Expert Advice Needed!!

Mistri305 · September 2014

Hello Everyone!

I have used the app for quiet some time, but this is my first visit to the community forums! I am in desperate need of help or tips to point me in the right direction. I have battled obesity my entire life. I was an overweight child when there were no other overweigh children, always the biggest child in the school. My mother had me on lean cuisines and weight watchers since 6 years old, other than my grandmother occasionally sneaking me a fried egg, fried chicken or ice cream, I was always on a strict diet, never allowed holiday meals or birthday cake. I weighed 120 by 3rd grade, 180 by high school graduation, 320 by age 34.. I also have a neuro-muscular condition that causes the muscles of my legs and hands to slowly wither away..it also affects a few other nerves mildly. . I have never been able to run, jump, stoop, squat,kneel, or stand on my tiptoes. Walking has been a lifelong obstacle, always slow with frequent falls. My weight gains definitely coicnide with worsening symptoms. Even on low calorie diets, if I am not active I will gain weight. I rode my bike several miles a day throughout childhood and stayed at 120, until a 3bone leg fracture grounded me for a year at 14. I gained 40lbs. Once I healed, was swimming several laps a day until I lost my balance at 28 and getting in and out of the pool became a dangerous obstacle. I was 260lbs at 28 when I had to start using a walker and my knees were severely weak. I was sedentary during that time other than daily stretches, went up to 320 by 30 and stayed there for 2 years. At 34, a miracle brace allowed me to be mobile again, using it and 2 walking poles, I slowly built up to walking 3 miles a day for five years. I did one mile 3x per day, it took me an hour per mile...but I did it;) I dropped to 250lbs. Worsening symptoms and two fractured feet grounded me once again last October. I had to give up my walks. I started using an exercise bike in March. I was doing 15miles an hour, supposedly burning 390 calories but I don't believe it. I am now back up to 300lbs. Anyway, by May I found out my renal nerves are also affected. I would have never known if not for the biking and sweating. There is something about water input, water output and weak renal nerves that I have yet to figure out. Anything more tthan 15 minutes on the bike and my stomach is bloated and painful. My doctor finally said I need to just stay at the 15 minutes a day, so I need some other way to exercise. I found a new miracle brace last month and I am just now building my walks back up to .6 mile per day, but it's not enough and I fear this is all I will be able to do. The braces are supposed to keep me out of a wheelchair, but the weakness is severe after .3 of a mile at a time and I can't seem to do more than twice a day. I just don't think I'm physical able to do more than that. My cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar have always been normal. My triglycerides went down with the frequent walks..they were never that high but my doctor was surprised at someone my weight at such a low level. My sugar stays at 100, it will go down if I don't eat but never raises more than 108 after meals. I was honestly happy at 250 and would give anything to get back there. I do daily arm stretches with 5lb weights..I've been doing this for years and it's all I can handle;) , I'm doing the 1 1/2 miles on the bike, walking .6 of a mile per day, constantly doing some kind of leg stretches or exercises(I have to to keep them awake), and all kinds of leaning and stretching against walks and cabinets. Another thing no doctor can explain is my heart rate...it doesn't go up when I exercise. Pedaling my hardest during a stress test and it topped at 100, on my bike at home its usually 94-96. They claim I have the heart of an athlete. I've never really exerted myself so I'm not sure if it's always been like that. I think I eat very healthy but often wonder if I am totally misunderstanding something. I have to watch what I eat due to my condition, otherwise I would truly be immobile. I eat 3 meals a day, consisting of a grain, protein, fruit, and vegtable. I do not eat out or anything processed, almost everything is made from scratch. I use sprouted breads, but am learning how to make them, if only my hands would cooperate:( I do not eat red meat, pork, or egg yolks, white flours, and I limit dairy. I only use olive or coconut oil and limited smart balance. I had my gallbladder out at 12 and have not been able to eat fried food since then. I usually roast chicken, fish, and turkey. I occasionally sauté in a tablespoon of olive or coconut oil but that is it. I only drink water, green tea, or iced tea with lemon and ginger. I have never been a sweets person, nor do I drink soda. I will make fresh fruit juices for special occasions but I don't add sugar. I limit white pasta and white potatoes , I eat brown rice a few times a week. I don't eat mayo or salad dressings. I make all sauces from scratch, even ketchup;) I use a lot of fresh herbs in my seasonings, nothing bottled or packaged and only use the pink sea salt and fresh peppercorns. I don't eat anything from a can and all fruits and veggies, I buy fresh. I usually eat out of a bowl or small plate, one serving. When I first started using the app, I realized that most days I have to eat nuts to make up my calories, otherwise I'm barely at 1000 with my normal foods and servings. I'm just not sure what to change in my diet that can make me lose weight. The only time I have ever lost weight is when I walked 3 miles daily...if only I could understand why:( I'm convinced my body doesn't burn calories, I don't even know if that is possible. Doctors tell me to stop sneaking donuts at night..uggh I hate donuts and never eat after 8pm. No one ever believes me or offers any advice. I have been trying to tell people for my entire life that overeating is not my problem. I looked into weight loss surgery and the nutritionist thought I was lying in my daily food journals. I later found out that surgery is not an option due to the risks associated with my peripheral nerve issues. I am miserable right now and need to lose 50lbs to feel better..if anyone has an ideas, please help.

tulips_and_tea · September 2014

I'm so sorry for your struggles and that it seems you are not being listened to by your doctors and/or nutritionist. Have you had the SAME doctor all this time? Have you had the same nutritionist? Is it possible to get a new "team" to help you? Perhaps if you could collaborate with a doctor that suits you better and a nutritionist who believes your food logs are accurate that may help. Otherwise, I have no experience with this and don't have much to add. Sorry. But there are a lot of people here who may have better suggestions.

Mistri305 · September 2014

Thank you for your reply! Yes..I have used many doctors over the years. They all tell me to lose weight by eating less and exercising more. The nutritionists always think I am lying about what I eat. I just don't think my situation is normal. I have asked doctors if there is anything to speed up my metabolism and they say exercise...it's just a viscous cycle:((

sofaking6 · September 2014

One thing that people don't often realize is that you can get your heart rate going using just your upper body. Try doing some boxing, standing if it's safe for you but sitting if it's not. Get some light weights (or soup cans or water bottles) and hold them in your hands to challenge yourself even further. Put on some inspiring music and punch the air

Even just holding your arms out to the sides, out in front, and up over your head is actually good exercise. Try it and you'll see!

Muscles make your metabolism to a large degree, so if yours are suffering from wastage that could definitely contribute to your difficulty losing weight. I know that when I fall into sedentary behaviors I cannot lose.

I also think you might at least talk to some different doctors and see what they offer. Are there support groups for people with your condition as well? It might help to see what other people experience.

kefryar · September 2014

Have you heard of Prader-Willi syndrome? I don't know a lot about it, but It's a genetic disorder that causes people to gain weight eating even 800 calories a day. I don't know if you have constant hunger or any of the other symptoms but it might be worth looking at the website?
http://www.pwsausa.org/

enterdanger · September 2014

Have you been tested for nuerotransmitter dysfunctions? That could cause all your symptoms. Very common cause for unexplained obesity.

I'm a sales person, not a doctor...

DavPul · September 2014

Cliffs?

Paragraphs?

Searchable, indexed chapters?

_Zardoz_ · September 2014

Paragraphs are your friend. People find huge blocks of text difficult to read you'll get more responses if you break it up

simplydelish2 · September 2014

My first suggestion is to edit your post to a readable level....

freckledrats · September 2014

The reason your nutritionists do not believe you eat 1000 calories a day is that a disorder that causes obesity with tiny amounts of calories is not only extremely rare, it is deadly, and you would know by now.

You are not lying, you are just not counting something in there that needs to be counted, or miscounting what you're logging. While it's possible to eat more calories than you absorb and lose weight on higher calories, you simply can't create energy and matter from nothing. If you TRULY are eating 1000 calories a day and not losing weight while morbidly obese, you should submit yourself for scientific study.

Re-evaluate what you're eating and what you're burning. Eating 1000 calories a day while being morbidly obese would leave you with very little energy to do much. You should eat 20% less than your TDEE instead, for better energy and it will help avoid pitfalls from serious hunger, and help you get proper nutrients.

Stick to it. If you eat 1000 for two days, you can't TELL if you lost weight. The weight on the scale is 55-60% from your body's water content, and can fluctuate as much as 5-10 pounds in a single day. It is based on time of month, salt intake, carb intake, dehydration (it can make you retain water, oddly enough...), whether you had much alcohol... and it's not worth trying to control. Just eat a reasonable amount of calories to lose weight for your size, and stick to it for MONTHS. The scale will go down, it has no choice. Just don't foil it by binging on a treat food as a reward when you have done well all week. Your rewards should not be food (but still, cook your food so that it's enjoyable and within your calorie allowance).

COUNT OIL. COUNT BUTTER. If someone else is cooking, watch them like a hawk with that stuff. I stick to 1 tbsp max per meal, it's enough to add good flavor, but only about 100 calories (depending on the butter/oil).

COUNT LIQUID CALORIES. As silly as it sounds--and you probably know this--some people forget that their soda pop and sweet iced tea has a lot of calories, so I'm just mentioning it.

Above all, patience. A week of doing really well can be completely ruined if you let it all go on Saturday and binge on 4000 calories. Log your "cheats" as well, and try not to go over your TDEE on a day that has a "cheat" in it. Do just one cheat a week, but do NOT let it be a free-for-all.

Mistri305 · September 2014

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, these are the answers that I have been getting for years. In my early 20s, I still ate at restaurants and now know that I definitely had days that I hit 3000 or more calories, but not for the last 12 years. I log everything and usually wind up around 1400 calories if I add a handful of nuts at least once a day. Breakfast is usually oats with fruit and nuts, egg whites, turkey bacon, spinach and tomatoes on sprouted bread, 1 tablespoon of homemade peanut butter with celery and raisins, etc. Lunch is canned fish in water with cabbage in a salad wrap, home roasted turkey breast sandwich if I didn't eat bread in the morning, or occasionally chicken salad made with yogurt. Dinner is steamed, roasted, or sauted poultry or seafood. The occasion turkey burger or turkey meatballs is a treat. If I do make pasta dishes, I make the sauce, use parmesan cheese sparingly and make my own pasta. I do count everything but I also eat a lot of low calorie foods. My condition requires a healthy diet and I have acquired the taste for it. I have been eating this way for over 5 years, and as long as I was walking the 3 miles a day I was losing weight.

I agree about the low energy levels on a 1000 calorie diet. I'm not sure I ever dipped below 1200 because of the added nuts. I'm usually around 1200-1500. My condition causes major fatigue and weakness, so I'm not sure that it would know of low calories are causing it. I don't get normal hunger pains. I'm on a much better schedule now but dizziness is what used to remind me to eat.

I don't drink as I already stumble like a drunk person.. I add many supplements and herbs to my diet, so my vitamin levels stay at the high end.

Mistri305 · September 2014

This is a more readable version....I apologize for the first one;)) My fingers no longer type and I'm stuck with the thumb on the iphone or dictation-to-text software. This was supposed to be broken up..by the time I realized it, the edit option disappeared.

I have used the app for quiet some time, but this is my first visit to the community forums! I am in desperate need of help or tips to point me in the right direction. I have battled obesity my entire life. I was an overweight child when there were no other overweigh children, always the biggest child in the school. My mother had me on lean cuisines and weight watchers since 6 years old, other than my grandmother occasionally sneaking me a fried egg, fried chicken or ice cream, I was always on a strict diet, never allowed holiday meals or birthday cake. I weighed 120 by 3rd grade, 180 by high school graduation, 320 by age 34.. I also have a neuro-muscular condition that causes the muscles of my legs and hands to slowly wither away..it also affects a few other nerves mildly. . I have never been able to run, jump, stoop, squat,kneel, or stand on my tiptoes.

Walking has been a lifelong obstacle, always slow with frequent falls. My weight gains definitely coicnide with worsening symptoms. Even on low calorie diets, if I am not active I will gain weight. I rode my bike several miles a day throughout childhood and stayed at 120, until a 3bone leg fracture grounded me for a year at 14. I gained 40lbs. Once I healed, was swimming several laps a day until I lost my balance at 28 and getting in and out of the pool became a dangerous obstacle. I was 260lbs at 28 when I had to start using a walker and my knees were severely weak. I was sedentary during that time other than daily stretches, went up to 320 by 30 and stayed there for 2 years. At 34, a miracle brace allowed me to be mobile again, using it and 2 walking poles, I slowly built up to walking 3 miles a day for five years. I did one mile 3x per day, it took me an hour per mile...but I did it;) I dropped to 250lbs. Worsening symptoms and two fractured feet grounded me once again last October. I had to give up my walks. I started using an exercise bike in March. I was doing 15miles an hour, supposedly burning 390 calories but I don't believe it. I am now back up to 300lbs. Anyway, by May I found out my renal nerves are also affected. I would have never known if not for the biking and sweating. There is something about water input, water output and weak renal nerves that I have yet to figure out. Anything more tthan 15 minutes on the bike and my stomach is bloated and painful. My doctor finally said I need to just stay at the 15 minutes a day, so I need some other way to exercise. I found a new miracle brace last month and I am just now building my walks back up to .6 mile per day, but it's not enough and I fear this is all I will be able to do. The braces are supposed to keep me out of a wheelchair, but the weakness is severe after .3 of a mile at a time and I can't seem to do more than twice a day. I just don't think I'm physical able to do more than that.

My cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar have always been normal. My triglycerides went down with the frequent walks..they were never that high but my doctor was surprised at someone my weight at such a low level. My sugar stays at 100, it will go down if I don't eat but never raises more than 108 after meals. I was honestly happy at 250 and would give anything to get back there. I do daily arm stretches with 5lb weights..I've been doing this for years and it's all I can handle;) , I'm doing the 1 1/2 miles on the bike, walking .6 of a mile per day, constantly doing some kind of leg stretches or exercises(I have to to keep them awake), and all kinds of leaning and stretching against walks and cabinets. Another thing no doctor can explain is my heart rate...it doesn't go up when I exercise. Pedaling my hardest during a stress test and it topped at 100, on my bike at home its usually 94-96. They claim I have the heart of an athlete. I've never really exerted myself so I'm not sure if it's always been like that.

I think I eat very healthy but often wonder if I am totally misunderstanding something. I have to watch what I eat due to my condition, otherwise I would truly be immobile. I eat 3 meals a day, consisting of a grain, protein, fruit, and vegtable. I do not eat out or anything processed, almost everything is made from scratch. I use sprouted breads, but am learning how to make them, if only my hands would cooperate:( I do not eat red meat, pork, or egg yolks, white flours, and I limit dairy. I only use olive or coconut oil and limited smart balance. I had my gallbladder out at 12 and have not been able to eat fried food since then. I usually roast chicken, fish, and turkey. I occasionally sauté in a tablespoon of olive or coconut oil but that is it. I only drink water, green tea, or iced tea with lemon and ginger. I have never been a sweets person, nor do I drink soda. I will make fresh fruit juices for special occasions but I don't add sugar. I limit white pasta and white potatoes , I eat brown rice a few times a week. I don't eat mayo or salad dressings. I make all sauces from scratch, even ketchup;) I use a lot of fresh herbs in my seasonings, nothing bottled or packaged and only use the pink sea salt and fresh peppercorns. I don't eat anything from a can and all fruits and veggies, I buy fresh. I usually eat out of a bowl or small plate, one serving. When I first started using the app, I realized that most days I have to eat nuts to make up my calories, otherwise I'm barely at 1000 with my normal foods and servings. I'm just not sure what to change in my diet that can make me lose weight. The only time I have ever lost weight is when I walked 3 miles daily...if only I could understand why:(

I'm convinced my body doesn't burn calories, I don't even know if that is possible. Doctors tell me to stop sneaking donuts at night..uggh I hate donuts and never eat after 8pm. No one ever believes me or offers any advice. I have been trying to tell people for my entire life that overeating is not my problem. I looked into weight loss surgery and the nutritionist thought I was lying in my daily food journals. I later found out that surgery is not an option due to the risks associated with my peripheral nerve issues. I am miserable right now and need to lose 50lbs to feel better..if anyone has an ideas, please help.

freckledrats · September 2014

The way you write your reply here:

I agree about the low energy levels on a 1000 calorie diet. I'm not sure I ever dipped below 1200 because of the added nuts. I'm usually around 1200-1500.

This makes me think you are guessing your calories per day, not logging daily. It's a pain in the *kitten*, yes, I know. But guessing isn't good enough. People in general are terrible at guessing calorie intake by the eyeful. I tried quitting logging and guessing and eating just healthy foods. I gained weight.

Mistri305 · September 2014

I definitely don't have the symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome. I will look into neurotransmitter dysfunctions. I actually have motor-neuron disease so I suppose anything is possible. The doctors swear my weight is not connected to my condition. On a scientific note, I have a malfunctioning MFN2 gene causing my condition. There is some type of association with this gene and diabetes and obesity but I have not been able to understand what it means. I read a lot of scientific research on my condition, if not I would not be here right now. This recent weight gain is all love handles and stomach. I have been overweight my entire life and have never felt this bad before. I can't get clearance for surgery here, but I was seriously thinking of risking another country for the Lap band. My husband talked me out of it. I've been married for almost 20 years and even he does not understand my weight issues. My family members are all skinny, I don't think one of them weighs over 130. They open my refrigerator and think I went out and bought healthy food to impress them...ugghh:((

Mistri305 · September 2014

I use the app for calorie counts. What I meant was ..if I'm at 1000 calories after dinner, I'll eat raw nuts because of the high calories in them. Sometimes I am at 1200 after dinner..but it's always between 1200-1500 at the end of the day. Without nuts, it would be 1000-1300. I sometimes make fruit and nut bars that are 200 calories and will eat them to make up to 1500. I was told to stay at 1500, but when I don't lose weight, I am accused of lying. Some days I don't want anything else and don't go over 1200. But never under that. If I know I'm making a special dinner or something, I will lower my morning and afternoon calories...but I still don't cook fattening or high calorie foods so I still stay under 1500. Crackers with cheese or hummus is a splurge for me. On the rare occasions I do eat them, I will reach 1500 with less effort.

freckledrats · September 2014

OK, the very first thing you need to focus on is the way you're looking at yourself. 50 lbs to feel better about yourself? No honey, feel better about yourself now. You are NOT a crappier person just because you need to work on your weight for health reasons. Your self worth and your weight should be separate things, so work on that most of all.

I will say, I don't know anything about your medical condition and as I'm not an MD I can't tell you it's not causing you problems beyond just preventing much exercise. Only a doc is going to know that, but if they are telling you that no, you don't have any metabolic disorders, then maybe you should consider opening up your diary for people to have a look at?

Let's put it this way. The gain comes from somewhere. You're not a closed system and material is entering and exiting all the time. Left alone, with 0 intake, you'll shrink. It's impossible not to. On top of that, the human body has been carefully studied for decades. We know a good rough estimate of what a person of your age, height, sex, and weight should be burning on average just by sitting on a couch watching TV. Your number is likely lower than average, and I'm just basing that on your medical condition, which makes it tough for you to get normal activity. The variance between people can have a lot to do with "restless energy" that a normal person might burn fidgeting. Seems small, but a constant fidgeter may burn upwards of 100+ more calories just "sitting around" than another person, because they're not quite just sitting around, are they.

Anyway, that's a lot of words. I'm mostly just saying, sure, it's possible you have medical problems that increase water retention or appetite, or maybe something more, but there is an amount of calories you can eat where you will lose weight.

I really don't think you're lying, for what it's worth. I think it's more than likely the math has gotten fudged up for you somewhere.

I've been going with a LCHF non-processed diet for a while now and a speedbump I have run into is that there are a lot of DIFFERENT values on MFP (and even on the USDA's website) for raw foods like chicken or beef, and I found I was underestimating all my chicken for weeks. Whoops! Since your diet is full of unprocessed foods, it might be worth checking into your estimates on them and which entries you've been using. MFP users are notorious for entering ridiculous entries. Why, I found one chicken thigh entry that listed an entire thigh as 57 calories! REDONK...

Mistri305 · September 2014

Thank you...I will definitely post a diary soon. For all of my sauces, nut butters, homemade pastas and pita breads , etc, ..I do have to look up the individual ingredients and add them up. I use a few different apps and sometimes have to dig a little to make sure I am getting the actual calories. It could be something that I am miscomputing. I have so many regular meals that I abbreviate a lot, so I'll work on a cleaner version. I'll do anything for an answer;))

As far as the way I look at myself.... I am honestly happy and comfortable at 250..I mean I would go for less but I seemed to stop losing at that weight before, so I just accepted it. My health issues, other than my nerves, are fine. I have gained 50lbs since the beginning of the year due to giving up my 3 mile a day walks. It seems like all 50lbs went right back to my stomach. The is little it no muscle in my lower legs or lower arms, so my calves and arms actually look normal. I have always carried my weight well and people always find it hard to believe when I tell them my weight. When I was at 250, people thought I was 200. This wasn't always the case, I used to look like I weighed more than I actually did, but I guess the muscle loss has something to do with it. I just hate the way I feel right now, and my weak legs do not need anymore weight to carry. Riding the bike does causes me to retain water due to renal nerve weakness. I don't fully understand the fluid input, sweat output...I follow my doctors advice and I still retain water or my potassium drops dangerously low. After a few hospital ER visits, we agreed that I would stick to riding under 15 minutes a day. Anything more and I tend to have problems. The bike doesn't help me anyway..it says I burn 400 calories but I don't lose a pound doing it everyday for 2 weeks, yet I can walk 3 miles, burning a total of 350 calories with less sweat and start losing weight rather quickly. I need to figure out what it is about the walking and try to figure out a way to get the same results doing something else.

RedArizona5 · September 2014

For water retention and a natural healthy way but slow way to get metabolism up on its own by drinking 2 tb of braggs organic apple cider vinegar how ever you can to get it down-its supposed to help big time when taken very consistently and you will notice positive results.
Thats one thing that would benefit you..try omega 3 fish oil in a bottle in liquid only form. Carlson is good in lemon flavor once a day. It has omega 3, 6 and maybe idk even omega 9's and it promotes brain function with mood stabilizers and all sorts of great things. Don't take capsules, one its not fresh and not cod liver but shrimp and who knows-krill oil is alright but not great and studies show cod is the way to go..its pricey 50 bucks a pop over here but its fresh and sold at health food store and super good 4 u. I notice the difference and enjoyed takin it. but you can't skip days on this one either and must be taken with proper food…at least cereal not snacks…
I think you really need a way to strengthen your muscles with resistance or something. You said you never really pushed yourself well maybe its time.
Try eating some healthy fats like organic avocados and organic olive oil….you say you eat very strictly just wondering if the furnace (metabolism) is requiring some fat (energy) to stoke the flames?
Other wise what everyone else suggested and if you can afford it for health reasons I would if i was at this point to be honest i would try to hire a nutritionist/personal trainer? even for a very short term because yeah expensive i know but so is your life…your life is such an investment -even more your good health…i would go broke right now if I was you, Im not joking either. I take my health VERY seriously as you a lll too…just saying if you tried a lot of stuff and it aint working or not you gotta get movin or its too late. just saying…..be careful and hope you find answers that will lead to your weight management successes

enterdanger · September 2014

For exercise maybe try water aerobics? The impact would be super low on your body, but you could get a good workout going and being buoyant might help some of your limbs that don't want to work correctly.

Mistri305 · September 2014

I will try the organic apple cider..I use the regular everyday but have never tried the organic. I also use organic olive oil and eat avacado at least once a week, but I will try the oil. I take omega3 capsules, never knew there was a differende in liquid but I will try it. I also eat flax seed daily and canned fish several times per week.

I hired a trainer earlier this year. The doctors were telling me that a wheelchair was my only option and I refused to accept it. The trainers are hesitant because overuse can render my muscles useless. They always choose to focus on maintence. The problem is the exercises they recommend do not help me to lose weight and they assume it is because I am overeating. My nerves that fire the muscles in my legs and arms are barely sending a signal, I have no feeling in those areas either. I am currently wearing up-to-the-knee braces to stay mobile, but finding someone willing to work on my muscles is nearly impossible. Even simple physical therapy programs refuse to help me due to the muscular degeneration. They all recommend a self-paced, home exercise program. When I tell them I burn almost 400 calories on the exercise bike, yet don't lose a pound, they tell me to change my diet. I hire a nutritionist and they think I am lying. One did recommend cutting gluten for 3 months....it made a huge difference in my muscle pain but not my weight. I still limit it, but would not say that I am gluten free.

Swimming was wonderful for me and I did it for years. It never helped me lose weight as I still climbed to 320.. but it felt good to stretch the muscles. Getting in and out of the pool became my challenge. I have no grip in my feet on wet surfaces. I tried numerous shoes, a chair and cane or walker by the steps, etc. I wish you could see the scars from poolside falls...they are brutal. I am currently fighting our city. We have a pool at a local university with a wheelchair lift. They seem to think that opening once a month is beneficial. That once a month swim does nothing for me..I am trying to get them to open it at least once a week as 3-4 times per week is pushing it.

I used walking sticks and wore braces to do my daily walks. One mile took me an hour. I did them 3x per day. I cannot go back to that as much it want to as I am pushing it at .3 miles twice a day. More than than and I start falling all over the place. I will never lose weight at .6 miles a day, I am sure of that. When I started my daily walks, I pushed myself from 100ft with many falls to a mile with a few falls within 3 months. By the time I added another mile 6 months later, the weight started melting off. I still wiped out on the ground, but not as much. At my height of 3 miles, I stayed at 250 for almost 2 years. I stopped walking due to two foot fractures and worsening weakness. The weight immediately started piling back on.

Rabid_Hamster · September 2014

Just a thought, it seems part of the problem is that the professionals that you're consulting don't believe the statements you're making. Their reaction is normal since most people who are trying to lose weight lie about what they really consume, i.e. leave out that handful of peanuts, that forkful of cake, etc. Perhaps making a video diary of your typical day or days to document both your activity and your eating habits can help them see past that. Your case does sound unusual and as someone else posted, medical conditions where eating low calorie counts and still gaining weight are rare.... But they do occur.

Debbjones · September 2014

It is so important to keep a food diary and track the food you consume. You think you might be eating a small handful of nuts (healthy food... right?) but that small handful of nuts while high in protein is high in calories.

Seriously though, this is not the place to go to get EXPERT help. Your physician is the best source of expert help and following his/her advise is essential for your improved health.

Back to tracking and measuring your food... I have said it it before and I will say it again... the nutritional content on food labels is not completely accurate. The FDA allows theses numbers to have a variance. Measuring your food, yes is good... daily logging to keep track of what you consume is essential for some folks (so yes there is a point of daily logging for some people just to help them stay on track), but all the numbers when added up are an approximation. Weighing and measuring food, then using the information on the nutritional label as your nutritional guidance... is not an exact science.

All of that said (and seriously I don't want to sound mean...

); when I read your reply to some of the suggestions I hear excuses, reasons to not give their suggestions a try or reasons why when you did try, it did not work for you. It sounds to me like a bit of your struggles are in your ability to accept you CAN work through your health issues and achieve your goal. Again, this is something I speculate based on your replies.

I seriously suggest you speak with your medical professional and nutritionist. I think your best guidance, based on your health condition, will come from a professional.

Bottom line here is you sound like a strong person who can do this... you just need to come up with the best plan (way) to accomplish your goal. Good luck to you!

MKEgal · September 2014

MKEgal · September 2014

I'm having trouble figuring out where you're starting.
At one place you say you're 320, but your ticker says you want to lose 250, which would leave you at 70 lb.
Unless you're under 5' tall, that's not reasonable.

Since you're starting off so heavy, you can lose 2 lb a week.
To do that, cut 1000 cal from what you're eating now (which is 10x your current weight, or 3200).

Here's a BMI chart to help you find your healthy goal weight:
http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf
To start, just aim for the top number in the green range. Once you get there, you can fine-tune it, see how you feel; maybe you'll want to stay there, maybe you'll want to lose another 10 lb.

This calculator will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of various foods to eat to maintain that weight.
If you enter your healthy goal weight from above, this will help you plan your food intake.
https://www.bcm.edu/research/centers/childrens-nutrition-research-center/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html

SonicDeathMonkey80 · September 2014

sofaking6 · September 2014

Re: swimming pool slipping - try getting a pair of shammies (the little towels you can wring out) and put them under your feet then scoot over to the edge. They are super grippy on wet surfaces.

Mistri305 · September 2014

Thank you all for the replies and I appreciate the links...I will definitely check them out. I hesitated to post here for obvious reasons, but when I look up fitness forums this is where it leads me. I won't write another wall of texts after this. I was completely honest in that first post and I am not making excuses..if I would have listened to the doctors, I would have been wheelchair bound 15 years ago. None of them listen to me when it comes to my diet. I take a wide variety of supplements and eat as healthy as possible in order to make my nerves continue to work. At this point, I am just trying to find a way to get my body to burn calories. My condtion is progressive and will only get worse and that wheelchair will come one day..but not yet. I've never been over 320, but I fear becoming completely immobile will take me up to 400. I was hoping someone with exercise experience could possibly offer suggestions based on my abilities. Thank you to those who tried to help..I really aprreciate it;))

As far as tracking and food labels...everything I eat is plant based. The only food labels that I have to read are vinegars, oils, canned fish, the packing on my turkey(I grind it myself for ground turkey), organic chicken or eggs, and the occasional dairy products or store bought raw nuts. I try to get them right off the tree like everything else I put into my body. The seafood I eat comes right out of the ocean. For almost everything I eat, I have to look up the ingredients and add them up. I do not eat out, nor do people cook for me. I don't eat anything out of a packages or cans (other than sardines or tuna), nor do I eat anything frozen. Maybe I am missing something in my computing. I will keep trying to find answers. Thank you!

MandaLeigh123 · September 2014

Going to keep mine short :-) I have to be careful about over training bc I have a joint condition in which my hips and knees are severely affected. So a couple of times a week I do upper body cardio only. I do it at home, on the edge of my couch. Your supposed to do each exercise for three minutes then switch but for me, I can barely make it 1 minute before I need to switch! So I cycle through it three times. I use a heart rate monitor and make sure I work hard enough that it stays up. Some of these exercises turn my shoulders into fire so I'll skip them the third cycle and repeat an easier exercise. I am slowly getting better. Not expert advice but it's an alternative exercise anyway. That youtuber has a lot of exercises to do in bed. I'm sorry to hear of your struggles. Sounds very frustrating.
Edit: here is the link! http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/exercise/leg-injury-upper-body-cardio-workout-in-bed.htm

Mistri305 · September 2014

Thank you for the pool shammy advice..I don't want to sound like I am making excuses but it's a little more complicated than that. I cannot stand on my legs without AFOs, so being able to get up is the issue there. I am unable to climb the few pool stairs so I always sat at the bottom and scooted up to the edge..even with a chair and a walker waiting for me..I still had numerous falls and after hitting my head I pool edges several times I decided it might not be a good idea. I will push for them to offer that wheelchair lift on a regular basis..no issues there, once I am in I am good. I still burn few calories while swimming but it does offer my muscles a chance to get a good stretch. I have no balance except for when I am in the pool, it's the only place I can pretend to dance, run, stand on my tiptoes, etc. The pool truly makes me feel like I can do anything;))

Mistri305 · September 2014

Thank you for the pool shammy advice..I don't want to sound like I am making excuses but it's a little more complicated than that. I cannot stand on my legs without AFOs, so being able to get up is the issue there. I am unable to climb the few pool stairs so I always sat at the bottom and scooted up to the edge..even with a chair and a walker waiting for me..I still had numerous falls and after hitting my head I pool edges several times I decided it might not be a good idea. I will push for them to offer that wheelchair lift on a regular basis..no issues there, once I am in I am good. I still burn few calories while swimming but it does offer my muscles a chance to get a good stretch. I have no balance except for when I am in the pool, it's the only place I can pretend to dance, run, stand on my tiptoes, etc. The pool truly makes me feel like I can do anything;))

I do regular stretching and have found several good exercises on YouTube...I suppose that I am getting some benefit but I'm definitely not burning calories:((

dbmata · September 2014

Could you edit your post into paragaphs?

I have no clue what you were trying to convey.

Expert Advice Needed!!

Replies

Categories