I'm lost cause!

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plussiizeQUEEN
plussiizeQUEEN Posts: 4 Member
in Getting Started
I'm so lost!
Having a severe back injury makes loosing weight twice harder.
I've got::
Lumbar disc herniation
Degenitive did disease
Arthritis & pinched nerves.
Can somebody help?

Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,136 Member
    edited March 2017
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    As @SueSueDio says you can lose weight purely with diet, you don't need to exercise. A good starting point is to get a food scale, eat as normal for a day or two and log everything, this gives you an idea of where you are overeating and taking in extra calories, from there you can tweak your diet to get your meals to meet your calorie goals, whether this be switching to lower calories versions of the same things, having smaller portions or switching things out with more nutritious foods. Making smaller sustainable changes is a lot easier than making big drastic changes.

    One of the things I noticed about my own intake was the amount of oils and butters I was using, I now use frylight spray for a lot of roasting and frying just to stop the food sticking, rather than using a ton of olive oil and portioning out butter into 10-15g pots for my lunch, that on it's own has shaved 150-200 calories a day from what I was eating before.

    A lot of the medical issues you've mentioned above are exacerbated by extra weight so you will more than likely find as you lose weight moving around will be a little easier. Speak to your doctor about exercises that you can do safely. Some beginner yoga or pilates may actually help strengthen your back muscles and relieve some of your pain.
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
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    Yes, I always forget to mention that making small changes one at a time is better than trying to change everything at once! It gets too overwhelming otherwise. Weight loss isn't a race (unless someone has a life-threatening condition that means they need to lose pounds fast, in which case they should be under medical supervision anyway), so it's fine to take things slowly and gradually adjust your habits.

    There are videos on YouTube for things like seated yoga and other exercises aimed at people with disabilities or limited mobility, so some of those might be helpful to the OP as well if her conditions allow her to try them.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    Calorie deficits are how you lose weight. Not sure how close you are to a healthy weight, but set MFP to 0.5-2 pounds per week, weigh your food and log everything you consume using correct entries (i.e. no homemade or generic). Exercise is great, but if you can't do it right now don't stress it. Just stick to your calorie goal and have patience. You are not a lost cause.
  • Traveler120
    Traveler120 Posts: 712 Member
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    I would start by focusing on the types of foods you eat. Try eating mostly fruits and veggies (80% of volume). It doesn't have to be just salads. You can make veggie stews with things like potatoes, carrots, peas, lentils, beans. And make thick soups. Save calories by not adding oils and fatty foods, just add spices. If you eat like this, you will be able to eat a large volume of food and be full without exceeding calories. Focus on listening to your body and learning to only eat when hungry and stop when full.

    And if you are very overweight, you don't have to limit yourself to 1-2 lbs/week. Just take it one day at a time and you'll get there. Good luck.
  • SweetP27
    SweetP27 Posts: 216 Member
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    I can't add to the advice already given - they are spot on! What I can say is that you are NOT a lost cause! Small changes lead to big results....in time! I guess one thing that I don't recall reading above is to add friends. When you interact daily with people it helps you to stay focused. I'll send you a friend request!
  • GrayRider61
    GrayRider61 Posts: 337 Member
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    I might can help u. I'm very active but just developed a sciatic nerve proble, have pretty severe spinal stenosis and a recent diagnosis of DISH syndrome. Feel free to add me.
  • stit60
    stit60 Posts: 27 Member
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    Hello, dear. I am so sorry for your back whoas. There are more people than you think who are in the same boat. Let's row together! I too suffer from chronic pain in my back due to scoliosis. I am also hypothyroid and have parathyroid adenomas. To top it all off, I am in my 50's which slows my metabolism to a crawl. The first thing I would suggest is to check your vit D levels. Many of us suffering with disease or chronic pain have low vit D. This can hinder your weight loss and make you tired and can also make your pain worse. Now that my levels are going up, I am feeling better and more positive. Please feel free to add me to your friends if you need some support.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
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    SueSueDio wrote: »
    I'm sorry to hear that you have so many health issues! The good news is that, while exercise is great for your health and fitness, it's not strictly necessary in order to lose weight. All you really need to do is make sure that you're eating less calories than your body burns during the course of a day (and you burn plenty just by living), and you will lose weight.

    It's a simple concept, but it's not always easy, so there are plenty of stickied posts in the forums to help people along. Check out some of these for some good advice...

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-diet-and-weight-loss-help-must-reads#latest


    Also look at the Success Stories forum and find threads from people who inspire you... knowing what's possible can help you to keep the faith when things get tough.

    You are not a lost cause! You can do this - it won't happen overnight, but you CAN do it. :) Set up your profile here with your correct age, weight and activity level, choose a reasonable goal (only go for 2lbs/week if you have more than 100lbs to lose), and eat the amount of calories you're given. Use a food scale and try to choose accurate entries in the database. Have plenty of patience... :)

    As you start to shed weight you may find that some of your pain eases and you might be able to manage a little exercise... just a short walk every day will be very beneficial to you, but don't worry too much about that until you feel up to it.

    Good luck, and don't be afraid to reach out for help and support when you need it!

    ^This

    And to support the story. When I started to lose weight, I didn't exercise either :smile:
  • HippySkoppy
    HippySkoppy Posts: 725 Member
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    OP - sorry that you are suffering with back problems but most definitely you are not a lost cause in the ability to lose weight. Truly no one is ever a lost cause for any reason in life till they give up on themselves.

    Other awesome people have responded to you and I hope to add my voice to encourage you to keep going using this app.

    Put your stats in and select a reasonable pace of weight loss then commit to weigh (accurately, using digital kitchen scales in grams as well) and log all that you eat (using data that is correct, avoiding generic entries and making use of USDA info. wherever you can).

    Eat foods you enjoy and ones that you can see yourself eating for the rest of your life, there is no reason to suffer eating foods because they may come with the tag 'diet' in front of them.

    Improving you pain levels and increasing your mobility over time may be something you didn't think was possible. Being overweight is tough on joints, arthritis pain etc I used to be 278 lbs and I suffered a lot from carrying that load around.

    I am sicker now at 54 with multiple medical problems and I struggle to get movement into my everyday life but I couldn't imagine how much more severe my suffering would be if I was overweight.

    I wish you all the best.
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 651 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Overall, I echo what others have said - the calorie deficit is all you need for weight loss, which can be achieved without exercising at all.

    That being said, I have degenerative disc disease, history of a compression fracture in my L3 vertebra, history of recurrent bulging disc issues in my neck and back. I also exercise daily, with my preferred form of exercise being long-distance running. However, when my back or neck pain is too bad (which has been rather often these days, sadly), I re-adjust and instead I walk and ride my recumbent bicycle, and do physical therapy.

    I make exercise a priority because I want to *function*. The literature is pretty clear that there are two things that make consistent positive difference in the lives of people with chronic back pain. First is being of normal weight and second is regular physical activity.
  • katiedoo82
    katiedoo82 Posts: 277 Member
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    Believe in yourself number 1, you can do this. I've been out of work with chronic back pain for 3+ yrs and started on my weight loss journey this day last yr, and to date have lost 60 lbs -- with no exercise as walking to kitchen etc has been a struggle never mind out walking on the roads etc etc. I had back surgery for cauda equina syndrome back in 08' and am 2 months post op two level spinal fusion... and somehow have managed to keep the weight off so far. I have about another stone to lose but will get there. Just believe in yourself, plenty fruit and veg, small changes, and water. But self belief is most important
  • YAYA_of_2
    YAYA_of_2 Posts: 160 Member
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    I can relate. I have back issues as well as knee issues. The best thing I ever did was join the YMCA. I go almost everyday and do water aerobics. It is so much easier to exercise in the water, especially when you have these types of health problems. Feel free to add me and good luck!!

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