Triathlete to Obese

Titaniumbones13

I had a life altering motorcycle accident in 2018. I went from 200 lbs (bulking up using CrossFit) to 350 lbs in four months of being non-weight bearing. I have titanium screws, pins and plates in four parts of my body.

I feel helpless. I’m in pain every day and I miss working out hard like I used to while training for triathlons. I have to start off slow and my brain just doesn’t want to.

I am sinking deeper and deeper into a hole that I feel like I can’t get out of. I hate going to the gym because people feel the need to tell me I’m overweight and give me their lectures on how they lost their weight.

My journey has been a nightmare. I’m hoping to gain support through MyFitnessPal. The kind I never did through weight watchers.

MaltedTea

First off: people at your gym suck, apparently.

If you choose to continue going to that one, then feel free to walk away and go about your business as soon as someone opens their mouth 🤷🏿‍♀️

Other than that, perhaps be more gracious with yourself? This recovery will take time. 🤗

Titaniumbones13

I've made the most recovery I'll ever be able to make with my weight gain. I'm used to running like 6-12 miles a day and I can barley walk 3 now. Its just very frustrating. I did move my gym. I haven't been able to make myself go inside though. Basically I've been paying for a gym membership and I'm terrified to go in now.

2run2ski

I can get immobilized, too. It's a vicious cycle. You want to do something, and you don't. And then, you feel worse. Repeat.

So, I can offer you my experiences that have helped me. First of all, I needed to accept myself where I am today and stop comparing myself to the woman of yesteryear (e.g., I used to run a 5:30 mile. I now can do a 10-min mile.) I needed to be willing to let go of how I used to be... to graciously accept the athlete I am now and to appreciate her.

The other practical step when I'm immobilized is to figure out the barest minimum I KNOW I can do. Say I wanted to do the elliptical for 30 minutes, but the likelihood of that happening was .001%. Okay, do I know for a fact I can do 15 minutes? No? How about 5? Yeah, I KNOW I can do 5 minutes. And, so I go do the 5 minutes and I'm grateful to have done it AND to have overcome the immobility to some small degree. I don't belittle the effort. I maintain a positive attitude that I did accomplish what I set out to do. Sometimes I found I'd do 6 minutes. Or, maybe I even felt like 10! Other days, it was the goal of 5. But, as I worked with myself, the times slowly increased. It's a matter of gaining some momentum...ANY momentum.

So, you're terrified to go into the gym. What CAN you do? How about walking into the building and going into the locker room? And then you leave. Maybe do that several times until you add the next "I can do at least THAT." Maybe it's to go walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes? Be quiet and honest with yourself and you'll find the mini steps you can take. They WILL accumulate and you WILL progress.

I'm rooting for you. I know you can do this! Feel free to Friend me if you want.

TwistedSassette

Wow, I'm sorry about your accident. It sounds completely life-changing. Have you been able to access any emotional support services as part of your recovery plan? It sounds like that's maybe something that could help you come to terms with the changes that have been forced on you, to help you find a way forward.

One thing that I also want to mention, that you might already be aware of, is that you don't NEED to exercise to lose weight. I know it's something that you want to get back into and there are definitely benefits aside from weight loss, but please don't think that you need to be running 6 miles a day or even go to the gym (which sounds awful) in order to make a start on reducing your weight. The important thing is to consume fewer calories than you burn, but the majority of the calories you burn come from just living your life (i.e. your BMR). If you're not already tracking your calories, that's where I'd suggest you start. Just track everything that you eat and drink for at least a couple of weeks, to give you an idea of how much you're eating on average and you can start to identify some patterns (like, if you don't eat breakfast then you eat a lot more in the evening, or you tend to eat most of your calories at dinnertime, etc).

Meanwhile you can still do that 3-mile walk if you can manage it, but be kind to yourself and remember that your body is not the same as it was before. Think about what your limits are now, and develop a training plan to help you improve that - or work with a personal trainer who can customise a plan that will feel similar to your old crossfit days but at a level that your body can handle now.

Wishing you all the best :flowerforyou:

chris_in_cal

Titaniumbones13 wrote: »

I went from 200 lbs to 350 lbs in four months

Wow.

You have been through a lot.

I have no magic bullet, or deep insight. All I suggest is log into MFP everyday. Post everyday. Keep this fitness change a living breathing everyday thing.

I got a running stress fracture in March 2020 and gained 70 lbs not running. I want to run too. Hope we'll be hear talking about our hard runs this time next year.

@Titaniumbones13

Fflpnari

you can do this! Small changes add up to big results. So you cant train for a triathalon, but make an effort to walk an extra 20feet. A Lap around your couch etc. Working out was always the easy/ fun part for me. Nutrition was my challenge. Are you seeing a therapist? After an accident like yours it might be very helpful for you.

Best of luck!

middlehaitch

I like what @TwistedSassette had to say about weight loss.

Start tracking and work on getting those extra pounds off. It could make one heck of a difference to your ability to move, and your pain.

While you are doing that look for some mental and physical therapy that can help you through these next couple of years while you recover. ( yes a life altering accident can take years to recover from or build a new life from)


As a you are a triathlete I know the dedication you need for your sport (my son is an Ironman competitor). Start channeling that into recovery. You may not be able to go hard at what you used to do but you can go hard at what you can do.

Walk, train for 10kms, walking.

You cycle, invest in an electric bike as a transitional piece of equipment it will get those muscles retrained and help you when you are tired.

Get back in the water, if swimming isn’t working right now, build to be the star of an aqua fit class.

I think most importantly get the help you need to guide you to your future life.

I am not talking off the top of my head. My life changing motorcycle accident happened when I was 14.
There was no titanium plates for me my left side was so damaged operations and traction had me flat on my back for months.
I just wish there was physical and mental help then like what is available now. Use what is available to you to the fullest extent. Advocate for your best self.


You can get through this and build a new, different and better you.

Cheers, h.

(ETA for all those who have known me on here for years. I have never mentioned my limitations because I train to what I can do not what I can’t.
I can’t physically run, I compete walking 10 kms and usually place. I lift but know squatting is dangerous past 1/2 bodyweight so legpress and do other ‘safe for me’ moves to compensate.
I can neither kneel, sit cross legged, or do tree pose, my yoga etc has alternatives. I don’t speak Spanish either, doesn’t stop me from travelling the world, h)

girlwithcurls2

OP, you have been through a lot. I'm sorry you're feeling so discouraged. It sounds like there are folks here with similar experience who have some good advice. I have to agree about leaving that gym, at least for now. In order to be successful, it's going to take consistency. Going someplace where you don't feel accepted, validated, or whatever, is not setting yourself up for success. Can you continue with your 3 mile walks? Do you have access to a pool? It's really hard to look back and see what we were able to do compared with something that looks like so much less. The thing is, YOU are not less. You are still you. And you're still worthy of the attention, pride, and self love that you gave yourself when you were more fit.

It doesn't happen quickly, but it doesn't have to. Time marches on regardless of how we spend it. Check back in here. You will find support on the challenging days, and you'll get accolades when you want to shout with pride. Accepting new limitations must be difficult for you. Take it slow. Build new habits. Little by little, you'll see a new version of yourself becoming clearer. I'm sorry you had to go through that and that your suffering continues. There is a lot of support here if you need it.

springlering62

@middlehaitch

Humblest props to you.

springlering62

There was a moving post here a few months ago by a woman who couldn’t walk. Don’t remember why, if it was health, weight, whatever.

She started by walking to the mailbox. Then she added the fence post. Then a telephone pole, a second telephone pole, patiently increasing distance every opportunity,-even if that didn’t mean every day- until she was able to walk several miles.

I’m so sorry this happened to you and that you’re so frustrated. But could you channel that competitive spirit and create your own private triathlon for new, personal goals?

I’m in awe of triathletes. You guys are the cream of the crop. You have to have that skosh of something “extra”. Find that again and use it.

I’m not expressing this very well. Did you do such excessive challenges just to do them, or did they satisfy a need to accomplish and exceed beyond? That flame is still there. You are still “that” person despite the accident. Don’t let it bury you.

g2renew

Ditto other posts. And-it sucks all by itself, not being able to be as active as you used to be. Adding on that you were a real live athlete must add that much more self pressure. So sorry to hear that physical pain is also involved.

I was never an athlete, but i understand the immediate change in activity and pain. I am still learning to accept what i can do rather than focusing on what i can't. It is a daily struggle. But it gets easier mentally as i work on it, and losing some weight thru change in eating habits has helped, too.

Speaking of the mental game, maybe consider that those thoughtless gym goers may be trying to offer support and help, albeit in a manner that is hard for you to accept right now? You know, some of us struggle with wanting to help, but are rather clumsy at it.

Should changing your perception not be an option right now, can you change locations? Or maybe discourage chit chat during workouts?

Whatever you decide, MFP seems to be a supportive program. You will find folks here are largely rooting for you!