Expert Advice Needed!!

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.

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:((

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.