Been sticking to my diet, but it's making me feel awful

[JudyS]

Hello, all!

I have been struggling and struggling to get my weight down over the past few years. I'll diet for a while, but I tend to feel sooo awful when I diet, and I just don't seem to lose much weight, so I generally give up after a few weeks. This time, I told myself that I was going to stick it out and make it work, but I really need to find a way to make it easier!

I'm about 100 pounds overweight, and I'm a Type 2 diabetic, so losing weight would be really good for my health. This time around, I'm doing Weight Watchers. I've been going for almost five weeks now (week five ends tomorrow.) On the first week, I did the Core plan, but I didn't lose weight, so I switched to the Points plan. I am being very careful to weigh, measure, and write down everything, and I have not "cheated" or had any lapses on the diet since I started.

I've lost 5 pounds so far. 5 pounds in 5 weeks is pretty slow when you consider how much I have to lose, but I am trying to be patient. The problem is, I often feel terrible physically. I get so hungry that I get bad headaches, and then I sometimes start feeling nauseous and disoriented. I also feel cold much of the time. (I was also having terrible blood sugar swings, but I've switched to a new diabetes drug, Byetta, and it's really helping with that.) With the headaches and nausea and all, I often have to go lie down, which means I'm falling way behind on all of the things I need to get done.

I'm not having these problems as much as I did the first few weeks, so that's an improvement, but I really hoped I'd be over these symptoms completely by now. Yesterday was especially bad, and I really questioned whether dieting could possibly be good for me, given that it was making me feel so awful. It's like my body refuses to burn fat the way a normal person's body would, and so when I diet, instead of losing much weight I just feel cold and famished and sick.

I know people will probably ask whether I'm drinking my water and all, so I'll try to answer those questions in advance. I'm drinking my water; I'm eating all my Points; I'm taking a multivitamin. I generally get all eight of the Weight Watcher "Good Health Guidelines" every day. I eat lots of vegetables to try to feel full, but I'm still really hungry. (I totaled it up at the end of the day yesterday, and I had had 12 servings of "0 Points" vegetables!) I am exercising almost every day. My thyroid was recently checked, and is currently normal.

I've tried a variety of other diets in the past, and I either feel terrible like I've felt on Weight Watchers, or I don't lose anything at all. (I did lose 45 pounds on a reduced carb diet several years ago, but it all came back, plus more, even though I didn't go back to eating as many carbs as I had before the diet.) I feel like I've tried everything.

What should I do? I'm tempted to try to get gastric bypass surgery, but I know that it doesn't work for everyone, and I'm worried about complications. I'm also tempted to try nicorette as a way to get my metabolism to speed up, but I'm wondering how dangerous that would be. (I have never been a smoker, so I haven't taken nicotine in the past.) I'm wondering if I can find a doctor who would prescribe amphetamines for me, and whether that would be safer than nicorette. Or should I give up dieting and just resign myself to being fat?

I'm also wondering if I'm the only one going through this. It seems like everyone else has so much more success dieting than I do! I have a friend who just did Weight Watchers, and she dropped 20 pounds in 12 weeks, no hunger, no headaches. She's taller than I am, and she now weighs 98 pounds less than I do, and that makes me feel miserable. Have other people been through these problems when dieting, and how did you cope with it? I really feel alone!

 

[goodeats]

Are you getting enough protein?

 

[LK03]

This is my 4th time on WW and I'm currently on my 33rd week. I will admit I was very hungry the first couple of weeks, however, I wasn't eating all the right things. I was just trying to stay within my points, that was it.

Do you like eating all the healthy guidelines? Like, are you so removed from your previous ways of eating that you are upset deep down you're not eating that way?

If I were you, and you do not realllly like the way WW has you outlined to eat with the guidelines, maybe this week just take a step back and work on the portion control only. I finally had to cut out milk because it was making me feel horrible each day (stomach would make sounds NON-stop).

 

[JudyS]

Are you getting enough protein?

Yes, I'm making sure to eat protein.

...Do you like eating all the healthy guidelines? Like, are you so removed from your previous ways of eating that you are upset deep down you're not eating that way?

If I were you, and you do not realllly like the way WW has you outlined to eat with the guidelines, maybe this week just take a step back and work on the portion control only. I finally had to cut out milk because it was making me feel horrible each day (stomach would make sounds NON-stop).

I'm happy with the types of food that I get on Weight Watchers. Actually, now that I've been on Byetta for the past two weeks, I'm able to eat whole grains (before, they raised my blood sugar too much and I couldn't eat grains at all), so I'm really happy about the types of foods that I get to eat now. I don't find it hard to fulfill the "good health guidelines" -- I was doing most of them before I started WW.

By the way, LK03, the problem you had with milk sounds like lactose intolerance (lactose is the natural sugar found in milk; many people can't digest it.) I'm quite lactose intolerant -- I had to be on soy formula as an infant. For milk products, I like the fatfree "Calorie Coundown" milk when I can find it, because it has most of the lactose (and therefore also about half the calories) removed. If I can't find that, I drink soy milk, which has almost no sugars at all if it's unsweetened. I also eat "Greek Yogurt" such as Fage, which has most of the whey, and therefore most of the lactose, removed. I eat reduced-fat cheese, too -- aged cheeses have little or no lactose.

The problem for me is, now that I'm eating fewer calories, my body is acting like it is starving to death. I need some way of persuading it that it actually has plenty of fat and should start burning it already! If there's no way of doing that, do I have to just stay fat my whole life?

 

[goodeats]

Could you give us a sample of a daily menu? Maybe we'll see some places where you could add some food or change the types of foods but still stay within your points?

I know when I eat more carbs than I should I get that headachey feel like you mentioned.

 

[NCRedding]

I started on WW just a few weeks ago. I searched for foods that are low/no points. I also try to keep a homemade vegetable soup in the fridge for heating up during the day--most recipes are either 0 or 1 point per serving. It really keeps me going when I am hungry. I also love the Nature's Own Double Fiber wheat bread--0 points for one slice, which I ususally dip in olive oil (to get my healthy oils in) Also, are you using all your flex points for the week (the additional 35). I had about 87 pounds to lose when I started, and my leader strongly encouraged me to use most of these.

I would talk to my leader or to my doctor given your diabetes, etc. Diabetes is such a difficult disease to deal with. Good luck and hang in there.

 

[JudyS]

I'm not optimistic that changing the mix of protein/fat/carbs will help. I've tried a very low-fat diet (vegan -- nothing but whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruit, with 10% of less calories from fat), and on the other hand, I've done reduced-carb, too. I'm a vegetarian, so it wasn't Atkins, but it had about 25% of calories from carbs, 15-20% of calories from protein, and the rest from fats, mostly healthy fats like flax, nuts, and olive oil. (I can't go higher than that on protein because I have some early signs of kidney damage.) I lost nothing on the vegan diet, and although I initially lost weight when I did the reduced carb diet, it all came back (plus more) even though I continued to eat lower-carb. So, I've tried both extremes on the reduced fat - reduced carb scale, and neither worked, at least not for long.

However, I have my foods already recorded on my computer, so I'll be happy to post them here. So, below is what I ate yesterday -- it was more food than usual (33 points total), because I was SO hungry. I dipped into my weekly points allowance (my daily allotment is 25 points), but I was still not only hungry, but also disoriented and dizzy from hunger. It was really bad!

Breakfast: High protein muffin w/ 3 T SF jam (3 points) Atkins shake (4 points)

Lunch: 9 oz steamed broccoli (0 points). 3 oz whole wheat pasta (5 points) with 1C marinara (2 points) and added mushrooms and peppers (0 points). Large (4 cups) salad with 1 t canola oil (1 point).

Dinner: Sandwich made of 1 oz reduced fat cheese (2 points), 1 T light mayo (1 point), and 2 slices high-fiber bread (1 point). Tossed salad with 1 t canola oil (1 point). Pickle spear (0 points).

Snacks: Sugar-free pudding (1 point); Sugar-free fudgicles (2 points); 1.5C baked pumpkin (0 points); low-fat microwave popcorn (2 points); small amount of sugar-free candy (1 point); 1 Cup of Buckwheat with mushrooms and garbanzos (4 points); 1 Cup of unsweetened nonfat Greek yogurt (2 points) with 1 cup raspberries (1 point)

 

[JudyS]

I started on WW just a few weeks ago. I searched for foods that are low/no points. I also try to keep a homemade vegetable soup in the fridge for heating up during the day--most recipes are either 0 or 1 point per serving. It really keeps me going when I am hungry. I also love the Nature's Own Double Fiber wheat bread--0 points for one slice, which I ususally dip in olive oil (to get my healthy oils in) Also, are you using all your flex points for the week (the additional 35). I had about 87 pounds to lose when I started, and my leader strongly encouraged me to use most of these.

I would talk to my leader or to my doctor given your diabetes, etc. Diabetes is such a difficult disease to deal with. Good luck and hang in there.

Thanks for wishing me luck, NCRedding!

I'm eating all my points, including the weekly points allowance, and I'm eating a lot of 0 point foods (12 servings of vegetables yesterday!) but I'm still having problems. I've never seen the Nature's Own Double Fiber bread -- is that something you can buy online? I eat the Millie's "Fiber for Life" whole grain bread; 1 point per two slices.

I've been to quite a few different endocrinologists in the past. Some were sympathetic, but said they had nothing to offer me for weight loss. Others were really rude and dismissive -- one took one look at me and said, "I'm not even doing any tests until you lose 40 pounds." If I could find a way to lose 40 pounds, I wouldn't have been there!

My current endocrinologist seems very knowledgable and isn't rude like some of the others. He suggested Metformin (Glucophage) but I was having a lot of blood sugar swings on Metformin, so I asked for (and received) Byetta instead. (Byetta is supposed to be one of the most powerful drugs available to help diabetics lose weight, and it is helping a lot with the blood sugar swings, but I don't seem to be getting lots of help in weight loss like some diabetics do.) This endocrinologist isn't optimistic about dieting helping my health problems, and wants to put me on a whole batch of medications instead.

As for asking my team leader, I would like to do that. I'm not sure when to ask her, though. There doesn't seem to be any time for questions at the meetings I attend (my town has only "Express" meetings, which last 30 minutes.) After each meeting, there is a half-hour session where they introduce new members to the program. Then, it's time for the next meeting. This has really surprised (and disappointed) me about Weight Watchers -- I thought there would be time set aside to ask for advice.

I'm actually really dreading Weight Watchers today. Based on my home scale, I've gone up a pound or two since last week, even though I've been "on plan" the whole time.

 

[twotoohappy]

Hi Judy
You're food intake sounds great!
What are you doing for exercise?

 

[VernRDH]

Judy-

I don't see a lot of protein in your diet. Do you eat tofu or other veggie "meat" products?

It seems like there are more carb type foods in your diet too. Have you ever been to a registered dietician or nutritionist? I had to go to one while I was pregnant with DD as I had gestational diabetes. I was on a VERY strict 1800 cal diet, with prescribed amounts of carb/fat/protein for each of my SIX meals. So for breakfast, I would have one piece of toast with 2 tbsp peanut butter. Then mid morning I had cereal and milk. Then lunch I had half a sandwich and veggies. Then afternoon I had yogurt and graham crackers. Dinner again was protein/carbs/veggies/fat. Then finally I had a snack/mini meal of say popcorn.

While I totally love WW, and it is working for me, it may not because you have a disease that needs to have dietary control as well as medication. I would speak to the endocrinologist and see if she can refer you to a dietician who can set up a diet for you that you can stick to and not have those low sugar feelings.

Good luck to you!!!

 

[goodeats]

Breakfast: High protein muffin w/ 3 T SF jam (3 points) Atkins shake (4 points)

What are the percentage splits of the muffin between Carbs, Proteins, Fats? It is most likely a carb, and the protein is not very digestible. Do you eat eggs at all? I would try having egg whites with whole wheat toast and see if this helps. I know I can't do high protein carb stuff (like Kashi) or a shake AND make it to lunch. I would need a snack in between (maybe a cheese stick or a soy yogurt)?

Lunch: 9 oz steamed broccoli (0 points). 3 oz whole wheat pasta (5 points) with 1C marinara (2 points) and added mushrooms and peppers (0 points). Large (4 cups) salad with 1 t canola oil (1 point).

Wow that's a lot of food bulk wise, but zero protein! I would decrease the pasta to at most 1.5oz and add some cheese or tofu. Maybe soy milk?

Dinner: Sandwich made of 1 oz reduced fat cheese (2 points), 1 T light mayo (1 point), and 2 slices high-fiber bread (1 point). Tossed salad with 1 t canola oil (1 point). Pickle spear (0 points).

Not too bad, although not enough protein.

Snacks: Sugar-free pudding (1 point); Sugar-free fudgicles (2 points); 1.5C baked pumpkin (0 points); low-fat microwave popcorn (2 points); small amount of sugar-free candy (1 point); 1 Cup of Buckwheat with mushrooms and garbanzos (4 points); 1 Cup of unsweetened nonfat Greek yogurt (2 points) with 1 cup raspberries (1 point)

I can't tell when you ate all these snacks? Are you not making it until lunch or dinner? Is before bedtime your problem? We all have days that are snackier than others (especially at certain times of the month ), but you just don't seem satisfied by your meals. The yogurt is a good choice.

Your diet also seems to be lacking in healthy fats. This is why I'm not totally sold on the WW points thing. I would start adding a few nuts now and then.

Honestly, I agree with the idea of seeing a nutritionist. Is there a moral reason you're a vegetarian? If not, I would probably start eating chicken or fish. If so, you should see a nutritionist about balancing your diet more. I'm sure you're iron deficient so maybe a supplement would help?

 

[kitn]

You really need to add more protien in your diet. A protien bar makes me feel very full and you can eat a little at a time. I am not sure how many points they are but I am sure it would make you feel more full than the atkins shake. Also if you are woring out every it may be agood idea to eat a small snack like 1-2 points 1/2 hour to 45 minutes before you work out. Otherwise your body may not burn fat during the workout and you will be extremely hungry after. I would go to fitday.com and type in everything you are eating to make sure it is the balance you want. Look at the protien bars I am sure they will help you.

 

[Geekerbell]

I wholeheartedly second what Vern said above. (Iwas actually about to type the almost exact same thing and then read her post.)

Dealing with Type 2 is going to be a lot different in how you get your points in and exactly what you should be eating in regards to carbs, protein, etc. When I had GD with my first two pregnancies, I went to a nutritionist and was on a plan very siniliar to what Vern listed.
Just recently, my mom, who is type 2, went to a nutritionist and was prescribed a very detailed eating plan. She had already been switched to Byetta, but was not having the weight loss, and then when she started to nutritionist's eating plan, she dropped 20 pounds in just under two months. She does still quite a bit to go, but the eating plan is working very well for her in combination with the Byetta.

Sorry for the long post. In short, ask for a referral to a nutritionist.

 

[JudyS]

I've been to nutritionist three or four times in the past. I've tried what they recommended, but it hasn't helped. It's always the same thing -- I either feel horrible physically, or I don't lose weight, or both. A few weeks ago, I did ask my endocrinologist for a referral to a nutritionist, but the one he recommended wants $180 for the initial session, and that's a lot of money for me to spend right now (my husband lost his job.) My appointment is next week. Will I go? I'm not sure. That's a lot of money for something I've tried repeatedly in the past, that didn't help.

After I read this thread last night, I just cried for hours. I really think that there is something wrong with my body that is preventing me from losing weight. I posted because I was hoping to find support from people with the same problem, and advice on sorting out my options (stay fat, take stimulants, have surgery) given that diet and exercise just don't work for me to lose weight. I tried to make it really clear in my initial post that this is what I was looking for.

Instead, it seems like almost every post assumes that I'm dieting "wrong" and if I would just eat the right things, I could lose weight like other people. I know that many people probably look at me and see that I'm 100 pounds overweight and assume that I'm eating the wrong things and not exercising and could lose weight if I try, but I thought that at least some people here would believe me. So far, I'm not sure that anyone responding to this thread believes that my inability to lose weight is due to something wrong with my body, as opposed to something wrong with my behavior.

The reason I posted what I ate was that I was hoping to demonstrate that I really am eating a healthy diet and that there must be something wrong with me physiologically that is keeping me fat. Now, I feel like no matter what I eat, there's going to be someone who says it's the wrong thing. I went back and calculated the iron and protein content of Tuesday's meals (the ones that I posted.) I got about 105% of the RDA for iron, and 108 grams of protein. (Lunch had 27 grams of protein, not zero.) I did try eating a high protein lunch Wednesday (omelet made with 1 egg, 6 oz Egg Beaters and 1.5 oz reduced fat cheese, plus some soy crisps on the side and a salad) and I still had the same problems I’ve been having with headaches, hunger, lightheadedness, etc. I don’t think lack of protein is the problem. Even if it was, as I've said here, I have signs of possible early kidney damage, so going very high on protein for any extended period of time is not a good idea.

As for exercise, I did eight hours of exercise last week, spread out over 6 days. As I said previously, I'm exercising almost every day.

I am considering reducing my level of carbs and replacing them with healthy fats, because I think that may make me feel better. But, I don't think that will allow me to lose weight the way a normal person would. As I posted on this thread previously, I used to do a diet that was “25% of calories from carbs, 15-20% of calories from protein, and the rest from fats, mostly healthy fats like flax, nuts, and olive oil.” I switched to Weight Watchers because that reduced carb/healthy fat diet wasn't working for me (I wasn't losing anything.) As I’ve said, I don’t think trying to change the mix of carbs, fats, and protein is going to help me lose weight, since I’ve tried a wide range of diets, from low-fat to low-carb, and none of them have worked.

I was hoping that I’d find other people here who had been through this, but that hasn’t happened. I don't know if that means other people like me don't exist, or if they just get frustrated and give up dieting, and therefore don't post here.

I’m trying to hang in there with the diet, but just too much in my life is falling by the wayside while I’m feeling so awful physically, and I can’t keep doing this. I can try going to a less strict diet, but given how little I’m losing now, I’m not sure I’d lose anything at all that way. Right now, I really feel like my choices are either take stimulants, have bariatric surgery, or stay fat, so that’s what I'm hoping for advice on.

 

[Geekerbell]

Judy,

First, I know how miserable you must feel and how frustrating it is being so overweight. I have well over 100 pounds to lose as well.
I don't think anyone here is trying to be "nitpicky", but instead, we are posting because we are trying to help you with the situation you have now.

As far as the choices you are giving yourself, if you feel like bariatric surgery might be an option for you, maybe you could consider asking your current doctor for a referral or find a good surgeon in your area and set up an appointment. Personally, I would love to have this done and have done extensive research on it, both the lap-band and the bypass. I know many insurance companies will cover the costs if you are over a certain BMI, and especially if you have other health problems (ie. diabeties), and have tried to lose weight other ways (and you can prove this to the insurance companies by the fact that you are currently on WW and have been to nutritionists in the past.) The reason I haven't done it is because my husband dose not support that decision. So I personally am in a "last ditch effort" scenerio with "regular" dieting.

Please don't give. I know there has to be a solution for you out there. And everyone here is really willing to help and give support. Feel free to pm me if you want a more solo chat.

Laura

 

[goodeats]

We all have things wrong with our body, we just need to figure out a way to cope with it to make it work right. For myself I can not eat a meal of purely carbs and survive more than an hour (shaky, foggy, headaches, stomach problems), so I modify my diet to include chicken/fish and can last much longer. It sounds to me like you may be similar.

I would not count protein in broccolli or WW bread as a true protein, although with your Kidney problem I would talk to a doctor first. My understanding is that they are not true proteins, but again I'm not a doctor.

Try getting The Zone by Barry Sears from the library. It may clear up some things, or it may be pure bunk to you, but I found it helpful.

Good Luck!

 

[VernRDH]

Judy-

First, let me say that many of us here know what it is like to be that overweight. It is not easy. But unfortunately, there are not always easy answers. If you want someone to tell you that its okay to stay fat, or take drugs that will mess up other parts of your body, I don't think anyone here will tell you that. Bariatric surgery can work for many people, but I would hope that would be the last resort.

I am sorry that you felt that you weren't getting the support you wanted. But those of us who know firsthand how diabetes works know what can be done to get healthier, we were just trying to troubleshoot and offer advice. I will tell you that my humble opinion is that working with a registered dietician who specializes in diabetics is your best non surgical option. There is something wrong with your body, yes I agree. But pills and surgery are not necessarily the best answer.

I wish you luck on your journey and hope that you can find the answers you are looking for.

 

[JudyS]

....As far as the choices you are giving yourself, if you feel like bariatric surgery might be an option for you, maybe you could consider asking your current doctor for a referral or find a good surgeon in your area and set up an appointment. Personally, I would love to have this done and have done extensive research on it, both the lap-band and the bypass....

Thanks, Laura! I've looked into bariatric surgery a fair amount, too, and there are some new theories that suggest that the most effective forms (such as Roux-En-Y) work because they alter the hormones ("gut peptides") produced by the intestines. The studies show that some people's intestines don't release normal amounts of hormones, which makes it impossible for the brain to tell that nutrients are being absorbed, and some forms of bypass surgery help correct this. However, there are also some new drugs available that also alter the gut hormones; for example, Byetta (which I am taking) raises the level of GLP-1, which is one of the hormones that tells the brain (and other organs) that you have eaten.

So, before getting bariatric surgery, I would try to find a doctor who will let you try out Byetta and see if it helps you lose weight. The main drawback of Byetta is that it has to be injected twice a day. There is also a pill (Januvia) that raises GLP-1, but I'm not convinced that it's safe. Symlin is another drug that tells the brain you have eaten, but it has to be injected every time you eat, and currently is only approved for use by insulin-dependent diabetics. It's in testing as a treatment for obesity, though.

One of the reasons I've gotten so frustrated is that Byetta has really helped stablize my blood sugars, so I thought it might help with the other problems (confusions, headaches) that dieting is giving me. Unfortunately, I am still having those problems. I will try to see if a higher dose of Byetta helps, though.

When you say that these are "the choices I am giving myself," are there other choices that you see, that I am missing? I don't feel I can tolerate feeling this sick forever, so I can't figure out what other options I have.

 

[ReAnSt]

Just hang in there. Keep on moving and eating healthy.

Have you had your thyroid checked?? I know several people who have been diagnosed with an under active thyroid within the past couple of weeks.

It can cause weight gain/difficulty losing, feeling cold, tiredness. If you have not have it checked you might want to ask your doctor(s) about having it checked.

Good luck I know you can do this.

 

[JudyS]

We all have things wrong with our body, we just need to figure out a way to cope with it to make it work right. For myself I can not eat a meal of purely carbs and survive more than an hour (shaky, foggy, headaches, stomach problems), so I modify my diet to include chicken/fish and can last much longer. It sounds to me like you may be similar....

Goodeats, that does sound very much like reactive hypoglycemia. I was having real problems with that for years, until I tried Byetta. I did find that a reduced-carb diet helped tremendously with the blood sugar spikes -- before I started taking Byetta, I found that as little as 30 grams of carbs would make my blood sugar soar up over 200 mg/dl, and then crash down to 70 mg/dl. On a reduced-carb diet (say, 25% of calories from carbs), I still had blood sugar swings, but not nearly as bad. With Byetta, I can eat carbs and my blood sugar stays right around 110.

I don't know if you are already using a home glucose meter to track your blood sugar, but if you think that certain foods are triggering blood sugar swings, a home glucose meter is a great way to find out. No prescription is needed, and they can sometimes be picked up for free at drugstores (my local Walgreen's has Freestyle Lite, a meter I like a lot, currently free after rebate.) Unfortunately, the test strips get expensive if you test a lot -- it's about $1 per test for supplies.

When I first went low-carb, about 4.5 years ago, I did lose weight, which was wonderful. But, the effectiveness of eating low-carb seemed to wear off for me after a couple of years, and the weight came back on even though I wasn't eating much carbs. That's why I changed to WW, but I just don't seem to be tolerating a low-calorie diet well at all. I didn't lose anything on an-all vegan, very low fat diet, either. So, I feel like I am out of diet options.

Goodeats, it seems to me that you are saying that, no matter what the situation is with one's body, there is some diet out there that will let you lose weight. It may vary depending on one's physiology, but for everyone, there is at least one diet (and exercise) plan that would work. Do I understand what you mean? But, why would it necessarily be that way? There are plenty of conditions -- high cholesterol, for example -- where diet and exercise helps some people, but does pretty much nothing to solve the problem for other people.

Vern, I will go see a dietician if I can find a reasonably cheap way to see one. The reason I don't want to pay $180 is that I just don't see why see a dietician should work this time, if it hasn't worked the last three times. I've already tried low-carb, very low-fat, and low-calorie diets, and I either feel too awful to tolerate the diet, or I don't lose weight. I'm not sure what else a dietician could suggest.

I also tried asking on the Weight Watchers' forums, and I must say that people here are much friendlier! I do appreciate that, thank you! Still, my experience asking about this really drives home the fact that many people feel that every case of obesity can be solved by proper diet and exercise. I guess that as long as I am fat, most people -- maybe just about all people -- are going to look at me and believe that I must not be eating right or must not be exercising enough. And, I really just can't take that. I'm not ready to rush into bariatric surgery, and I just can't continue with the symptoms dieting is causing me, so the only option I can think of right now is to take stimulants. I started that today, and I'll let you know how it goes.