Am kinda lost and not sure how to continue...

Icy_Fox
Icy_Fox Posts: 90 Member
edited 6:03AM in Motivation and Support
Hey there, to first give you a bit of a back story, last year (so in 2017) I lost nearly 40 lbs with a proper diet, lots of exercise (too much) and the help of the wonderful people in this community. I finally felt happy with my weight and even wanted to start with some weight lifting to gain some muscle definition. As I mentioned, it was too much exercise and it ended up with a serious tear in my hip tendon that they diagnosed about 6 months ago. This basically prevents me from doing any serious physical activity that isn't walking. The lack of exercise caused me to gain nearly 10 pounds back and I am seriously afraid I might be going back on the route I was on 2 years ago, where I was very obese and generally unhappy with myself. The thing is, back then I had motivation to lose weight since I enjoyed running, cycling etc. but now, I just don't have the motivation since every exercise I liked doing is very painful due to the injury. I'd like to lose the 10 lbs I gained back and, as mentioned, start with weight lifting (but as far as I understand, I should lose weight first).

What should I do? Any suggestions are appreciated...

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited October 2018
    If you want to maintain your current weight, or even lose what you've regained, you need to figure out a comfortable way of eating that has fewer calories than you are consuming now. Sedentary bodies don't burn as much energy as bodies that move do.

    You have to be in a calorie deficit (consume fewer calories than your body uses) in order to lose weight. You can get there by consuming fewer calories, burning more calories through exercise, or some combo of both.

    I lost most of my excess weight without exercise. It can be done. However, you don't have the wiggle room that you have with exercise since you can't just exercise a bit more to make up for times when you eat a bit more.

    Are you logging your calorie intake? Using a food scale for solids and measuring cups/spoons for liquids that don't have weight on their Nutrition Facts labels?
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    I concur--tighten up your logging. Then talk to your doctor and ask what exercising you CAN do. I had frozen shoulder 2 yrs ago and I swim. I re-evaluated and do lots of leg and board work in the water. My shoulder is much better and I'm back to laps. You have to study your injury and how not to aggravate it. Good luck.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited October 2018
    I lost MOST of my weight just walking. After an injry end of august i had to stop running. I don't go to the gym, I don't lift weight, all i do is walk (and yoga/stretching) and have continued to just about reach my weight goal (give or take .5lbs).

    So I lost the hardest "last 5-7lbs" while NOT doing what most people call "exercise". I do walk a lot though. not power walks, not going for long walks, just lots of small walks when i can fit them in during the day. I'll be adding more weight lifting/ab work I think (still a few months off from running) and possibly continue to lose a few "vanity pounds".

    It IS doable, there is no reason you can't start the road to your goal and even reach it without going to the gym. Get a scale, weigh you food, stick to you calorie goal.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Walking is a perfectly great exercise. Find ways to make it fit into your life, and make it fun by walking new routes, seeing new things, making some walking friends. You can do this. I know youre discouraged right now, and its understandable, but its ok to grieve a little while for what you can’t do, and then go out and do what you can do. You got this!
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    Reducing calorie intake to meet your exercise ability will do the trick. i.e. eat less.
  • solieco1
    solieco1 Posts: 1,559 Member
    Listen to @bikecheryl
  • Ardael
    Ardael Posts: 244 Member
    walking is great. it may not burn as much s running but it still gets your heart going. I did most of my weight loss through honest logging and walking. I even downloaded Pokemon go on my phone so the kiddies wouldn't mind me taking them on a walk everyday. Find what would make your walks worthwhile, like nice landscape or a target step count.

    I do agree, Study your injury. Find out the exercises that you can do and maybe you'll discover something you didn't think off, like handcycling...
  • Icy_Fox
    Icy_Fox Posts: 90 Member
    Thanks for all the great replies, I think I'll have to adjust my calorie intake, since I don't see any suitable exercise options other than walking at the moment. The doctor recommended swimming, but that's another problem due to my chlorine allergy...
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    As far as this at the end of your OP: "I'd like to lose the 10 lbs I gained back and, as mentioned, start with weight lifting (but as far as I understand, I should lose weight first)." No, that's not correct. Find out from your doctor what kind of weight bearing exercises you can do and start with those. Start with body weight only if you have to and incorporate walking, but if you can weight train then start right away.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Icy_Fox wrote: »
    Thanks for all the great replies, I think I'll have to adjust my calorie intake, since I don't see any suitable exercise options other than walking at the moment. The doctor recommended swimming, but that's another problem due to my chlorine allergy...

    When you can't do the exercise you usually do it's an opportunity to branch out and do something new. That's what I'm trying to tell you. There are people in wheelchairs that exercise. You can do it if you set your mind to it.
  • PAFC84
    PAFC84 Posts: 1,871 Member
    Just out of interest, how long are you likely to be unable to do anything other than walking? What is the recovery plan?
  • Icy_Fox
    Icy_Fox Posts: 90 Member
    PAFC84 wrote: »
    Just out of interest, how long are you likely to be unable to do anything other than walking? What is the recovery plan?

    The doctor can't say a number as he says it is really difficult to diagnose these kinds of tears, but he said it could take up to a year and even then I won't be able to do certain exercises (he said running will probably always be difficult due to the high tension on that area during it)
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Icy_Fox wrote: »
    PAFC84 wrote: »
    Just out of interest, how long are you likely to be unable to do anything other than walking? What is the recovery plan?

    The doctor can't say a number as he says it is really difficult to diagnose these kinds of tears, but he said it could take up to a year and even then I won't be able to do certain exercises (he said running will probably always be difficult due to the high tension on that area during it)

    Then you need a plan.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,534 Member
    You don’t mention physical therapy. Why not? My experience with P/T is they know a lot.

    Also, maybe try to find a sports medicine Doc for a second opinion. I had a Dr whose position on my injured foot was “just take it easy.” Then I found the guy who specializes in treating runners.

    A lot of times a Dr’s advice is tailored to what they are set up to do.
  • Icy_Fox
    Icy_Fox Posts: 90 Member
    88olds wrote: »
    You don’t mention physical therapy. Why not? My experience with P/T is they know a lot.

    Also, maybe try to find a sports medicine Doc for a second opinion. I had a Dr whose position on my injured foot was “just take it easy.” Then I found the guy who specializes in treating runners.

    A lot of times a Dr’s advice is tailored to what they are set up to do.

    I have been to 9 P/T sessions, and while some advice was helpful (they really do know a lot), the therapy itself wasn't.

    I went to a doctor that was previously a physiotherapist for a big hockey team so he knows sports injury, told me he had a player with a similar injury, told me how they tried adjusting his training to heal ASAP, but in the end, he retired 8 months after the injury ... so those weren't good news for me ...
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