Diets & Weight Maintenance Support Group
Chat about how well your latest diet is -- or is not -- working. This group is a great place to find support and accountability as well as share success stories and valuable lessons with the community. From where to start to weekly weigh-ins, get help from others to reach your dieting and weight maintenance goals.
I suffer from dysthymic depression and after a long bout, ended up using food as medication. Over time, my body has deteriated and I have nerve damage in my left leg, (the whole outside is numb) and also have lower back pain, and to top it all off, no cartledge in my left knee.
I cannot walk for any length of time even with my knee brace on (big metal thing that is a pain to wear) and I have tried riding bikes and exercycles and can only do that for a short time before my knee and lower back hurts so bad I have to stop. Thank heavens for percocets.
I have tried dieting and try to watch what I eat, but I find my willpower sucks at times. Not sure what to do.
I have tried going to a pool and walk around in it but since I never learned to swim stick to the shallow end.
I cannot walk for any length of time even with my knee brace on (big metal thing that is a pain to wear) and I have tried riding bikes and exercycles and can only do that for a short time before my knee and lower back hurts so bad I have to stop. Thank heavens for percocets.
I have tried dieting and try to watch what I eat, but I find my willpower sucks at times. Not sure what to do.
I have tried going to a pool and walk around in it but since I never learned to swim stick to the shallow end.
On the exercise front, have you talked to your doctor about what kinds of physical activity you can do that will help you without exacerbating your conditions? That would be my first step. Everything I've read about walking in the pool is positive, so if it is not hurting you to do it, why not continue? It doesn't matter if you are in the shallow end. The point is to move, and to increase the amount of time you spend moving. If you are worried about your safety, get yourself some water wings, and stay where the water is waist high or lower. You might also look into swimming lessons for adults in your area. It's never too late, I say. The other thing that comes to mind is some weight lifting and resistance training using your upper body. It sounds like your upper body is okay, so I would look into that. Weight training will help you increase your lean muscle mass, which will help you lose weight. But again, since you have some physical challenges, talk to your doctor about this.
As for the calorie cutting part, you must engage with this. There is a ton of free information on the internet about how to cut calories and eat more healthfully. Start educating yourself. Start thinking seriously about what will work for you. Come here and ask questions. Read through the old posts on this board - there's lots of good information right here. Be honest with yourself. Are you willing to commit to changing for your own benefit? You can change slowly, you can change quickly, or you can take an in-between approach, but you will have to change the way you consume calories if you are really going to lose weight.
Best of luck with it. Change is not easy, it is often not fun, and it tends to take longer than we want it to. But it is doable. And you have nothing to lose in working away at it.
Unfortunately being alone, I have no one to push me and keep me going. when it is hard to get out of bed, or move, going to the pool is a struggle. I am trying though.
Thanks for the response..