Getting back on the wagon :)

thebestweebles
thebestweebles Posts: 11
edited September 21 in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! *waves*

I tried to join MFP months ago (in... April-ish?) and let the food diary-ing slip by the wayside. I'm going to try to do more of it now, in addition to hitting up the rec center and doing gym-less workouts, probably on the weekends. I know I have some weight to lose, and I really NEED and want to do it in a healthy, sustainable and affordable way.

My problems:

-I'm not sure if I even want to set up a goal weight (because I want to do right by *my* body, and not project a number that is unattainable because my body doesn't want to go there and feel 'disappointed' because I can't get unhealthily skinny). I know it's not healthy to obsess about exercise or food, and I don't want to go there, either.
-I work two part-time jobs, and go full-time to college (will I even have time to work out between studying, class, and working?)
-I have a non-cancerous bone tumor in a weight-bearing bone, and I've lived with it and pain from it for over half my life. I had surgery to reinforce it two years ago, and it's started hurting again the past month or so. It's hard to find a workout that will burn lots of fat and not be weight-bearing. I've scheduled an appointment with my osteo-oncologist to check up on it and make sure it's doing ok. However, I don't want to aggravate it by starting to work out aggressively... and for that matter, since I've had it since I was 9, I'm not even sure if I have a good idea of different exercises I can do! Since I was banned from physical activity when I was younger for 5+ years because of the bone tumor... which of course led to dramatic weight gain. *sigh* If' that's not a vicious cycle I don't know what is.

My goals:

-Get healthier and stronger!
-Be at a healthy weight!
-Not get diabetes! (Both of my parents and grandmothers are/were Type 2, my brother is Type 1... out of my nuclear family of 4 I'm outnumbered)
-Have more energy!
-Not have my leg hurt as much!

Any advice/suggestions? I really need some right now :)

Replies

  • marymooster
    marymooster Posts: 134 Member
    Hi. congratulations on deciding to live healthier.
    To have a goal weight is really a good idea. It makes things more concrete in your mind. I would suggest look at the highest wt you have been... the lowest weight you have been and the most consistent wt you have been. Then I would go somewhere between your lowest and most consistent. I mention these because these are set points that your body is working with, so you should work with them as well.

    As for activity, I would suggest water aerobics or if in Europe aqua- aerobics. Very gentle and easy to the body... no wt bearing and will definately increase your flexibility.....
    A land based might be yoga or pilates but you would be a better judge of how that would affect you.

    best wishes.
    Mary
  • thebestweebles
    thebestweebles Posts: 11
    Ok, so apparently I wasn't clear with the "goal weight" thing.

    I'm ~178ish lbs now (hard to tell because I don't own a scale, only weigh at the doctor's office or the gym) and the "lowest weight" I've been at that I can remember is about 100 pounds. I was like 9 or 10.

    Two things happened: I hit puberty, and I was diagnosed with my bone tumor at 9.

    Gained a wholebunchaweight as a consequence.

    My heaviest was ~188, my lightest *adult* weight was like ~157. My most consistent is about what I am now, 175ish.

    I've never been able to, as an adult, be as active as I'd like to be. (thanks, bone tumors!) So I have no real idea of how much I should weigh, (if everything works out happy at the doctor's in two weeks, and there's nothing wrong with me or my bone tumor anymore,) and I get to exercise frequently again.

    I mean, I suppose I'll talk to my osteo-oncologist about getting a referral to a PT who specializes in my kind of case (I'm sure losing some weight will help take the pressure off the bone, and exercise helps bone density) and maybe my regular doctor too... though they seem to know what to do with me about as much as I do. Which is to say, not at all.
  • thebestweebles
    thebestweebles Posts: 11
    Another thing is, if I end up without a real goal weight, how do I measure progress? In 10 lb ranges? I want to be able to reward myself for doing things well, since I'll probably need real incentives to keep at it. Any ideas?
  • marymooster
    marymooster Posts: 134 Member
    Ok. I still reccomend my previous statement.... but lets look a little closer.
    WIthout knowing how tall you are.... am gonna make guestimation.
    First let's discount your child wt... should have clarified looking at adult wts.

    From what you have said.... I would look at 130 or 140 as a goal wt if you want to do that. ( again that is without knowing your height.
    However should you decide a wt is not the way to go for you.... Use measurements.... Measure yourself. then decide what measurements you feel are ideal for you and use those as a goal.
    make your rewards in 1-5 increments.

    is yout tumor in your left hip.... is it in the joint? if so then it is really complicated with movement.

    do check out aqua aerobics... or even just moving in the water... good exercise without impact.

    most importantly you have to remember that you are in charge. You are the one who makes the decisions. even the not so good ones,. it is you... That has been the most important assistance I have had in this whole process. take charge take control... listen to your body and work with it... make friends with it....
    ok... starting to sound out there....
    but best wishes
  • thebestweebles
    thebestweebles Posts: 11
    I'm 5'4", smallish framed.

    Tumor is in my left femur, but it affects the whole bone. The surgery put in a titanium rod nearly the full length of the bone itself, and a Ti pin to keep it in place, which protrudes a little from the bone (near the hip joint) into the surrounding tissue and is a bit uncomfortable sometimes when my leg is in certain positions.

    See what I mean? I feel like a mess... like I don't even know if I can do this, I've got so much other stuff going on.
  • marymooster
    marymooster Posts: 134 Member
    you can do it.;... the most important thing is to remember you are in charge. It may not feel like it at times but you are incharge. Make decisions and choices... if they don't work then make another... it is not succeed or fail but doing the journey.... getting it done. They are days I feel like a complete failure in this because I am still working at it.it isn't all gone. well. ... I only fail when I quit. we only fail when we quit.

    focus on the best things you have going for you and use them to create what you want. as you do that the things that aren't the best will eventually be gone or coped with.

    so practically speaking.... non impact exercise..my vote is aqua aerobics... and conciousness around eating.... if you are stress eating then find the emotion you are feeding and do something positive to dispel it...capitalize on the movements you can make without being uncomfortable. most importantly decide you are going to do it....As for the wt thing..... 125 130 should be decent for you and your height.... and it is acheivable......
    best wishes....
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