I'm 300 lbs and need some advice

Daniel Lopez said:Give me a break. My brother spends half his day sitting at his computer, eats whatever he wants from the moment he wakes up—and we're talking big meals here—then rolls in at 1 or 2 AM and clears out half the fridge, topping it all off with half a jar of peanut butter, and he still never weighs more than 150 pounds...

And now you're all jumping down his throat saying he eats junk, as if you guys live exclusively on broccoli and stuff like that. Imagine never having a sandwich or a slice of pizza in your life. Good luck with that. 🙄

Yeah, he eats junk.
And someone who’s been through hospital stays, private doctors, acupuncture... they could have at least learned that white bread with spread and pizza aren't exactly "diet food."

Look, some people have fast metabolisms, some have slow ones. You can't eat the same way. That's obvious as hell.
(Personally, I highly doubt he's always eaten as much as he claims he does now)
And the amount he's eating right now? That's fine for someone trying to maintain their current weight, but not for someone who is morbidly obese and needs to drop the weight if they don't want to drop dead by fifty.
Pizza, sandwiches, frozen meals... those are fine for someone whose weight is already in a healthy range.

But if someone actually wants (and needs) to lose dozens of pounds, they have to cut that stuff out entirely, or at least keep it to an absolute minimum so they don't lose their mind and go on a rampage for a jumbo pizza, a massive tub of Nutella, or a sandwich made with a pound of bread. 😁

neonbear4, eat slower. You'll end up eating less. 🙂 Chew until you're exhausted. It takes your brain twenty minutes to realize your stomach is full. And even if it doesn't, the constant chewing will eventually annoy you enough to stop. 😁
Drink plenty of fluids.
Get up earlier in the morning and have a bowl of muesli (the kind made with actual grains, not that sugary, processed crap) instead of grabbing a pizza or a sandwich.

Try using chopsticks. 😁

darkjackal70 said:Once you drop—say, 35 to 45 pounds—then you can actually start thinking about hitting the gym.

I’d argue the opposite—this guy really needs to focus on packing on some muscle mass first to get his metabolism moving. I'm talking 5 or 6 high-protein meals a day, paired with some decent complex carbs.

Alright, let's pump the brakes here, everyone—no need to start throwing punches right away.😁

neonbear4, you’re overdoing it on the food. It's obvious that it's too much for your body. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue for someone else, or even a buddy of yours, but for you? It's too much. Plus, it's pretty clear your diet isn't exactly healthy... Edward Green put it perfectly when she 😁already mentioned it.

I honestly don't get how, despite having all those high-profile doctors in your corner, you haven't managed to change your eating habits even a little bit. Actually, scratch that—it's not really you, since you aren't 15, it's more like your mom who's doing the cooking and somehow making it easy for you to eat like this.

On top of the overeating thing, it's pretty obvious you aren't getting enough exercise. I get it, though—I assume at 300 pounds, finding an activity you can actually do isn't exactly easy. So, I'll suggest the simplest one out there: walking! Just get outside every day and walk as much as you possibly can. I have no clue what kind of shape you're in, but just try to hit those steps. Maybe talk to your parents about getting a dog if that's an option, then you can head out with them. And please, don't grab a candy bar or a bag of chips while you're out walking. Watch the quality of what you're putting in your mouth, and if you stick to the walking, you'll start seeing changes before you know it.😁

Jose Miller3 said:don't go grabbing chocolate or chips while you're in the checkout line

The easiest fix? Just don't carry cash on you. 😁

Edward Green Asks:
Look, the amount he’s eating is perfectly fine if his goal is simply to maintain his current weight. However, that isn't the case here. For someone dealing with morbid obesity who needs to drop the pounds to avoid a fatal health crisis before they hit fifty, this calorie intake just doesn't cut it.

How you choose to describe someone weighing 297 pounds is entirely up to you. That’s a bit morbid. swiftowl10?

Look, hitting 297 pounds at 15 years old—especially when you're still on a constant upward trend—is getting way too close to morbid obesity territory...

A BMI of 44 is considered morbid obesity, as far as I know.

quiethound45 said:and forget about the juices—stick to water or tea with Natren (one can of Coca-Cola has as many calories as two mandarins or some toast with spread, so take your pick...)
maybe you can indulge occasionally if you're feeling reckless, but watch your portions. Iced tea isn't a bad pivot, and those sugar-free syrups you dilute are fine (just base them on water)...

Diet Coke is probably okay... besides, there are damn near endless juices out there using artificial sweeteners nowadays....

There’s also this one juice recipe... a homemade orange one... that is absolutely killer. You grab a few pounds of oranges, peel them, and chop them up with everything included... toss it all into a blender until it reaches a pulp. Add five quarts of water to that pound of oranges, throw in some citric acid, mix it all in a massive bowl, and let it sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours, strain it through a carbonator... and voilà, you have a healthy, incredible orange juice. And if you need to sweeten it? Just hit it with some Natren, and everyone stays happy....

I looked. Seriously. Even if she was only 123 pounds, she’d still be in Class 3 obesity—aka morbid obesity.

Alright, you three—seriously, stop bickering like this, please. Let’s try to actually help the guy in a way that's a little more constructive instead of just throwing one-liners at him, okay? 😉

Charles Morales10 said:I’d actually suggest his first priority should be putting on some muscle mass to kickstart his metabolism. We're talking five or six high-protein meals a day paired with some decent complex carbohydrates.

Good grief, the kid is only fifteen... he needs to drop the excess weight first just to have a fighting chance at building any actual muscle. If he tries to bulk up now, the scale is only going to show him gaining more weight, because let's face it, muscle weighs significantly more than fat.

Focus on quality nutrition first... get that metabolism moving through steady walking and eventually running... once the weight starts coming down, then you can worry about the gym and building muscle. This entire transformation shouldn't be rushed; it needs to take at least a year.😉

Rushing anything is a recipe for failure. Slow and steady remains the only real formula.

Instead of bickering, we should probably just help the guy. It’s pretty obvious he’s looking for support because he can't seem to figure this out on his own.
alexx definitely stirred up some drama and confusion here, but that's just her personality—she tends to be a bit more explosive, so I guess we just accept her that way.😬 😘
alexx, I think your intentions are good and you have a point, but maybe your approach is a little off...
I live with two people at home who are morbidly obese. I used to be a bit heavier myself (somewhere between those characters Violetta and Lee from Big Brother), so I'm speaking from personal experience when I say certain things...
We all mess up our diets at some point; nobody gets it right every single time. It's just that some people have the luxury to slip up while others don't. Some people can afford to indulge more often, and some can't. What works for one person might not work for another.
Every body is its own unique machine. We all have different genetic makeups, so I think everyone needs to discover for themselves what actually works best for their life.
I don't think the kid is overeating. He's still growing (and since he's only 15, that's peak development time for boys), so I wouldn't recommend strict dieting—it could really do him harm.

neonbear4—do you know why diets usually fail? It's because there are days when you're forced to eat something you absolutely hate or something that just makes you feel nauseous. That's how you develop an aversion to food and end up breaking your diet almost immediately. For me, dieting was always a disaster. My worst experience was with that "miracle soup"; by day three, even the smell made my stomach turn, even though it tasted fine on the first day. And that soup is actually quite good and healthy (good for detoxing), but that's the risk with any diet. Also, meat-heavy diets are terrible because they can wreck your liver! Even if they're effective, I wouldn't suggest going down that road under any circumstances.

My advice? Listen to your body. When you wake up, decide what you're going to eat that day. Just try to keep it healthy and home-cooked.
I'm not sure what your parents are like or how your mom cooks—that might actually be a major part of the issue!
For example, my mom makes a lot of heavy, greasy soups, whereas I cook mine without adding any oil at all. The way you cook is incredibly important, so that might be where the problem lies.
Do whatever you feel is right; we're behind you. But personally, I'm worried you might struggle to stick to a diet again, because hardly anyone can follow one to the very end. And honestly, I don't think you even need one.
I had a girl in my college group who struggled a lot with her weight. She was about 285 lbs at 5'3"... she was constantly trying diets, but nothing ever stuck. She was very self-conscious about her weight, so she'd manage to stick to a diet for maybe two months and lose 30 lbs, but then she'd eventually break down. No one can give up the things they love for long. You'd need to stay on these diets for months, but eventually, you'll hit a breaking point.
So, please don't set a deadline for yourself or wait for instant results. Just relax. Even if it takes five years—five whole years—there's no rush. Just take it slow and be smart about it. Persistence and willpower, and that's that. Fingers crossed!🙂

Edward Green said:From what I understand, a BMI of 44 falls into the category of morbid obesity.

Honestly, I think BMI is pretty useless. It might work as a rough estimate, but long-term, it’s just nonsense because it ignores body type and age, which are actually the most important factors.

darkjackal70 said:Man, he’s only 15... He needs to drop some weight first just to have a shot at building actual muscle mass. With this much body fat, the scale is probably going to lie to him—muscle weighs more than fat, after all.

Focus on quality nutrition first... then kickstart the metabolism through walking and eventually running... once the weight comes down, then you hit the gym for muscle building. That whole process shouldn't be rushed—it takes at least a year.😉

Anything done in a rush usually fails. Slow and steady—that's the real formula.

I actually disagree—I think it should be the other way around. Cardio doesn't really speed up your metabolism; it only boosts it during and immediately after the workout. However, increasing muscle mass? That actually raises your resting metabolic rate. The more muscle you carry, the faster that fat melts away.

I’m dealing with the exact same mess...
I’ve always been a bit on the heavier side, but once I quit playing water polo, the weight started piling on for real...
Now I’m following this plan that I'm praying actually works, so give me your honest take:
1. I quit smoking—back when I was a smoker, nobody could drag me out for a run, but now I'm actually putting in the effort and getting some exercise in...
2. I started training martial arts.
3. I stop eating after 6 PM; if I get hungry, I just stick to fruit and water.
4. No soda or other garbage like that.
5. Cut mayo, chocolate, and all the sweets out of my diet entirely...

One thing: is muesli actually any good?
And what about cornflakes—are they worth it?

It took me two whole years to drop 20 kg, but honestly, you’re going to crush it way faster since you're still growing!
1. Cut out every single type of juice. I don't care if it's sparkling, loaded with sugar, or packed with artificial sweeteners—just ditch it. If you absolutely have to drink something while you're out and about, stick to plain mineral water.
2. Eat a little bit of dark chocolate every day (I'm talking about three rows of baking chocolate—just let it melt slowly in your mouth). It helps with your serotonin levels, which keeps your mood from tanking while you're doing this.
3. Completely DITCH the gym and any kind of intense, anaerobic training that burns through glycogen. Those workouts just leave you starving. What you actually need is aerobic exercise—specifically brisk walking. Don't go running, seriously, NO running! Just walk fast for anywhere between 45 to 90 minutes every single day.
Swimming is great, too, but don't go at it like an Olympic athlete; keep it slow and steady for about an hour. Doing that two or three times a week is plenty.
4. Head over to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., near the good valley (I think that's the area), and they can give the kid a specific plan tailored to what works best.👍 (It doesn't even matter if you don't have diabetes)👍
5. Plan on needing about 10 to 12 months to lose around 30 kg. The key is tracking your daily intake and cutting your calories by about 700-800 per day. Basically, you want to burn more than you consume!
That first month is going to be rough while you're adjusting, but once you find your rhythm and start understanding the energy density of different foods, everything will go smooth as silk. You won't even feel like you're on a diet.🙂
6. Forget about L-carnitine and all those other supplements. You're young, and you're getting plenty of what you need from red meat. You don't need extra substances—unless, maybe, a daily multivitamin if your doctor clears it.
7. Doctors who push acupuncture usually recommend crash diets. Avoid that trap. Ideally, you should aim to lose about 6 or 7 pounds a month (maybe 2-4 kg)—nothing more than that!
8. Hot dogs, canned meat, chips, puffed snacks, deli meats (except for some lean ham or prosciutto, but stick to the red stuff, skip the white fat), butter... forget them all. Limit yourself to no more than 15 grams of oil (about three small teaspoons), and stay far away from mayo and stuff like that.
9. And alcohol? Don't even dream about it. It'll make you ravenous, and the calorie count is insane.
10. Trust me, feeling good after losing weight is incredible. It takes time, but it is absolutely worth it. Honestly, feeling healthy feels better than driving a brand-new luxury car.

brightmarlin44 said:It took me two whole years just to drop 20 kg, but honestly, you're gonna crush it way faster since you're still growing!

Losing about 10kg a year is totally fine by me. Any more than that and you might run into issues with loose skin, right?

If you aren't eating more than you burn, you can try any diet or treatment under the sun. On the flip side, if you've been gaining weight for years, expecting to drop it all in three months is just delusional. Personally, I swear by cycling—but don't just go for an hour; go for hours! Sure, your butt will feel like it's been through a blender after the first few rides, but give it time and the soreness disappears.🙂

Maria Moore4 said:Here’s my expert advice—just stop eating. Like, seriously, nothing at all. Okay, fine, maybe one meal a week.
Just stick to water and nothing else.
Work out as much as humanly possible—sports, hitting the gym, running, whatever.
Start smoking 😍 it’ll kill your appetite.

What kind of absolute moron gives advice like that to a fifteen-year-old... seriously...

Look, you’re way too young to be dealing with any kind of extreme dieting crap... you're still growing and everything is still settling... so if you want my advice, just start by overhauling what you eat, make sure you're actually staying active (honestly, just start with a solid hour of brisk walking every day—throw some music on your headphones and just 😉), but most importantly, and this is the big one in my book—go talk to a therapist. There’s a reason you're putting on weight... I mean, sure, you eat a lot, but there’s an underlying reason *why* you're eating that much... hunger isn't the only culprit here. Besides, you're young, you're still figuring out who you are, and those insecurities that come with being overweight aren't easy to deal with; they leave a mark on your personality for life if you don't tackle them early on...

Bottom line is, you can lose the weight, you just have to stay consistent. I’m rooting for you, and honestly, I fully expect you to pop up on the 'Relationships' board later to start a thread titled 'How I became the hottest guy in school and snatched the girls away from everyone who used to mock me.' 😎