Need to Exercise, but I can't

I have severe plantar faciitis in my heel. I can barely walk. I have tried everything the doctor has suggested I have done a Cast for two months, braces, Physical Therapy and NOTHING has helped it. Of course #1 suggestion is loose weight. I am having such a hard time with this. I am 41 years old I know what to eat and what is good and bad for me, but yet the BAD always calls my name, I have 0 willpower. I joined a gym a year ago and basically I make payments for nothing. I loved going to the gym and now that my heel is messed up I can't go and I know I need this in order to loose. UGH I am so fed up. Sorry just venting.

Have you tried orthotics? I had plantar facilitis and it does really suck. I have really flat feet but got some good arch support and rarely have any problems!

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Get thee to a swimming pool. Zero gravity means no pain on your heels.

And trust me, nobody is looking at you in your swimsuit until something pops out of it. So just keep everything tucked in

I have that too but not nearly as bad. I just worked through the pain. When it was at its worst, I just stuck to the bikes and lifting. It's eased up enough now that I'm starting c25k and have yet to have any bad pain.

You can lose weight with a calorie deficit. Just using MFP to log your food is all that you need to do - and stop making excuses. You can use the pool, you can use your arms, you can do this. Just decided like so many others have.

Sorry you have this, it really is painful! Don't give up, go to your local YWCA or wherever, and swim or do water aerobics. They let me wear water shoes (more like hiking sandals) that supported my foot while I swam. You can bike. Work out with weights at a gym, probably easier with machines rather than free weights though. My gym even has a 'hand bicycle that peopel with sore legs and feet use. There are a LOT of exercises you can do while sitting. Are you stretching it? Icing? Steroid shots?
Good luck and I hope you're pain free soon.

Thank you all for the replies, it helps knowing people out there have the same or have suffered the same way. I don't like the gym for the simple reason that everyone in the one I go to are just in great shape and I feel so bad about myself. I would rather do work at home and that is what I am trying. I recently started walking the stairs at work instead of the elevator. It is only 3 floors but it still is something.

You need to get it in your head that working out is for YOU and for no one else. Who cares what other people say or think? 99% of the time, they are NOT thinking what we are anyway. Also, at my gym, everyone is thrilled to see people who are there working on getting healthy and we cheer them on. Most of use have been in your shoes and are still working on it! Get your butt up, face your fears head on and it'll get easier. Now goooooo!

I refuse to go to the gym. I'm positive I will look like an idiot. Good luck!

Do you have a Planet Fitness in your area? Their mottos are "No judgement!" and "You belong!" And they are just $10 a month.
I have seen all kinds of people in there from my size, to really fat, to "What do they need to go to a gym for?" lol. Look em up!

You have gotten some great advice!! I have been having problems lately with my acheilles tendon, it is much better when I wear tennis shoes but I can't at work... I have found that swimming is the best exercise for me without pain. I jog in the water, do grapevines, crab walk, jumping jacks, cross country jumps, and just plain old swimming laps... It's amazing the difference I feel when i'm in the water and then the second im out of the water I start hurting again... it's hard, especially when I am 24 and weigh 320 lbs so I can't do what most of my friends do. Just keep up the hard work, one good way to get your heart rate up and burn some cals is punches, on days your feet are bothering you, sit on the edge of a chair and engage your abs and do punches to some poppy music, on days you can stand then get into a soft squat and do punches, this is also good in the water b/c you get the resistance from the water. I am a member of the YMCA and I love it as well b/c of the diversity, I usually swim with a lot of older people (water aerobics for arthirits) and then do zumba with young and old, fat and/or fit. I love the YMCA!

Just a few...modified push ups, Russian twists, modified planks, crunches, reverse crunches...

My gym buddy has really bad PF that won't seem to go away but she still comes to the gym with me every day and usually goes for slow walks with her neighbors on the weekends too. There is plenty of other things you can do besides walking. For her, the bike seems to work best as there's no impact. She can also do about 10 minutes on the elliptical or even the stair machine. The treadmill is a bit more difficult but as long as she takes it slow she seems to do ok.

You can also swim, strength train and you may even be able to do yoga. Also look into seated exercises as someone else suggested.

But at the very base of things - as others have pointed out - you're not going to lose the weight (and/or keep it off) if you can't find a way to keep your eating under control. First I'd work on thinking of foods as good or bad - stop doing it. That's a huge part of emotional eating and there's just no need for it. I've lost over 80 pounds while still eating pizza, chocolate, chinese take-out, etc. I just eat less of it than I used to and I make smarter choices about ingredients and portions. It is possible to be a foodie and still lose the weight, it's not either or.

You can do it!

I refuse to go to the gym. I'm positive I will look like an idiot. I started doing Leslie Sansone low impact aerobics at home a year ago. Lost 60 pounds and 5 pant sizes. I had to buy good walking shoes tho. My feet hurt all the time at first. Do you have good sturdy shoes?

MFP has helped me see the amount of food I eat but it also shows me just how much I work out too. Love it!

Good luck!

^^This!

Also check out orthotics. They don't necessarily have to be expensive. I got a pair for $35 at my local athletic shoe store and they have helped tremendously.

There are A LOT of exercises you can do sitting or low foot impact. Biking, lifting while sitting, and arm stretches (w/ band) are just a few. The suggestion about shoe inserts might just be helpful. I can not deny myself the less than healthy foods. When I do I end up going over board. Remember it isn't about NOT eating it is about eating less.

Good luck!

I have severe plantar faciitis in my heel. I can barely walk. I have tried everything the doctor has suggested I have done a Cast for two months, braces, Physical Therapy and NOTHING has helped it. Of course #1 suggestion is loose weight. I am having such a hard time with this. I am 41 years old I know what to eat and what is good and bad for me, but yet the BAD always calls my name, I have 0 willpower. I joined a gym a year ago and basically I make payments for nothing. I loved going to the gym and now that my heel is messed up I can't go and I know I need this in order to loose. UGH I am so fed up. Sorry just venting.

You can lose weight without exercise. Your diet needs to be razor sharp. However, you can do all kinds of exercises at the gym even in a cast. Bench press, shoulder press, rows, all kinds of stuff that will help you burn calories and build muscle. I just came off a foot injury and used the time to work upper body.