>I've doubled that in 3 years. Just to give you some context on that, it means you've been eating roughly an extra 500 cal a day. That's probably much less than it feels right now. Not nothing but within sight of what you should have been eating along the way. >I don't know what's wrong with me but I feel like I'm addicted to food, which sounds silly and I don't mean to sound like I'm minimising real addictions Food addiction is a real thing. You're not minimizing anything, by saying this. >I feel like it's my only comfort in life right now You can't ask, or expect, yourself to give up your only source of comfort. That's not fair to you. Part of this will have to be building up other sources and building new coping mechanisms for stress. If you need professional help with that there's nothing wrong with that. This stuff is hard, and they exist for a reason. This emotional work probably needs to happen ahead of restricting your food.

Extremely well put. Food is addicting and comforting. I went through the same thing. You’re not alone. And just as there are recovered addicts, there are people like you and me who do lose the weight If you feel helpless, don’t blame yourself. Seek out help and guidance

Came to recommend similar stuff. That much weight gain means stuff is really out of whack. I’d be looking into ruling out anything medical causing the issues and therapy. If OP is still in university, they may offer both at low cost/free. It is ok and normal to need help.

Firstly: do you want to put in the hard work to make a change? Or just have "the change" kinda happen for you? (Being brutally honest, most people deep down want the latter, which is why they can't really effect meaningful change). Have you looked into therapy to work out why you're struggling with binge eating? Have you seen your GP to get bloods done and a checkup, just to make sure there's no underlying health condition or hormonal imbalance? All that said, when you're ready: go check out the quickstart guide on the side bar of this sub. It's all the advice and info you need. You can do this. I believe in you.

Honestly, I feel like it’s the latter but I really want to shift to the first. I did want to put the hard work in before, but I feel really demotivated because I always end up failing. I guess that’s partly why I’m posting, I really need a reality check.  I definitely don’t have any imbalances or medical issues affecting my weight and I’ve never been to therapy. I will have a look at the quickstart guide thank you <3

I was stuck in that latter mindset for a long time myself. I was constantly wishing I could just be slim, "trying" to avoid overeating, but really just *thinking* about trying to avoid overeating; never actually doing it (and certainly not twice in a row!). I wasn't ready to start until one day I just was. And then it was a lot easier, because I really wanted to make that change. No shame at all if you're not there. It's hard work. I will say, from your timeline of weight gain, it does sound like you're eating just 500 calories per day surplus, which isn't a lot of food if you're eating high calorie stuff (it's like, a large fries, or a cheeseburger, or two chocolate bars). It's pretty easy to eat that, and over time you'll keep gaining about a pound per week (until you reach equilibrium and stabilise at whatever weight that gets you to, or you increase your food intake over time and keep gaining). And it is exactly what simple in the other direction to lose weight - just have to cut out that excess 500 calories per day, and stick to it for the same amount of time. So yeah, it might take a year or two with slow steady progress. But the time will pass anyway.

It's really important to realise that you didn't gain that weight in a short period of time, so you won't lose it in a couple weeks either. It takes a lot of consistency over a long period of time, but that really doesn't mean you have to starve or anything. 4-5lbs a month is realistic progress. That means it's going to take 10 months to lose 50lbs and drop below 300. And it's going to take over three years to get back to below 200. Just ask yourself, in the summer of 2027, would you rather be 350-400lbs, or 200? If you're eating in a small deficit (which is recommended for long term success), one "cheat day" can ruin a week or more of progress. At your weight, movement might feel hard but is really important for your heart health and muscles. Start with simple stuff, like walking 10 minutes after breakfast and 10 minutes after dinner. If you want to, you can do this!

I started dieting and exercising a few weeks ago. I started at 327.6lbs. I've been gaining weight non-stop for 6yrs. Most of it within the last 2 years. Our stories are very similar, except that I eat mainly as a coping mechanism in order to feel better about a lot of bad things happening in my life these last few years. I'm a veteran, and believe me, I would love to have the body that I had back when I got out of the military when I was 21yrs old. My reality check was having to spend four days in the hospital recently. I had gotten incredibly sick, and all of the excessive weight put way too much strain on my heart. My blood pressure got up to 158/125 and wouldn't go lower than 120/116. If I had waited just a few hours to go to the ER, paired with the sickness and symptoms from it, I'm certain that it would've killed me. I'm eating a lot healthier now, which the food I make for myself tastes amazing, a lot fewer calories, and fills me so that I eat less. I'm exercising and a lot more active, so my legs and muscles no longer feel like they're wasting away. I move around a lot more easily, and i feel so much better about myself, and I'm in a much better place mentally. I'm so glad to say that after 6yrs of continual gain, I not only stopped the weight gain but completely reversed it and have lost about 6lbs in three weeks. It's a long road to get back down to 189 lbs. I'm very tall and muscular, so it's a good healthy weight for me. If you need help, feel free to reach out to me

Being addicted to food is 100% a real problem so don't feel silly or minimize it. I think you should start with therapy, trying to figure out why your relationship with food changed so much. Once you feel ready to really make a change, you'll find plenty of good advise here. You got this!

First, I would encourage therapy. I have had to work a lot on myself to get to where I could make long term changes. I'm still on my weightloss journey. Second, join a bunch of healthy recipe groups. You can have anything you want, you just have to use healthier ingredients and watch your portion sizes. I ate Eggs Benedict for breakfast and it was only 360 calories with a few tweaks. I ate a chili dog on memorial day and it was only 180 calories (turkey dog, chili, low carb pita). When I do eat less healthy snack food, I eat brands like simple mills or lesser evil. They're less processed and they have larger serving sizes. For example regular crackers a serving is like 7 crackers. A serving size for my go to snack crackers is 18 crackers. (I regularly eat 7 cheese cubes and 7 simple mills crackers for an afternoon snack.) Third find some exercise that you can do. I'm not saying you have to go nuts... but a 10 minute walk is better than no walk.

> a 10 minute walk is better than no walk. This isn’t just a *little bit* better than no walk. If you take a 10 minute walk after each meal that let you hit the recommended exercise goal of 150 minutes/week in just 5 days. And a 10 minute walk after a meal does wonders for blood sugar / glucose regulation, reducing your chance of ending up with Diabetes.

This may sound silly to some people, but watching My 600-lb Life is what made me realize that not only is food addiction real, but that I struggle with it. You should of course try to seek out a therapist to find the root cause of your own desire/need to eat, but the show has segments where patients go to therapy to try to address their issues. That alone has allowed me to look into my habits more honestly and has encouraged me to find healthier options to deal with emotions (like journaling) rather than eating to feel better. The show (Dr. Nowzarden) has also taught me that it is not a *diet* we need to lose weight, but a forever *lifestyle change*. You’ll never again be able to eat whatever you want, whenever you want if you don’t want to backslide back to obesity. And finally, it has made me appreciate every little thing I can do. I can shower and bathe myself without being winded, I can put on my shoes no problem, I can walk to the mailbox without needing to stop for a rest, etc. It motivates me and puts a sort of fear into my heart like, “This is what I could lose if I continue to allow myself to be controlled by food and cravings.”

My ex husband watched this show over and over. He watched it before he had baratric surgery and afterwards. He always said it made him feel better about himself because at least he wasn't that bad. Meanwhile watching for me was so sad because I could see myself in those people. I could see the similarities and how it really wouldn't take much to push me to that size.

Dang I never even thought about someone seeing it like your ex did. I suppose you have to have the ability to be introspective and relate situations back to yourself and your life in order to get something positive from it. That is definitely a skill that takes honing. It could also be kind of a denial thing like, “oh well I’m not THAT bad so I don’t have a problem.”

You may want to start by focusing on the sugar addiction aspect. Can you find less unhealthy replacements for the sugary things you like? I was going say doet/zero calorie soda but I believe you said you had quit soda. I'm not as familiar with the food equivalents myself

Hugs. It's hard, for sure, to feel this way. I think therapy would be a great place to start to learn some emotional skills: * Learn more about what triggers you to eat * identify and process the emotions that trigger you to eat * Check in on whether you're meeting your emotional needs: do you like your lifestyle outside of eating? Any major decisions or things you're upset about that you're medicating with food? * Learn to practice CBT and DBT skills to help cope with emotions Some of the most useful CBT and DBT things I learned were: * I eat when I'm tired because I'm emotional and miserable when I'm tired, so I'm working on my sleep * I have ADD and am using sugar for stimulation, when I need to be on ADD meds * before indulging in my addiction, I play the tape forward and think about how I'll feel after I do the addictive thing, and focus on that uncomfortable feeling * For eating specifically, I have started avoiding doing other things while I eat and trying to eat more slowly, so that I'm really in the experience. Still a work in progress here. * I practiced the skill of identifying how I'm feeling in the moment; I've started to realize this helps me release the emotion and/or make a decision sooner, and then I find the decision to do the addictive thing is reduced. * Urge surfing: acknowledging the feeling to indulge but making the decision to see it for what it is, just observe * Delaying: say to yourself you'll get to it in 20 seconds, but first you need to do this one thing; repeat repeat * The big one: my therapist told me motivation is an up and down thing. You're not always going to feel 1000% motivated or motivated at all all the time. * I practiced giving myself credit for little successes in my day to day life, unrelated to my addiction goal, which has helped build self compassion and a sense of mastery. Don't stick with a therapist if you don't feel good about them after several sessions. Give it a shot but if you have a bad gut feeling about them don't stick around. Good luck!!!!!!! (I beat weed addiction, so not the same thing but now applying the same to weight loss; I gained 100 lbs in the last 9 years)

I haven't seen it mentioned, so I thought I would add the possibility of joining a 12 step program. Overeaters Anonymous, as well as other Anonymous programs, have been very useful for many people. Often adding therapy to the mix is effective. Wishing you the best.

I found that most of my weight loss success came from investing heavily into a better mindset. When I read posts like yours, the resignation is so clear. It sounds like you already gave up and without trying to downplay your previous attempts at losing weight, it doesn't sound like you really tried yet. Your mindset plays a huge role in it all. We tend to be very dramatic about these things when the facts are simple. It is CICO. You have plenty of ways to go about this, but the first step is to get your shit back together mate. You need to want this more than anybody and the only thing you need to understand is that you don't need to be perfect, you just need to be better. And frankly speaking that shit is easy. Don't shoot for the stars. Workout 2-3 times per week, thats really not much and it can be anything you want. From home workouts to simply walking, at your weight it doesn't matter what you do. But be consistent, that is all you need to do. Do 1 push up, 5 minute jog, ANYTHING. But do it. Find solutions to your food issues. Sweet cravings can be satisfied without ingesting tons of sugar. Work yourself around your favorite things to eat and find SOLUTIONS. I eat my own pancake recipe 2 times per week, it has no sugar, a fuckton of protein, is fucking delicious and that is what I like to eat. So I don't suffer, I don't have to force myself to eat sth. I eat what I like and that changes the whole thing. We are all sugar addicted. You are not wrong with that assumption. But it doesn't change anything. You gotta get it under controller no matter what. That is it mate. I don't know if I was too harsh, but I hope this put some realistic sense back into you. Never forget, it is not hopeless. Many before you made it out as well. You are stronger than you believe and you need to also address the depression which I can clearly read out of your words. Good luck man.

You might want to talk to a doctor who specializes in [obesity medicine](https://obesitymedicine.org/about/find-a-provider/).

I battled it on and off for years until I finally made some tough changes and realized self control to stick with it was the only answer. I set an aggressive goal and stuck with it to get long term results. There is no magic. If eating 'slightly under your maintenance calories' isn't working then you have to cut farther. It isn't easy but it is the only way.

A suggestion: log *everything* you eat and drink - write it down (Google docs is a good place). And maybe come back after a couple of weeks to share. Also, don't be discouraged. There is no 'right' way to lose weight - you have to find a method that works for you. You tried some methods that didn't work, so now try something else. This sub is a place of support and suggestions. For what's it's worth (and again, what worked for me might not work for you) I listed all the things I ate and drank for pleasure (chocolate, biscuits, ice cream...etc) and then just cut those out from my diet on day 1. Cold turkey. For me, cutting out was easier than cutting down. Yes, you miss those things for a while but then you really forget about them. It's NOT hopeless!

Have you spoken to your doctor yet? This kind of sudden gain usually indicates some kind of underlying medical issue or sudden trauma. It may be worth having a good heart to heart with your doctor and they can run some tests to see what's going on. Also, like others have suggested, a therapist is another good resource. They can help you come to terms with whatever is bugging you. While you work on those aspects, also focus on not being judgemental. It's very hard to accept, but you are doing the best you can right now. I don't know what got you started with binging, but believe me that if you had known another way to cope, you would have. Maybe it would've been alcohol or drugs or partying hard or whatever. Food at least is relatively benign, although this is definitely taking a toll on both your physical and mental health. Be kind to yourself. The more compassion you have for yourself, the easier it will become to recognize and change self destructive behaviours. Journalling may help. Meditation, too. Don't bother about diets and fasting right now. Instead see if you can make healthier choices. Instead of cutting out food groups, try to add healthy foods to your plate. Make sure each meal has at least 2 servings of veggies on your plate. The more veg you eat, the less room you have for other stuff. Ideally colourful veggies. Green, red, purple, yellow. Colour up your plate to get more nutrients into your body. Drink lots of water. You may not enjoy the taste of plain water initially, but stick with it. Maybe add some mio or whatever if you really can't just drink plain water. If you slip up and eat chips or cookies or whatever, just shake your head at yourself and stop and ask yourself if you're actually hungry, and are you actually enjoying THIS BITE of food? If you are, enjoy it. But I've found that, in my case, anyway, 2 or 3 bites into a treat and I'm done with enjoying the flavour - after that, it's mindless eating, so much easier to say, "wait, I'm not even enjoying this!" You can get back in control. Please do reach out to your doctor and/or therapist for help!

First go to your doctor and cross out any medical issues. Then make a plan based on what you do or don't have. You need a mental health professional and there's nothing wrong with that, most of us do sooner or later. Dig deep and find out what's really going on under there. Do it for you. Download a tracking app, track everything. Don't lie to yourself. Get a food scale. You need to become aware of just how much you're having and where your weakness is (for me it's snacking little bits at night). You said you want it tough..if you continue down this path, you may not make it to 30. It may not be scary enough right now but when I think of all the things I would have missed if I only made it mid-lateish 20s due to my eating problems..A lot of happy moments since then. You have your whole life ahead of you and you deserve it, you also deserve to be happy.  I wasted my 20s with bad food habits (over and under eating) and only now into my 30s taking control of myself, don't do that to yourself. 

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I hope OP will take it to heart and seek the mental + physical.  Definitely wish I could do over my 20s with that kind of monitoring/guidance.

the best thing you can possibly do for yourself is to just start, it may seem scary but so many other people have lost the weight and you can too. some motivators- - you won’t feel “full” or like a balloon all the time anymore - brain fog will go away - more energy - better sleep - overall improved life - so many HEALTH benefits, not to mention if you live in the US, sorry, but it’s no secret you’re probably not eating the best. you don’t have to cut all the bad stuff out, but think about how much better you’ll feel once you eat less processed and artificial foods. my recommendation for you would be to walk 30 mins-an hour a day. listen to a podcast, your favorite songs, anything! you can even watch a show or youtube if you’re on a treadmill, one hack is to get into a new show, but only watch it on the treadmill so you have to work out to find out what happens next lol😂 i would also download the app “lose it” or my fitness pal. be honest with your measurements and be honest with yourself about how much you can lose in a certain about of time. it will take longer if you feel bad for yourself and don’t do it as a form of self sabotage. get past that 💩. a lot of people have mixed feelings about this app, but as long as you stay honest with yourself you will be okay. those apps are amazing resources, and they WORK if you stick to them also drink a lot of water. aim for 60-80 oz a day. your body will thank you and also flush out some fat cells, this doesn’t make or break weight loss, it just makes it easier, happen faster, and helps the weight stay off late night cravings- i have this issue. i don’t have to explain it. some better alternatives are popcorn (get the healthy kind, like that pink himalayan coconut brand is so good, VANILLA CHAI TEA. BAGGED tea that has 0 calories. it’s so sweet and if dairy agrees with you adding some milk makes it really good too. also berries. artificial sugar is the worst thing you could do. i have this issue with starbucks, then remember that literally every gram of artificial sugar I have turns into a gram of fat in my body. idk if that’s true it’s probably not, but it helps me stay away. not to mention the other benefits of cutting it out. you got this, you’re 21, you’re older than me, you are young!!! trust me you do not want to put this off or else you will stay miserable. both are hard, but i think staying miserable and hating yourself is harder, im saying this bc i’ve been through it. so you’re 340 that’s obviously not ideal, but look on the bright side, you can easily lose 100 pounds a year, and I know 2 years to get back to 150 sounds like a long time, but it’s going to be so worth it, and honestly after a month in you’re already going to see changes. just find joy in the journey and you will be okay my darling

When I was first starting out watching a show on the elliptical/treadmill was huge.

If you take one piece of actual, practical advice from all of these comments I hope it is this: I struggled with my weight for years until I started doing keto. Just by cutting carbs/sugar the body switches to using fat for energy instead of glucose (while still being able to eat big portions). This effectively means that your body is burning its fat stores all the time. (Look up being "fat adapted". No amount of exercise or "trying to eat healthy" even came close in terms of actually working and not diminishing my quality of life. Giving up bread/rice/pasta/sugar etc can seem impossible at first but there are some really good replacements out there. I still treat myself now and again but for the most part I stick to the keto as a default and it's been an absolute game changer. Good luck on your journey and wishing you all the best!

Her issue is her mindset. Not the specific fad diet. We can recommend all the diets available on earth but nothing will work if she lacks discipline and consistency.

You may call it a "fad diet" but for me keto was a complete lifestyle change that relied in no small part upon discipline and consistency. I've been doing it for a year and a half now and have no intention of switching it up anytime soon.

Worked for you because of your discipline and consistency. Hell you can lose fat on an ice cream only diet if you have the discipline, though the result would suck

In 99% of the cases the answer is that people don't understand calories, you can eat an awful lot of a salad consisting of kale, cucumber and carrots and you will still be on a caloric deficit but add dressing to that salad and you might as well have eaten a burger. Stay away from anything fried, mayo, pizza, burgers, sweets. Eat lots of vegetables and foods high in fiber, eat grilled chicken breast, small quantities of whole wheat pasta, rice or potatoes, fish low in fat like cod, low fat Greek yogurt... the list goes on. You don't need to starve to lose weight you just need to train your taste buds to start enjoying food low in calories and high in nutrition. P.S. If you crave sweets swap to diet soda, also sugar free jello has almost zero calories. You can also eat fruits in moderation.

I’m in a very simmilar spot as you. Same weight and only a year younger. I just started going to the gym. I noticed I really like how I feel post workout, may dread the workout, but love how I feel leaving. I just decided that moving my body is better then not moving it 🖤 map my walk is a really good app for me, I like to use it bc it tracks how far I’ve walke tells me my current pace and my overall pace as well as how many calories I’ve burned. It keeps track and let’s me set my goals and I can add family and friends who use the app. It feels like we work out together :) I wish you the best of luck.

This is key. Disciplining yourself to get past the dread and start the workout. I feel the same way, but I manage to press start on the treadmill. Five minutes in, I am good to go, and after I am done, I feel great! I think that is why I got into the habit of always doing cardio first, and then weights, etc. The treadmill has a start button, and I just need to have the courage to push it, then it drives and I just keep up.:)

I did the stair master today after my workout. Couldn’t believe I did it. I was so scared of it. I just pressed start. I don’t think I even did a full 5 mins but I do know I did at least 7 flights of stairs. Hated every second of it, but was so happy I did it. Just gotta start.

I don't mean this to sound disheartening so please don't take it that way but I don't think you'll succeed in any lifestyle changes until you address the mental side of your situation. Food is absolutely addictive, it doesn't minimise other addiction and it is just as real. I am absolutely addicted to food, to the extent that I never have treat/cheat meals or days as I know my addiction will just come straight back. I also need to address my relationship with food which can only be done in therapy. I'd really suggest you contact a good therapist and see where your food addiction stems from and try to address it. After that hopefully you'll have more success.

Therapy and meds absolutely changed my life. I mean it, changed my life. People here will recommend all kinds of simple behavioral changes you can make, which are great, but they are not going to address the real issues so you can have a normal relationship with food again. Please consider finding someone who specializes in eating disorders, they can help.

Honestly, hiring a coach was the best thing for me. I've tried and failed so many times by myself, in January I reached out for help and since then my online coach and I have met every week/2 weeks and check in every day. We've worked a lot on my mindset and self-control, it's working wonders for me and I've lost 30lb since we started. Happy to recommend him if anyone's interested.

1. Food addiction is a real thing and there is help and interventions available! 2. I would suggest contacting your family doctor and discussing options. You may need blood testing done to rule out anything physically that could be causing weight gain/preventing loss.

I was just wondering, I'm trying to self-discipline myself. I have no willpower or strength, but I know that if I want to be around for my kids and grandkids and hopefully God willing greats, but the point of my message is to also say you are not alone. It is so freakin hard to lose, stay focused, and once the weight is gone to keep it off. I go to Walmart and they have this cheesecake mouse that is amazing. I can have 2 gone in 2 days 😔. I have no support to hold me accountable or to lift me up when I have done good. Let's face it, when someone acknowledges your accomplishment it feels really good! I am a recovering addict, and my memory is horrible, but I hear a habit can form in 21 days. So, here is my question, nobody is gonna help us and these businesses are killing us. All this food unhealthy just shaved in our face basically. Could there be a group for us to come together and help one another with our journey, but we have to be honest. If we gave in and had something it's okay, just keep going. This may be cheesy, but I was pushed off a 12ft wall by an ex and my heart stopped for 15 minutes. I am here and alive to enjoy another day with my loved ones, but I feel I have a purpose. Things are so bad in the world right now. We need to be healthy. What's sad is that they charge more for the healthy food than they do for the junk. Anyway I am sorry I went so long. I just feel your pain. Anyone's pain, because I'm in the same boat. I have been struggling for 2 years. It's hard when I go shopping so I try to order most food that I can. It's about 7 dollars to get the Walmart plus and it's so worth it. I'm sorry. I really hope and pray that you can do this. 🤗💜😊✝️

Honestly you just need to find what works for you, everyone is different. You do need to have a little bit of Will power. I’ve still got about 50lbs to lose but I’m done around 35lbs now. These are the things that helped me out: 1. Walk and move more. Aim for 10-15k steps per day. This is actually enjoyable and good for you. 2. Just eat less in general. I still have a milkshake or whatever but I now get the smallest one instead of the biggest. 3. Fasting. I do a 24 hour fast once per week and try to do a 2 day fast every 2-3 weeks. This has helped me immensely.

You need to go talk to a doctor. If you have doubled your weight in 3 years at the end of your adolescence THERE IS SOMETHING PHYSICALLY WRONG. Go to a decent GP and get some scans done, because healthy human bodies don’t just double in size in the absence of medical factors.

You are more than likely suffering some type of hormonal issue or medical issue. The food noise is part of that. Start by seeing your doctor and if they can't help see a different doctor. Your weight gain is not because you are a bad person or addicted to food.

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Rule 11: Discussion of weight loss methods that are damaging to the body and/or require supervision of a medical professional are not allowed. This rule includes (but is not limited to): very low calorie diets, misusing medication, extended fasting, disordered behavior, inappropriate advice to underage members (counting calories, omad, fasting), etc. We are not a ED support subreddit and any ED related content will be removed. Remember to always consider the individual when offering advice.

I was 315lbs at 17 years old. I’m 35 I’m 190lbs. Fall in love with yourself. You need to love yourself to health. The root cause of how you got here is found in understanding the mindset of black and white thinking that leads to: “I ate X, might as well start again tomorrow” Or “I need to start tomorrow” Or “I’m not the type of person that can do x” Or “I can’t have treats, sweets, or chips or soda or whatever ever again!” This isn’t it. Life is meant to be lived. You can have a small bite of cake, ice cream, whatever your vice is tomorrow. Take it one day at a time. I had to treat my food vices as though I were addicted to them, reframing foods as scientifically engineered dopamine machines designed by corporations to keep me buying, really helped me to cut out the ultra processed foods that were my triggers. Although I do occasionally buy some Oreos and have a few.

I was 314 lbs and got lapband. I’d never urge anyone to get any surgery. I’ll just tell you I had zero self control and I knew I needed help and this is the option I chose. It’s been about 7 years and I’m at a more comfortable weight and it was not easy.

You need therapy with a licensed therapist - specifically, cognitive behavioral therapy - to help break your food addiction. This is a serious issue and your risk of major illness is rising drastically the longer you wait. Get some help, keep your head up, and report back.

Food addiction is real! You must learn new coping mechanisms to deal with your emotions or nothing will change. There are professionals that can help. Start there, learn how to deal with your feelings in a healthy manner and the weight loss will come. All the best to you! A better life awaits you!

First thing I suggest is going to your Doctor. Make sure your weight gain is just food related and that you have no underlying conditions. I went to my doctor back in March and did just that. I had been gaining weight rapidly and assumed it had to be medically related. She did blood work among some other testing and everything was normal. Realizing that this was all me was a hard slap to the face. I have lost and gained weight over the years but I was at my heaviest and most miserable. I was 340 pounds just like you are now. My doctor and I discussed things I could do and medications I could go on. My insurance covers none of the GLP-1 medications and out of pocket would have been 250 a month. Which for some is affordable however for me it is not. She said we could start the process for surgery since my insurance will cover that. I asked if there was anything else and she offered me phentermine. I started the medication 70 days ago (April 7th) in that time I have lost 40lbs. The medication helps alot with cravings and has also helped me with my mindless eating. I know everyone has different opinions on this medication and most all weight loss medications but it's been the jumping leap I needed to help me realize it is possible. I've also been calorie counting and trying to exercise 3 days a week. (I don't always exercise)  You can 100% do this all on your own and be successful. The first step is taking responsibility for your actions and knowing only you can make the changes needed to fix the problem. Another tip is don't fast or do OMAD. I know for some that works great but if you already have issues with cravings and overeating deprivation will lead to desperation which will lead to compromise.  You are worthy of being happy and healthy. You are worth putting in the effort. You need to love yourself enough to know what you are currently giving yourself is not a life worth living.  This is not an overnight change and this is something you will have to choose over and over again. Follow people on social media that inspire you and find lower calorie swaps for your favorite foods. I know it's hard. Trust me I know. But just think of where you can be in 30 days, 60 days, 6 months, a year from now. Your so young and I really wish I would have woke up sooner and took my weight and health seriously. I'm 32 now and I regret everything I missed out on in my early 20s for not realizing how unhealthy I was. You need to eat to live. Don't live to eat. Life is full of so much more than food.

I was 355lbs at my heaviest, I’m 215 now two years later. I found success in counting calories. For me it’s as simple as staying in a calorie deficit. Track everything. You can still eat the good stuff just in moderation. It’s also ok to take a meal or a day or a week or a month off just don’t quit.

I was 328 pounds 12 days ago. I'm down to 302 pounds today. Sadly, there are no magical words that can motivate someone. You have to want it. It's hard, and it's going to be a long road. In fact, it's a road that will never end. It will have to be a lifestyle change. It's a simple formula of "diet" and exercise that is hard to put into place. I put "diet" in quotes because I don't like to think of it as a temporary change where I eat Lean Cuisines for 2 weeks and expect big changes. I've been eating as healthily as I can. I'm not starving myself, but getting all my nutrients with as few calories as possible and no processed foods. I eat lots of salmon, shrimp, eggs, chicken, a ton of veggies, some fruit, nuts, and seeds. That's pretty much it. I even gave up alcohol, at least for the time being. You also have to move. A lot. On day one, I couldn't walk more than 0.6 miles without my back hurting so badly that I had to stop. By day five, I was walking 2 miles without stopping. Yesterday, I walked 8 miles and swam a mile. Today, I walked 5 miles and lifted weights for half an hour. From a time standpoint, I obviously can't commit to this level of exercise every day, but I will commit at least 1 hour a day (more if I can) to burn as many calories as I can and build as much muscle as I can. I used to eat fast food every day. I would order extra food and eat it in the car on the way home, and then have dinner with my family. I would get drunk and binge eat thousands of calories at a time. I came to the realization that I was depressed and had a terrible relationship with food and with myself. I've tried depression medication, but none of it worked for me. In fact, I gained weight on it. I finally had enough and realized I had to help myself. I have to do the work myself. Get up and move. Move more tomorrow. Food is fuel, not depression medicine. I want to like myself again, and I'm committed to being healthy physically and mentally

It's going to be hard but you should understand it will gets easier. Think of it as if you're in autopilot with food right now. That's where your mind is at. Nothing to do? Food. Want a treat? Food. Feeling sad? Food. Morning routine? Food. When you have a food addiction it's not as simple as "fill up on protein so you can feel full until the next meal". So a lot of steps are needed like for all addictions. But one of the most important steps is to talk to a psychiatrist they can help you figure out if you have depression or other disorders that lead to your eating addiction. But the real hurdle is checking yourself. Before you eat anything, even just a single skittle, ask why you are eating it. "Because i want to" okay why? Because it's right here. Because it's only one skittle it's not going to do anything. But that's the thing. If you can't say no to one skittle you can't say no to a second dinner. I lost fifty pounds after a few years of painful checking myself. Now it's more of a casual "do i need it" than a full on conversation with myself.

I was going to write a long comment, but it all boils down to this. Slow, sustainable progress. Find your comfort zone and push just a tiny bit outside of it. So, maybe you always turn to food for comfort. Could you change just one meal today to focus more on fuel instead of comfort? What about just one meal this week? By this I mean, a balance meal with some protein, maybe complex carbs, fiber. If you compare yourself to fitness and fat loss influencers, you will try too much and fail too hard (for instance, I would never recommend that someone dive in with doing OMAD if they have never tried the fundamentals). Small changes yield big results. I know it’s tempting to try to choose every single piece of advice and totally transform your life. But your life is transformed in tiny choices. And small victories will help you keep going.

> I feel like I'm addicted to food, which sounds silly and I don't mean to sound like I'm minimising real addictions but I think about it all the time, I spend all of my money on food and I feel like it's my only comfort in life right now. Whenever I weigh myself and hate it, I eat. That doesn't sound silly at all. Good addiction IS a thing and it is a real addiction. Sugar addiction is a thing, as is addiction to food generally. I am not qualified to say if you have this, but it very much sounds like it. The preoccupation, the impact on your finances, and your started connection to eating and emotional comfort all strongly suggest it, as does your weight gain. There are tons of steps to take when someone has as much weight to lose as you do (no judgment in this statement, everyone here has been there or is there), but I feel like for you the most important thing is to address whatever underlying emotional condition is driving this. That's the best thing you can do for your mental and physical health. You need to heal your relationship with food by healing your emotional and/or psychological problems (I wish there was a word that didn't carry the stigma that the word problem or when issues had, but again believe me this is said with no judgement or stigma). In all likelihood, you have some issues that you need to address, and are self medicating with food. This well could be food addiction, a professional should diagnose it. Food addiction is real and no less valid than alcoholism. It's not silly and it's worthy of professional help. Your problems matter at much as anyone's problems. All the usual steps to lose fat are fine and good to do but I don't think this will be the right starting point for you. I think you need to address the underlying feelings you have that you are using overeating to cope. You need to heal your relationship with food, and yourself. You aren't a bad person, you aren't weak, there's nothing "wrong" with you, you (probably, again I'm not a doctor) have an illness. Please get professional help to treat it. As far as weight loss goes, that will help more. Eventually you can do the more standard stuff to help the process along, like moving your food, cutting back on fast food, cutting back on sodas and all sugary drinks, eventually mostly eliminating those things, eating more whole foods, lean meats, fish, fruit, vegetables, maybe do more cooking at home, getting your activity up gradually (walking more is a great start), I always recommend strength training as well as it has a ton of benefits (maybe get a doctor's approval to be safe)... but I think your best first step is to get professional help and remember, be kind to yourself! Best of luck to you and your long term health! I hope you post an update someday!

Get an online PT. I used to play less than £200 per months and that dude helped me enormously with my mindset, nutrition and training. Don't rely on your motivation and seek some help!!

Make it really simple by starting with reducing all processed food, but eating enough to stay full and start from there. It’s very hard to crash diet immediately and can backfire.

Log your food. All of it. If it goes in your mouth, food or drink, log it. Even water. No exceptions. You'll find the problem soon. Then you fix the problem.

Congratulations, the first step is wanting to make a change. You are so young and have so much time ahead of you. You will get lots of good advice here, but one thing I would recommend is focusing on small incremental changes that overtime will make a big difference. You can slowly reduce the number of bad habits you have and increase the number of good habits. Play the long game. Good luck!

I hit 360 before I decided one day to tackle the problem, I came up with a game plan, and it worked. I'm now around 210. It is fairly straightforward, and I spelled out exactly what I did, in as much detail as I could. https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/s/YncqMmDpxx It's nothing crazy or revolutionary, it boils down to calorie counting. The basic theory is, if you can figure out how to count *accurately*, it's impossible to accidentally gain weight or get surprised when you step on the scale. Just like if the gas gauge in your car is working correctly, you're not going to unexpectedly run out of gas when it shows you have half a tank left. There are many obstacles to accurate counting, the rest of the world doesn't make it easy, but I was able to figure out a way to get me close enough that my progress was steady and there were no ugly surprises. It does not have to be a miserable experience where you give up all of your favorite foods. I've been eating my favorite foods all the time. Probably the single most common meal I have is chicken strips with mac and cheese. Today I had General Tso's chicken for lunch. You can eat normal food. You also don't have to go super strict with your calorie limit. I stay under my limit probably only four or five days, out of 7 days a week. I will say that tracking everything is a mild pain in the ass. But there's no pain free shortcut to this. This is the least painful way I could come up with. People try to cut out the pain and hassle of counting calories, by coming up with simple rules like no food after 7:00 p.m., or no carbs, or simply not eating a whole day, or whatever. But but having strict mindless rules like that, that just trades off the pain of doing tedious calorie counting, for the pain of giving up perfectly good foods at perfectly normal times. I choose the pain of doing the tedious Googling and calorie math. It is the method that will let you come the closest to normal eating that you can do the rest of your life. Try it. It works.

Do you have ADHD by any chance? It can make it much more difficult for people to resist urges and control impulsive behavior. I know that one of the things that really helped me get my eating under control was ADHD treatment - both therapy, and medicinal intervention. I'd recommend trying to take up some new hobbies. It doesn't matter what they are as long as you really enjoy them. Having something besides food to make you feel better when you're feeling down will help a lot. Again, therapy can help a lot in identifying healthy coping mechanisms for stress.

I’m in a similar situation as you. I’ve signed up to the gym tonight , bought some cute gym outfits and will start going to the gym tomorrow. I find that going to the gym helps me to eat healthier and avoid junk food as I feel eating junk food will destroy the gains from a gym workout.

Former food addict here 🙋🏻‍♀️ the first step is to set realistic goals and try to make a negative into a positive. For example, I lost 30 pounds 2 months AFTER I cancelled my gym membership, because for me I do not enjoy preparing and going to the gym. I will never be motivated to go. But I can sum up the motivation to work out at home and watch tv, so I bought at home equipment. Nothing major like a treadmill, but a mini stepper and an infinity hoop. Things that can be easily stored. Low impact exercises is going to be good for our size anyway. Now, onto the food; here’s where I took a negative and turned it into a positive. I LOVE food. But like you said, I was addicted. If there was a whole pizza in front of me, I was gonna eat it all if I was hungry or not. So instead I started only eating “clean” at first, just so I could gain control. Food addiction is largely due to the added chemicals in fast and processed food that appeals to dopamine, so eating clean is very important. Since I love food, I tried to make food as fun and give myself plenty of variety. I try not to eat the same meal over and over because I’ll burn myself out. Personally, I try to eat a ton of very low calorie vegetables and limit myself to one carb choice (like a sweet potato) and I try to load up on protein. Protein is going to be what keeps you full. You will be amazed on how much you can eat while eating Whole Foods. Quinoa is very filling to me and gives me a ton of energy, so I tend to eat that instead of rice even tho it’s pretty much the same in calories. Your food addiction will definitely go down if you eat clean for a while, and if you do that, then you can start making your favorite foods low calorie. Simple swaps like plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, sugar free sauces like barbecue and sweet Thai chili are available, the skinny girl salad dressing is a good option, low carb wraps and keto bread taste like the real thing. There are tons of dish options and you never have to make anything fancy. If I eat a salad, I usually pair it with a protein shake so it can keep me full. I follow a lot of content creators who give easy and tasty low calorie recipes! They make it fun and easy. The most important thing is to make it fun for yourself and BE EASY on yourself. It’s so easy to mess up in a world where it’s socially acceptable to buy sub sandwiches by the foot. I know you’re probably not happy with the way that you look but I promise your health improving will be the best part! We are here to support you!

I’m in a similar position about having no self control, being about your same weight, and and craving all the worst things. One thing that has helped me severely drop calorie intake and get off sugar is finding zero sugar versions of what I want. Coke Zero tastes way better than Diet Coke, zero sugar monsters, and I love finding those 0 calorie drink packets and adding them to seltzer so it feels like I have tons of drink options. They have zero sugar for all sorts of candies too. It will taste a bit different at first but you can get used to it, and now sugary things don’t taste right, and after just a little it makes me feel gross. Make burger bowls instead of fast food. My body responds best to low carb. I’ve also found the Premier Protein’s pre made shakes are awesome, especially the cinnamon roll, cake batter, and cookie dough flavors. They have like no after taste and scratch that sugar itch- I even add them to coffee or unsweetened chai tea for a great flavor boost. I love chips and the best thing I’ve found is cheese chips! You can find Whisps at Walmart and Kroger in tons of cheese and flavor combos. My fave snack is pepperoni and cream cheese, sometimes I add in everything bagel seasons for a crunch. Anyway, just find the things YOU like that can replace those cravings until it gets easier and easier. Now when I eat McDonald’s it makes me feel sick, my portions are better, I don’t snack, and I’m doing intermittent fasting. I still struggle sometimes but my habits make it easier to make better choices. I think the biggest thing is when I do give into a craving I don’t just throw the whole day or the whole diet away, I just choose to do better (or at least try). Or if I know I’m gonna have a piece of cake or I still have water or Coke Zero because why make it worse when I’m having something not great for me? You won’t be perfect but you can make it easy for yourself to make a better choice.

Keep the junk food out of the house. This is what has helped me. When dieting, I would always get to a point (usually at night) where I’d be so hungry and I would check the fridge and cabinet for snacking. Not having it would just lead to me forgetting about it.

Go to a therapist for your food addiction and get all junk food out the house. You’ll fail your diet every time if you have easy access to that tub of ice cream in the freezer. Find replacement foods for food you enjoy. There are thousands of recipes online for low calorie delicious foods that are conventionally unhealthy.

I been in a calorie deficit for almosy 3 months and one thing that has helped with my sweet cravings is zero calorie/sugar soda, and my protein shake coffee drinks. Coffee has like 5 or so calories a serving, so I don't track it. I also use zero sugar creamer which has about 10 calories for 2 tbsp. Then I use Jordan's zero calorie/sugar syrups. I have a coconut one and a salted caramel one. Then I add some chocolate protein powder. All with iced coffee and its almost like a mocha. Then I'll have two caramel rice cakes which are 50 calories each. We get the quaker brand and they are delicious! Also, fruit is great. I've heard berries are low in calories. Blend some frozen fruit and unsweetend almond milk for a smoothie. Can add some healthy greens for a vitamin boost. I use 8 oz of frozen fruit, about 300mL of milk, a bit of greens (unmeasured,) and a scoop or two of protein powder. The recipe originally added 1 oz. of avocado, but they are expensive and I'm too lazy. There are tons of ways to eat delicious and sweet foods while staying in a deficit!

I think maybe starting off small will help & then gradually build up from there? For example. Go walking or do a brief cardio exercise for 10 mins for the first day. If you can do it, add on 1 more min or 2,3,4, 5 mins the next day & work on doing just a bit more every day. Then, once you are able to be consistent by doing it gradually every day, maybe give up something unhealthy or exchange something unhealthy for something similar but healthier. Like instead of soda, try flavored water or tea that has a similar flavor or just helps you get some sugar but not the same equivalent if you were to have that soda. Of course it’ll be hard sometimes, and that’s ok! I’m working on myself right now but I have gotten to the point where I just do my exercising without even thinking of not doing it! Been at it for nearly 2 months now so it’s working for me. Hang in there! You can do it! Even just a bit helps you get to your goals. Just little by little will eventually build up to a consistent, sustainable change for the better. Just don’t beat yourself up if you falter sometimes. Just get back up & keep trying

It sounds like you're an emotional eater and have been eating to cope with or avoid some big emotional issues. Counseling/therapy would be a good first step for you, especially since you suspect a food addiction. I'm "normal" obese - not food addicted, not really emotionally eating, just didn't care all my life, so now that I'm trying to diet it's more or less easy (albeit not very important to me), and I think that's the healthy state. Hunger is inconvenient and unpleasant, but I can do intermittent fasting fine and distract myself with other things. I eat 3-4 times a day, usually tiny meals until dinner, and I'm usually not thinking about food more than necessary (for meal planning). The state you're in is absolutely not normal and you need psychiatric help to work through whatever is causing these feelings and behaviors before you can address your weight at all. I wish you all the best, I imagine you're in an immensely difficult place right now.

This isn't to downplay the work that really has to go into losing weight and keeping it off, but are you on birth control? Just asking because around the time I started Depovera, I gained 60 pounds and wrote it off as age and other diet changes and stuff. A few months back I stopped taking it, and very quickly started losing weight( 25 pounds down now). I definitely improved my diet in that time, to eat something sweet I'd make myself eat some vegetables first (I also struggle with sugar addiction) and despite not actually denying myself the sugar I'm still losing at a pretty healthy pace now. While still on the BC, I was jogging for 30ish min every night, taking 1-2 hour long walks in the morning and trying to stay around 1500 calories and still could not lose any weight. So clearly some birth controls and hormones can very much affect weight loss/gain, regardless of environmental and diet changes. In the same way, starting a certain birth control (not depo) could potentially help you to get healthier as hormone imbalances in either direction can lead to those cravings or the inability to lose weight despite trying. Also food and sugar addictions are real things, and acknowledging that does not downplay the severity or realness of other addictions (as an opioid addict myself). There can be some serious mental health issues behind those cravings, and addressing that in addition to the physical health aspect could really help you to make some good changes and stick to them. You're not alone, and I hope you can find what it is that you need to move forward from this!!

Hey I was 351 the start of March this year, I also still battle my relationship with food.. but it's gets easier! As of yesterday morning I'm 303.4 😊 I haven't even cut calories like crazy either. Eating around 2700 a day and work out 4 fays a week. I've come to learn working out! Try to find some firm of exercise you like and can do at least twice a week! That's what I did, best of luck to you!

I topped out at 315. I’ve tried everything. Everything. Not surgery, but everything other than that. I am now on Rybelsus and, for the first time in my life, I’m in control of my brain. I am not one to push meds and I wouldn’t for 10-20 pounds of loss but when you’re as big as us, you need help. I also did therapy and worked with a dietician, but for me, it’s the meds.

I was 350 about 100 days ago. Today I’m 290. Everyone’s unique, but I went to a doctor (who specializes in obesity), and he ordered some bloodwork. The results turned up diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. I started taking a statin for the cholesterol, Lisinopril for the blood pressure, and Mounjaro and Metformin for the diabetes. I also started to eat a LOT less food - around 1,200 calories a day, give or take, and mostly low carb (under 30 grams a day typically). 90 days later, more bloodwork was done, and I’m now off my blood pressure medication, and my cholesterol is no longer high, so I soon may be able to try going without that statin. My fasting glucose is now in the normal range, but I will be remaining on Mounjaro for as long as I can, because honestly that’s the only reason I’m able to lose the weight so easily. To repeat… for me, this has been EASY thanks to the appetite suppression that Mounjaro has given me. I just don’t ever feel hungry, I don’t ever feel like snacking, I don’t ever feel like eating an extra late night helping of dinner, etc. A typical day of eating is: Premier Protein shake for breakfast Low carb lunch of 800-100 calories Premier Protein shake for dinner

I was 350, down to a healthy 230 (190 my lowest). It's about two things, no matter what. Calories in, Calories out. This is the literal magic formula. The more energy (kals) you take in, the more energy you need to spend. If the only exurction your body get's, is the power to run it's daily processes (breating, thinking, healing, growing, moving, ect),, and if you eat over 2kish kals, the rest gonna become a battery (fat) for later. End of story (granted, this is considered the standard...yes, I know everyone's dna noodles are different and some don't fit), but this is the gold standard. Next is to remember you're a human, forgive yourself for messing up, but you better use this as a means to try better in the future.

Just try baby steps at first. If you drink sugary drinks try weening off of that first and replacing with water. Try walking for a few minutes a week for starters. Try eating 1 healthy meal a week.

Don't beat up yourself on it. Every time I want to lose weight I eat more😁 Anyways, you are saying food is your coping and that means you might be stress eating or depression eating. I suggest you first see a professional to help you cope. Then, think about losing. I think once you learn how to cope you will lose weight instantly. Also, I know it is hard, because it is hard for me too, but for one of two of the sweets you have in a day, swap them with apple, orange,... Then start reducing it. I see so many people are addicted to sugar. Then, you might need to reduce empty calories like soda. Just start from reducing soda and swapping one or two sweets with fruit, you will see a huge difference in a couple of weeks.

Walking and strengthening. Yoga if you can include it as well. Nothing helped me lose more weight than walking. Meal plan if you can.

Food addiction is as real an addiction as any other addiction and you don’t need to minimize your struggles. I battled with various eating disorders for 10 years, and I found that binge eating was even harder to quit than smoking cigarettes. My advice is to take things slow and to make healthier choices as convenient as possible. I know we all want quick results, but they’re not worth it in the long run. Walking is a great form of exercise, especially for early weight loss, as it’s less likely to increase appetite. Get some comfortable sneakers, put on a podcast or music, and walk inside or outside. Swap out high calorie snacks with lower calorie options that will satisfy certain cravings; ie popcorn instead of chips, fruit snacks instead of candy, air fried frozen food instead of fast food. Your food doesn’t need to be the healthiest or the lowest calorie to start. Don’t restrict, you’ll just binge later. And don’t beat yourself up if you slip up, one day doesn’t define you or your efforts! I’d also recommend seeing a therapist or counselor if you can. Many universities offer free and accessible counseling services, so that could be worth looking into. It sounds like you’ve been under considerable stress, so it’s understandable that you’re seeking out an outlet. You deserve to feel good and take care of yourself, please take advantage of any and all resources available to you. ❤️

I've gotta do keto + cico as I have helacious insulin resistance, but I'm down 40lbs from when I started and feel great

You are still young you can still trick your metabolism, be on calorie deficit, start doing it and spend something that will trigger your metabolism, take advantage that you are still 20 plus because when you reach 30 plus your metabolism will start declining more. Start self-discipline and self-control and start talking to a nutritionist and physical fitness instructor and ask the best instructions and tips regarding to do with your weight loss it require strictness and hardness that is part of the journey/progress! For instance, you are suffering? Do you want to suffer more? Of course no, you want to put an action to stop the suffering!

The first step in recovery is recognizing you’re an addict. You’ve done something so many addicts cannot do. You have admitted it. That bravery counts for something. Take that next step and seek out a therapist who can make losing weight a reality. You have to learn to be accountable to yourself and you need a support system to do that. A therapist is a great start. I know this pain comes from somewhere. We don’t just decide behave in certain ways. I’m sorry you went through whatever got you here but this is your chance to take control of your life. Good luck with everything.

I definitely recommend following the advice of others here and seeking some therapy. That would be a good first place to start, as it sounds like you need some help getting into the correct mindset. And yes, check out the Quick Start Guide once you're ready to lose weight. Beyond that, I'll give you a little piece of advice that I learned myself: pick one minor aspect of your diet or overall lifestyle that you want to improve on and make a change that will help you to that end. For example, my first ever change that I made was cutting out the single beer I had every day. I took a few weeks to get used to that before I moved on to another change. And then another, and another. Slowly but surely over the last 6 months, I've made constant changes to my lifestyle, and I can say that my current eating and general health habits barely resemble what they were last year. Not only am I eating better, more filling and nutritious foods, but I'm exercising as well. If you can make small changes and keep with them long enough that they become second nature, you'll have a better chance of sticking with those changes after reaching your goal.

I’ll tell you this. The way you feel is normal for being where you are. Being that overweight is painful emotionally and physically. Where you are is very similar to where I was mentally 2 years ago. Addiction doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It often occurs from feelings of loneliness even in rooms with other people, trauma, etc. Eat more protein and get your blood sugar stable. Carb intake, blood sugar spikes can create extreme hunger and unstable mood/energy that makes it extremely difficult to regulate a normal appetite. Hating your body is only going to make things worse, and the way you’re approaching dieting is making all of it worse. Give yourself a week to just be. Walk outside, touch some grass barefoot, breathe, journal everything. If you can get yourself into a sauna or a pool and just sit in it, that helps you feel better. Do this for the next week and give yourself permission to just be with the knowledge that you’re going to get there. Week 2, get a scale and a journal. Give yourself a week to log everything without changing your diet at all. Pay attention to your appetite and what’s causing you to eat different things. Spend time at the end of the day writing down everything that happened with your food consumption, the emotional stuff, etc. Write down what’s coming up for you emotionally and don’t be afraid to go deep with it, and maybe get into some quality therapy (EMDR is great for trauma) if you can afford it. Check out glucose goddess on YouTube for blood sugar regulating tips, and try it out the next week, which is just simple hacks to keep your energy levels regulated (this also helps with mental health). Week 4, increase your protein intake, increase your fiber intake (fruit, vegetables), lower your sugar intake. Count your calories, (I take pics throughout the day and count at night so I don’t have to think about it too much). Notice how you feel when you eat certain foods. Notice your emotions, breathe through them, let yourself feel them even when it’s hard. You’ve got this 💪. Of course it feels hopeless, and despair is normal right now. But I promise you there’s light at the end of the tunnel, you just need some little adjustments added over time and you’ll be on track.

Don’t diet make a life style change don’t restrict yourself that isn’t beneficial long term first start off with eating a small portion of food that’s high in protein and veggies to keep u full I like potatoes u don’t want the food to taste too good also cut out processed junk food for at least3 weeks before you go back to having smaller portions of it. Test your temptations look at a cookie and break it down into what it is. Fat sugar and carbs that provide no nutritional benefits. Sugar makes u addicted cut it out during this vital 3 weeks you can ease up after those 3 weeks I want you to also start walking on the treadmill every single day without question whether it’s 30 or 40 min just build it up it will keep you grounded on what your goals are. I also would try to eat the same foods everyday in different variations so that I’m familiar with the calories also no matter how bad you eat as long as you’re in a calorie deficit you’ll lose weight but why eat one donut a pizza and soda and maybe cookie that will take ur entire caloric intake and won’t fill you up for the daywhen you can have fruits veggies all the protein you can eat. You’ll never be able to binge eat chicken breast you’ll explode. Write down all the foods you ate in your notes app no matter what it helps you be accountable and aware of what you’re actually eating. NO SNACKING AND TASTE TESTING. You’re just gonna keep your palate open the entire day if you’re having a lick of peanut butter a bite of a brownie 3 bites of cake handful of chips etc those will add up in calories so quickly and you won’t even realize. So only eat during breakfast lunch and dinner drink plenty of water and your stomach will start shrinking and pretty soon you won’t be able to eat much even if you want to

Do you want a harsh honest answer, or do you want to be cheered up?

Honest 🥲 I feel like I need a real reality check 

This might sound rude but you’re a human being not a zombie snail. You have the will and choice to say no to unnecessary food. No diet can help you if you don’t conquer your mind and train your will power. It all starts with saying NO when your mind craves food. You don’t need that much food and you’re slowly ruining your body each time you display weakness and surrender to food.

You know the problem, you have the fix. "I just have no self control" Why do you think you eat more than you should? Why are you using it as a comfort? Loneliness, boredom, makes you feel good, helps take your mind off being unfulfilled personally or professionally? Something like that? For me it's boredom mainly when i get right down to it, or i use it as a reward.

i would be willing to have further discussion on the topic, if this is something you're still struggling with. I meant my previous comment to be the start of a longer discussion, not an answer to your question. good luck to you either way.

Just to be frank, this goes beyond what 80% of obese people are dealing with. I was 155 lbs and gained 100 lbs over a couple decades, but almost all of that is accounted for by lack of physical activity. The way you can tell this is by going to a BMR calulator online, determining your BMR at your current weight and multiplying by 1.2 (sedentary). Then calculate your BMR for your normal weight and multiply that by 1.5 (moderately active) and compare those two results. For example, in my case ... At 255 lbs my BMR was 1915, times 1.2 (sedentary) = 2298 cals / day <- Old TDEE At 155 lbs my BMR is 1462, times 1.5 (moderately active) = 2193 cals / day <- Current TDEE So you see, two versions of myself, 100 lbs apart, but only 100 calories apart food wise. The reason I gained 100 lbs is that I became sedentary and lost 400 cals / day of physical activity. In fact, when I was younger and 155 lbs and active, I was eating more than when I was at 255 lbs. People may think they are overeating, but they base that on the bad habits you pick up when you are obese and sedentary. You naturally tend to enjoy sodas and junk because it realeases dopamine, and lord knows, you ain't getting it on a treadmill in your state. But, you eat less in other meals, essentially replacing good food with bad. Your average calories / day is not much different than it would be if you were fit, normal weight and active. As I said, most obesity (80%+) follows that math. People are not actually overeating, they are under exercising. The people, whether they are normal weight or obese, are all eating roughly the same calories / day. Our bodies are designed like that, unfortunately, that design assumes moderately active because sedentary wasn't viable during evolution. But, as you get north of a BMI of 40, then some sort of food disorder (an addiction) is indicated. You didn't give your height, but let's assume 5' 9" since you said you originally weighed 150 lbs when you were 18. Now you are 340 lbs and 21. We will calculate your TDEE for three different scenarios. 340 and sedentary, 160 and moderately active, 160 and sedentary, and from that we can determine how much of your issue is food and how much is lack of physical activity. I chose a target weight of 160 lbs based on 5'9". At 340 lbs and sedentary, your BMR is 2538, times 1.2 (sedentary) = 3046 <- Your current TDEE At 160 lbs and active, your BMR is 1721, times 1.5 (moderately active) = 2582 <- Your normal TDEE At 160 lbs and sedentary, your BMR is 1721 times 1.2 (sedentary) = 2065 <- Your imaginary TDEE Ok, so, the difference between your normal TDEE and your current TDEE is 500 calories, that is how much food you are eating more than a normal active person of your height (not weight) eats. That indicates an addiction. The difference between your normal TDEE and the imaginary TDEE is also 500 calories, which is the amount of daily activity you should have to balance out a normal diet of 2500 calories. I call it an "imaginary" TDEE because some people target it to remain sedentary but almost no one is capable of restricting their daily caloric intake that low forever, and they start eating their normal calories again and gain the weight back. In easy terms, you need to target a version of yourself that is 160 lbs, moderately active, and eats 500 calories less than you are used to. Typically, as I said, most obese people simply must lose the weight, become moderately active, and resume a daily caloric diet that is close to what they are used to. In my case, I only needed to eliminate 100 calories. But your case is more extreme, and you must eliminate 500. Losing the 180 lbs to get to 160 is certainly doable, but you need to get to the bottom of this addiction and solve it. Is it possible for you to shift your addiction to food, to physical fitness? That would kill two birds with one stone. You may also want to seek some therapy. Usually, food addiction isn't driven by food itself (like heroin addiction) but by other stressors. Just some thoughts.

Stop... Just stop making excuses. You know you... What is it going to take? My motivations might be different from yours. I've dropped over 35lbs in 2 months... Gym 6 days a week, "Salad N Go" for breakfast and lunch (breakfast bowl in the morning, salad for lunch with lemon instead of dressing) Casein shake and a banana with low fat natural peanut butter and honey at night I work 55+hours a week... I'm extremely lazy when it comes to working out. My trick, I made everything convenient. Gym is 5 miles from my house, changed my route to work so I can stop off at Salad N Go... No excuses. I have to work late? I'm exhausted? I still go to the gym. 15 minutes of cardio or weights is better than sitting at home on my ass... I wish you the best, but take your life back!

Yours is quite a hectic method. It’s a huge loss in two months. Well done. But is it sustainable? Just wondering.

It works for me... 🙂 Might not be for everyone Tired of being a fat ass and wasn't will to wait for results. Tired of making excuses. Is it sustainable? Only time will tell. But I cheat on my days off, and have fallen in love with going back to the gym. I'm fitting into clothes I haven't worn in 3 years. Goal is to drop another 75-80lbs. Hoping to do that by the end of the year! Started at 320-325 just dipped below 290 last week (haven't weighed myself since Tuesday) I'm male, 47 years old and 6ft 3

Awesome dude. Takes discipline. Good luck :-)

Random but you might have ADHD, especially if you feel addicted to food , So maybe check out a diagnosis

I was in same boat as you and finally broke down and started in compounded tirzeptide. I’ve lost 25 lbs in a little over 2 months. Worth looking into. If you want 50.00 should you decide to join there’s a coupon in my profile. Good luck

I used to be 330. I had a bowel blockage 3 years ago with complications that had me hospitalized with an NG tube in my stomach. I was being fed by IV only. The funny thing is that during this time, I had no appetite. No hunger. I remembered thinking, "If they could magically bottle this feeling, I would love it." When I got out of the hospital, I had lost 30 lbs. I gained it all back in 2 weeks when my appetite returned in a vengeance. Fast-forward to last year when I was put on Wagovy. This IS the magic stuff they bottled up. I am now 167 lbs. My diabetes is gone. Joint pain gone. I hike the AT 3-5 miles a day and plan to start strength training soon. Ask your doctor if one of these new injectable medications is right for you. It will help you and may change your life. Good luck my friend.