Hello, I'm BelligerentSpud!

[BelligerentSpud]

Age: 34
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 460+ lbs

** Warning I don't use proper punctuation and my writing skills are crap, but I will try.**

Hey! I'm Brandon. I saw Jesse Shand's story on YouTube last night be for I went to bed, I can relate a bit with his story and decided maybe I might get the same advice and support he was able to receive from this forum. For the past few years I have been trying to get into shape myself with little success due to some events I have recently had. I am in no way expecting a "here's a diet pill or keto plan that will make you instantly skinny".

Like Jesse I spend most of my day behind a computer, Up until about 4 years ago I did nothing but played games. When Pokemon Go came out it actually got me out of the house to meet with people, that I had never spoke with befor, walking up to 3 miles a day a couple times a week ( then I was around 350 pounds ) Unfortunately the game had some issues and a large amount of the player base fell off and the majority of what was left in my town were spoofers (people who sit behind their computers faking their GPS location to play the game) with that the "fight" seemed a waste and I stopped playing.

2 years ago I started college to get a degree for Computer Information Systems, I figured this would get me out from behind the computer and get me on track for a decent career. I spoke with my doctor and got a dietician, and I was given advice on portioning. I stopped drinking soda for the most part and switched to nothing but water, which this alone dropped over a thousand calories a day, I was consuming one and a half 2 liters a day, sometimes more. In September of 2018 I lost a good friend I had met through Twitch, his death impacted me pretty hard and I loss focus on my goals. A month later I got back to attempting to eat less and move more, got my work back on track, until December 2018 when I lost my father on Christmas night. Needless to say I became depressed, became reclusive, started drinking soda again (not 2 liters a day) and went back to playing games constantly to escape.

Thank you all for your time.
Potato

[BelligerentSpud]

About a month ago I started reaching out to people on Twitch in the Fitness category, and have started to regain interest in attempting to lose again. The "tools" I'm using and my big Pro's are:
MapMyWalk
MyFitnessPal
Set of resistance bands
2 adjustable dumbbells (5 - 25) each
I know that I need a calorie deficit and to be more active then sitting at my computer.
I can eat anything multiple times a week and it don't bother me.
Bland stuff is fine as I'm a huge hot sauce fan. Only down fall is the sodium.
I avoid eating red meat. mostly just chicken.

My Con's:
I have a hip disability that limits my range of motion exercises, and activities.
I cannot figure out good balanced cheap meals. I get frustrated and just end up buying processed food's.

Short Term Goal:
Lose around 150 lbs by April 2022

Long term Goal:
Reach at least 200 lbs by Nov. 2023 for corrective hip surgery.

** tried to post this with the original post but kept getting a access denied error, did some research found out another member had the same issue and was a result of the message being to big.

[KathleenRyan]

Good luck. I hope you see this for what it is, which is a chance to take both your life and body back into your control.

Take it seriously and be consistent. Do the hard work. Athlean-X, Jeff Nippard, Scott Herman are all good YouTube channels to check out for general lifting, routine, and diet advice.

[AlexSays]

Good luck man, sorry to hear about your loss. I have been through something similar

I know it is cliche advice to get out and exercise when you are depressed but the reality is that changes like that in your life to steer you in a more productive, healthy direction can have a huge impact on your mental state.

You will do it, be consistent and introduce small changes that you can sustain (looks like cutting out the soda was a great example). Ignore 'diets', ignore instagram, ignore anyone trying to sell you anything, ignore quick fixes, ignore supplement companies, ignore TV, ignore 98% of the internet outside this forum. The rules are simple, change your lifestyle so you are eating less and try and focus on filling foods. Become more active even if it is only a slow progression to begin with. This is all that is required to become more healthy and a more healthy weight. Anyone who tells you different or tells you it is more complicated or tells you that you need to eat this or that, or this specific form of exercise or that, or this persons diet or that persons diet is gullible or trying to sell something, but it sounds like you are already pretty aware of that.

The hard part is the committment which is why i suggested making small, sustainable changes. This isn't a 'lose weight in 6 months' program. This is changing habits so that you are more healthy forever, whilst not loathing every second of life in the meantime.

I believe in you

[NearlyBigAngus]

You must have been feeling pretty low after all that - good on you for picking yourself up again and carrying on!

I think you would find meal prep makes a difference to you especially if you don't mind eating the same kind of meals regularly - you can use MFP to create a balanced meal that you like, keep it simple... and make up a week or more portions.

Do this for breakfast, lunch and dinner meals so that the calories fit your targets - portion them out and freeze them. That way when you reach into the freezer you know you're pulling out a good meal that fits your goals instead of some processed rubbish.

Over time repeat this with some different breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas and you will develop your own rotation.

Here are some ideas from Joe Delaney who I think covers this well - I'm not saying make the meals he shows (unless you happen to like them) but take the ideas and principle and make it your own.