Help for my hubby!

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2/18/13 4:41 P

I just want to stress that his doctor should be the source of dietary advice, especially if he is under the care of an endocrinologist for his type 1 diabetes--and the weight loss journey is not always the same for those without this condition.

Coach Nancy

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2/18/13 4:30 P

Did you take "before" measurements? Take them again now. It's the changes in his dimensions, not necessarily his weight, that are the important telltale sign at this point!

You've indicated he shows all the signs of "fat loss" and yet the scale won't move. As someone else mentioned, he has probably gained some lean mass, what with all the strength training. So the scale isn't racing downwards as much as he'd like, big deal! Look what is happening when he replaces five pounds of fat with five pounds of muscle:

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Also, when one begins exercising, it is very common for the body to hold on to more fluids, for awhile. Fluid retention will mask weight loss. But then one fine day, after weeks of tiny one pound losses, he might find himself losing five a week for a couple weeks running. The idea is to lose 2#/week "on average" - if he sticks to his guns, he will achieve this "on average" but he needs more than a 6-week sampling to see it.

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2/18/13 4:10 P

Hi LADIEKNIGHT08,

It's very difficult to build lean body mass with a calorie deficit, however since he has type 1 diabetes, it is outside the scope of knowledge for any of our members or experts to begin to offer dietary advice. You may want to see if his doctor can give him a referral to a registered dietitian or nutritionist who would be in the best position to guide him.

Coach Nancy

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2/18/13 3:32 P

LADIEKNIGHT08,

I'm not a dietitian, but 2,000 calories for someone who weighs over 350+ pounds could be too low. Did your hubby get a full physical before deciding he wanted to lose weight ? Ideally, a person with a lot of weight to lose should have a full physical before making changes to their diet or exercise. Because of his size, he might consider working with a dietitian to ensure he is getting the proper nutrition to not only lose weight, but deal with his diabetes too.

While a safe weekly weight loss would be 1-2 pounds per week, there will be weeks he doesn't lose. There will even be weeks he gains ! And that doesn't mean he's doing anything wrong. This isn't the Biggest Loser. the weight doesn't magically drop off the minute we decide we need to lose. It really could take 6-8 WEEKS of healthy eating and regular exercise before a person sees a change in the scale. And that too is perfectly normal.

So, he shouldn't assume he's doing something wrong because the weight isn't coming off as fast as he wants. If he IS seeing changes such as his clothes fitting better, he has more energy, he can lift more weight, he's losing inches, etc... then he is making a change. When will the scale move ? Hard to say. Weight loss isn't an exact science and it isn't like the Biggest Loser. People really don't lose dramatic amount like that week after week. that's just not typical.

He shouldn't lose heart or motivation. But, I would encourage him to talk to his doctor and may be get a referral to a dietitian who not only works with morbidly obese clients, but those with diabetes too.

Is he a member of Spark People ? If not, you might get him to join up so that the Spark Community can cheer and encourage him. I know things must seem overwhelming, but because he has a lot to lose, this is going to take time.

PS - another reason he should join is to read the blogs from member INDYGIRL. at her highest weight, she weighed over 460+ pounds. Two years later and she's lost half that weight. If anyone knows about the struggles it takes to lose a lot, she does. Get him to read her blogs and join her spark team.

www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp?id=~indygir
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Edited by: ARCHIMEDESII at: 2/18/2013 (15:34)

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2/18/13 2:19 P

Hi all!

I need some help on ways to keep encouraging my hubby. He's got over 225 pounds to lose, and he's determined to do it. He's been keeping track of his calories for 6 weeks and rarely breaks his 2000 calories a day diet. (I know that seems high for a diet, but he is over 450 pounds, so it's actually pretty low) He also started working out several days a week, usually for at least an hour at a time... 20-25 minutes of treadmill or biking and 40-50 minutes of weight lifting. AND he dropped the diet soda, and then the crystal light, and is down to drinking only water, except for a glass of milk once or twice a day or orange juice if his blood sugar is low (he's been a type 1 diabetic for 20 years).

The problem is that he's not losing very much and he's getting frustrated. With all of these changes, he's lost about 5 pounds in the last 6 weeks. His body is changing, and while somewhat helpful (I can't get him off his obsession with the friggin' scale) that adds to the frustration in some ways... his tummy is sagging and now his big and tall shirts aren't long enough and keep coming untucked. The waist of his pants are getting looser, but his legs aren't getting noticeably smaller, so he can't comfortably go down a size.

He's definitely gaining muscle everywhere, which is probably why he's not losing weight like he thinks he should, and it's obvious the fat is coming off, or he wouldn't be having the clothing problems, but without the scale changing more than it has been, I'm worried he'll give up. He's gotten pretty negative about the whole thing, and he's starting to break his calorie allowance more often than he was, which is (I know from experience) a really slippery slope. My preference would be to just flat out not let him step on a scale more than once a month or so until the weight loss gets better, but he runs a biggest-loser-type competition with some friends, so that isn't really an option.

Does anyone have anything encouraging to say or do? Things that worked for someone they know or that they wish someone had said to them?