New and Feel Overwhelmed
dsr315
Posts: 6 Member
I am new to MFP and although I feel overwhelmed at the moment I am looking forward to making new friends and hopefully losing over 100 pounds. I am 62, mother of two grown daughters, and have been widowed for over 18 years. In 1990 I was nearly killed in an auto accident when a young boy ran a red light and broadsided our car doing 50 mph. where I was sitting. As a result I had 14 fractures, collapsed lungs and was not expected to live, and if I did, by some miracle, I would be in a nursing home the rest of my life. After a long year of rehab and relearning how to do everything, I am here today!! Four years after the accident my husband died in our front yard of a massive heart attack, he was only 47. Trying to move forward after his death was incredibly hard. As much as I wanted to just give up, I couldn't, I had two children who needed me. Over the years my weight has continued to climb each and every year. I am an emotional eater and in times of stress I find myself eating and I am not even hungry. I have had so many injuries that exercising is a real challenge. And due to my inherited clumsiness, I fell in my garage six months ago and severely injured my left arm. I spent a week in the hospital and six months later I am still in a brace and sling. I have to say that if anything has really motivated here, it is this broken arm. It was quite hard to hear the orthopedic doctor did not want to do surgery because based on my weight I would be very high risk. It was also hard to hear that my arm is taking longer to heal because I am "62". This whole experience has been humbling, humiliating, and anything else you can imagine. I feel at this time I am at a "fork in the road" so to speak. I can let all of the above finally beat me, or I can keep on trying to become the person I want to be. I have overcome so many challenges in my life, I would not want to give up at this point. I know one thing, I don't want to continue always looking at the ground when I am out in public. The reason I do that is I am embarrassed to look anyone in the eye, because I feel they will just have disgust when they look at me for being so overweight. I guess the bottom line is, I need help and lots of support and if I have any hope of having a long healthier life, I have got to lose weight. Please feel free to message me with any suggestions or if you would like to be my friend.
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Absolutely, I will be your friend. My goodness, what a long hard road you have traveled to get to where you are, but yet here you are. This sounds like the turning point for you, and if you take it one meal at a time, one day at a time, you can do it and get within a calorie range for you that is safe and will produce results. We are all on this road together towards being healthier!0
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Hooray for you wanting to take charge of your life and in trying to be healthy and fit. You've been through a lot and that tells me you are a survivor and that you CAN make the changes to get fit and healthy. This is a great site for support and encouragement. One day at a time and sticking with a plan can make all the difference. Get a handle on your calorie intake and then you can add exercise a little bit at a time--we don't want any more injuries. Although you do want to move around as much as possible. Every little bit helps.
You are welcome to join me on our journey to finding a healthier lifestyle.:flowerforyou:0 -
you said something that REALLY resonated with me. It was: " I know one thing, I don't want to continue always looking at the ground when I am out in public. The reason I do that is I am embarrassed to look anyone in the eye, because I feel they will just have disgust when they look at me for being so overweight."
This may sound amazing to you, but I am now on day 53 of sincere dedication to being who I want to be, and that feeling of shame that kept me hiding in my house has been gone for weeks. (I can't remember how many. It's been a while.) It has been replaced with self-respect. I'm less concerned with what "they" think of me than I am with what "I" think of me. In fact, I don't really CARE what they think of me. I know where I'm going and they don't know where I've been.
I remember when I began, I started getting tiny flashes where I would forget that I was fat. Silly little things caused me to notice. Once I walked up to my deck railing and bumped into it with my belly because I forgot that I was fat. Another time, my hand fell in front of me and I was surprised that it touched a fat belly. I took these moments as positive proof that my life was going in a better direction and that I would again live in a fit and trim body. Now, unless I am facing a task that may be beyond my abilities (like walking around the block because my back still hurts too much when I walk), I don't think of myself as fat. I have no problem being seen in public. I feel so good about myself, I'm not really aware of "them" and not concerned with what they are thinking.
I think that being concerned about what others were thinking was part of what was keeping me fat. But having learned the art of self-discipline (easier done than thought about), everything is changed and continues to do so.
As to feeling overwhelmed on this site, it is confusing, but time fixes that too.
Need a friend? Friend me.0 -
i totally know where you are coming from. I have been on mfp since april 2012, I have lost 27 lbs. It has been a very slow journey but I am committed. I haven'y weighed this since i don't know when. And it is wonderful. I have heart problems so it is hard for me to exercise b/c I start having angina pains,so i am thrilled with my loss. Make sure you plug in your food so you know your calorie count. That is the key. This has really been the easiest I have ever done. I just put my husband on it. Of course he gets twice as many calories as I do. LOL Good luck and we will continue to support you and help you. As far as your arm not healing are you taking any vitamin d and calcium. I broke my hand and it would not heal so they put me on that. If you aren't try it. Hope it helps. If you friend me I will b your .friend .0
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Bless your heart! Its been a tough road thus far ... but one that you have sustained and no doubt have become a stronger woman because of those trials. Welcome, this group is going to support you and uplift you on those days that you need cheering on. Struglgling in our later years to become healthier is an ongoing challenge most of us here are facing.
You can do this . . we can do this ..... check in often and log your meals.
Do your daughters live close to you? Do you have grands? I know that my own kids can be an encouragement and then on some days ...not so much so!!
:flowerforyou:
Sherry0 -
I am 60 and can relate to you.I broke both my ankles and spent 6 months in bed.Three herniated discs and blood clots in my heart and legs.Last March I could walk 2 minutes on a good day.No we I walk 30-50 and workout at the gym.You will get stronger everyday.Be proud! You have gone through a lot.Add me as a friend if you will log in every day, eat at least 1150 Calories per day and will try to exercise! Good luck!0
