Motivate me! Joint problems

lantanatx65

Hi! I'm a 53-year-old teacher who is trying to get back down to 135. I topped at 190 this summer and have lost 9 lbs so far, despite vacation and work conferences. I have a connective tissue disease (prob. Ehlers-Danlos) and my joint pains and injuries made me leave my previous career as a field biologist. Once I got a comparatively sedentary job about 7 years ago the pounds just kept creeping up and up. I'm in a rural area and limited in my ability to exercise.

kommodevaran

Welcome! If you can walk, walk. On MFP, you'll be creating your deficit by eating less anyway.

lantanatx65

Walking is a problem. I can handle about 6000-7000 steps a day relatively pain-free but it gets painful past that as my knees swell up as I get close to 10,000. Unfortunately, I routinely do 10-12,000 on a typical school day, so by the time I get home for the day I'm having to do RICE in order to keep moving the next day. It makes it really difficult to get any additional exercise in.

NewMeSM75

I also have connective tissue disease. It's disheartening because I've always been very active and now I'm so tired and achy.

dmwh142

Have you thought about swimming? I had to change from running to swimming after turning 50 and I have almost no pain now. I don't have your same health issue however.

quiksylver296

The lucky thing is that weight loss is about calorie deficit, not exercise. Weigh your food using a food scale, log religiously (no skipping, cheating, or forgetting) and hit the calorie allowance this site gives you. Voila! Weight loss.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1