Hi - new here

[schmuls]

Hello everyone. I've never posted here, although I occasionally read the posts here. Here is my story (sorry if it gets long). I have reached a point where I just cannot put my head in the sand and ignore that I have gained so much weight that I not only am jeopardizing my health, but cannot stand to look at myself in the mirror anymore. I wasn't always overweight; until I was thirty I was a normal weight. Well, through anxiety and being involved with men who ate poorly, I went from 130 to 180. I have been at this weight, up and down a little, for a decade. I was hospitalized last April for four months with clinical depression, and I lost about 30 pounds because I could not eat. After I was released, I gained it all back and probably then some. I don't weigh myself, just go by how my clothes fit. On top of this, I am a vegetarian and find it hard to figure out food to eat. I have a fierce craving for fat, and eat junk food either out of anxiety or cannot figure out what to eat. This morning I tried to put on a beautiful new blouse I thought for sure would fit me and I couldn't even move my arms. I am so depressed because I feel and look like I am deformed. I have to start eating a whole new way and I don't even know how to start. I walk a lot and it just doesn't seem to help. My knees hurt very bad. I just feel like crawling into a whole. Thanks for letting me vent. I also need advice on food and how to start. Yes, I did get my thyroid checked and it is not that. Thanks.

[frogmarch]

1. Hi, schmuls

I've never before posted here either, but your post spoke to me. Your weight-gain story sounds similar to mine - except that I jumped from 115 lbs. to 190. Yikes! (I'm only 5'7") After my husband retired and wasn't on the road anymore, I started cooking a lot more often, and unfortunately, eating a lot more too. The longest I could stay on a weight-loss diet was about a week, so I stayed fat for several years. Then, a year ago, I decided I was DONE with being overweight and became determined to do something about it. I'm a vegetarian too, by the way. When I started dieting, my mainstay foods were non-fat cottage cheese, wheat germ, low-fat yogurt, raw veggies and fruit. What helped me stay with it was keeping Slim-Fast protein snack bars (110 calories each) on hand to satisfy my cravings for sweets, as well as those little cake bars from WeightWatchers (90 calories each). I kept my sodium intake at around 1500 mg, protein at around 50 grams, and made sure I got plenty of potassium without going overboard (which can be dangerous), and plenty of of other necessary nutrients. I also took daily vitamin supplements, including an additional Vitamin B-12 capsule. My daily calorie intake was 1000-1200. I walked a mile several times a week, usually on the treadmill. I reached my goal of 115 pounds in about 7 months. I went from a size 16 jeans to a 6. I feel great and look lots better too. I hope you can find a weight-loss program you're comfortable with. If you do, you'll be down to your ideal weight again in nothing flat, too. Good luck to you. :-)

One more thing: I set myself little weight-loss goals of 5 pounds each, instead of thinking, well, only a kajillion pounds left to go before I'm halfway to my target weight. I celebrated the loss of every ounce and refused to become discouraged.

[schmuls]

2. Hi Frogmarch

frogmarch - thanks for sharing your story and insights with me. I can use a lot of this information! Have a good one - Julie

[Systematic Chaos]

3. If it is possible for you to get your knees checked, definitely do so.

In the meantime, it might be a good idea to start taking glucosamine and chondroitin for them. I've heard a lot of people say that it is beneficial stuff for the joints.

Congratulations to you for choosing to go vegetarian! Isn't it strange how some of us can mostly - or totally - avoid eating meat products and still be large? In an extreme case like mine it's good for more than a few strange looks, but I don't let it bother me. The important thing to do is to start making healthy substitutions for those junk food items you're used to. Things like bananas, raw carrots, air-popped popcorn and baked chips are good to have around, and are generally better than most other options. A slice or two of whole grain or sprouted grain bread with some almond butter on it is a great snack for getting essential fats without feeling like you've gone and done something horrible.

If you haven't visited this site yet, I suggest you spend some time browsing vegweb.com and looking over the recipes there. You can get a lot of ideas for easy and healthy dishes there, which you can make in large enough batches so there are leftovers to satisfy cravings.

I hope you'll come back soon and let us know how you're doing. I wish you the very best of fortune and health. :hi:

[justgamma]

4. Hi, Schmuls

Don't get discouraged. Slow and steady wins the race.

I agree with GG. Glucosamine and chondroitin did wonders for my knees. It took a couple of weeks to see the difference. I started out so bad that I was walking with a cane at home. I had to use the bathroom stall at work that had the plunger in it or I couldn't get up. Now I'm pain free. (I was able to canvass for 3 hours at a time, when before I couldn't walk a block)