How To Lose Weight When You Are Obese
A couple of months ago, I started watching a show called My 600 lb. Life. As someone who is really into health and wellness, I quickly became intrigued by the show because it shows the journey of how these individuals go about losing weight. What stuck out to me most is how hard life becomes when a person is obese, and how it can become so easy to feel trapped in that body that you become unable to do anything to fix the issue. Today I am sharing tips to help morbidly obese women lose weight.
Defining Obesity
Morbid obesity means that your body mass index (BMI) measures 40 or higher. There are stages of obesity which I will define below, but for the purposes here I want to focus on morbid obesity. This level of obesity puts your health at risk because it puts a big strain on your body, bones, and internal organs. Morbidly obese women can take steps to reduce their body weight through diet and exercise. I know that this may sound like a difficult task, but trust me, you can do it.
Obese – Scientifically defined as having too much body fat and a BMI (body mass index) of more than 30.
Morbidly Obese – Scientifically defined as a BMI of 40 or higher.
Obesity Help
For my whole life, I have been pretty naturally thin, but I must workout to stay in shape. I am not saying this to brag; there is a point coming (I swear). What I have noticed from my vantage point is the way in which people treat overweight people. In some cases, it is really vile to witness, and I am sure that such ill-treatment is not helpful in the matter.
So, to all of you naturally thin folks like me (skinny bitches) be nice to people. The world needs more kindness, not hatred. ♥
What Obesity Means to Me
You may be reading this and wondering why someone my size is writing about obesity. To start, I have a sister who would be considered obese. What I learned from her journey is that everyone who is obese is not that way because they cannot stop eating.
My sister was a very thin girl just like me, however, in her late teens, she was diagnosed with a mental illness. The result of that diagnosis was being put on medication that caused her weight to drastically balloon.
I’m writing this post because I want people to understand that every woman who is obese did not get this way from overeating. I want more people to know that while in some cases food is the culprit, the food is the mask for the underlying issues.
So, while I may not have personal experience with being obese, I feel that as part of the fitness community, we must stop turning our backs and snubbing our noses at those who are obese.
The Science Behind Obesity
Remember, everyone who is obese is not that way solely because of food. In many cases, there are underlying health issues such as an under active thyroid. Or, in the case of my sister, medications that cause your weight to balloon.
According to Dr. Westin Childs, weight gain and obesity should be viewed as a metabolic disorder stemming from underlying hormone imbalances. What this means is that your thyroid functionality is directly linked to how fast or slow your metabolism works.
Changing Your Diet to Combat Obesity
One of the first things to acknowledge is that we are in control of what we put into our bodies. Reducing caloric intake is one of the most effective ways for morbidly obese women to lose weight. In some instances, people who are morbidly obese consume anywhere from 8 – 10,000 calories per day in their diets. The recommended caloric intake for women is 2,000 calories per day. If you are looking to lose weight, that drops down to 1,500 calories to lose 1 – 2 lbs. per week.
To change your diet, you will need to remove all temptations from your home. If you struggle with your relationship with food, this is a vital first step. If the bad foods are not there, you cannot eat them, right?
Cleaning out the pantry and fridge
You will want to rid your home of the following food types:
- Cakes
- Cookies
- White Bread
- White Pasta
- Processed snacks (chips, Oreos, chips ahoy, gummy worms, cheese crackers) and any other foods that fit this category
- Soda (all soda)
- Fatty meats
- Fast Food
You will want to replace those items with:
- Lean proteins like grilled chicken breast and fish
- Lean turkey breasts
- Avocados
- Cucumbers
- Fruits
- Leafy vegetables like spinach, kale
- Green vegetables like broccoli, mixed greens
Putting it together
As you incorporate more lean meats, and leafy vegetables into your meals, you will want to make sure that 50 – 55% of your calories come from complex carbohydrates. Your protein intake should be high, while your caloric intake should be lower.
Simple carbs like the ones in the junk foods mentioned above cause your body to build and store fat, retain water, and bloat. You will want to avoid these kinds of foods at all costs.
Exercise for Morbidly Obese People
When you are overweight, the thought of exercise can seem impossible. But, the key to improving anything has a starting point.
Allow yourself to do low-intensity exercises. If you are a person who is unable to leave your bed or home, you can start by doing the exercises from your bed.
Grab a resistance band and do arm stretches from your bed. Use a small, lightweight dumbbell and do arm exercises from your bed.
What we want to do is get your body moving. Slowly you will build up and be able to start taking short walks in your neighborhood.
When You Feel Up To It
Incorporate swimming into your life. Swimming and doing small exercises in the pool can prove to be very helpful when you have a lot of weight to lose.
Try to get your body moving for at least 30 minutes per day as you start to build yourself up more.
Changing Your Lifestyle and Building Muscle
Doing exercises with dumbbells and resistance bands will help your body to slowly start building muscle mass. The upside of this is that you will have more muscle than body fat, which will aid in your weight loss journey.
If you are overweight, you may have a lot more muscle than you think you do. By doing body weight and resistance exercises, you will hold on to more of your muscle mass as you start to lose weight.
Because getting into a workout regimen can be stressful on the body when you are morbidly obese, I highly recommend looking into aquatics training. You will find it much easier to move around in the water while you’re in the beginning phase of your weight loss journey.
Getting Your Body Moving
When you are very overweight, every movement counts. If you are a person who has spent a lot of time in a stationary position, this one is really important for you.
Take small steps to get your body moving. Try to use a small canteen for your water, to encourage yourself to get up and go to the kitchen more often to refill it.
Also, drinking more water will encourage you to go to the bathroom more, which will result in more body movement for you.
Track your movements by using tools like the Fitbit. When we chart our progress, it makes it easier for us to see how far we have come. Charting our progress also keeps us motivated to keep going.
Obesity Help Continued
I touched on this briefly above, but I feel that it is so important to address this in greater detail. So many of the cases of morbidly obese women on My 600 lb. Life are the result of abuse or some childhood trauma.
Know that you are not alone in your weight loss journey. Also, understand that there is nothing wrong with you if you decide you want to seek help.
In minority communities, there is such a stigma on seeking psychological help. We seem to have a belief that it means we are crazy.
You are not crazy. You are human.
No matter what anyone says, our childhoods shape the adults we become, and the first step to healing is to address issues head-on.
I want you to know that where you are right now does have to be where you are forever. It all starts with you and taking that first step of ridding your home of bad foods, doing light exercise, and dealing with any underlying issues.
What to do next
Do not try to get through this journey alone. There are many support groups and meetups for people who are in the same situation as you.
Remember, that you do not need to be a size 0 to be beautiful. You need to be happy and healthy. Losing weight is not just about how you look on the outside, it is also about how you feel, and making sure you lead a long and fulfilled life.
You are beautifully made and deserve the best. ♥
Use the links below to check out support groups and meetups:
As with every fitness post on my site, I will never leave you without a few exercises to get that body moving.
At Home Body Weight Routine
Seated Exercises For People With Limited Mobility
I highly recommend consulting a physician before starting any sort of exercise regimen.
*This post contains affiliate links see my disclosure policy for more details
Fitness Resources For You ♥
Pin me on Pinterest to use these tips any time you want!
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Workouts By Body Type
Very well written post! I love how you bring up that not all obesity is simply related to overeating. Thank you for sharing your tips!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! I felt like obesity is a topic that needed to be talked about. I’m so glad you liked my post!
Thank you for writing this article.
Thank you so much for reading it! It means so much that people take time out of their busy lives to read my blog. 🙂
Am presently 105 kg am 5.1 tall i need to lose 35kg before my birthday June 20th. How possible.
Hi Debbie,
Thank you for your comment. If I am doing the math properly 35 kg converts to about 77 lbs in a timespan of 3 months, which is a pretty fast timeframe. My suggestion is to eliminate any bad and processed foods from your home and your diet. You will need to increase your protein intake and decrease your caloric intake. Another key component to this is incorporating exercise into your routine for at least 30 minutes every day. I hope this helps.
Nice detailed information. if you dont mind can I post your URl in my blog also… Also your blog really nice layout. Awesome.
Hi,
Thank you so much for checking out my blog. I don’t mind if you link back to this post on your blog! 🙂
THANK YOU I can’t say it enough you are right people do treat us differently and thyroid plays a big part and after a while you just think I can’t change so why try. I’m going to start with some of these ideas I will keep you posted
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I am so happy that this post has been helpful for you. Please keep me posted on your journey, and know that I am here to support you!
Thank you!
Thank you for this post. I have health issues, and am heavy (240lbs), but I have thyroid problems, heart problems, and female problems. Losing weight is very very hard for me. I maintain my weight just fine, but losing is so hard for me. My doctor told me, she doesn’t think I can lose the weight. Both my medications cause weight gain, and I have a bad heart. But your article is very helpful and gives me hope despite what my doctor (and others) have told me. So thank you, again.
Thank you for posting this. My situation began 4 years ago when I had to have a hysterectomy. Left with my overies was still having complications. My OB had me on different birth controls including a form of Depo. My weight got out of control. 3 months ago I had to have my overies removed. Now I’m on a hormone patch so my weight is getting worse. 37 going though menopause
Thank you! 💕
As a morbidly obese woman I wanted to say thank you. After reading this article I felt a little bit better of myself. The compassion you showed is what so many of us do not get. Its nice for someone to understand that food isnt what made me fat it was the tool I used to supress another issue. The tips you offered I will definitely use as I begin my journey to weight loss. I will keep this article for reference on bad days. Thank you.
You are so very welcome! Thank you for visiting my blog!
This article was amazing and so well written. It gave me motivation to get started on my weight loss journey today. People don’t understand how hard it is to just start when you feel so alone on this journey. Once again, thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to address this and make it easier for us to feel better about our bodies, because when you feel better, you’ll want to make the changes you need. I also watch “My 600lb Life” and although I’m not in their weight range, I am 90lb over weight and need to make the necessary changes to my life. Support is a big part of a weight loss journey and I have that from my daughters and I belong to a group on Facebook called “Low Carb and Losing It” and it really helps, so again thank you for caring.
Thank you. ❤️
Can I just say that there is a huge difference between morbidly obese and obese! Having gone through both phases and still loosing, BMI of 40 above is morbidly obese and 30 and above is obese. They are both unhealthy but one is for sure more dangerous the the other.
Absolutely. There is definitely a difference between the two.
I lave this article. Would you have any more like it or would you know of ant groups.
Hi there, can you tell me what kind of groups are you looking for? Happy to try and help you find what you need. I did link to a couple support groups in the article as well. 🙂
Thank you for being understanding and positive!!!! We need more people with your attitude out in the fitness world!!!
Thank you soooo much!
I had never had a weight problem until I was in my late teens and I can relate to what you had written about your sister. I also gained weight from medication. Which was devastating. Thank you for a representation of that side of weight issues. 🙂
I like your post really I do, but please tell me what makes you an expert on obese people , what they go through and what they need to do in order to lose weight when as you yourself stated “ you are naturally thin”? You have no idea to know what it is to be big and try everything to lose weight only to have it fail. You have no idea what it’s like to try your best to not eat what those around you eat only to give in and feel guilty later. You have no idea what it is to look in the mirror and be disgusting with the reflection that is glaring back at you. When you get to that point in your life and lose weight, then you become an expert only then!
DID YOU read the part where I spoke to what my sister went through? At no point in my post did I say I am an expert. I am an ALLY! I am someone who wants to help! I am someone who cares! Make sure you read an entire post before attacking someone who is trying to shed light on the fact that people who look like me need to be allies and not make it harder for obese people. Feel free to not read my blog posts if they trigger you so much. I am not your enemy.
Since you clearly stopped reading at naturally thin I’ll paste it here for ya.
“What Obesity Means to Me
You may be reading this and wondering why someone my size is writing about obesity. To start, I have a sister who would be considered obese. What I learned from her journey is that everyone who is obese is not that way because they cannot stop eating.
My sister was a very thin girl just like me, however, in her late teens, she was diagnosed with a mental illness. The result of that diagnosis was being put on medication that caused her weight to drastically balloon.
I’m writing this post because I want people to understand that every woman who is obese did not get this way from overeating. I want more people to know that while in some cases food is the culprit, the food is the mask for the underlying issues.
So, while I may not have personal experience with being obese, I feel that as part of the fitness community, we must stop turning our backs and snubbing our noses at those who are obese.”