I'm 300 lbs and need some advice

Thought I’d chime in with some advice of my own!
I’ve been struggling big time with my weight, but ever since I started following the Montignac method, I don't feel hungry at all—and the pounds are just steadily dropping. I'm down about 4 pounds in a month so far...
Basically, you keep your meat separate from your dough or whole-grain rice, and try not to touch carbs more than three times a week. I cut out potatoes entirely. Lots of veggies, stews, and fruit.
My daily routine usually involves one yogurt, some fresh low-fat cottage cheese, tuna in water, or chicken and fish—either grilled or boiled. The portions aren't massive, but they aren't tiny either... I'm never hungry.😳 For lunch, it's roughly a 7-ounce steak or chicken breast, about 7 ounces of steamed broccoli, and a big pile of green salad with lemon—no oil. Dinner is just 7 ounces of low-fat cottage cheese and a yogurt.
And make sure to finish dinner by 7:00 PM at the latest.
If you get hungry, just stick to apples, tangerines, and things like that. And occasionally—though rarely—go ahead and have something sweet. We're only human, after all...😍.
Try to walk for at least 60 minutes every day to start. Once you've dropped about 40 or 50 pounds, you can ease into swimming, running, or whatever else.
Good luck, and keep us posted!

Charles Morales10 said:I would actually argue that his first priority should be putting on some muscle mass to help kickstart his metabolism. I’m talking about five or six high-protein meals a day paired with some decent quality complex carbohydrates.

Now, if he truly wants to pack on muscle, he’d essentially have to go through a bulking phase. According to a study by g. B. Forbes:

Source:

It clearly states that for individuals with a body fat percentage exceeding 15%, a larger portion of gained body mass is derived from fat stores, which differs significantly from when you stay below that 15% threshold. That 15% mark was likely chosen as a general benchmark, though I suspect the ideal number varies quite a bit from person to person.

Can you even imagine what would happen if he actually attempted a bulk?! It would be an absolute disaster! 🙂

Find yourself some work, a hobby, or something to occupy your time, so you aren't practically sitting around with nothing to do. 😁
Seriously, I often find myself unable to eat, which might be something you can’t even fathom. 😁

And please, don't track your diet in a way where you eat a roasted chicken thigh for lunch, calculate that it was only 615 calories, and then convince yourself you barely ate anything—only to follow it up by polishing off a pound of chocolate wafers and chips because you "didn't have much for lunch."

For instance, just the other day at a gas station, this heavy-set guy in front of me pulled up to the $27 ExxonMobil pump just so he'd have those extra $6.75 left over from his $33 to spend on candy. 🤣

A few acquaintances of mine constantly complain about how they can't lose weight and insist they don't eat much...

It might be that they don't consume large portions during lunch, but they are constantly snacking, incessantly, all day long—sandwiches, apples, tangerines, cookies, chips, pretzels...

A friend of mine probably weighed upwards of 200 pounds, if not more; he could barely move on his own, so he eventually went to get gastric balloon surgery. He’s losing weight rapidly now, but if there is any way to save yourself without surgery, I suppose you should try that first.

Furthermore, you mentioned that you are 15 years old.
I suspect your parents likely bear a significant portion of the blame here, perhaps quite a large amount.

I haven't read all five pages, but if you happen to live in a conservative community where the prevailing logic is that being overweight equals being healthy, you really need to make a shift yourself and explain to those around you that such a notion is simply incorrect. 😬

Here are some scenarios where you absolutely should not double up on carbs!!!!
For example, if your lunch consists of pasta, potatoes, or rice, don't even think about grabbing bread. Honestly, you won't even need it—you'll see. I haven't paired bread with my meals for years now; it just doesn't sit right with me. If I'm having stews or something similar, sure, maybe. But once certain heavy foods are on the plate, it feels like overkill. Meanwhile, I see people eating roasted potatoes along with chicken and bread... it's just wrong. It's just unnecessary calories and bloating your stomach for no reason.
Also, I'd suggest looking into the glycemic index. It explains which foods will keep you full longer and which ones will leave you feeling hungry again almost immediately.

One thing I should mention—when you first start restricting, you might feel tired, lethargic, or like you've lost your strength, drive, and spark. You might even feel constantly hungry. That’s totally normal; it’s just your body reacting to the new setup. After about two weeks, that should gradually fade away. You'll start feeling more vibrant, and smaller meals will begin to satisfy you more as your stomach size adjusts. Eventually, you might even hit a phase of hyperactivity—at least that's how it works for me. Since I started eating less, I actually have more momentum and energy than I did back when I was overeating.😉

Steven Green2 said:If he wants to pack on muscle, he really needs to be in a surplus. According to a study by g. B. Forbes:

Source:

Ann n Y Acad Sci 2000 May;904:359-65

It clearly states that for individuals with body fat over 15%, a larger portion of gained body mass comes from fat stores—quite a contrast to those sitting below 15%. That 15% threshold is likely just an average; it’s probably different for everyone.

Imagine if he actually tried a bulking phase?! It would be a total disaster! 🙂

For someone carrying extra weight without much muscle development, it’s actually very realistic to lose fat while simultaneously building muscle. He just needs to eat clean—aiming slightly above the caloric needs required to maintain his lean body mass. That will still end up being significantly less than what's needed to maintain his current total body weight. I’m convinced he’ll manage to gain muscle regardless, even if he adds a decent amount of cardio to the mix.

neonbear4 said:so I'm 15 years old, about 5'9", and weigh around 275 lbs
which basically means I'm overweight

Well... I don't really have enough expertise to give you any specific advice. My body issues are kind of the opposite—I'm actually underweight for my height, but I feel incredibly weak. Honestly, I struggle with how I look too. If things weren't this way, I probably wouldn't want to change anything either, right?

If people here haven't given you plenty of advice already, I'll just say you aren't alone. My brother is 15 and weighs over 220 pounds too...

Edward Green said:you should try using chopsticks 😁

Yeah 👍
So, I had this rice with Sichuan sauce for lunch today, and I decided to grab some chopsticks—you know, to be all appropriate and stuff. 😬 I started the movie and got going. 🙂
Holy crap, by the time I actually finished my plate, half the movie was already over. 🤣 Honestly, between the rice, the sticks, and just the sheer effort of getting food into my mouth... it’s exhausting. 🤣

But hey, it's a fun little challenge. I think I'm getting better at it. Next time I hit up a Chinese spot, I'm not gonna sit there using a fork like some uncultured tourist; I'll act like a total pro and just ask for chopsticks right away. 😎

Charles Morales10 said:I’d actually argue that the first thing this guy needs to do is pack on some muscle mass to get his metabolism moving. I'm talking 5-6 high-protein meals a day paired with some decent complex carbs.

Wait, are you the same guy from that thread about erectile dysfunction? 🤣
God, you all sound exactly the same—like some damn cultists or something. 🙄
What do you mean, muscle mass? Let the kid go on a diet first, and once he drops down to maybe 220 pounds, then he can start hitting the gym.
For Christ's sake. 😁

Charles Morales10 said:I’m still leaning toward the opposite view. Cardio won't actually speed up your metabolism; it only spikes it during and immediately following the workout itself. If you want a sustained metabolic boost, you need to build muscle mass. The more muscle you carry, the faster your body burns through fat.

That wasn't my point... I was saying his diet would be what speeds up his metabolism... you just missed it because I wrote it poorly.😉

Emily Adams2 said:Fifteen years old and 275 pounds?
How much are you actually moving during the day?
Honestly, all those diets and calorie counting won't mean much if you're just sitting in front of a computer screen all day playing Doom III and snacking on junk food.
Having deli meat for dinner? Just so you know, your body isn't going to process that well; it’ll likely just turn straight into fat, haha. Plus, processed deli meat is pretty low-quality stuff.
Maybe try this instead: trick your stomach. Whenever you feel hungry, go for salads. They have very low energy density, so your stomach feels full because it has plenty to "work on," but you aren't overdoing it. Just don't grab something heavy like a Greek salad loaded with feta cheese—stick to simple green salads or maybe some cabbage. You know, real cabbage, not the bagged stuff from the grocery store. Keep it light. It's all up to you.
If you really have the willpower, I'll support you! Let's go jogging together.

Are you kidding me? I'm 27, 6'1", and 230 pounds, and I eat more for lunch when I get home from work than my sister does—and she only weighs 110 pounds and stays in bed all day. For dinner, around 9 PM, I'll have two slices of bread and some deli meat, and that's it. I work a 7-to-3 shift, though sometimes I stay later, and quite frankly, I barely have time to hit the cafeteria for lunch, let alone go somewhere else. So what am I supposed to do? I don't have time to exercise because I often have chores waiting for me at home, and at work, I'm stuck staring at a monitor all day. My only real movement is 1.2 miles walking to and from the bus stop. Back when I worked for a smaller firm as a sales rep, it was literally an 8-to-6 grind spent entirely in a company car. My stress levels were through the roof, and I was basically living on two walnuts a day, so I wasn't even eating properly, yet the weight kept climbing. When am I supposed to find time to be active when I'm working five or six days a week? The answer is... never.

William White2 said:Maybe they aren't eating huge amounts at lunch, but they're constantly snacking on something—all day long... apples, mandarins, whatever.

I seriously doubt that's what's causing them to pack on the weight. 😁

Benjamin Ramos95 said:Am I some kind of joke? I'm 27, 6'1", and 230 lbs, and all I eat for lunch when I get home from work is less than my sister, who's barely 110 lbs and spends all day in bed. For dinner around 9 PM, I'll have two slices of bread with deli meat, and that's basically it. I work the 7-to-3 shift, though sometimes I stay later, and honestly, I just don't have the damn time to even hit the cafeteria, let alone go somewhere else. So what am I supposed to do? I don't have time to exercise because sometimes I have chores waiting at home, and at work, I'm sitting there staring at a monitor all day. My only movement is 1.2 miles walking to the bus stop and back. When I worked for that smaller firm as a sales rep, it was literally an 8-to-6 grind spent entirely in a company car; my nerves were shot, and I lived on maybe two walnuts a day, so I wasn't even eating, yet the weight just kept climbing. When am I supposed to get moving if I'm working five or six days a week? Answer = never...

I gained weight when I was stuck in a job that made me miserable.
I was basically living on a pastry and an apple every day, and despite running around all day, I still put on a few pounds. 😲 Plus, I had dark circles under my eyes and looked perpetually exhausted.
After that, I moved into a role that actually fulfilled me and made me happy. It didn't feel like a chore to stay until 8 PM, and we’d usually grab beers afterward. We’d eat kebabs and pizza, and I actually lost weight. 😁
Depression (and everything that triggers it) makes you gain weight. 🙂 At least, that's been my experience. 🙂

If you can find ways to be active, find joy in your daily routine, and approach things with a positive mindset—food stops being such a huge deal, and even what you do eat doesn't seem to stick to you quite as much. 🙂

Edward Green Asks:
I mean, I honestly find myself doubting that this is actually what's causing people to gain weight. 😁

I suppose they’re definitely gaining more weight than if they simply refused to eat anything at all; though, in my estimation, the specific name isn't really the point—it’s just plain ridiculous that it’s even being called that.

I guess I saw something similar the other day—some fuller-figured woman walking along the shoulder of the road, aggressively shouting "sandwich" at everyone passing by. 🤣

Look, I think you should probably just slow down a little bit. 😬

William White2 said:I mean, they’re definitely gaining weight more than if they just didn't eat any of it. Honestly, the name doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact that it's being called something at all.

The other day, I saw some overweight teenager walking down the street aggressively munching on a sandwich. 🤣

So, maybe just chill out a little. 😬

There's a fair amount of truth to that 👍

But that kid... who knows? Maybe they hadn't even had a chance to eat yet, or maybe they won't get to eat again for a while? 😁

Benjamin Ramos95 said:Man, you aren't even eating much. I’m 27, 6'1", and 230 lbs, and my lunch is just whatever I grab when I get home from work—usually less than what my sister eats, and she’s only 110 lbs and practically lives in bed. Dinner is basically two slices of bread and some deli meat around 9 PM, and that’s it. My shift is 7 to 3, though sometimes I stay late, and honestly, I don't even have the damn time to hit the cafeteria, let alone go somewhere else. So what am I supposed to do? No time to exercise—sometimes I have chores waiting at home—and at work, I’m just sitting there staring at a monitor all day. My only movement is 1.2 miles walking to the bus stop and back. When I worked for that smaller firm as a sales rep, it was a literal 8-to-6 grind in a company car; my nerves were shot, and I was living on nothing but a couple of walnuts a day. I wasn't even eating, yet the weight kept climbing. When am I supposed to move when I'm working five or six days a week? Answer: never...

You aren't actually eating a ton, but if you want to start working out, you're going to have to make the time. I used to tell myself the same thing—that I didn't have the time or the energy—but now I'm hitting the gym 4 or 5 times a week. I work the same hours, finishing around 4, and yeah, I'm exhausted and completely over it.
As for your sister, you can only be jealous. It's like how I'm jealous of my niece, who can eat a loaf of bread for dinner and still stay thin as a rail—some people are just built that way. Don't waste your brainpower worrying about it.

I've been reading through everything that's been posted here,
but I noticed that most people seem to have forgotten that neonbear4 mentioned being only 15 years old. In one of his posts, he even noted he was undergoing medical tests due to some hormonal issues.
While a solid diet and regular exercise are great, I really wish neonbear4 would ask his mother specifically which hormones were out of balance and share that information. I can't help but feel he should head back to the doctor to get a clear diagnosis of what’s actually happening.
After all, it's rare for a 15-year-old to struggle with weight gain just by eating normally. Let's be honest with ourselves—how many of us were actually eating a perfectly healthy diet at that age? It’s quite uncommon for someone that young to deal with significant weight issues without an underlying cause.

restlessmarlin6 said:Well, she might need to, who knows? Maybe she just hasn't had a chance to eat yet, or perhaps she simply won't. 😁

I suppose I'm not really trying to excuse eating on the go, especially given how judgmental everyone seems to be lately, but that whole situation looked somewhat absurd; I mean, the idea of five starving people chasing her down just to snatch a sandwich seems a bit much, I guess. 🤣

I was watching this segment on TV yesterday about a woman who managed to drop 50 pounds in a very short window, and it didn't seem like she used any of those extreme, aggressive diets—just consistent exercise and sheer willpower, I suppose. 😁

It probably stems from the fact that most people who want to lose weight tend to say, "Starting tomorrow, I'm not eating anything," and then they skip breakfast and lunch only to realize that approach isn't sustainable, which usually leads to them overindulging again later.

If you just commit to cutting out sweets and skipping dinner for a month, maybe that would work; eventually, reducing things further might become a bit easier, I guess.

ironsurfer8 said:I see a whole lot of stuff being said here,
but I noticed most people seem to be forgetting that neonbear4 mentioned he's only 15, and in one of his posts, he actually said he was undergoing tests because of some hormone issues.

That’s what I want to know, too.
And honestly, what on earth is his mother doing? Is she just letting this happen?
When I was 16, my hormones were totally out of whack and seriously caused me to put on weight, and my mom started cooking much healthier right away after our doctor's visit, and it helped a ton. Though, granted, I had way, way fewer pounds to lose than the OP.
But seriously, where is he? He hasn't checked in at all to say how the diet is going... 🙂

William White2 said:So, I was watching TV yesterday and saw this segment about this woman who managed to drop 50 pounds in a really short amount of time. And the crazy thing? She didn't do any of those insane, crash diets that everyone talks about—she just focused on working out and having some actual discipline. Seriously, just pure grit and exercise. 😁

Honestly, I think the absolute worst part about this whole cycle is how everyone approaches weight loss. It’s always the same predictable pattern: someone decides they want to slim down and immediately declares, "That's it, I'm not eating a single thing starting tomorrow!" So, they end up starving themselves all morning until lunch, realize pretty quickly that living on nothing is a total disaster, and then—boom—they just completely lose it and start bingeing again. It's a vicious loop, and it never works.

So you’re telling me you're just going to cut out sweets and stick to one meal a day for an entire month, and that's basically the whole plan? Just... boom, done. And then later on, once things settle down, it'll be easier to scale back even more. I guess that's one way to look at it, maybe.

At its core, it’s usually just an addiction to chewing—kind of like what you pointed out earlier. 😉
It probably all starts way back in early childhood—you know, those moments when a kid starts screaming their head off and the mother just immediately shoves a pacifier in their mouth to shut them up. 😁

I don't know if you've ever dealt with being overweight yourself, but man, it can be such a brutal, uphill battle—mostly because you're fighting a war against your own damn self.
I honestly have so much respect for people who manage to drop a massive amount of weight. I mean, seriously, they often end up doing more for their own character and mental toughness than almost anything else in life. 🙂

restlessmarlin6 said:At its core, it’s usually just an addiction to chewing, much like you pointed out earlier. 😉
It likely develops during early childhood, when a mother might instinctively pop a pacifier into a baby's mouth at the first sign of a cry. 😁

I suppose I don't know if you've ever struggled with being overweight, but it can be a rather vicious and difficult battle—mostly an internal one against oneself.
To be honest, I have a certain amount of respect for people who manage significant weight loss; they often demonstrate more strength of character than most people ever do. 🙂

It is entirely possible that it is simply a reflex carried over from childhood. 😁

I've never actually been overweight myself; in fact, I tend to be quite thin and would actually prefer to put on a few pounds, so I imagine the struggle is just as difficult for me as it is for someone trying to lose weight.

I also deal with another issue that I could probably resolve if I just applied two weeks of sheer persistence, yet I've been dealing with it since I was a kid. 😳

So, in certain respects, I think I understand how it feels. 😁