Topic : Obesity

I posted this in another topic in this section, but I figured I would post it here too to see if I could get a wider spectrum of people who might be able to help.

A friend of mine is getting married soon, however, she is more than 300 pounds and gaining very fast. We could only find one dress for her that went up to her size (luckily she liked it), but we are beginning to worry about whether or not she will fit into that later because she's gaining so quickly. About two weeks ago she went to a show with my mother and niece, and she was able to sit in the back seat with the seat buckled by sucking in a little. About three days ago, she sat in the very same seat, but this time she could not get the seat buckled, and it only went to her belly button. We are very worried about her health, her heart, and her other organs and are dreading the day that one of these finally gives out. The sad thing is...she's only 23. The wedding is in less than a month and a half.

The seat belt incident embarrassed her alot, understandably, and she realized how badly she needs to lose weight and that her health is in danger. I volunteered to help her get out and excercise more, so I want to know some good excercises that she can do which would be safe for her organs but still effective to help her get in shape.

 I am an Epileptic who has gained weight since 2002. It took awhile to figure out why. I was put on two medications when I went to the psyche ward in January 2002. One to control psychiatric symptoms the other to control my Epilepsy. Both have the side effects of weight gain and seizure provocation. I was not informed of these side effects. I also take Tegretol for Epilepsy.....a medication which could be rendered ineffective due to excessive weight gain. I saw a psychiatrist in the Montreal Neurulogical Institute (MNI) who interacts with neurologists and vice versa in the case of patients with such multiple diagnosises. The one and only appointment was about a month ago. She ended with the statement that my obesity IS due to the meds despite my occasional binging. She was going to check to see about the interaction with the Tegretol putting in question the words of a neurologist to another Epileptic who told him he would have to lose weight for the Tegretol to continue to be effective.  Everybody here who bumps into me now talk to me...just long enough to say that I am fat. In my case this is a violation of the Human Rights Charter which does not allow for discriminatory comments of like nature based on the above example. It is also psychological harrassment, the latter being illegal in the workplace up here in Quebec! as is illegal discrimination. Murderers get more kindness than I do up here in Canada where the death penalty is nonexistant. Obesity IS becoming accepted as a handicap which is good news for me. I am not advocating being fat. But when there is no choice in the matter.........

 If I was bitten by a spider and alledged that as my reason for being obese DrPhil would readily help me because this is good for his program ratings. But to the extent that I am not a rating raiser forget it.  

my name is Maria, I am 29 years old.  I am obessed and not liking how I look.  I am scared because I skip meals and then when I eat I eat until I am so full that I get nausueus.  I am worried because I am not losing weight, but gaining it.  I used to throw up as a teen to lose weight and i don't want to go back to it again.  I gain weight when I was pregnant, 10 years ago and found comfort in feeling full.  I got put on medication for depression that seemed to supress my feeling full after I ate so I really started eating alot, because I never got full.  I put on 80 pounds in 6 months and never lost it.  I am afraid that my feeling fat and my obsesion with my stomach and saying I am fat will effect my children.  My daughter is 9 and she askes me if she is fat.  And she is not.  I wish I could feel happy about my self and not ugly or fat.  I want to get skinny again and not by not eating or puking.  and I notice that I am starting my old behaviors again.  I am just scared.

I know how you feel.. I also have weight problems and I feel like I'm getting always more fat and I cannot stop eating. I'm now 16 and when I was about 14 I didn't eat for 4days to be thin again and every year I got more and more fat

but I think what I forgot is that after I ate I didn't go outside going for a walk. Because if you go for a walk you feel that you ate much and so it's easier for you to eat less and have fun walking. I was acually  was playing everyday basketball and other sports but more and more I got lazy but now I think if you really want to lose weight you have to be more stronger and believe in yourself what I couldn't do I didn't feel well because the people were looking strangly at me. But now I want to make this I want to be thin and I want eat normal. I even went to the doctor asking for help. I eat alot of sweets can't live without chocolate but my doctor told me to eat once in a week or eat everyday just a lil and try to stop eating crisps and  fast food but the most important thing is always to ignore what the people think of you and belive in yourself. I made a kinda timetable and write what I eat everyday just wrote everything down and on sunday I looked at what I ate and tried to find a solution and how change what I ate. well haha I'm veggy so my problem is a lil different but I think it's always good writing down what you eat . But you shouldn't forget to do sport always even if you don't like walking outside just dance or play with ur kids anything... but do sport and I'm sure this will help ^^

-Ferda

of course there is always a hope ^^

never give up! It must be hard to come from a obese family , to have MS and a husband traveling the world but as you came from a strict Christian home why don't you pray and belive in GOD's help? Never give up believing in GOD. Even if it's difficult to be patient and everything but be strong and you also can talk to your husband or talk to your friend about ur sorrows. I'm sure they will support you and help you :)

-Ferda

My name is Claudia and I had to write to you. I am  35 and 357 lbs. I have never been on a message board before. I need help and support the most. I'm a single mom with a four year old son. I am hypothyroid and I have Hashimoto's Disease. I have been Hypothyroid since elementary school. I wasn't always on medicine because I thought it would just go away.The denial has not helped my weight. I started gaining and gaining. I gave up hope of ever losing weight. I had Dr. Phil's book for years but  didn't get past the first few chapters. I picked up the audio-book and starting applying the Seven Keys. I lost 10 pounds so far. I went for a walk yesterday for the first time in years. I hope we can help and support each other in our fight to be healthy.  

Dear Shahan,

Losing weight is not easy when you are healthy.  When you are not feeling well it seems so much harder. What has helped me was listening to Dr. Phil's Audio-book of The Seven Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. I rented it from my local library. It helped me look at my habits and my part in my weight problem. Then it  gave me solutions to change my bad habits and make healthier choices and decisions. I have lost 13 pounds so far.

I hope you can get the tapes or Cd's to listen to them.

Sincerely,

Claudia

I am a fat woman. I am fat, I am fat, I am fat. I feel like these words define me. I always had low self esteem and being overweight has brought me down to the lowest point I have ever been. I am stressed and epressed and feel there is no way out of this hell I'm in.

I am embarrased and ashamed of what I've become. I'm 35 year sold. I'm 5'4" and I weigh 255. This is the most I've weighed in my life.

It's very hard to meet people. I'm scared that once they realize I'm fat they won't want to be my friend. I know that sounds insane, but those are the thoughts that run through my head. I feel like the fat has stolen my life.

I don't wear skirts or shorts so that no one will see my fat legs. I don't wear short sleeves so that no one will see my fat arms. There's no use hiding my stomach - it's HUGE. I see gorgeous clothes in the stores and I think to myself, "now if I was thin, I would wear that" but I'm not thin, I'm fat. So instead I buy granny clothes and feel even worse about myself.

Summer used to be something I looked forward to. Now I stay inside in the summer and hide because it's too hot to wear long pants and long sleeve shirts.

The gym is so intimidating. All these beautiful thin girls walking around with the guys trying to get their phone #s. And then there's me. I'm probably the only fat person in the whole gym and everyone will be staring at me, thinking to themselves and making jokes about me.

I have to make sure my body fat is covered because it disgusts my inlaws and they can be very mean when they want to be. I get very stressed out and many times suffer from a panic attack when I'm getting ready to go over their house because I can't forget their rude comments and fear that they will say it again.

I have feelings too just like any other person. I'm in pain and I suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression. I'm embarrassed and ashamed of myself.