Desperately need advice..

triciasaunders5
triciasaunders5 Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone, I seem to be having a really hard time losing weight. Over 2 years I went from 148 to 231. Looking at my weight charts from last year I was quickly gaining like 10 pounds every 5 weeks. I have something called Hypermobility which makes it difficult for me to lift anything over 10 pounds.I can't afford the gym and I can't find any good at home work outs. Does anyone have any tips for me on how I can start small and make my way up to more intense at home work outs? I need to lose 60 pounds.

Replies

  • mrtastybutt
    mrtastybutt Posts: 87 Member
    I too have hypermobile joints. I have found barre class very helpful. Maybe you can find some youtube videos? But to lose weight you really only need to have a calorie deficit in my experience. I've found that increasing strength around my joints has helped my joints, but decreasing my calories has caused the weight loss.
  • faramelee
    faramelee Posts: 163 Member
    Hi. You haven't mentioned your diet at all. Are you or have you already looked closely at what you're eating and the portion sizes of such? I know very little about Hypermobility I'm afraid but you say you 'can't find any good at home work outs', have you looked online? I personally use home dvd's but have been told that there is literally something for everyone on youtube.

    Best of luck to you!
  • Equus5374
    Equus5374 Posts: 462 Member
    You don't need to do intense workouts to lose weight. You need to focus almost exclusively on your caloric intake. That's where weight loss will happen. Put your stats into MFP, don't choose an overly aggressive goal to start (start at 0.5 to 1 lb. weight loss per week), and weigh/measure every morsel that goes into your mouth. For exercise, go outside and take a nice walk for 20-30 minutes. Anything that gets you moving just a bit more is fine. If you can't lift more than 10 pounds, pick up some 3 to 5 pound weights and look up some free programs on YouTube. Losing weight does not have to be a bank-breaking endeavor like so many fad diet plans and multi-level marketing schemes would have you believe.
  • triciasaunders5
    triciasaunders5 Posts: 17 Member
    mrtastybutt wrote: »
    I too have hypermobile joints. I have found barre class very helpful. Maybe you can find some youtube videos? But to lose weight you really only need to have a calorie deficit in my experience. I've found that increasing strength around my joints has helped my joints, but decreasing my calories has caused the weight loss.

    What types of excersise did you do to strengthen? My shoulders and knees are my problem.
  • piggysmalls333
    piggysmalls333 Posts: 450 Member
    It's all about your diet. What are you doing differently lately? Do you have any high sodium foods lately? Comb through your diaries and think about what changes you can make to be at a deficit and especially be under in the sodium
    Levels.
  • triciasaunders5
    triciasaunders5 Posts: 17 Member
    Equus5374 wrote: »
    You don't need to do intense workouts to lose weight. You need to focus almost exclusively on your caloric intake. That's where weight loss will happen. Put your stats into MFP, don't choose an overly aggressive goal to start (start at 0.5 to 1 lb. weight loss per week), and weigh/measure every morsel that goes into your mouth. For exercise, go outside and take a nice walk for 20-30 minutes. Anything that gets you moving just a bit more is fine. If you can't lift more than 10 pounds, pick up some 3 to 5 pound weights and look up some free programs on YouTube. Losing weight does not have to be a bank-breaking endeavor like so many fad diet plans and multi-level marketing schemes would have you believe.

    I wouldn't be able to "weigh" my portion sizes but I can definitely control them. I tried several times last year and in January but I always find myself so hungry in the evening.
  • triciasaunders5
    triciasaunders5 Posts: 17 Member
    piggysmalls333 wrote: »
    It's all about your diet. What are you doing differently lately? Do you have any high sodium foods lately? Comb through your diaries and think about what changes you can make to be at a deficit and especially be under in the sodium
    Levels.

    I didn't know that sodium was as important as the carbs fats and sugars.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,148 Member
    I'm not sure what you can/can't do with hypermobility, but maybe try Leslie Sansone's videos. She does mostly walking with knee lifts, arm raises, and using resistance bands. You can find her videos free on YouTube.

    As Equus said, track your portions and pick a reasonable weight loss goal.
  • triciasaunders5
    triciasaunders5 Posts: 17 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    I'm not sure what you can/can't do with hypermobility, but maybe try Leslie Sansone's videos. She does mostly walking with knee lifts, arm raises, and using resistance bands. You can find her videos free on YouTube.

    As Equus said, track your portions and pick a reasonable weight loss goal.

    Would 2 pounds a week be reasonable if I walked for 30 mins a day? I think I need to start with walking and a calorie deficit.
  • SacredCaramel
    SacredCaramel Posts: 2 Member
    Most of my weight loss has come from reducing the calories, anything that comes from exercise is a bonus (I don't use MFP to track exercise calories, as it adds them back into the calories you can eat in a day, which is inaccurate; you can have some extra if you are increasing your activity level on a regular basis, but if MFP says you can have 150 extra calories today, don't eat that much).
    Are you getting enough protein? If I don't get at least 80 g of protein per day, then I will end the day hungry. You don't necessarily need to be able to weigh everything to portion it. Most food options can be found with a volume measurement if you look hard enough (example, one cup of pinto beans). I hope that made sense, I just got up, and I'm not necessarily coherent yet.
  • triciasaunders5
    triciasaunders5 Posts: 17 Member
    SacredCaramel wrote: »
    Most of my weight loss has come from reducing the calories, anything that comes from exercise is a bonus (I don't use MFP to track exercise calories, as it adds them back into the calories you can eat in a day, which is inaccurate; you can have some extra if you are increasing your activity level on a regular basis, but if MFP says you can have 150 extra calories today, don't eat that much).
    Are you getting enough protein? If I don't get at least 80 g of protein per day, then I will end the day hungry. You don't necessarily need to be able to weigh everything to portion it. Most food options can be found with a volume measurement if you look hard enough (example, one cup of pinto beans). I hope that made sense, I just got up, and I'm not necessarily coherent yet.

    Yeah it makes sense.. My issue is I only make 500 dollars a month working part time at the moment so I can't afford alot of healthy foods but I always have tuna and lots of fruits and veggies. The only meat I buy is chicken or turkey sausages.
  • KrisiAnnH
    KrisiAnnH Posts: 352 Member
    triciasaunders5 wrote: »
    SacredCaramel wrote: »
    Most of my weight loss has come from reducing the calories, anything that comes from exercise is a bonus (I don't use MFP to track exercise calories, as it adds them back into the calories you can eat in a day, which is inaccurate; you can have some extra if you are increasing your activity level on a regular basis, but if MFP says you can have 150 extra calories today, don't eat that much).
    Are you getting enough protein? If I don't get at least 80 g of protein per day, then I will end the day hungry. You don't necessarily need to be able to weigh everything to portion it. Most food options can be found with a volume measurement if you look hard enough (example, one cup of pinto beans). I hope that made sense, I just got up, and I'm not necessarily coherent yet.

    Yeah it makes sense.. My issue is I only make 500 dollars a month working part time at the moment so I can't afford alot of healthy foods but I always have tuna and lots of fruits and veggies. The only meat I buy is chicken or turkey sausages.

    I think it's a common misconception that eating healthy foods has to cost more- things like cooking in bulk can really help. Also, as you'll be consuming less calories, you'll be buying less food (usually- although this isn't always the case).

    There are a lot of ways to be cost effective with healthy foods- batch cooking as I mentioned above (means you can use meat more sparingly), bulking meals out with beans (tinned) or small portions of dried foods like rice that you can buy in bulk. Frozen fruit and veg is also often cheaper than fresh, and will produce less wastage (if its frozen, it cant go off).

    As others have said above though- Diet is key. Stick to the calorie goal MFP has given you and you'll lose weight :)
  • JennieMaeK
    JennieMaeK Posts: 474 Member
    As others have mentioned, weight loss is about the calories you consume. To ensure you are accurately tracking your calories, you should invest in a food scale and then weigh your food. Adjust your settings as needed. With a significant amount of weight to lose, you could set it to 2 lbs a week, but you'll get less calories to eat. Remember that weight loss isn't linear, some weeks you'll lose more, some less. Any exercise you do will help, but it's not necessary for weight loss.
  • DizzyMissIzzy
    DizzyMissIzzy Posts: 168 Member
    triciasaunders5 wrote: »
    Equus5374 wrote: »
    You don't need to do intense workouts to lose weight. You need to focus almost exclusively on your caloric intake. That's where weight loss will happen. Put your stats into MFP, don't choose an overly aggressive goal to start (start at 0.5 to 1 lb. weight loss per week), and weigh/measure every morsel that goes into your mouth. For exercise, go outside and take a nice walk for 20-30 minutes. Anything that gets you moving just a bit more is fine. If you can't lift more than 10 pounds, pick up some 3 to 5 pound weights and look up some free programs on YouTube. Losing weight does not have to be a bank-breaking endeavor like so many fad diet plans and multi-level marketing schemes would have you believe.

    I wouldn't be able to "weigh" my portion sizes but I can definitely control them. I tried several times last year and in January but I always find myself so hungry in the evening.

    Why wouldn't you be able to weigh them? Food scales are extremely cheap and available most places that sell kitchen stuff, to include Walmart and Target.
  • DizzyMissIzzy
    DizzyMissIzzy Posts: 168 Member
    I must add, it wasn't until I started weighing my food to meet my macro goals that I saw any difference on the scale even though I was eating healthy foods and working out a lot. I just didn't realize how much I was eating!!!
  • Equus5374
    Equus5374 Posts: 462 Member
    If you are in the US, go to a WalMart. I bought a digital food scale there for $14.
  • Cynsonya
    Cynsonya Posts: 668 Member
    I understand money can be tight but a good food scale is definitely a worthy investment. It makes weight loss so much more predictable. As others have stated they can be purchased for $10-$20 at local retailers. Be sure it weighs in grams.
  • Numer1ca
    Numer1ca Posts: 284 Member
    I have back issues, hip issue and vein issues in one leg.

    So my goal is 10,000 steps a day. I usually have to walk 1 or 2 miles with intension. When I do, I squeeze my core the entire time. Concentrating on keeping my core tight is also making me keep my legs and butt tight. Everything is very controlled.

    It's really making a difference in my inches. Would something like that work?
  • ammo7
    ammo7 Posts: 188 Member
    triciasaunders5 wrote: »
    Yeah it makes sense.. My issue is I only make 500 dollars a month working part time at the moment so I can't afford alot of healthy foods but I always have tuna and lots of fruits and veggies. The only meat I buy is chicken or turkey sausages.

    For weight loss, focusing on the amount of calories you eat should be highest priority. So if you feel that you can't afford to change the types of food that you are eating, you could certainly reduce the portion sizes of everything you eat. You would only *save* money in that case, because you would be eating less food!

    The great thing about this is that you don't *have* to exercise to lose weight. Reducing the number of calories you eat is totally within your control. Good luck :)

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