The Monster Den

[Master of Monsters]

This is my thread where I update whats going on with me.

I am doing this to hopefully relieve some stress in my life, and otherwise let people know what is going on with me; but first, a bit about myself.

I am twenty-five years old, and sadly still live with my parents. I own my own property, but rent it out as to pay the mortgage. This is due to my unsteady job. I love my job, but it is not constant at all. I work on Fort McCoy Army Base in Wisconsin, as a Food Service worker. Basically, we cook and serve the food for the soldiers who are training in our area. Getting to know the soldiers has been a blessing in my life.

I am also a full time college student at Ashford University, I am taking the online Associates degree in Organizational Management, with the future goal of sometime owning my very own business. I am set to graduate in July of 2014, and I currently have a 4.0 GPA through 6 credits.

Now guys, here is where it gets real. I am morbidly obese, and I have been struggling with my weight my entire life. I have reciently come to grips with my problem and decided to fix it. I am currently working on losing the weight. I currently sit at 488 lbs, and my goal is to get down to 160lbs in the next 2-5 years. That will be a total weight loss of 328 lbs. Wish me luck.

[Sedracus]

......... WOW.

And with those 488 lbs, how tall are you?
I'm at 149 lbs, and thinking I should do something about it.
Not to be insulting, but you quite literally are 3.25 times as heavy as I am...

Could it be something with your thyroid gland?
The only advice I can give you is this: Eat and move at the same times every day. If your body gets used to a certain pattern, less fat will be stored.

[Master of Monsters]

Yes, I know, it is startling. I am 6' tall, and I am not insulted by my weight. I know I have to change it, but I does not insult me to have my issues pointed out or examined xD

As for the Thyroid, I don't know. The doctors have never really mentioned that, but I did have my adenoid removed at a young age. I have started to get myself into a routine, as well as eat healthier and exercise more.

[Sedracus]

We're equally tall then. Whew.

The adenoid isn't really related.

The thyroid gland regulates a bunch of hormones that have to do with your energy level, how much you eat, and how much of your food is turned into energy.

An underactive thyroid gland can be related to weight gain, and if your thyroid gland is over- or underactive, it usually has been for most if not all your life.

[Master of Monsters]

That is good to know, but I am sure my fast food addiction does not help! xD

I have found something that I think will help, and im trying it; so here is to hoping it works!

[Humafan]

Wow, that must have taken some courage to share. I'll be praying for you. You may need some people in your life who can push you to reach your goal and keep you accountable. That's always helped me when I'm trying to make a change.

Sed: You are 6' tall and weigh 149lb...why do you want to lose weight? You sound like you are under average weight.

[Enthusiast]

I know I'm not in this game, but I clicked the link in your signature. I was afraid that something might have happened with your mom, so I'm relieved in that sense. I think it's great that you've acknowledged your weight problem, and I commend you for taking the first steps to addressing it. That takes some real courage. I wish you all the best with it, and I hope that you keep us all posted with your progress (nothing keeps you motivated like an audience!).

[Master of Monsters]

Well, good news and bad news everyone! Lets start with the bad

I broke my glasses today. I am totally bummed out about it. I can't see far away without them, so now driving is a problem; and I have to deal with my make shift fix for now. What a bummer!

Now to the good news. The other day when I posted my weight, I was going off my last known weight, as sadly the scale we owns only goes up to 300lbs. I went to the clinic today just to check my weight. I sit at 464, which is 24 lbs down from where I thought I was. Needless to say I was psyched.

Also, thank you everyone for your support. It is a bit intimidating to actually admit my weight by number, even though I came to grips with my size a long time ago.

Oh also, Enthusaist, this thread is for everyone, whether in this game, my other game, a DM of mine, or just the general public. Its just for me to vent; consider it a blog of sorts. Hugga does the same, as well as some of the other well known members of the site. I liked the idea and decided it be nice to have a place to post general life stuff.

[Olorian]

Good idea, this thread, MoM! And I agree with the others, you're showing real courage by sharing the weight problem. Awesome start to lose 24 lbs in such a short period! But without kidding, it will be quite the adventure to get where you want to be in that two to five years. And most importantly, don't ever think it's impossible! I've known someone who did it. Still, it'll take all the mental stamina you've got. My advice, if you'd have it, would be to seek help with those closest to you. Let every one of them know your plan, and make sure they support you, especially at the rough moments. And consider going to a dietary advisor as well as an exercise advisor, if you haven't already. Having companions on this journey can make the burden so much lighter! I'll join the audience of the blog and share in the victories or the hard times, if you keep us updated! A supporting fanbase might be just the thing you need

[Enthusiast]

Awesome to hear about the weight loss. Seeing results will always help to keep you motivated. Congrats, and keep us posted!

[Dalinen]

Hey MoM,

Just stumbled upon this 'blog' and I wanted to add my thumbs up and support. A brave move to publicly put yourself out there and open up your weaknesses to others. Certainly a testament of your will to change. Congratulations on that! And 24 pounds down is a wonderful way to start. If you've settled onto a set program and are sold on it, good for you. I can recommend some good reading for you, which might also influence your chosen path to change. The material comes from Dr. sears, who originated the Zone diet some time ago. I originally heard of this while training for rowing as it was becoming very popular amongst elite athletes wanting to get the most out of their bodies. The diet is not geared towards high performance athletes though, just optimal health. Dr. Sears' studies seem to have advanced some since that time while the benefits and testaments of the Zone remain strong. He now has some very interesting and disturbing thoughts on our heavy use of carbohydrates and fatty oils. If I recall correctly, he maintains that most fatty oils and excess carbs are effectively carcinogenic. The body stores the excess, which get covered by lipids (fat) and saved for a rainy day. When the rainy day never comes though, these large stores of carbs and fat turn toxic. The rest is foggy for me: the body either responds by adding more lipid cells to isolate the stored carbs, or the body just starts suffering from the toxic side-affects.

Whatever the case, it's worth a read. Here's a link to Dr. sears more eloquent explanation. I recall reading a telling case study of his where he got to work with a Mexican with notoriety of being the heaviest person in the world. He would make you look anorexic. Being the biggest guy in the world, doctors and dietitians of all stripes were keen on using him to try out their formulas. So this guy had tried most fads and strategies. Regretfully without success. When Dr. sears got him on his diet, he began losing weight on a more permanent basis. And lots of it. More importantly, while he still weighed an obscene amount, his important health indicators (I.e. high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) stabilized to the point where, on paper he was very healthy. I was stoked for the guy. Hope it's a true story, 'cause it's a pretty awesome one. It's on his site somewhere.

As for living at home, if you lived in Spain, that's just normal!

All the best, buddy!

[Master of Monsters]

Dalinen; thanks for the information and the support I will keep it all in mind.

However, *begin hubert farnsworth voice* good new everyone *end hubert farnsworth voice*, From last Friday to this Friday, I am down 6 pounds! I currently weigh in at 459 and feel amazing. The product I am on is amazing, and I would recommend everyone trying it even if they are not looking to lose weight. You can gain weight on it, as well as maintain your current weight. What it WILL do for you is make you feel amazing and give you energy like you never thought you would have again! I walked 1.25 miles today, at 2.5 mph pace, which is waaaaaay more then I could do 4 months ago.(I was tired after about a quarter mile)

However, on other topics, I have gotten my second straight 'A' for college, to start my college career off. I am entering a tough glass for me, English, but I am confident I can pass this class with another A. As for recreation, I am in a more consistent posting rate, finished watching the 90's FOX version of Spider-man(which I loved as a kid) and enjoying some old Sega Genesis games! Aside from the constant battle for money, life is looking good!

[Enthusiast]

Nice work, bud! Glad to hear that life is treating you well! It's such a shame that money has to just ruin everything, isn't it?

[Dalinen]

Good for you, MoM. Terrific start, and awesome with the mileage progress! Your academics are sounding pretty impressive as well. You da man!

[Berliad]

Hi,

Just saw this via your signature. I thought I'd add my voice to the chorus of well-wishers.

My situation isn't the same as yours, but I've been on a weight loss kick of my own this year since encountering some chronic back issues last fall (postural kyphosis--I blame it on grading papers!). I'm not obsessive about it, but I've managed to slowly shift my diet this year to include a lot more salad and a lot less pasta and cheese and grease than I was consuming a year ago. Strange as it may seem, I credit a lot of it to getting some good salad dressing, which for me means either spicy or Asian. Like a lot of things, I think it's often just a matter of finding something that works for the individual.

Anyway, I'm down from 223 to 198 or so in eight months, which isn't a huge loss but I'm pretty happy. Haven't been this weight since 1998 or so. I'm hoping that I can keep losing and get into the 180-territory, which would be exciting...That would likely take a real exercise program, though, and {insert lame excuse here}.

Anyway, best of luck with your own efforts!