes! As Kim said, and on other threads, sometimes, the key is baby steps. Walk for however long you can. Try adding five minutes to it every two weeks or so.

My continual bugaboo is eating more veggies. I really have to plan them into my diet. I don't really like green veggies, and I'm having to cultivate a taste for them. I try to keep the bagged salad around all the time, so it's easier to do.

You can lose the weight and get healthy!

[davef]

Andrew,

Well done for making the decision and glad to see you are making the decision for you. I have struggled with weight most of my life and can atest to the fact that you can only lose weight when you make the decision for yourself.

I have worked on the IT side of things with a number of Weight loss companies and from speaking to the people who run them I can tell you the secret behind weight loss ... are you ready ... eat less move more. G*d that sounds so simple doesn't it and anyone who have struggled with weight will tell you that it never seems that easy.

I can say from experience that I found that Weight Watcher's works, one of the reasons it does is because you are with people who are going through or have gone through what you are experiencing. Certainly don't go for any of the "fad" diets, if something seems to good to be true, then it probably is.

The best way to lose weight, is the same way you put it on, slowly and steadily. Certainly watching you carbs helps not just for your diabetes management but also for weight loss. I find that I don't think of being "on a diet" instead I try form new habits for a new lifestyle.

Since I was DX'ed last November I have lost over 45 pounds and if I can do it then anyone can. Dealing with you cravings for fast food may be your biggest challenge, but the fact that you know it is a problem area for you is a great start. As Rikki has said, if you do follow the WW approach you will have a certain amount of points to spend and you quickly learn the value of the points and don't want to squander them.

If this is your first time to tackle weight loss, then I would certainly recommend using somewhere like WW, yes it costs money, but hey you are spending a fortune on fast food and have spent money putting on the weight, so be prepared to spend some to lose the weight.

Do try and get out to walk, it's free and will certainly help the weight loss. As Kim says, baby steps is the key.

So, eat less move more, is it always that simple? No, but can you do it, absolutely!

Don't sit and think about doing it, don't suffer from paralysis by analysis, go for it while you are motivated, when you are losing weight that helps keep you motivated.

The very best of luck, we are there with you, in no time people won't say there you are, they'll say where are you ;)