I need some advice...I want a fit body

gabbygirl78

I started with 150 lbs to lose. I am currently down 30. I have been told that while I may still have some sag in areas that i need to tweak my diet and do certain exercises to help me tone up as I lose I'm trying to burn fat and keep muscle.

I have some issues that may hinder me from doing some exercises without modifying them. I have osteoarthritis in my hip and both knees, I have Plantar Facsitis in my feet, Bone spurs in my right hip and I also have diastasis recti I believe making me look pregnant all the time ugh.... I thought it was a hernia to begin with but the doctors kept saying no it was muscle weakness. I have found out planks work to help that.

I am so tired of the body that I am in. I would love so much to have a fit toned body when i reach my weight loss goal but it just seems like a dream far from my reach. I know I can achieve anything with a little knowledge of the right way to do it.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks in advance~:flowerforyou:

IStartedWithTheManInTheMirror

WALK, WALK, WALK...I dont care what the drs tell you, or how painful, they gave me walkers, crutches, braces, NONE helped, my foot still turns inwards when i walk, I learned(well, I havent mastered it) but Im trying EVERYDAY, I WALK I have to concentrate EVERY STEP to make my foot land flat, course its still not getting proper motion of a walk....up and down(heel to toe...and by doing this each step on it is HARD all my weight, doc says Im gonna break my ankle then ill be in a weelchair for 6 months, i said no, then ill find a way to walk with crutches

remember the old christmas show song?

put one foot in front of the other, and soon youll be walking cross the floor or or

put one foot in front of the other

and soon youll be walking out the door

KatrinaWilke

After tearing my ACL, MCL, and both mensci in my knee, I developed severe osteoarthritis. I also have some arthritis in my shoulder and hips. However, I don't really have to modify any of the exercises I do. I slowly increased my weights/effort and allowed my body to adapt and get used to the exercises. I have found now I can do pretty much anything I want. Oh, I also had plantar fasciitis but exercise and stretching has helped me.

ThriceBlessed

These exercises are great for bad knees, strengthen all the muscles that support the joint.

http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/exercises-knee-pain

For the plantar fascitis, I've had it in both feet myself, find a shoe that really supports your arch, and try buying arch support bands (they look like ace bandages that simply go around your foot at the arch.) Wear a Plantar fasciitis brace or bandage at night (the kind that keeps your foot flexed slightly upward all night) or, if you cant sleep that way, gently stretch, flex, and massage your feet for about 10 minutes before placing your feet on the floor in the morning. As you lose weight, the plantar fasciitis will probably start to heal up. I found that running in place on a mini trampoline (barefoot) flexed my feet, and hurt at first, but really seemed to help reduce the pain for the rest of the day.

Swim, swim, and swim some more. Great exercise, doesn't put any pressure on the plantar fasciitis. Once the plantar fasciitis starts to heal enough, start walking. Wear knee braces if they help. If the pain is just too strong, then keep swimming.

Do planks, crunches, leg lifts for abs. Sit and lift hand weights for upper body toning. Swim for cardio, do the exercises I linked to above for your legs. Add other exercises as you can.

Take naproxen if you are able to to help with pain. Supplement with glucosamine, chondrotin, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). Those three substances help with arthritis, and some with skin elasticity.

Lastly, be realistic. If you lose over 150 pounds, there will be some sag afterward and the only way to completely get rid of it will be skin removal surgery. Focus on your health. Lose the weight because it will take stress off your overstressed joints. Tone your muscles because strong muscles actually take stress away from bad joints by supporting them better . Eat well and take supplements to give your body what it needs to heal. You will look better as a side effect of all this, but you may still bear some marks of having been overweight. Love your body anyway.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

JoRocka

Yoga is helpful too- it's not going to aide tremendously in your strength training- not like weights will- but it can definitely help.

Invest in a foam roller too. That should help make your body feel better- long term and big picture- doing it hurts like the ****ens- no really- it hurts. don't give up- keep at it- even just 5 minutes a day is better than nothing.

gabbygirl78

After tearing my ACL, MCL, and both mensci in my knee, I developed severe osteoarthritis. I also have some arthritis in my shoulder and hips. However, I don't really have to modify any of the exercises I do. I slowly increased my weights/effort and allowed my body to adapt and get used to the exercises. I have found now I can do pretty much anything I want. Oh, I also had plantar fasciitis but exercise and stretching has helped me.

Thank you ..... mostly its the bone spurs in my hip. I cant even bend my right leg up far enough to put my sock on , my daughter has to do it. I have to have replacement surgery but my OS wants me to lose as much weight as possible before. My knees just crunch when i bend and tend to swell in the joint at the end of the day. Very painful but I want to do this! :sad:

april1445

losing weight is 80% what you put in your mouth. Focus on that first, and a lot of your body issues will fade to the point that exercise becomes a possibility.

gabbygirl78

These exercises are great for bad knees, strengthen all the muscles that support the joint.

http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/exercises-knee-pain

For the plantar fascitis, I've had it in both feet myself, find a shoe that really supports your arch, and try buying arch support bands (they look like ace bandages that simply go around your foot at the arch.) Wear a Plantar fasciitis brace or bandage at night (the kind that keeps your foot flexed slightly upward all night) or, if you cant sleep that way, gently stretch, flex, and massage your feet for about 10 minutes before placing your feet on the floor in the morning. As you lose weight, the plantar fasciitis will probably start to heal up. I found that running in place on a mini trampoline (barefoot) flexed my feet, and hurt at first, but really seemed to help reduce the pain for the rest of the day.

Swim, swim, and swim some more. Great exercise, doesn't put any pressure on the plantar fasciitis. Once the plantar fasciitis starts to heal enough, start walking. Wear knee braces if they help. If the pain is just too strong, then keep swimming.

Do planks, crunches, leg lifts for abs. Sit and lift hand weights for upper body toning. Swim for cardio, do the exercises I linked to above for your legs. Add other exercises as you can.

Take naproxen if you are able to to help with pain. Supplement with glucosamine, chondrotin, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). Those three substances help with arthritis, and some with skin elasticity.

Lastly, be realistic. If you lose over 150 pounds, there will be some sag afterward and the only way to completely get rid of it will be skin removal surgery. Focus on your health. Lose the weight because it will take stress off your overstressed joints. Tone your muscles because strong muscles actually take stress away from bad joints by supporting them better . Eat well and take supplements to give your body what it needs to heal. You will look better as a side effect of all this, but you may still bear some marks of having been overweight. Love your body anyway.

Thank you for the link! Very helpful!!! I have faced the sad truth about the sagging skin :sad: just thought I would try to make it not AS bad lol

ThriceBlessed

These exercises are great for bad knees, strengthen all the muscles that support the joint.

http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/exercises-knee-pain

For the plantar fascitis, I've had it in both feet myself, find a shoe that really supports your arch, and try buying arch support bands (they look like ace bandages that simply go around your foot at the arch.) Wear a Plantar fasciitis brace or bandage at night (the kind that keeps your foot flexed slightly upward all night) or, if you cant sleep that way, gently stretch, flex, and massage your feet for about 10 minutes before placing your feet on the floor in the morning. As you lose weight, the plantar fasciitis will probably start to heal up. I found that running in place on a mini trampoline (barefoot) flexed my feet, and hurt at first, but really seemed to help reduce the pain for the rest of the day.

Swim, swim, and swim some more. Great exercise, doesn't put any pressure on the plantar fasciitis. Once the plantar fasciitis starts to heal enough, start walking. Wear knee braces if they help. If the pain is just too strong, then keep swimming.

Do planks, crunches, leg lifts for abs. Sit and lift hand weights for upper body toning. Swim for cardio, do the exercises I linked to above for your legs. Add other exercises as you can.

Take naproxen if you are able to to help with pain. Supplement with glucosamine, chondrotin, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). Those three substances help with arthritis, and some with skin elasticity.

Lastly, be realistic. If you lose over 150 pounds, there will be some sag afterward and the only way to completely get rid of it will be skin removal surgery. Focus on your health. Lose the weight because it will take stress off your overstressed joints. Tone your muscles because strong muscles actually take stress away from bad joints by supporting them better . Eat well and take supplements to give your body what it needs to heal. You will look better as a side effect of all this, but you may still bear some marks of having been overweight. Love your body anyway.

Thank you for the link! Very helpful!!! I have faced the sad truth about the sagging skin :sad: just thought I would try to make it not AS bad lol

Sent you a friend request. Toning will make it "not as bad". Seriously though, if you don't have access to a pool at home, join a gym that has one or the Y. Swim, do water aerobics, the weight will come off.

KatrinaWilke

Well you are on the right path! Losing weight will DEFINITELY help with the arthritis. Yoga, pilates, swimming, tai chi are all very good. You could also try stationary biking. If your hip can let you do that. Although, when I would have a flare up in my knee, nothing seemed to feel good! Good luck and I hope you find some comfort, I know how tough it can be!

inktink

After tearing my ACL, MCL, and both mensci in my knee, I developed severe osteoarthritis. I also have some arthritis in my shoulder and hips. However, I don't really have to modify any of the exercises I do. I slowly increased my weights/effort and allowed my body to adapt and get used to the exercises. I have found now I can do pretty much anything I want. Oh, I also had plantar fasciitis but exercise and stretching has helped me.

Thank you ..... mostly its the bone spurs in my hip. I cant even bend my right leg up far enough to put my sock on , my daughter has to do it. I have to have replacement surgery but my OS wants me to lose as much weight as possible before. My knees just crunch when i bend and tend to swell in the joint at the end of the day. Very painful but I want to do this! :sad:

My knees "crunch" when they bend as well, they actually sound a lot like velcro being pulled apart. It's due to weak hip adductors and abductors mostly. If you can do exercises for runner's knee, that should help.

*ETA: The link posted above are the types of exercises I was referring to

yoovie

Congratulations!!!!!!!

You are officially at the ideal window to start a lifting program and scale back your cardio!!!!

(Also - coming from someone with severe PF, this is a god-send).

30 pounds to goal is a GREAT place to start weight training. And before you blow off the whole idea, you dont need a gym to do this. You start by using your own bodyweight. You can add in dumbbells too and when this becomes easier for you, you can then jump into lifting.

Just doing a lot of cardio is not going to give you a fit body. Fit bodies look the way they do because of WHAT they can do. True story- function before form. Being able to do pushups and pullups, being able to squat, being able to jump and pull and lift... these things evolve the shape of your body to handle these things.

Diet and cardio will lower cholesterol and blood pressure and increase your cardiovascular health in general, but it will not evolve your body like strength training will.

And a weight lifting program, especially one like 5/3/1 includes a portion of your workout where you are lifting much lighter weights, at a cardio state. meaning your heart rate gets up there and you get cardio benefits at the same time as lowering your bodyfat percentage and moving toward that body that you want so badly.

Like I said, this is the IDEAL time for you to jump into a lifting program. I use 5/3/1 which I mentioned earlier - which is great because the site - strstd.com - tells you exactly how much weight to lift and exactly how many times each (5 times, 3 times or 1 time - not a lot right?? its AWESOME).

Also, if you have never done a lifting program, not only should you not be scared , but you are going to FLIP OUT when you see how fast the changes to your body start popping up all over within 8 easy weeks, whereas cardio alone, it might take you a year or more to see significant changes.

I say you should do it. Its completely up to you, you are the master of your own destiny and the shape of your body, you can say when you want to stop, when you're body is perfect FOR YOU (and no one else), you can stop before you get to a spot where you might consider yourself to be a bit bulky (but that requires eating a TON and takes a reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly long time).

But yeah, it worked for me.

And I started when I was 30 pounds from goal. Now Im 8 pounds past my goal weight and starting to see abs. This is coming from a former 260 pound vegetable.

xoxox

Sovictorrious

Congratulations!!!!!!!

You are officially at the ideal window to start a lifting program and scale back your cardio!!!!

(Also - coming from someone with severe PF, this is a god-send).

30 pounds to goal is a GREAT place to start weight training. And before you blow off the whole idea, you dont need a gym to do this. You start by using your own bodyweight. You can add in dumbbells too and when this becomes easier for you, you can then jump into lifting.

Just doing a lot of cardio is not going to give you a fit body. Fit bodies look the way they do because of WHAT they can do. True story- function before form. Being able to do pushups and pullups, being able to squat, being able to jump and pull and lift... these things evolve the shape of your body to handle these things.

Diet and cardio will lower cholesterol and blood pressure and increase your cardiovascular health in general, but it will not evolve your body like strength training will.

And a weight lifting program, especially one like 5/3/1 includes a portion of your workout where you are lifting much lighter weights, at a cardio state. meaning your heart rate gets up there and you get cardio benefits at the same time as lowering your bodyfat percentage and moving toward that body that you want so badly.

Like I said, this is the IDEAL time for you to jump into a lifting program. I use 5/3/1 which I mentioned earlier - which is great because the site - strstd.com - tells you exactly how much weight to lift and exactly how many times each (5 times, 3 times or 1 time - not a lot right?? its AWESOME).

Also, if you have never done a lifting program, not only should you not be scared , but you are going to FLIP OUT when you see how fast the changes to your body start popping up all over within 8 easy weeks, whereas cardio alone, it might take you a year or more to see significant changes.

I say you should do it. Its completely up to you, you are the master of your own destiny and the shape of your body, you can say when you want to stop, when you're body is perfect FOR YOU (and no one else), you can stop before you get to a spot where you might consider yourself to be a bit bulky (but that requires eating a TON and takes a reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly long time).

But yeah, it worked for me.

And I started when I was 30 pounds from goal. Now Im 8 pounds past my goal weight and starting to see abs. This is coming from a former 260 pound vegetable.

xoxox

Listen to her!

nonstopper

Its very simple.

1) DONT drink Soda. I dont care what anyone says. Not only are the chemicals and dye in the soda harmful to your body the massive amount of sugar will add on, also SODA is known to give the urge to want MORE Soda. And most importantly it will slow you down ALOT. example: ( you have 2 fit people same diet, one drinks a soda, then they race the next day. Who ever drank the soda will fall behind. NO DOUBT!) Seen it , been there, Done it!

2) Eat right.! Stop with the fast food. I dont care if its a dollar. Its a dollar for a reason. Because its not REAL! Look it up. Your best going to a grocery store and buying alot fo FRUIT and Chicken! I love fish myself! Beef and yogurt! the list of healthyness can go on for ever. ALSO never go on a EMPTY stomach when grocery shopping! Worst thing to do!
The lowerst cal intake i also recommend would be 1200 or even 1300. Any lower and your hurting your body. ( We love our body!) So dont starve yourself.
If you start to feel hungry have a small healthy snake. Dont get the feeling of being hungry for a long time. Its also safe to FAST once a month. ( Its hard as **** )

3) And if you cant run. WALK no less then 1hour! if you can gt 2hours done then prepare to see faster results. ( its called pushing yourself! ) I highly recommend using Light weights to do . Leg raises, curls, sit-ups and pull ups!
Swimming is also a great workout! Include 1-3 rest days out of the week.

Try to focus on a certain part of your body you want to look good first, then move on to the next. Workout no longer than 2 hours the hole day for beginners.

:glasses: