Help! I have so much weight to lose

[satindoll]

@zand

Well done sweetie.......

 

[zand]

@zand

Well done sweetie.......

Thanks And to answer your question from another thread. Yes thanks all is well with me right now

 

[zand]

Yes still plodding on trying to keep my numbers at least in pre diabetic levels but had a stressful few months and a new diabetic nurse whom I did not hit it off with to say the least! Told me I would have to go back on medication if my numbers went up again I’ve gone from 42 to 46 still prediabetic . I am really being good to prove her wrong on next blood test in December .
So glad you have found a diet that works for you !

Oh I so hope you manage it. My bloods are due in November so I need to stay focussed at least until then.

 

[Shirley N.]

Hi, this is a very difficult post for me to make because I don't like admitting that I need help. I am a 56 year old woman who is morbidly obese and wants to lose 105 pounds. I am type 2 and have been for 3 years. I have been low-carbing, fairly successfully for 3 years, but after a few knocks have stopped for a while and find it difficult to start again. The LCHF diet is very good for my BG's which were within the 'normal' range for most of those 3 years. However I didn't lose much weight on it. The only time I lost a significant amount was when I cut down to 600 calories a day for 7 weeks. My weight then was 16 stone 9 lbs. Today it is 17stones 11lbs. (the highest ever was 18stone 5lbs)

Last week, after a referral from my doctor, I joined Slimming World. I was weighed today and have lost a pound. This may not sound like much to you, but to me it's amazing. It's amazing because I am the sort of person who is 'all or nothing'. When I am feeling good about myself I can work really hard and achieve loads. When I feel down I let everything slide. I have felt down for a couple of months now, yet somehow I managed to start something and achieve something, whilst I wasn't feeling good. I have done many diets before, but I have never done so well whilst feeling depressed and I am very proud of myself for trying. This is a big first for me.

Another big first is asking for help.

I intend to get back to LCHF properly as soon as I can. My Slimming World consultant won't be happy about the high fat bit, but as long as I keep losing weight I don't suppose she will be too bothered. I will not be buying any of the low fat/low sugar products that they like so much. I will eat real food. I intend to keep going to SW so that I am not so tempted to give up in the bad times. This is also the reason I am starting this thread - so I won't be able to hide away during the bad times. I have an appointment to see my nurse for blood tests just before Easter, and another to see my GP to ask for Metformin after Easter.

I haven't been checking my BG's much recently. Two hours after breakfast this morning it was 6.7. I expect my fasting one to be around 8.5. I will check it tomorrow.

I like walking but haven't really done any all winter. I went out for a short walk this morning. I used to walk 2 miles a day but stopped because I developed a heart problem (atrial fibrillation) which made me very breathless. I had an operation (called ablation) in November 2012. They put you to sleep then pass a catheter through to your heart and 'burn' away the circuits inside which are causing the irregular heartbeat. The procedure usually lasts 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Mine lasted 6 hours. I was told to have complete bed rest for 2 weeks afterwards (it's normally a week). I had this idea that I would do that for 2 weeks, then spend a further 2 weeks getting back to normal. The reality was very different. I had the 2 weeks rest, but after that time muscles had already started to weaken and it was 5 months until I felt I had any energy at all. I had problems with my back after all that resting, I could hardly walk and was doubled over like an old lady (OK, an older lady) I went to a chiropractor. I had had my heart set on going to watch a football match again, in April. How could I, when I couldn't walk? I found that the best way to walk was to straighten up whilst pushing a shopping trolley. So I went to the match. My husband dropped me at a supermarket about 1/4 - 1/2 mile from the ground. I limbered up walking with a shopping trolley (with only a pack of Nurofen in it- boy did I get some funny looks!). Then we walked slowly to the ground. This was the start of me getting better.

I have a target for walking too. Two years ago my husband and son did a 50 mile walk in London. They did a 10 mile stretch in the dark and would like to go back one day to retrace their steps and see what they were missing. I would like to go with them, but I need to be able to walk 11 1/2 miles in one day. (to take into account the walking to and from the tube). Last Summer I tried to get in shape, but kept getting stuck at 7 miles. So I need to get back to being able to walk 7 miles in a day, and then push through whatever barrier is stopping me from reaching the 11 - 12 mile target. I think that barrier is something to do with diabetes, because my legs just stop and refuse to function after 7 miles.

So, that's me and that's the plan. Please help me stick to it.

This is what is working for me, so far.
I have been diagnosed pre-diabetic for nearly two years. Since December 2016 I have been on a LCHF diet. It worked well for six months and I lost nearly two stone but then my weight leveled off at around 20 1/2 stone and I could not shift it.. My Hba1c level also increased to 47 by December 2017.
Gradually, I have been reducing what I eat. And since June 2018 I have been weighing all food which contain any carbs to the gram and calculating the carb content to 0.1 g. This is important as the carbs in healthy green vegetables add up surprisingly quickly. I'm aiming to average between 50 - 70 g carbs per day. Within this limit I eat what I like. I do not worry about calories, but rather eat extra fat for energy and to prevent hunger. I have also been measuring my blood glucose before and after meals to monitor the effect of different foods on me.
The results are impressive for me: my weight is now just above 19 stones; my blood pressure, with medication, is the best it has been for over 20 years; my blood sugars are not normal, but usually below 6 mmol/l before and 8 mmol/l after meals. If my weight plateaus I cut down further on carbs to lose a bit more. If hungry, I eat a piece of cheese.
I cannot tolerate much exercise as I have two leaking heart valves. Also atrial fibrillation which is well controlled with medication. Cooking and light housework are my limit. If my husband drives me to the supermarket I can just about push the trolley round to get the food, but am exhausted by the till queue so I leave that part to him.
If I can plod on, losing around a pound a week for a couple more years, I hope then to be able to stabilise my weight and keep my blood sugars near to normal in the long term.
You are different and I know what is working for me may not work for you. I hope you meet your own targets successfully however long it takes.

 

[lindijanice]

Well done @zand! You are an encouragement to all who have a ways to go to get where we are once more "happy" with who is looking back at us from the mirror!! I imagine you and all the others posting on this thread have discovered, like myself in my journey, that the battle is real and sometimes we win and sometimes we appear to lose.....but, the key is to pick oneself up and continue on, doing what works best for us, looking for the positives and celebrating them - like I can see my collar bones now - and telling ourselves that the negatives are areas that perhaps need a bit more attention or are not worth a second thought....and get on with living the best life we can. Continued success on all our journeys ! Blessings/L

 

[bulkbiker]

Couldn't have done it without you

You have done all the work!

 

[zand]

This is what is working for me, so far.
I have been diagnosed pre-diabetic for nearly two years. Since December 2016 I have been on a LCHF diet. It worked well for six months and I lost nearly two stone but then my weight leveled off at around 20 1/2 stone and I could not shift it.. My Hba1c level also increased to 47 by December 2017.
Gradually, I have been reducing what I eat. And since June 2018 I have been weighing all food which contain any carbs to the gram and calculating the carb content to 0.1 g. This is important as the carbs in healthy green vegetables add up surprisingly quickly. I'm aiming to average between 50 - 70 g carbs per day. Within this limit I eat what I like. I do not worry about calories, but rather eat extra fat for energy and to prevent hunger. I have also been measuring my blood glucose before and after meals to monitor the effect of different foods on me.
The results are impressive for me: my weight is now just above 19 stones; my blood pressure, with medication, is the best it has been for over 20 years; my blood sugars are not normal, but usually below 6 mmol/l before and 8 mmol/l after meals. If my weight plateaus I cut down further on carbs to lose a bit more. If hungry, I eat a piece of cheese.
I cannot tolerate much exercise as I have two leaking heart valves. Also atrial fibrillation which is well controlled with medication. Cooking and light housework are my limit. If my husband drives me to the supermarket I can just about push the trolley round to get the food, but am exhausted by the till queue so I leave that part to him.
If I can plod on, losing around a pound a week for a couple more years, I hope then to be able to stabilise my weight and keep my blood sugars near to normal in the long term.
You are different and I know what is working for me may not work for you. I hope you meet your own targets successfully however long it takes.

What a lovely post. We aren't that different! I hope what is working for you continues to do so and well done on your progress so far.

Yes I aimed for 50-70g carbs per day for a few years too. It's just recently I have felt the urge to really have a go at losing more and now aim for 20-30g a day. I also usually just have one meal a day in a bid to try to give my pancreas a rest. I won't stay at this low carb level for ever, but am working hard at it while I am here.

Yes you are right to keep on plodding on with what is working. I too like a lump of cheese if I still feel hungry. I am lucky in that I can tolerate more exercise now that my AF has been fixed.

Well done on what you have achieved already

 

[zand]

Wow!
Look at you!
Well done @zand.

I'm in awe. You were determined to lose weight. You have never deviated from that hunger for a loss.
I'm so happy for you.

I'm too not going to deviate and I have plenty to lose for.
Even after my op you will still be lighter as I won't lose 10+stones. I'll be happy with 7st loss. Even more once diabetes and thyroid settles down.
Stability is the key.
Have you found that?

Hmmm stability...can't say I am the most stable person around ( in any way)...not sure I even know what stability is

You have some of the same problems as me, but also some extra ones too. I really feel for you and hope that the surgery will help you even more than you dare to hope. ((((hugs))))

 

[zand]

Thanks for all your comments everyone, much appreciated.

 

[hankjam]

@zand Top news, really pleased to read this.
It's good stuff

 

[zand]

@zand Top news, really pleased to read this.
It's good stuff

Thank you. It does feel really strange to celebrate being obese though lol. One day I will be overweight...sigh

 

[Pipp]

Only just caught up with this @zand . Just want to add that I am so pleased you are starting to see results for all the effort you have put in over such a long time. Well done for not giving up, and I hope your success will continue.

 

[Chronicle_Cat]

Today is the day I have been waiting for! Today I fall into the obese category of the BMI charts, not the seriously obese and not the morbidly obese bit which was where I was when I started this thread. It's taken a long time but this is a huge milestone for me.

I AM OBESE YAY!

Now the long journey to becoming overweight starts...

Congratulations on this achievement!

I understand as I'm currently in the morbidly obese category myself and hoping to transition out of it to a lower category of obesity myself.

 

[Goonergal]

Another update.

50 days ago I bought myself a ketometer (thanks for the advice @bulkbiker ) Since then I have stayed in ketosis (apart from a blip of 5 days) and have lost 20 pounds.

Today is the day I have been waiting for! Today I fall into the obese category of the BMI charts, not the seriously obese and not the morbidly obese bit which was where I was when I started this thread. It's taken a long time but this is a huge milestone for me.

I am updating on this old thread because when I was a newbie there was a thread from someone else which really inspired me. Sadly that thread just drifted into nothingness. I can guess that maybe the OP fell off the wagon or had other problems along the way. I decided to continue my thread even when the progress slowed to encourage others who didn't manage to shed the pounds as quickly as some.

I AM OBESE YAY!

Now the long journey to becoming overweight starts...

Hi @zand only just seen this. Congratulations - so pleased for you.

 

[Daphne917]

@zand well done on your progress. I know it’s been a struggle but you’re getting there slowly but surely.

 

[Angelofthemarches]

I admire you lots!!!!

 

[zand]

A quick update to remind myself that I am still fighting.

Recent stresses have caused my heart to go into AFib again. I am taking a magnesium supplement to hopefully rectify this.

Back in June I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. This seemed to change my taste for a while and I craved fruit - consequently my weightloss has stalled again. My HbA1c is the highest it has been since diagnosis 8 years ago (51). The Lyme Disease appears to have been cured now as my taste has returned to normal and I am no longer extremely fatigued.

 

[hankjam]

A quick update to remind myself that I am still fighting.

Recent stresses have caused my heart to go into AFib again. I am taking a magnesium supplement to hopefully rectify this.

Back in June I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. This seemed to change my taste for a while and I craved fruit - consequently my weightloss has stalled again. My HbA1c is the highest it has been since diagnosis 8 years ago (51). The Lyme Disease appears to have been cured now as my taste has returned to normal and I am no longer extremely fatigued.

Really pleased to read about the LD, it can be really difficult to clear.
Sorry to read about the AFib, wish you well on this Zand.

 

[ickihun]

@zand I suffer with severe palpitations from any coffee, sugar free drinks or chocolate (even 90% ones).
My IBS has had a great period of remission but I get frightening surprises. Which feel so painful but I think heightened with trapped wind from my op. Luckily though very few attacks.
Food prepared without me seems to be agitantes and therefore a surprise.
Basic food seems to help my system the best but it gets soooooo boring.
Ive aways had the love for variety.
I'm wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas.
2020 will be a good year for us both. Loads will be accumplished. You'll see.

 

[ickihun]

@zand I forgot to mention that I've returned to taking Amitripyline before bed. It relaxes me so I sleep off and no longer prone to insomniac traits. My lack of sleep would hv led to a heart attack so I now request refills monthly. Once I took an excellent pharmacist's advice on bringing time of taking Amitripyline forward to 6pm I lost that drugged up feeling waking up kids for school run. It's a huge help. I only get 25mg prescribed as it enough to solve a few problems. Leaflet states excellent for Fibromyalgia. Of which I'm not diagnosed but taking same meds anyway.
Thursday and Saturday I felt I'd been in a car crash. Pain everywhere. Bgs not in high levels so I'm taking enough insulin. Painkillers only helped a tiny bit but that's Xmas shopping for you. I'm forever thankful for your support. Myself and my family send you loads of good fortune.... forever. Thank you. Hoping you are getting much better health results and a great Christmas to match.