Advice appreciated

0o0w3z
0o0w3z Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, and thank you for taking the time to read this! I desperately need advice please.

Bit of background... I'm a disabled person, I have both legs missing from above knee and my left arm missing from above elbow. Im totally electric wheelchair bound. To add to this I suffer from chronic joint pain in pretty much all joints. Despite this I'm also a single mum of two who is studying full time for a degree. As you can imagine this severely limits any exercise I can do.
Diet wise, I have tried slimmers world and weight watchers in the past and have always gained weight on them. I decided to try the food diary and calorie counting on here, but am still gaining weight. Since I started I know I've gone over my calorie limit of 1200 a couple of times (this Sunday by an embarrassing amount, but it was a family event so food was pushed onto me all day). I also realise I've had wine and empty calories too often, and have decided to cut those out almost totally. My food intake to my inexperienced eye doesn't look too bad though, although there's not much variation in it.
If any of you have an suggestions, or reasons where I'm going wrong, I would really appreciate it. I can't keep going on like this, I'm getting to the point of trying to give up food completely in the crazy hope it might help, but know many say that's the worst thing to do.

Thank you in hope, Wez x

Edited...I just made my diary public, feel free to take a look...

Replies

  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    How long ago did you start?
  • Spresto2
    Spresto2 Posts: 53 Member
    Hello! I may not have a ton of useful advice for you, but I have a few things to suggest to you. Here is where I might begin, if I had a similar situation to you...speak to a dietician and your physician about your goals and get that opinion for one thing. You never know what sort of information could come from that. Consider getting a fitbit or bodymedia device to help you understand your metabolism, how many calories you burn throughout your day to day activities and how much food you actually be eating to lose weight. I really think talking to a doctor would be useful in your situation because there may be solutions for your exercise dilemma and if you could get more activity this may really help. Likely you will have to put a large focus on your nutrition and diet. GOOD LUCK!
  • jamiek917
    jamiek917 Posts: 610 Member
    dont be afraid of food. find out your BMR- http://iifym.com/bmr-calculator/ , and at the very least, eat that. this is what your body needs per day if you laid in bed all day. dont be afraid of food! your body needs a certain amount to function properly, and you must fuel it.

    I dont see the point of figuring out your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) since you will not be working out, but I do think you need to eat your BMR- you will be more satisfied than 1200 (which you havent even been meeting most days), and it will be more sustainable.

    also- make it a point to eat more fats and protein-- those are the areas often lacking in your dairy totals. carbs are easier to eat, but protein and fat aid weight loss

    best of luck!
  • 0o0w3z
    0o0w3z Posts: 3
    Thank you for the advice and comments :)

    In answer to your question trudyjoy I've been on and off diets all my adult life, this time I've been seriously trying since Easter when I was major league embarrassed to find I couldn't fit into an airplane seat :(

    @jamie, aren't fats bad for me though? I've been trying to avoid them! Lol
  • Freakbunny
    Freakbunny Posts: 22 Member
    Hi

    I'm definitely no expert and my diet can be shocking. But one thing that pops out at me after being ultra nosy and looking at your diary is water.... water.... water... Unless you aren't logging it.

    And you're right there are a lot of wasted calories are going on fizzy drinks, juice, wine etc. Looking at the diary a few times in one week you would have been under by a few hundred calories but the wine or fizzy blew it out of the water.

    So no need to cut out food just the liquidy stuff that isn't water!

    Good luck
  • jamiek917
    jamiek917 Posts: 610 Member
    Thank you for the advice and comments :)

    In answer to your question trudyjoy I've been on and off diets all my adult life, this time I've been seriously trying since Easter when I was major league embarrassed to find I couldn't fit into an airplane seat :(

    @jamie, aren't fats bad for me though? I've been trying to avoid them! Lol

    not at all. the low fat trend was just shoved down our throats for years :-( im not saying to dive into a bag of chocolate everyday (moderation is key), but healthy fats like peanut butter, avocado, olive oil, etc, plus those extras in moderation- definitely help! i aim for 35% of my day in protein, 25% in fat and 40% in carbs (sometimes higher in protein).

    i started a lifting program called New Rules of Lifting for Women a few months ago. while i understand you cant do the workouts, its an extremely informative read, and taught me a lot (in case you want to read it sometime). i feel like that book, as well as stuff ive learned from the well-versed people on MFP, have debunked 30 years of shape magazine :)
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    Please read this link, it will help you figure your numbers and understand how this all works.

    I think it is great that you are getting an education and raising your kids when most people would give up, you are a fighter and I know you can do this too.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet
  • 0o0w3z
    0o0w3z Posts: 3
    Thank you all, going to try to see if I can find a way to exercise, drink more water (and a lot less vino!), and get help to fathom out my baselines so I know what I'm doing!
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    if you've been doing it for a while chances are there is def something you can change. MFP has the ability to help you lose weight without exercise, so if I were you i'd work out sedentary TDEE and BMR and then see what wiggle room you have within that. It's gonna be a case of relearning some things, but you can do it x
  • Freakbunny
    Freakbunny Posts: 22 Member
    Another thing, 0o0w3z.

    Get your family and friends in on it, other wise they tend to sabotage your efforts, I find. Let them know that you need to, want to lose weight and would appreciate them supporting you by not offering things that will rack up the calorie intake.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    you need fats...they are good for you in reasonable amounts...essential for a healthy body. Besides...all those "low fat" foods....mostly make up the missing bulk with sugar, which IS bad for you. Maybe a consult with a dietician would be a good idea for you, to get a little coaching on good nutrition. You can do this...even with your very real challenges. Best of luck to you!

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