When did life get easier?
ATXHeather
Posts: 218 Member
So, I'm over 300 lbs., which makes life difficult. Being fat is hard. It's hard to walk up the stairs, to play with my kids, to go camping and getting into a kayak is just ridiculous. That is the main reason I am having VSG in a month, so that I can be more active and things won't be so hard. I'm at about 301 now, having lost about 15 lbs in the 3 month supervised diet. I'm about 5'6". I am wondering at what weight or after how much weight loss did you notice that things were easier? I know it is going to be different for everyone but what's the ball park? My doc wants me exercising regularly which I am trying to do with a recumbent bike, walking and hand weights but the cardio stuff is hard because I'm so overweight. I like walking but then my feet and ankles get sore. When will that start to feel easier?
0
Replies
-
I noticed at 25-30#. Noticed a lot more at 50#
And at almost 100#, it's a world of difference. 0 -
I started off at 382 lbs. It was extremely difficult for me to exercise. I had the same problem with my feet getting sore when I walked, but walking was pretty much the only thing I could do at the time. I kept at it, careful not to overdo it, and when I got to 340, I started going to the gym and using the elliptical. I feel like at that point, when I had lost about 40lbs, I started noticing a difference. Once I made going to the gym a regular part of my routine, I felt better and better. I was able to lose 70 lbs before I even had surgery last October. Now, I can't even tell you how amazing I feel. Exercise is much easier and I am loving it, and I feel like I have more energy than I had when I was 25. I chose to have VSG for pretty much the same reasons as you, I wanted to get healthy and get my quality of life back. Mission accomplished :-)0
-
I'm also 5'6", but started out at 235. I was on 3 meds for blood pressure that did not completely control it, several for asthma that did not control it at all, a statin for cholesterol and was pre-diabetic, never started meds for that. I have hip displasia that's had me losing cartilage since I was in my 20's, so any impact exercise, even walking or elliptical hurt, (and even today is damaging) and I couldn't breathe most of the time which didn't help. By the time I'll peeled off 30 or 40 pounds, (probably 30%-40% to goal), I was off all the meds. The conditions that required them were gone. I felt good enough to try again. I started out on the elliptical that had been gathering dust, developed a pretty good habit for exercise in spite of the hip pain, but soon found that I was going to have to move to a lower impact routine. I purchased a quality stationary bike that has helped me get to the next level.
Today, in month 9, I'm in my goal range and I ride that thing at level 17 or 18 (it goes to 20) for an hour on hills every work day at 4:30am. A couple of days per week I add a little upper body strength training\abs. I wear a heart rate monitor for work outs that syncs with my fitness watch (ViVo) with a step counter so I know what I'm actually burning in a day. That syncs automagically with MFP and adjusts my calories for me. No I don't eat the extra calories. I couldn't if I tried. I can walk 10,000 steps in a day occasionally, but if I did that every day, I'd have pain again so I limit long walks where I can. As long as I work within the limitations of the hip displasia I feel amazing! I take the stairs at work now, (WITH the 20 pound computer backpack) and its not a problem. Hiked all over the amusement park the other night, (mild pain gone the next day).
So for me, I noticed a big difference in my health at 30%-40% to goal, (my original goal was 135 or an even 100 pound loss). I've since adjusted that up to 145, but at the rate I'm going, I'll see 135. May not stay there, but I'll probably see it before bouncing back up a bit.
That first 30-40 pounds comes before you know it post op. The first month will be hard physically as your body heals and adjusts to the "shock", Just keep working the plan. Hydration, protein, move more. You'll feel better soon!0 -
For me I became aware of the differences in the difficulty levels in my life at about 30#. I am at -47 now and I see the changes regularly. Playing on the floor with my granddaughter is much easier and getting up doesn't require a piece of furniture. I am really excited for you to move to the next step in your journey. Keep up the exercise and drinking water - it makes all the difference in the world! I am 7 weeks post-surgery and I enjoy walking and water aerobics. It's so good to be moving in the right direction.0
-
Very soon my friend! I'm 5'7 and started at 325 on 3/19/14. I lost 15 on a two week pre op- and stalled out the first week after surg, but even with that - I noticed right away that there was more space between me and steering wheel when I drove to my first follow up apt. Doesn't sound like much- but it's the first change I noticed. The excercize got easier too- first time at the gym I thought I was going to die after five min on the ellipical- and that's after I spent 10 min trying to figure out how to work it...my goal was 15 min, and I JUST made it...now, I can easily do 40 min. Yesterday- I went to the State Fair with the family- and walked for hours with out a problem or needing to sit at every bench I saw.
So the changes happen fast- and they keep coming.0 -
I am 5'6 and was 295 the day before my surgery and found things extremely difficult. I couldn't walk up the stairs from my basement without being winded. My van's steering wheel was in my stomach. I had trouble doing household chores because of my back hurting and being winded. I have lost 69 lbs and now weigh 226 lbs and it has made so much of a huge difference in my life. Just today I walked 3 miles and wasn't winded to the point of not being able to talk. I keep a brisk pace when walking 3.5 mph according to my phone app. Steering wheel is no longer in my stomach, I can run up my stairs now no problems.
I was on 6 pills a day for diabetes I am now no longer a diabetic, I was on 4 pills for high blood pressure and I am down to 1/2 pill now. I am still on my cholesterol pill but at my 3mth post op appt I was told I would probably be able to discontinue using it at my 6 mth post op appt. I do have acid reflux that I didn't previously have but in my opinion its a small price to pay for all the benefits I now have.
Best of luck
0 -
I am 5'7" and started this at 386. I could walk about 20 minutes before I had to stop and rest. I was 365 at surgery. At about a month out and maybe 20 pounds down I could only walk about a 1/2 mile before my back gave out. I noticed at 3 months out and about 60-70 pounds down that I could walk about an hour and almost a mile before my back gave out. Yes, I was walking slow, but I was walking. My point of feeeling a lot better and realizing I had no back pain and could walk the entire 3 mile loop without having to stop was at about 100 pounds down. You are starting at a lower weight than I did and most of my pain was from the weight related damage to my lower spine. Yes my feet and knees hurt too, but my back would give out first. Funny, I mentioned to my husband the last time we walked the loop a few days ago that I remember when I couldn't do a 1/4 of it and had to take my cane becuase I wouldn't make it back to the car otherwise.0
-
Thanks so much for everyone's responses. I am hoping that I will start feeling better by the end of the summer. It's a bummer that things are still so hard for me this summer but I expect to be crazy with my kids next summer - camping, hiking, kayaking, swimming, etc. I feel guilty for not exercising very much. I am trying but sometimes it is just too discouraging and I can't do as much as I would like or feel like I "should" be doing. I am hoping that will get better soon after surgery.0
