Am No-good greedy chubster: 122kg and sick of it

[TiredFamilyGuy]

I am way too fat: 122.2 kg as of two weeks ago. 270lb. I am a 51 yo white male.

 

I am posting because I am feeling stupid and annoyed that I have not fixed this problem which I have allowed to develop.

 

How I got this way, is that my weight has crept up 1-2kg or so a year for the last two decades. Sometimes down 5kg on diet, but it comes back on.

 

Worst contributory behaviours: Night eating. Eating my family's leftovers (I do most cooking). Only coming to awareness once I see the bottom of the ice cream tub. Weakness for spicy food.

 

I have an uncle who is even fatter. Another uncle who is very thin. I resemble the fat one in ways not limited to weight: so I may have got the 'fat genes', but I know that is no excuse.

 

I am basically sedentary other than twice weekly gym sessions and the occasional spell of quite heavy exercise (been on a 40 mile walking holiday last week, and cycling holiday earlier this year).

 

It just sucks:

 

I have grown out of more suits than I can remember.

It is getting hard to wipe my own ass.

I am now 'the fat guy'

I cannot tie my shoes after putting them on, without straining fit to poop.

I will likely die young and sick

 

I feel strong enough today to write all that down, as I have taken an effort to eat differently for the last couple of days. Otherwise I would just ignore it again.

 

Had veggies for lunch. It was actually nice. I am in a better place emotionally than I have been in the past. But that's just a couple of days. It was not instant going on, it will not be instant coming off.

 

Wish me luck people. Welcome all kinds of comments, helpful and awed-in-horror, and most particularly those from your own experience, what worked for you and what did not.

 

TLDR: No good greedy chubster bemoans self, tries to change.

Edited October 17, 2016 by TiredFamilyGuy

[GirlyGirly]

Well done on taking the first steps TiredFamilyGuy !

 

Best of luck on your journey ! keep us posted

[Buddhist]

I was fatter than I wanted to be about half of my life. My mother is constantly overweight, so are other female family members. Figured I just had bad genes. Until I did just one thing. I made cooked vegetables (no potatoes) the basis of my diet. Every meal was a plate of cooked vegetables plus whatever else I wanted with it. Typically I want protein more than I want bread or pasta.

 

I lost 2 sizes in 3 months without doing anything more strenuous than going for a daily walk. So while it may have been there for years it doesn't necessarily follow it also takes years to get it off.

 

The one thing I encourage everyone to do is make vegetables your staple, rather than bread\cereals. This one change alone, if done sincerely, will get you 90% of the way there with very little effort. It's also a lifestyle change that is permanent not a diet that you give up at some point. The big plus is carbs from vegetables is a healthy way to live.

 

I've shrunk down to about half my size, and I've done it for over 15yrs effortlessly. My exercise regime consists of a daily walk (stroll, not power walking or jogging) and yoga. Nothing else. I'm now a US size 2 and this is my natural body size. I'm a normal healthy weight at this size and I'm in my 40's.

 

So I'd encourage you to make permanent lifestyle changes, not go on a diet, or do some sort of program that you will finish at some point. Just make the change you know is right for you and get on with living your life from that point on. The weight and fitness will take care of themselves as a side effect and you will be free of the fear of ever getting to where you are now.

[SammySammy]

You can do it. I've lost over 50 pounds.

 

Best of luck to you.

[dreamingoftigers]

Yes. It sucks.

 

I've found the only thing that really has worked was getting allergy/food intolerance tested by an independent lab and quitting refined sugar altogether.

 

Turns out I am allergic to tons of stuff: cows milk, goats milk, sheep milk, celery, peas, kidney beans, sunflower seeds, mustard seed, crab, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc etc etc

 

So once these foods were eliminated for me, my inflammation stopped and I felt better.

 

But the refined sugar was the tipping point. I no longer feel sluggish and starving. I eat mainly vegetables, fruits and meats. Mostly vegetables.

 

The first ten days of quitting refined sugar are a bitch. A real real bitch.

 

Then it gets easier, then the cravings pretty much go away.

 

Then you don't even want it when you see it, it replies you because you know it might make your taste buds sings and dance, but it makes you feel like crap.

 

I've been off of sugar for just over 2 months now. Thank goodness. Sugar is more of a drug than a food. Really, really bad for you.

 

I was reaching the point where it was going to start getting difficult to wipe my arse.

 

No piece of cake or scoop of ice cream is worth that to me

 

I'm sick of being in this body the way it is.

 

I've lost 22 lbs so far, but I am taking it slow and I did gorge on mashed potatoes / gravy on Thanksgiving.

 

And I have had pasta on a few occasions (and very much regretted it, quite painful when you don't routinely have it).

 

So it hasn't been "full-on" but it has made a big difference in the quality of my life so far.

[sooshi]

OP, I commend you for wanting to make some positive changes for yourself!

 

Have you gotten yourself checked for food allergies? Often the foods that we gravitate towards are the ones causing us the most damage (ie. allergy, inflammatory).

 

I'd also get your blood sugar levels checked out. Night-time eating is often an indicator of blood sugar issues--dropping too low, causing you to feel hungry, leading you to grab something that is easy and quick because those things tend to contain sugar and raise our blood sugar level the fastest.

 

To support your blood sugar levels, focus on increasing fat/protein/fibre intake, with a focus on whole foods.

Examples of healthy fats include: nuts/seeds/their milks, oils, and butters (raw, where possible); beans/legumes; avocados; wild-caught fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines); organic eggs

Examples of protein: beans/legumes; nuts/seeds; dark green vegetables; grass-fed meat; organic eggs

Fibre: Leafy green vegetables, beets, and other vegetables (limit starchy ones such as squash and carrots, as they increase blood sugar levels quite a bit); nuts, seeds; legumes and beans. For fruits, focus on ones with a good amount of fibre, such as apples, pears, and berries. Because of their fibre content, blood sugar doesn't spike.

 

Healthy fats, protein, and fibre prevent blood sugars from spiking, which would cause your insulin levels from being released too soon and too much, because it thinks you body is in an emergency, and then your blood sugar drops too low, and then your body craves food (especially sugar) because it thinks it's in crisis. Sugar would be the fastest way to increase blood sugar level, but it is also inflammatory, which is why the vast majority of people with diabetes experience some form of neuropathy.

 

Begin an exercise routine. If you can get into a pool/water, I think that would be the ideal choice for you right now. Your body will push against the water, and it'll be a resistance exercise, causing your body to burn fat. It will also be gentle on your joints.

 

Good luck!

Edited October 19, 2016 by sooshi

[SammySammy]

Something I saw on Tumblr:

 

 

• Eat Clean
  
• Drink Water
  
• Train Hard
  
• Set Goals
  
• Stay Focused
  
• Never Give Up
  

That's pretty much how I did it.

[dreamingoftigers]

I just noticed this and can't believe I missed it on first read-through: you are actually really shaming yourself about all of this.

 

Eating too much ice cream isn't the same thing as say, genocide, and a lot of dictators probably sleep much more soundly.

 

You are a bunch of addictive, unhealthy crap. It affects you. You don't like the effects. You want to change that. You are going to change your behaviours and the effects will follow.

 

Doesn't sound like someone that should be calling themselves names and berating themself.

[major_merrick]

Yes. It sucks.

 

I've found the only thing that really has worked was getting allergy/food intolerance tested by an independent lab and quitting refined sugar altogether.

 

Turns out I am allergic to tons of stuff: cows milk, goats milk, sheep milk, celery, peas, kidney beans, sunflower seeds, mustard seed, crab, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc etc etc

 

So once these foods were eliminated for me, my inflammation stopped and I felt better.

 

But the refined sugar was the tipping point. I no longer feel sluggish and starving. I eat mainly vegetables, fruits and meats. Mostly vegetables.

 

The first ten days of quitting refined sugar are a bitch. A real real bitch.

 

Then it gets easier, then the cravings pretty much go away.

 

Then you don't even want it when you see it, it replies you because you know it might make your taste buds sings and dance, but it makes you feel like crap.

 

I've been off of sugar for just over 2 months now. Thank goodness. Sugar is more of a drug than a food. Really, really bad for you.

 

I was reaching the point where it was going to start getting difficult to wipe my arse.

 

No piece of cake or scoop of ice cream is worth that to me

 

I'm sick of being in this body the way it is.

 

I've lost 22 lbs so far, but I am taking it slow and I did gorge on mashed potatoes / gravy on Thanksgiving.

 

And I have had pasta on a few occasions (and very much regretted it, quite painful when you don't routinely have it).

 

So it hasn't been "full-on" but it has made a big difference in the quality of my life so far.

 

So how do you quit sugar? Is there something to lessen the painfulness of the experience? My GF#1 has compared my behavior after a day without sugar to that of a rabid animal. Apparently I treat everyone around me horribly. So what's the trick?

[basil67]

Be kind to yourself. Use positive self talk and avoid negatives such as your opening title.

 

If you fall off the wagon, don't berate yourself. Just pick yourself back up and keep going on the journey.

[dreamingoftigers]

So how do you quit sugar? Is there something to lessen the painfulness of the experience? My GF#1 has compared my behavior after a day without sugar to that of a rabid animal. Apparently I treat everyone around me horribly. So what's the trick?

 

I didn't find a trick.

 

I just told myself I was doing it and that I wasn't going to beat myself up if and when I backslid.

 

So I just stopped having cake and pie and ice cream and juice and pop and granola bars and chocolate bars and all of the other sugary things that make your brain sing and dance.

 

I decided when I felt like bingeing on sugar I would eat up a bunch of fruit or vegatables.

 

For about two weeks I stuffed my face full of carrots. Mostly a pound a night. That's not a typo.

 

And it worked.

 

You see, it's like you get so dependent on sugar that when you withdraw, it's a bitch. A real bitch. I got headaches, mood swings etc etc etc.

 

Refined sugar messes with your hormones, so I expected that.

 

I avoid ANYTHING sweetened so it doesn't spike my cravings. I just don't eat sweet stuff. Not honey or splenda or sucralose or aspartame or stevia. I don't need it. I'm not going to die without it (on the contrary in fact).

 

I find a full withdrawal really sucks the first few days, and the physical symptoms disappear after about ten days.

 

Your blood sugar evens out, your moods even out and OH WOW ENERGY.

 

Sugar REALLY drained the life from me. Even going up stairs was .... Ugh....how many more steps is this????? I don't notice it now.

 

Plus, the crappy, nutrition-less food I was eating is replaced with nutritious food. So I feel better.

 

It's not some pretentious-hippie-vegan bullshyte.

 

Sugar acts more like a drug than a food, and I got sick of being addicted to the shyte corporations were drugging me with. It pissed me off.

 

I just had to think of sugar as alcohol (my father is an alcoholic and I don't respect that he didn't quit. He's even allergic to brewer's yeast FFS.). Once I though of sugar as a drug, I was done. My kids need me. It's wrecked my body and I'm just sick of it all.

 

Not even pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving was worth trading it for

 

I noticed for the first few weeks / month that I would salivate at the thought or mention of something sweet. I was worried that would annoy me for the rest of my life. But it doesn't happen anymore unless I really concentrate on it.

 

Sugar (and anything addictive) is kind of like an ex-boyfriend / girlfriend. You never thought you could let them go. Then you did and it sucked for a bit. Then, life got waaaay better and you found someone or something that worked better for you. Now you can't even figure out why the Hell you were with them in the first place.

 

So if pie and ice cream give me a booty call late at night when I'm.feeling a little lonely..... I'd rather reach out for carrots. Because carrots love me back for reals.

[dreamingoftigers]

So how do you quit sugar? Is there something to lessen the painfulness of the experience? My GF#1 has compared my behavior after a day without sugar to that of a rabid animal. Apparently I treat everyone around me horribly. So what's the trick?

 

Or take a few days to yourself and cry and journal and stuff. Beat up a pillow, whatever.

 

I had this relationship a long time ago that was dysfunctional and I knew if I kept going back to it, it was going to suck. So I just told myself "go through the grief until it is gone." And I did.

 

Quitting lots of addictive stuff is the same. It's sad and stressful.

[Buddhist]

So how do you quit sugar? Is there something to lessen the painfulness of the experience? My GF#1 has compared my behavior after a day without sugar to that of a rabid animal. Apparently I treat everyone around me horribly. So what's the trick?

 

Fat (avocado's, cream, bacon) can fill the void left by a sugar craving. It moves through the digestive tract more slowly and is metabolised more slowly, so it doesn't spike your blood sugar levels like sweet food does. It also makes you feel full and satiated so you don't feel hunger. I used to whip up a bowl of cream and eat a spoonful when I got a sugar craving. In a very short period of time you don't need to do this and you just let it go. No need to worry about eating high fat because it is a very short term measure to get over the sugar rollercoaster.

[dreamingoftigers]

Fat (avocado's, cream, bacon) can fill the void left by a sugar craving. It moves through the digestive tract more slowly and is metabolised more slowly, so it doesn't spike your blood sugar levels like sweet food does. It also makes you feel full and satiated so you don't feel hunger. I used to whip up a bowl of cream and eat a spoonful when I got a sugar craving. In a very short period of time you don't need to do this and you just let it go. No need to worry about eating high fat because it is a very short term measure to get over the sugar rollercoaster.

 

I discovered eating a while avocado gave me bad gas.....

 

Just sayin'

 

Don't eat while ones at a time.

 

Pffft.

[Wade Lamare]

Myfitnesspal.

 

It works.

 

You just have to be ready to do it.

 

Half hearted wishy washy "Oh I'd like to lose weight" just won't work in my opinion. When I lost a bit of weight it was down to a hard, cold, almost emotionless determination that this time it's gonna happen. After a while on MFP I found it so easy I could have kicked myself for not doing it sooner!