Unable to work out, doctors orders....help!!!

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ClevelandsCowgirl
ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have some condition where my muscles and my bones arent communicating with eachother...doctor wont allow me to do activities until I have done a ton of physical therapy and lost some weight as well as gotten some steroid shots in my knees ouch...but its going to be a while before I can complete all the doctors orders. A few years back I lost 114 pounds working my butt of 4 hours a day and eating healthy. Now i cant work out and am eating healthy and have only lost 2 pounds in a month!!! Its really discouraging :( Any advice would help! Usually I eat a small egg and turkey bacon breakfast, or a whole wheat bagel. Lunch is usually plain fish and brown rice, and dinner is usually lean turkey breast and cooked veggies. Small good snacks throughout the day as well. I dont drink soda....but i find it hard to drink water at all. I mean right now im on this whole propel/powerade zero kick. Its the only way I hydrate...Sometimes I just go an entire day without remembering to pee or drink anything. HELP!! I need weight loss support and tips since I cant work out!!
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Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    If it were me, i'd reduce calories and carbs. The bagel and rice would be where i would start trimming. Or maybe those "good snacks", if they are high in calories or carbs.

    As far as drinking, there are apps that can remind you ("Drinking Water", etc).

    Are you able to walk? What is your condition called?
  • KatissimusDorsi
    KatissimusDorsi Posts: 79
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    1) If you can walk safely, do so.

    2) It doesn't matter if you can't exercise - you'll probably experience some muscle loss but that seems to be inevitable with your particular condition. If you eat at a caloric deficit, you will lose weight.

    3) Like Cherimoose said, since you're less active you may experience some better results with reducing carbohydrate intake when it comes to being full and satiated throughout the day.

    4) Since you can't be very active, eating enough protein to try and preserve your muscle mass is crucial! Think like .6-.8g per pound bodyweight.
  • ldula88
    ldula88 Posts: 169 Member
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    I've lost 45 pounds in 4.5 months with almost no exercise. Granted, I am on my feet 40 hours a week, which helps a bit, but I attribute most of my loss to sticking to my calorie deficit. I also made the change to Paleo/Primal, so I've cut out grains and processed foods, and have been eating lower carbs and upping my fat intake in order to feel full longer, which definitely helps me avoid overeating. I also drink 100 oz of water a day or more. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and do it. Flavored water is fine, but not if there are added calories or lots of sweeteners.

    Overall, I'm definitely a believer in the "get fit in the gym, lose weight in the kitchen" way of life. If I can do it with almost no exercise and all diet changes, so can you :) You've just got to stick it out! Good luck!
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
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    There is a type of yoga that you can do in a chair. It was created for older people with arthritis problems so it is extremely low impact and doesn't require a lot of movement. I don't quite remember what it's called but I believe I saw a few youtube videos on it. Try asking your doctor if you can do that.
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
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    You just need to eat a calorie deficit to lose weight. Calculate your TDEE and eat a 15-20% deficit.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    Take a look at my ticker.

    Now add about an additional 20-30 lbs lost since I updated it.

    And none of that was lost working out with remotely any kind of regularity.

    I love being active, but I prefer to be active during maintenance, not active weight loss. My deficits are aggressive and my typical TDEE in a sedentary life is enough to slashing my fat down.

    If you can't work out, then you're going to have to adjust your food so that your typical, daily energy expenditure is enough to put you at a loss.

    This is only a struggle if you're hoping you can eat at the level that sustained you when you were working out for hours a day.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    So I have some condition where my muscles and my bones arent communicating with eachother...doctor wont allow me to do activities until I have done a ton of physical therapy and lost some weight as well as gotten some steroid shots in my knees ouch...but its going to be a while before I can complete all the doctors orders. A few years back I lost 114 pounds working my butt of 4 hours a day and eating healthy. Now i cant work out and am eating healthy and have only lost 2 pounds in a month!!! Its really discouraging :( Any advice would help! Usually I eat a small egg and turkey bacon breakfast, or a whole wheat bagel. Lunch is usually plain fish and brown rice, and dinner is usually lean turkey breast and cooked veggies. Small good snacks throughout the day as well. I dont drink soda....but i find it hard to drink water at all. I mean right now im on this whole propel/powerade zero kick. Its the only way I hydrate...Sometimes I just go an entire day without remembering to pee or drink anything. HELP!! I need weight loss support and tips since I cant work out!!


    I find it hard to drink water in winter, so I cut up a grapefruit, cucumber, lemon and parsley in a big jug of water (or you could use any fruit of your choice), it helps to flavor the water and its all natural.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
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    You just need to eat a calorie deficit to lose weight. Calculate your TDEE and eat a 15-20% deficit.

    Yup.

    It seems likes you are restricting your calories...are you making sure you aren't underestimating your calories and/or serving sizes?

    You don't have to excercise to lose weight. 4 hours daily seems crazy to me.
  • Capt_Inzane
    Capt_Inzane Posts: 733 Member
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    I'm not familiar with your condition but you should be able to speak with your doctor about it and get some low impact/easy workout tips I'd imagine. Some great ones were already mentioned. Another thing you may be able to do is get one of those rubber band things and just sit down on a couch/chair and try and do different exercises with that. I know when my father was disabled we purchased one of those and he was able to do it while he watched television.

    If not then just remember to be incredibly strict with your diet until you're able to workout. It's a minor set back when you stop and think of the big picture. You'll get there and be healthier in general. It'd suck if you were to try and push yourself now and injure yourself so that you're out for say 6 months.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
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    What condition are you diagnosed with? Sounds perplexing. Skeletal Muscles are the movers of our skeletal system. that is how they " work together". In simple terms. If they are not " working together" you'd be in pretty bad shape. As in bed ridden.

    Lets go with you are very sedentary. then it's important to keep your carb macro in balance. carbs are important, but we need less if not active. Keep them complex - not simple.

    Protein - very important. Ensure you are focusing on protein at every meal and throughout day with snacks. in general. Aim for 3o g with each meal and another 30 throughout day. Non- starchy vegetables. Fiber rich fruits. Healthy fats ( nuts, natural nut butters, avocado & olives) should be the focus of your diet. crowd out simple carbs = added sugar and processed foods. Cook your meals vs. Eating out and convenience foods as much as you can.

    With all that said: if your medical condition is such that your skeletal muscles are not performing - then your nutrition and activity needs to be closely monitored by medical professionals.

    EDITED TO ADD: Just read your profile. It's contradictory to what u just posted. please seek appropriate medical intervention. Good luck!!
  • ClevelandsCowgirl
    ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
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    Hi all sorry...im back :) I usually eat about half a serving of the brown rice, I measure it out. I have half of a 1/4 cup. 1/4 is the serving and my other measuring cups are missing so I just have to do the math myself or "eyeball it" LOL. my bagel is whole wheat and I only eat half of the bagel without anything on it. I use apps that allow me to scan the barcode on food packages to calculate my calories. Im only eating about 900-1200 calories a day depending on how im feeling. Some days im more hungry than others so ill eat the 1200 but sometime im barely hungry and i have to force myself just to eat 900 worth. I cant walk much. Cant remember what the condition is called its a long term and hard for me to pronounce. Its where your knee cap which is encased in your muscles goes sideways and up way further than its supposed to. Its due to me putting on weight and already having funny shaped legs. So because the kneecap moves sideways it grinds and strains my bones down and causes missing cartilage? IDK Its just how the doctor and physical therapist described it to me. I have been following my at home regimen for my physical therapy all are involved sitting down. So i just IDK....like i said i was a work out junkie for a while. Worked from 10am to 3am bar-tending so after work Id hit up 24 hour fitness for 4 hours a day and lost 114 pounds in a year. that was 2 years ago....i have since gained about 20 pounds and havnt been as active and now ive only lost 2 pounds in a month! ARG!! Its frustrating. I am having trouble replying to everyone posts so i hope this one replied to everyone! thanks for the advice all! I could definitely use more and all I could get :)
  • ClevelandsCowgirl
    ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
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    Working on the whole water intake thing. I have been drinking propel no calories or added anything and trying to use a single bottle to measure out my water intake so I know how much ive been drinking
  • ClevelandsCowgirl
    ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
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    Yes I should look to being back and able to exercise in a month or 2! luckily not 6!! Gradually doing strength leg exercises the physical therapist gave me to do and every week adding more difficulty and more weight to it to strengthen the muscles. My favorite is having to hold a ball between my knees while sitting down and lifting my legs while "squeezing" the muscles im supposed to strengthen. Not sure what the exercise is called. I was a treadmill and stair climber kinda girl so I have no idea what any of the things im doing are called.
  • ClevelandsCowgirl
    ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
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    What condition are you diagnosed with? Sounds perplexing. Skeletal Muscles are the movers of our skeletal system. that is how they " work together". In simple terms. If they are not " working together" you'd be in pretty bad shape. As in bed ridden.

    Lets go with you are very sedentary. then it's important to keep your carb macro in balance. carbs are important, but we need less if not active. Keep them complex - not simple.

    Protein - very important. Ensure you are focusing on protein at every meal and throughout day with snacks. in general. Aim for 3o g with each meal and another 30 throughout day. Non- starchy vegetables. Fiber rich fruits. Healthy fats ( nuts, natural nut butters, avocado & olives) should be the focus of your diet. crowd out simple carbs = added sugar and processed foods. Cook your meals vs. Eating out and convenience foods as much as you can.

    With all that said: if your medical condition is such that your skeletal muscles are not performing - then your nutrition and activity needs to be closely monitored by medical professionals.

    EDITED TO ADD: Just read your profile. It's contradictory to what u just posted. please seek appropriate medical intervention. Good luck!!


    My profile is very out of date. Havent been on here in quite a while. I kept straying away from the website. Am now back on hoping for advice.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Your weight can be controlled 100% with energy consumption...your diet. Exercise is not necessary to lose weight...you most certainly don't need 4 hours daily...that's pretty much over-training and completely unrealistic long term.

    Get a food scale...weigh everything that has weight as a suggested serving size and use measuring cups/spoons for everything else. Don't eyeball your servings, etc...studies show that guestimating can lead to as much as 30-50% underestimation of intake, particularly if you aren't truly accustomed to looking at a true serving of something.
  • ClevelandsCowgirl
    ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
    Options
    I'm not familiar with your condition but you should be able to speak with your doctor about it and get some low impact/easy workout tips I'd imagine. Some great ones were already mentioned. Another thing you may be able to do is get one of those rubber band things and just sit down on a couch/chair and try and do different exercises with that. I know when my father was disabled we purchased one of those and he was able to do it while he watched television.

    If not then just remember to be incredibly strict with your diet until you're able to workout. It's a minor set back when you stop and think of the big picture. You'll get there and be healthier in general. It'd suck if you were to try and push yourself now and injure yourself so that you're out for say 6 months.

    I looked it up since I couldnt remember what it was called. called Chondromalacia, patellafemeral somthing, and osteoarthritus
  • ClevelandsCowgirl
    ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
    Options
    Your weight can be controlled 100% with energy consumption...your diet. Exercise is not necessary to lose weight...you most certainly don't need 4 hours daily...that's pretty much over-training and completely unrealistic long term.

    Get a food scale...weigh everything that has weight as a suggested serving size and use measuring cups/spoons for everything else. Don't eyeball your servings, etc...studies show that guestimating can lead to as much as 30-50% underestimation of intake, particularly if you aren't truly accustomed to looking at a true serving of something.

    How do you know how much to weigh out etc?
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    So I have some condition where my muscles and my bones arent communicating with eachother...doctor wont allow me to do activities until I have done a ton of physical therapy and lost some weight as well as gotten some steroid shots in my knees ouch...but its going to be a while before I can complete all the doctors orders. A few years back I lost 114 pounds working my butt of 4 hours a day and eating healthy. Now i cant work out and am eating healthy and have only lost 2 pounds in a month!!! Its really discouraging :( Any advice would help! Usually I eat a small egg and turkey bacon breakfast, or a whole wheat bagel. Lunch is usually plain fish and brown rice, and dinner is usually lean turkey breast and cooked veggies. Small good snacks throughout the day as well. I dont drink soda....but i find it hard to drink water at all. I mean right now im on this whole propel/powerade zero kick. Its the only way I hydrate...Sometimes I just go an entire day without remembering to pee or drink anything. HELP!! I need weight loss support and tips since I cant work out!!

    My advice is just be careful with your diet, do your physical therapy, then begin exercising when your doctor says it's ok.
  • ClevelandsCowgirl
    ClevelandsCowgirl Posts: 11
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    I have received some rude replies and such. Kinda makes me wonder if I should be turning to this particular site for help. I dont need a "Medical Intervention" That was fairly rude. Makes me doubt myself even more. I think I shall just go back to taking support from those who have messaged me or added me. Thanks anyways to those who DID help and give some great advice!! I will look into that yoga chair :) The food scale and such. Next week I get to learn to tape my knees in the right place...So heres to crossing my fingers.
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
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    If you are eating 900-1200 calories you are eating far too little. Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to function properly. As I said, calculate your TDEE and then eat -15-20%.

    Water can come from any source that has water in it: pop, juice, coffee, fruit, veggies, etc. You do not need 6-8 plain glasses of water, that is a myth.

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