Finally back at it

oremgirl1

I’ve been off this app for awhile now. The past couple of years have been rough. I had a stroke, was diagnosed with diabetes and cancer and ended up having major surgery this summer. I lost some weight during all of that but it wasn’t in a good way. I still need to lose about 50 pounds to get to my goal weight. I also need to build up my strength again. I want to continue my weight loss journey in a healthier manner and improve my overall fitness and mental health.

sollyn23l2

oremgirl1 wrote: »

I’ve been off this app for awhile now. The past couple of years have been rough. I had a stroke, was diagnosed with diabetes and cancer and ended up having major surgery this summer. I lost some weight during all of that but it wasn’t in a good way. I still need to lose about 50 pounds to get to my goal weight. I also need to build up my strength again. I want to continue my weight loss journey in a healthier manner and improve my overall fitness and mental health.

That's definitely rough. I went through a couple years like that about 10 years ago. There is light at the end of the tunnel though. Just focus on building those healthier habits, you'll get there. Be kind to yourself.

DenaLyn1

What a journey! Sending positive energy to you for health and healing.
I’ve just started using this app again as well. It’s been helpful tracking everything I eat. I realized how many calories I consumed in snacking.

AnnPT77

Hello, and welcome!

You've really been through a lot: I'm so sorry you've had to experience that.

IMO, this is a situation where slow and steady progress - manageable, incremental improvements in eating and activity habits - can add up to huge quality of life improvements over a period of time. (It doesn't even take a huge amount of time to start seeing improvements, IME.)

I started getting more active in my late 40s/early 50s after cancer treatment (surgery-chemo-radiation for stage III breast cancer, then 7.5 years of anti-estrogen drugs). I started from a point of decades of very sedentary life plus physical depletion from the cancer, which had been followed by a diagnosis of severe hypothyroidism.

I finally committed to losing weight at age 59, in an effort (successful!) to avoid needing statins for high cholesterol. I lost about the same amount of weight you want to lose, and have been at a healthy weight for nearly 8 years since, now age 68. Maybe it's self-congratulatory, but I'd say I'm now fitter than most women in my demographic. For sure, I feel younger and more functional than I did in my mid-40s.

It's likely that you can work your way back toward more robust health, strength and vitality. It won't be psychologically easy every second, but incremental progress - even punctuated progress - is still progress you can appreciate and build on. My advice: Don't give up; just keep going, using willpower and discipline when you have some to groove in practical, healthy new habits. In more difficult times, rely on those habits to hold your progress and minimize backtracking.

I'm cheering for you to succeed!

oremgirl1

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Hello, and welcome!

You've really been through a lot: I'm so sorry you've had to experience that.

IMO, this is a situation where slow and steady progress - manageable, incremental improvements in eating and activity habits - can add up to huge quality of life improvements over a period of time. (It doesn't even take a huge amount of time to start seeing improvements, IME.)

I started getting more active in my late 40s/early 50s after cancer treatment (surgery-chemo-radiation for stage III breast cancer, then 7.5 years of anti-estrogen drugs). I started from a point of decades of very sedentary life plus physical depletion from the cancer, which had been followed by a diagnosis of severe hypothyroidism.

I finally committed to losing weight at age 59, in an effort (successful!) to avoid needing statins for high cholesterol. I lost about the same amount of weight you want to lose, and have been at a healthy weight for nearly 8 years since, now age 68. Maybe it's self-congratulatory, but I'd say I'm now fitter than most women in my demographic. For sure, I feel younger and more functional than I did in my mid-40s.

It's likely that you can work your way back toward more robust health, strength and vitality. It won't be psychologically easy every second, but incremental progress - even punctuated progress - is still progress you can appreciate and build on. My advice: Don't give up; just keep going, using willpower and discipline when you have some to groove in practical, healthy new habits. In more difficult times, rely on those habits to hold your progress and minimize backtracking.

I'm cheering for you to succeed!

Thank you for sharing your experience. I gratefully didn’t have to do chemo treatments but surgery has been a long recovery. I need to regain strength and balance. I also want to lose more weight.

ButterflyEffectLiz

oremgirl1 wrote: »

I’ve been off this app for awhile now. The past couple of years have been rough. I had a stroke, was diagnosed with diabetes and cancer and ended up having major surgery this summer. I lost some weight during all of that but it wasn’t in a good way. I still need to lose about 50 pounds to get to my goal weight. I also need to build up my strength again. I want to continue my weight loss journey in a healthier manner and improve my overall fitness and mental health.


I've been away for awhile too and just recently returned to my physical and mental health journey.

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to do so because I was having success. I had lost over 100 lbs. My diabetes was under control to the point my doctor said I was prediabetic and
my depression was better.

I guess I let a few obstacles become road blocks and didn't look for a detour. So, that was the beginning of my decline.

My knees were bone on bone and I had osteoarthritis too. When I went to a doctor about knee replacement surgery, he was more interested in me getting a gastric bypass surgery because he wanted me to at least losing another 100 lbs before he'd consider it. I did check into it and found a lot of long term negative symptoms that people had after having a gastric bypass (Hair loss, vomiting, diarrhea & malnourishment just to name a few) Not to mention the gastric bypass doctor wanted me to lose 50lbs and I needed to get so dental work done (which I could not afford) before the gastric bypass surgery (at that time I had already lost a little over a 100 lbs) Basically, at that point I was looking at approximately 2 - 3 years before I could even be considered to be a candidate for knee replacement. That realization along with the fact it was getting more painful each day to stand or walk I gave up and fell back into my depression.

Now my hips, as well as, my knees are bad. The arthritis is in more of my joints. I'm in a wheelchair. My diabetes now requires two oral medicines, one insulin injection per day and one injection weekly to try to get it under control.

I found my motivation because I want to come off of the diabetes meds or at least reduce the amount of meds and be able to walk even if it's with a cane or walker. My plan is to release my weight at a steady pace. I do not wish to ever find it again.

It is fantastic that you are continuing your weight releasing journey! I'm sending well wishes for your weight releasing journey along with your physical and mental health too.

oremgirl1

ButterflyEffectLiz wrote: »

oremgirl1 wrote: »

I’ve been off this app for awhile now. The past couple of years have been rough. I had a stroke, was diagnosed with diabetes and cancer and ended up having major surgery this summer. I lost some weight during all of that but it wasn’t in a good way. I still need to lose about 50 pounds to get to my goal weight. I also need to build up my strength again. I want to continue my weight loss journey in a healthier manner and improve my overall fitness and mental health.


I've been away for awhile too and just recently returned to my physical and mental health journey.

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to do so because I was having success. I had lost over 100 lbs. My diabetes was under control to the point my doctor said I was prediabetic and
my depression was better.

I guess I let a few obstacles become road blocks and didn't look for a detour. So, that was the beginning of my decline.

My knees were bone on bone and I had osteoarthritis too. When I went to a doctor about knee replacement surgery, he was more interested in me getting a gastric bypass surgery because he wanted me to at least losing another 100 lbs before he'd consider it. I did check into it and found a lot of long term negative symptoms that people had after having a gastric bypass (Hair loss, vomiting, diarrhea & malnourishment just to name a few) Not to mention the gastric bypass doctor wanted me to lose 50lbs and I needed to get so dental work done (which I could not afford) before the gastric bypass surgery (at that time I had already lost a little over a 100 lbs) Basically, at that point I was looking at approximately 2 - 3 years before I could even be considered to be a candidate for knee replacement. That realization along with the fact it was getting more painful each day to stand or walk I gave up and fell back into my depression.

Now my hips, as well as, my knees are bad. The arthritis is in more of my joints. I'm in a wheelchair. My diabetes now requires two oral medicines, one insulin injection per day and one injection weekly to try to get it under control.

I found my motivation because I want to come off of the diabetes meds or at least reduce the amount of meds and be able to walk even if it's with a cane or walker. My plan is to release my weight at a steady pace. I do not wish to ever find it again.

It is fantastic that you are continuing your weight releasing journey! I'm sending well wishes for your weight releasing journey along with your physical and mental health too.

I wish y oh all the best in your journey. I have hip problems as well and I was told similar. He said he wouldn’t do surgery until I lost 70 Lbs. so no hip surgery for me.

ButterflyEffectLiz

oremgirl1 wrote: »

ButterflyEffectLiz wrote: »

oremgirl1 wrote: »

I’ve been off this app for awhile now. The past couple of years have been rough. I had a stroke, was diagnosed with diabetes and cancer and ended up having major surgery this summer. I lost some weight during all of that but it wasn’t in a good way. I still need to lose about 50 pounds to get to my goal weight. I also need to build up my strength again. I want to continue my weight loss journey in a healthier manner and improve my overall fitness and mental health.


I've been away for awhile too and just recently returned to my physical and mental health journey.

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to do so because I was having success. I had lost over 100 lbs. My diabetes was under control to the point my doctor said I was prediabetic and
my depression was better.

I guess I let a few obstacles become road blocks and didn't look for a detour. So, that was the beginning of my decline.

My knees were bone on bone and I had osteoarthritis too. When I went to a doctor about knee replacement surgery, he was more interested in me getting a gastric bypass surgery because he wanted me to at least losing another 100 lbs before he'd consider it. I did check into it and found a lot of long term negative symptoms that people had after having a gastric bypass (Hair loss, vomiting, diarrhea & malnourishment just to name a few) Not to mention the gastric bypass doctor wanted me to lose 50lbs and I needed to get so dental work done (which I could not afford) before the gastric bypass surgery (at that time I had already lost a little over a 100 lbs) Basically, at that point I was looking at approximately 2 - 3 years before I could even be considered to be a candidate for knee replacement. That realization along with the fact it was getting more painful each day to stand or walk I gave up and fell back into my depression.

Now my hips, as well as, my knees are bad. The arthritis is in more of my joints. I'm in a wheelchair. My diabetes now requires two oral medicines, one insulin injection per day and one injection weekly to try to get it under control.

I found my motivation because I want to come off of the diabetes meds or at least reduce the amount of meds and be able to walk even if it's with a cane or walker. My plan is to release my weight at a steady pace. I do not wish to ever find it again.

It is fantastic that you are continuing your weight releasing journey! I'm sending well wishes for your weight releasing journey along with your physical and mental health too.

I wish y oh all the best in your journey. I have hip problems as well and I was told similar. He said he wouldn’t do surgery until I lost 70 Lbs. so no hip surgery for me.

Thank You for your well wishes.