Anyone Else Trying To Do This Without Increasing Exercise?

RafterRattler

Wow. I'm glad I'm not the only one taking this approach. Don't get me wrong. I do quite a bit of walking, and I always park REALLY far away from my office. I'm also 'fairly' active while at work. Unfortunately, my doc told me that if I don't raise my heart rate enough to work up a decent sweat, then it isn't going to help me. I guess you could say I'm mobile...I just don't have much stamina.

RR

summalovaable

My uncle runs a dieting program and my cousin decided to try it out. Basically it encourages you to switch your healthy eating habits before you incorporate exercise. She lost about 75 pounds without exercising and is now slowly starting to add in cardio and weights. Its the first time I've ever seen her lose a substantial amount of weight and keep it off (My aunts a phenomenal baker and always lets her children test out the food....several times a day)

Though, being substantially smaller it seemed to work the opposite for me. I didnt seem to be able to lose weight until I increased the intensity of my workouts (so clearly dependent on the person!) But it is possible either way

auntiebabs

I've had a series of illness and accidents so exercise was extremely limited for me when I first started so I wasn't really that gung-ho to start exercising when it seemed like every time I did I got hurt.

So I started with diet alone, (okay that and my 10-minute walk to and from the train station every day, which was transportation not exercise BUT I STILL LOGGED IT).

I did the 1st 25 lbs that way. As long as I stayed with my calories I did pretty well. (When I was on lose 1 lb a week, I didn't lose during my TOM, so it came out to 3 lbs a month, Slow, but consistent, I'll take it. )

I could only handle so much change at once.
If I become overwhelmed I give up. So I started with diet... knowing that there is so much more I COULD do.

But the thing is you don't have to be perfect you just have to do better.

So I started logging my food and every couple of weeks I see where I can make another couple of small changes.
If you completely revamp your diet, it's way easy to revert to old ways in times of stress. (and who doesn't have stress?)
If you make a series of small changes, food still offers you some sense of comfort.
sort of a comfort continuum, and after a while the first small changes will seem comforting in themselves.

So, I did start keeping track of little things like how many times a day I went up and down the stairs at work.
then I started going out of my way to take the stairs. In nice weather I got off of the train a stop early.
Baby steps, I increased my activities, by baby steps... I eventually talk myself into joining a gym, and to get myself going I said "just 10-minutes", if I was unhappy after 10-minutes. I could call it quits.

So I I've gotten sick again so I've done nothing for the past 3-4 weeks.
And I've increase my calories pretty close to my maintenance level (kind of scary to do it all at once.)

You can do it with out exercise, I wouldn't stress it right now, but I gotta say now that it's easier to move I like how it feels.
It's not all or nothing gym rat or couch potato... you can add some little things that you enjoy and results or not you'll still have had fun.

RafterRattler

well if your doctor doesnt know then i prob cant help but when i first started i felt sick to ,, i found that eating something with suagr after made me feel better also i found excercising at night helped because if i did end up feeling ill i could go and sleep it off ,,,,,,,, now i dont get sick at all unless i push myself to far also to much caffiene makes me sick even if i had the caffiene at the start of the day and didnt excercise until night it will still make me sick

another thing is how i drink my water if i take into much at once it makes me feel like throwing up so i drink it slowly through out my work out

Woo1324, although I've never been tested, I do think I'm hypoglycemic. I've had blood sugar crashes ever since I was young. I wonder if that might have something to do with it as you suggest. The thought of having a candy bar after I work out just doesn't sit well with me.

LizHaynes

So have a protein bar instead. Still has carbs to keep sugar level up and has more protein to help you feel full longer and keep muscle production up

brittanyjeanxo

Shakybabe, as a matter of fact, I do. I have a HORRIBLE motion sickness issue. I took flying lessons last year and ended up quitting because I couldn't handle the motion sickness even when it was me flying the plane. Blood pressure is not an issue, but I do suffer from dizziness a few times per year. My doctor has never diagnosed the cause - just prescribed mecclazine and anti nausea medication. Not sure what you mean by vestibular problem.

RR

I actually take Meclizine for my dizziness. This, to me, SCREAMS vertigo. I'm surprised he hasn't done more testing to find out. I would ask if he thinks that could be it. Do you also have problems going up and down narrow stairways or spiral staircases? Ringing in the ears? Feeling of motion when sitting/lying down?

brittanyjeanxo

I have yet to find an exercise I actually enjoy doing. I tolerate walking, but I prefer a walking buddy to going alone and I don't have one. So my journey has been mostly diet. I just try to get up and move, clean, take stairs, park in the back, etc as much as possible. I can't wait to be able to get a treadmill, then I can get a good work out in while watching TV.

I don't like exercise, either. I tolerate it as well, which is why I'm SO glad that the machines at my gym have personal TVs attached! :laugh:

shakybabe

Your vestibular. System is the part of your brain and inner ear that processes information coming in, where yur body is in space and how to compensate so you don't lose your balance.

There can be many symptoms it can be very mild with things like motion sickness or can even effect things like been in crowds, night vision, hearing etc. Here's some more info for you to read if interested.

http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php

I have Ataxia myself which causes balance &. Co-ordination issues and problems with proprioception (my body been able to work out where it is in space), that's how I know about it.

Try more gentle exercises like yoga or pilates which are more about moving slowly and control, they have improved my issues and toning my tummy at same time I'm as losing weight from diet. Also reduced carbs and found wheat based ones in particular cause problems for me with water retention and additional fatigue.

Good luck!

RafterRattler

I actually take Meclizine for my dizziness. This, to me, SCREAMS vertigo. I'm surprised he hasn't done more testing to find out. I would ask if he thinks that could be it. Do you also have problems going up and down narrow stairways or spiral staircases? Ringing in the ears? Feeling of motion when sitting/lying down?

Brittanyjean,
No ringing or problems with staircases, but when I get these attacks, they happen whether I'm sitting, standing, lying down, whatever. Sometimes they can last for days. But it's only happened ~10 times in the last 10 years. My doctor just doesn't seem concerned. He just does a bunch of neurological tests on me and tells me 'It's NOT a tumor' (said in an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice). I do the same as you. Meclizine, then maybe an anti-nasuea pill until it goes away. BTW, thanks so much for adding me as a friend! :bigsmile:

RR

RafterRattler

Your vestibular. System is the part of your brain and inner ear that processes information coming in, where yur body is in space and how to compensate so you don't lose your balance.

There can be many symptoms it can be very mild with things like motion sickness or can even effect things like been in crowds, night vision, hearing etc. Here's some more info for you to read if interested.

http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php

I have Ataxia myself which causes balance &. Co-ordination issues and problems with proprioception (my body been able to work out where it is in space), that's how I know about it.

Try more gentle exercises like yoga or pilates which are more about moving slowly and control, they have improved my issues and toning my tummy at same time I'm as losing weight from diet. Also reduced carbs and found wheat based ones in particular cause problems for me with water retention and additional fatigue.

Good luck!

Wow. That was depressing. That symptoms page described me to a 'T'. It covers everything I've been struggling with for the past 10 years. I've just been attributing them to getting older.

But then again, my depression and anxiety (see the list ) tends to make me a bit of a hypochondriac and every time I read symptoms, they fit me perfectly. I'd like to mention it to my doctor, but he hates it when I self-diagnose. In all honesty though, there may be something there. Thanks for the link.