Update

BrandonLucas

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I just wanted to give an update, and hopefully inspire anyone else that has been struggling with trying to get into shape, and just not quite being able to do it.

I went to see a doctor about weight loss on December 23, and was prescribed a medication called Adipex, which is basically an appitite supressor and a stimulant. It acts very much the same way that rittilin (sp?) works, in that it (for me, anyway) seems to clear my mind, and I don't have this "fog" all the time that seems to slow my thought process down.

Adipex has really decreased my appitite...to the point that I have saved a great deal of money when grocery shopping. It has also given me the energy to train and exercise the way I need to in order to get back into shape.

I also went to see a diatician on the 13th of this month, and was given alot of ideas as far as what to eat and what not to eat, and was given several 2000 calorie diet menus. I have really enjoyed eating the things on the menus, and have noticed that I have far more energy, even if I don't take the pill for that day.

So, as it stands right now, I started taking the pill on Jan. 1, and weighed in at 323 lbs, and I had a size 46 waist. As of last night, Jan 26th, I weighed in at 301 lbs, and am at a size 42 waist. I have far more energy than I did before, and I can actually wear clothes that I haven't worn in quite some time.

I am also noticing a strong difference in my training in class as well. I'm able to kick higher and more accurately. My stamina has increased considerabely, and I'm able to move faster and easier.

Of course, this is only the start of the journey to get back into shape, but my hope is that anyone who has had the same problem that I had with not being able to get a handle on their health will read this and know that it really can be done. I honestly didn't think that I would ever start to lose weight...not until I understood what had to be done and actually followed through with doing it. Those are the keys to getting into shape.

So, if you're in the same boat as I am, just know that it is possible to get started to get back into shape...it takes work and discipline, but it is possible.
 

CDKJudoka

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Congrats dude!!! I started using Hydroxycut, but I was only at 265 when I started it 3 weeks ago. Keep up the good work and you will be where you want to be.
 

bluekey88

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Congratulations! That is fantastic news....keep up the good work.
 

dancingalone

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Good luck. One of my students has reported successfully using breathing exercises to help quell the emotional need for food. It may work for you if you give it a try.
 
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BrandonLucas

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Good luck. One of my students has reported successfully using breathing exercises to help quell the emotional need for food. It may work for you if you give it a try.

That's a great idea.

Overall, I've learned that for me, it's a mindset thing. I was eating because I enjoyed the food, and I felt guilty if I had too much on my plate and left any of it.

I've since learned to eat when I need to eat, and I've noticed a change in the way it makes me feel overall. Before, when I was just eating to eat, I would get full immediately after eating a meal, and I wouldn't have the energy to move. Now, I've realized that food is used as fuel for your body, and that doesn't mean that the food has to taste bad. It simply means that you need to consume the correct amount to give your body energy without giving it extra things to bog it down.
 

Dao

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Good luck! You know you can lose weight by eating 5 to 6 times a day, which means every 2 to 3 hours. Of course you have to eat certain amount of food if you eat too much this won't work. But this method I have lost 10 lbs just doing this. Also calorie confusion works. Body builders use it. Let's say you eat 2000 calories today you eat 1800 tomorrow. This is just an example you may have to eat more than 2000 calories the next day. Also healthy fats like coconut oil and flax oil can help with weight loss. Prevent overeating it's best to do what is called mindful eating. Eating without talking or other distractions and actually chewing your food slowly. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/18/five-tips-for-mindful-eating/
 

searcher

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Congrats on the weight drop so far. Keep it going and you can get where you are wanting to go.
 

seasoned

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Good luck and congratulations on your journey. Thanks for sharing.
 

jetboatdeath

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Good job man
what kinds of foods are you eating I think thats over half of my problem a very limited diet.
 
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BrandonLucas

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Good job man
what kinds of foods are you eating I think thats over half of my problem a very limited diet.

This is what I've learned so far about what to eat and what not to eat...and when to eat them....

I started back eating breakfast, which gives me the boost of energy I need to make it through until the afternoon. I eat a small bowl of grain cereal, usually with fruit added in if I can help it....that usually helps me to not eat sugar in the cereal. Also, I switched to 1% milk.

I work at an IT service desk, so I'm sitting down all day...so I'll bring light stuff to snack/lunch on. I'll bring 1 banana, 1 apple, and usually I'll bring some celary and carrots with light ranch dressing. I eat this throughout the day, drinking several cups of water with it.

Once I get home, I relax for a little while, then go to class to burn everything off. When I get back, usually between 6:30 and 8:00 pm, my wife and I eat a light supper...last night, we had chicken gumbo, which had chicken breast, carrots, celary, onions, bell pepper, chicken stock, and pepper...and I had 1 biscuit with it...which averages to about 350 calories all together. I only had one bowl, and it was plenty.

Basically, I'm watching how many calories I'm taking in. I'm trying to keep it as far below/close to 2,000 calories as I can. Since I'm a bigger guy, I need to consume around 2,000 calories just to have the energy to complete the day, but the amount of calories you need vary from person to person, so it's best to check with someone who knows about this stuff before jumping into a diet plan.

I've found that beef, which is my favorite thing in the world, packs a huge amount of calories per serving, and the serving size of beef is not big at all. So, I've been eating lean chicken, i.e. chicken breast, to supplement my meat intake. But, I've set it up where I can eat what I want 1 day per week, which I usually save up for the weekend...either Friday or Saturday.

The best thing I can offer is to learn what foods have the most calories, and watch your intake on those foods. You don't have to cut them out all together, but just make sure you don't over-eat them. Most things are good in moderation.
 

terryl965

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Me I am trying to stay at tha 2,000 calories but somedays it is more like 20,000 or it seems.
 
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BrandonLucas

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Me I am trying to stay at tha 2,000 calories but somedays it is more like 20,000 or it seems.

Know what you mean, there...it was pretty hard to get used to at first...but, I have to admit, I really can't eat a whole lot anymore, even if I want to. Now, some of that may be this medicine that I'm taking, but I think it has to do with the fact that I'm used to not eating so much now.

I would love to cheat and have a Hardee's Monster Burger, but I wouldn't be able to eat for the rest of the week.
 

karatemom

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Wow! that's great! I'm trying to stick with Weight Watchers but it's really tough sometimes cause I LOVE to eat! I come from a family of big eaters so it's hard sometimes to reduce my portions - is there any side effectives to the med? keep us posted! (I wanna lose 30-35 lbs before we go to Hawaii this summer)
 
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BrandonLucas

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Wow! that's great! I'm trying to stick with Weight Watchers but it's really tough sometimes cause I LOVE to eat! I come from a family of big eaters so it's hard sometimes to reduce my portions - is there any side effectives to the med? keep us posted! (I wanna lose 30-35 lbs before we go to Hawaii this summer)

There are a few side effects to the medication, but I've found that it varies from person to person. I googled it just after I started taking it, and there were a few people who said that it didn't help them reduce their appetite at all, and just made them jittery.

For me, I've noticed that I get cotton mouth frequently, especially an hour or so after taking the pill...my hands are always cold, which I attribute to the pill possibly thinning the blood slightly....and, along the same lines, I've found that small cuts, bumps, and bruises take a little longer to heal than usual.

Overall, though, it's nothing drastic. It's not like if I were to get cut, I would bleed to death or anything...it's really only a minor thing, and I don't think I would have noticed had my wife not pointed out a cut that I had for a little over 2 weeks that had just started to heal. The cotton mouth isn't that bad, either...just for the first couple of hours after I take the pill, it seems like I can't drink enough water.

It's definitely worth taking a look into.
 

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