General / Off-Topic I want you to be brutally honest with me.

[ZeroAi]

I weigh 320 pounds, all fat.

I have near zero stamina, getting breathless just going up the stairs.

Mum has put me on a diet, but that's not enough alone.

The problem is that I'm near to passing out within minutes of doing anything physical. I just don't know what to do, as I really cannot find the energy to keep going.

Disclaimer: I have not (and I'm not going to) read the eight pages of responses.

BUT I do have some tried and true advice which may have already been shared, but I'll also share it with you this one time:

STEP 1: START, or DON'T

- Make a decision: Either choose to get healthier, or make no decision, which is to choose not to get healthier.

STEP 2: START TO MOVE, or DON'T

- Find your limit. How long can you comfortably walk? 1 minute? 5 minutes? 10 minutes?
- Write it down.
- Now commit to walking every day, and every day add 30 seconds more to your walk. Or 10 seconds more. Or 60 seconds more. Just do it, no matter what.
- Then every single day increase your walks by that amount NO MATTER WHAT, until you get to 30 minutes, or 60 minutes, or 45 minutes. Then start slowly increasing your speed by .1 mph, or .05 mph, or by .5 mph. Just do it.

FINAL NOTE:

- You will either move more, or move less. It's your choice.
- Your weight is based on your daily consumption of food. Period.
..No person alive can maintain their weight without eating.
..Some people can eat a lot and not put on weight, but unfortunately this is not most people :-(


PS - My Story:

In 2013 I could only run at 4mph for 2 minutes. I was fat (clinically obese) and out of shape.

I decided to run every day, and no matter what I would increase my runs by some small amount each and every day.

Six months later I ran a 5K under 25 minutes and beat three of my four kids even though I was in my late forties.

Over the years I put back on much of the weight I lost, but I never stop running.

This morning my fat butt ran a 5k on the treadmill in 40 minutes (very slow for me when compared to my 2013 run,) but I did make 30 million hauling passengers in Elite Dangerous at the same time, so win-win in my book.

 

[CMDR Percivus Keenblade]

Past 48 hours, I've lost around 4lb. Is this okay? I'm not sure if this healthy, and if I'm just seeing the result of less food in my system?

On a drastic change in diet, like cutting the calorie income below the amount spent, you will see a quick drop in weight in a bunch of days up to a week totalling up to around 2 to 5kgs. This mostly comes from oedemas and past fluid retentions around the body being dropped. Weightloss won't keep going with such momentum though, just a special thing when you're starting. 1kg of fat is approx 7500 calories in value and the most aggressive kinds of diets that you can barely sustain your life cuts out a maximum of 1000cals~ a day from you. Usual diets are based around cutting 250~ calories a day. Daily activities and walks etc. is an added bonus to this. You can calculate whats going on from there to reach an appropriate idea. FYI

 

[Broon]

Not to sound crude but I feel the topic warrants it. The bathroom. My, erm... Movements. They've been much more fluid. I'm guessing I can attribute this to cutting out the burgers & biscuits in favour of fresh fruit & vegetables?

That's too funny!

While I eat fruit every day (banana or apple sauce with lunch) and veggies (green beans or corn) when I make a "real meal" which is admittedly not often enough (I chef for a living and don't want to cook at home), every time I eat a salad (fiber) with that real meal I get a softer and slightly more aggressive movement.

I seriously LOL'd when I read your newfound "fun".

Real food will definitely treat you differently than the stuff made with things that are hard to pronounce. Boy howdy! You are just rolling in new things. Enjoy!

 

[Mengy]

I didn't know that about density. Thanks!

The important difference between sugar in nature and sugar in processed foods is this:

In nature, sugar is always accompanied by lots of fiber, but in processed foods like candy you get lots more sugar but little to no fiber.

This makes all the difference. For this reason fruits and such do not spike your blood sugar levels like a Klondike bar would, they are low on the glycemic index and your body will process natural sugars much more efficiently (ie: slower) than crap sugars due to said fiber.

 

[Sweet&Dandy]

Download a zero to five k app and let it be your guide on the road to better health... starts with baby steps and ends with 30 mins of constant running 8-10 weeks later

 

[Deleted member 115407]

I weigh 320 pounds, all fat.

I have near zero stamina, getting breathless just going up the stairs.

Mum has put me on a diet, but that's not enough alone.

The problem is that I'm near to passing out within minutes of doing anything physical. I just don't know what to do, as I really cannot find the energy to keep going.

Stop whining and start exercising.

I ran today for the first time in six months. Did I make it 3 miles? No. Will I make three miles the next time? Maybe not. But I'll get back to where I was.

To be brutally honest, Un1k0rn, all you ever do is make excuses for yourself. Stop excusing, and start living.

 

[Henkka77]

Mum has put me on a diet, but that's not enough alone.

Ah, this explains a lot..

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

You have got a lot of useful advises, so I'd refrain from adding more on what to do - but you should be careful with running, as your weight stresses the joints and if something happens to your knee or anything, then it will be awfully difficult to recover.

Finding energy -as you put- is the key, try to find yourself an objective, like 'if I lose X pounds, I'll do something I wanted since ages'. For example, go to Baikonur (cheaper than Florida ) and see a rocket launch - I'm sure you'd get support from your family.

 

[Ackley 280]

I only read the first 3 pages mate. Just wanted to say well done for starting the first month will be the hardest. Set a goal and stick to it. Break it down to realistic milestones.

FWIW try swimming as well, with your weight your putting some serious load on your joints. Get or borrow a heart rate monitor and swim at an intensity where your heart rate is above 100 bpm to start with

get a dog and walk it twice a day or more. The best thing about dogs is they love to walk and will keep you company even at three in the morning

eat protein, avoid carbs. Eat as much leafy salad as you can. Replace soft drinks and juice with water

low weight high reps are good for toning muscle and this will in turn need more energy to maintain.

when your fitter try some boxing. This will really improve your confidence and self belief but definitely get a bit fitter first. Boxing gyms won't listen to excuses

i came at this from a different angle. Up until the end of 2004 I was playing semi professional rugby union as a prop. I was 128kg and 10% fat and exceedingly fit. In 2007 I broke my neck and luckily only spent 8hrs as a quadriplegic, the longest 8hrs in my life. My weight ballooned with the sudden inactivity but after 18 months of rehab I was able to start exercising again, only to go to carp when I was run over by a taxi in 2012. Two knee ops and a snapped achillies by the start of 2017 I was over 170 kg's and in a poor state of health. Since then with the help of my son (who is currently playing u18's at the national level) I have done exactly what I outlined above. I am now 143kg's but now able to start more vigorous exercise. I aim to play in a div 4 match with my boy either this year or early next year. This is my goal.

starting is the hardest bit, it gets easier as you go on. Your young and your heart and arteries will get stronger if you do something now

well done mate

 

[Jon flint]

Can't really offer any better advice than has already been posted by folks a lot more knowledgeable than myself.

But I can speak from my own experiences, when I left uni, I was quite chunky thanks to 4 years of (lazy) student life, 6ft 4" and close to 20stone (280lb).

I was plain idle, living at home with my parents like a spoiled and overfed child who had no motivation to do anything to change my weight (despite not being happy with my appearance/health). Not suggesting this is you!

I would never have stuck to any diet or exercise plan at that point in my life, I was shamefully idle. What eventually changed it for me was being unceremoniously kicked out of my comfy nest and forced to get a place of my own (by my parents retiring to another country)

I hadn't got a job, so it was rented social housing, but it was a place of my own where I had some responsibility (paying for utilities and a minimal rent).

Part of it was having very little money to spend on food, and the other was actually having something to care about other than just sitting in my room at home playing video games (PS2 with GTA 3 at the time!). For me, it took around a year until I was down to a sensible 13stone (182lbs), admittedly without any concious effort.

Once I was happier with my own appearance, I started to gain some self confidence and soon found a (rubbish) job. With more money coming in things only get better. From rubbish job, to better job, to good job, to owning a home and finding a beautiful Mrs flint! I'm now 15 years down the road from there and still healthy....

Now I'm not suggesting you're anywhere near as bad as was, but for someone like my younger self who wanted to change but just couldn't muster up any actual effort...
Find something to focus your attentions on other than fixating on your weight. Get your own place, get a dog/cat/houseplant? Something that'll lead to a situation where you're not consciously having to work to loose weight.

Other than that, good luck mate o7

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Sounds you are making progress. Keep it going!

 

[Rob At Work]

Don't do it for yourself, do it for your wife & kids.

 

[EDanaII]

I heard of a guy in England who couldn't afford gym fees, so he put his MP3 player on and walked up and down his stairs for 2 hours a night. Massive change in his weight and body shape.

I've often joked about getting a pedal-powered generator and hooking my TV (or computer) up to it. You wanna watch TV? Get on that thing and pedal, buddy!

https://www.amazon.com/Generator-Emergency-Portable-Lightweight-Polycarbonate/dp/B00EZS8VQS

(Yea, I know it's a bit under-powered. That's why it's (mostly) a joke. Mostly...)

 

[mr.wolfie]

I think it's my brain. Podcasts annoy me for some daft, inexplicable reason.

I understand. I can't listen to audio books or podcasts either.
Keep up the metal, I used to play drums in a metal band. \m/

 

[Stigbob]

You didn't specify your height.

Some gave good advice but there's only 1 that works 100% and that is gastric bypass surgery (or adjustable gastric band).

I know some people who did it and they don't even look like the same person.

If you need a drastic weight loss and fast that might be an option.

Surgery should be a last life or death option. Besides if you force feed yourself till it hurts with a gastric band you can stretch out what's left to the capacity of your old stomach.

 

[Sir.Tj]

Well folks,

There is some amazing advice in here and it shows just how great the community is.

Here's the thing though, there's also some contrary advice here as well and if it continues then I can only see it getting more confusing.

I'm going to lock the thread which will give Un1korn a bit of time to review it and make his own decision on what method he feels most comfortable with.

Honestly I'm only closing it due to that fact.

Thanks all for contributing.

Good Luck Uni.