Weight loss with chronic illness

LexDiscover

Anyone else trying to lose weight while experiencing chronic pain or fatigue? How are you finding it? Any tips for weight loss on bad days where functioning is low?

cmriverside

Good nutrition combined with exercise and weight loss gave me back my energy and health.

It may do the same for you.

evesonhelen

I have fibromyalgia and I find it difficult 😕

Mischante

Start with your diet (very important) and just moving more. As the weight starts coming off you should be able to slowly start getting around easier and with less pain. I was able to lose 70 lbs 6 years ago through diet alone and maintain 50 of that through 5 years. This time I decided to incorporate moving more into the equation and have lost 35lbs in 4 months.

BeanieBean93

Diet is everything. If the pain is too unbearable for movement, you can still lose weight by keeping calories in check. You'll need to be very diligent with it though since you won't have much leeway.

Creamtea42

I can empathise with this @LexDiscover & agree with the comments given… good diet & move a bit more; listening to your body and trying not to lose too fast or overdo it with the exercise… I have a chronic condition & It has taken me weeks to lose a stone & I have many more to go!…. CICO & slow & steady will do it! Good luck!

herringboxes

On bad days you can eat maintenance. It will go slower but slower is better than not at all.

Also be gentle increasing exercise, don’t overdo it. That way you don’t have to lose progress. On bad days, either skip or just do a walk.

laurachambers86

In terms of exercise, I think it's important to find out what works for you, which can take time. Now that I've found what works for me I've discovered that exercising helps control my symptoms and flareups. Most importantly be kind to yourself, and as others have said don't beat yourself up if progress is a bit slower than you'd like.

Daeygur

Well, I have Arthritis. When I first started, I was 390 pounds. I was in constant pain tbh, and I wanted to improve myself so bad because at that time I hit rock bottom. I started small. Cutting my portions in half then waiting 20-30 minutes. If I'm hungry I'll eat the other half, but usually I wasn't. Just by doing that I lost my first ten pounds, and the next month my second ten pounds. I didn't start incorporating exercise until this year because the pain was so bad, but the smaller I got the easier it was to walk around and push myself more. Sometimes I have to take a break because I have random flare ups (fever, headache, the whole nine yards), but after a day or two of feeling better I start walking again. I think half of it is my mindset. I don't want to fall back into the old habits, high weight, and being bedbound. The other half is that I see myself improving every day and it encourages me to continue on. Then the smaller half was because I played sports growing up there's a part of me that never got rid of my competitiveness.

So, every time I feel myself lagging behind. I get that spark back and push myself harder--but not overexerting myself.

The days that I feel low and out of wack. I take a break. Take a nice soak in the tub or lay in bed with my legs and hips elevated then start again when I'm feeling better. It's never a "I didn't exercise today, so I failed" or a "I have to start back to square one again because I didn't walk or eat right." it's a "I didn't do my exercise today, but that's okay because I always have tomorrow." or "I didn't eat healthy today, but that's okay because everyone deserves a little special treat once in a while. I can't expect myself to be perfect. So, why push me to being that way?"

So, if you're having a day where you can't get out of bed or you're in so much pain you don't want to exercise. That's okay! Just rest, and then when you're feeling better do what your body can handle. Your body will tell you when its time to rest or exercise. Trust me.

kshama2001

LexDiscover wrote: »

Anyone else trying to lose weight while experiencing chronic pain or fatigue? How are you finding it? Any tips for weight loss on bad days where functioning is low?

At the beginning of the most recent Half Size Me podcast, Heather's answer to an emailed question includes a discussion of *minimums*. Realistic minimums.

Heather's challenges were several small children, which I believe she home-schooled, but I think this can apply to CF and pain as well. Are you actively in treatment for that?

https://www.halfsizeme.com/hsm589/