Losing mobility

You've received a lot of good advice above. I'll reiterate to follow the advice from your medical team since they know your situation best. I'll share a bit of my story since I think we started at similar places, although it sounds like you have a bit more to deal with due to the diabetes and lipedema. This is just what worked for me. Maybe there is something here that will help you.

I'm in my early 60s. My highest weight was 435. When I started eating at a deficit about 18.5 months ago, I weighed about 416. I've lost over 220 pounds during that time (and still have more to go). For the first 3 months, I didn't exercise. I learned to log my food (started with a spreadsheet and then moved to MFP). I learned to build in a small deficit each day. Once I felt I had my deficit figured out and was logging consistently, I tried to add in some activity.

When I started, I couldn't walk 100 feet without feeling like I was going to die. I would have to rest after walking to my car before I could put my seatbelt on because I was so exhausted. The first activity I added was a simple weight routine I had done about 18 years ago. I was familiar with it and thought I it was something I could do. It's from an old book called Strong Women Stay Young. (I think it is still available on Amazon.) I didn't do the whole routine at first, just picked 2 or 3 of the exercises to start and added more every few weeks when I felt like I was able to. Then after 4 weeks I added doing a recumbent exercise bike. (I tried to sell it when I downsized but didn't have any luck. I'm glad now that I still have it! ) The first day I did just 4 minutes. My goal was to add a minute each time and do it 3 times a week. I gradually worked up to 60 minutes 5 times a week. Since I really wanted to be able to walk better (& without a cane), I then added in doing a 5 minute Leslie Sansone walking video. Of course, at the beginning I couldn't do 5 minutes. So I started with 1.5 minutes of the video 2 times a day with a goal of doing that 5 times a week. I would literally add 15 seconds every few days so it took a while until I got to the full 5 minutes. Eventually I was doing a 15 minute video 3 times a day. I then added in chair yoga. I had read about that here on MFP and, though I was skeptical, I found I really enjoyed it. It was the one thing I kept doing during a time of depression last winter. I didn't do the other exercises but I kept doing the chair yoga to stay in the routine of at least some physical activity. By this past spring, I felt like I had lost enough and was in somewhat better shape that I bought a bike. I hadn't been on a bike for over 35 years but that was one of my goals that helped push me forward. I started slow (do you see a common theme in my story? ) and a few weeks ago I did a 28.5 mile ride. My routine now is exercise bike or bike ride of at least an hour 5 times a week, chair yoga 4 times a week, aerobic step platform twice a day 3 or 4 times a week, and strength training 2 times a week. I stopped doing the walking videos when I was riding my bike a lot during the summer plus doing some hiking. I added the step because stairs were still difficult for me and I thought that might help me with them. I have an adjustable step and I started with the 4-inch height and worked up to the 6-inch height. I'm still there, working on increasing my steps on it. I'll have to try the 8-inch height soon. I may add the walking videos back this winter when I likely won't be riding outdoors too much.

Anyway, the baby steps really do add up over time. I can't believe the things I can do now. It doesn't seem real most days! I try to focus on what I can do today and not worry about the next week or month (easier said than done some days). It gets too overwhelming to look at the end when there's such a long way to go. If a change you implement doesn't work, try something else. You have to find the path that's right for you. It won't be exactly the same as mine or anyone else's. If walking better is a key goal for you, then maybe the walking videos are a good fit. Think about other things you'd like to accomplish and maybe you can find activities you can do that will get you on the path towards achieving them. I'd also like to suggest the Larger Losers group. It's a great place to get ideas and discuss topics applicable to those of us that will be eating at a deficit for quite a while. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/133315-larger-losers Maybe the group would be useful to you.

Good luck with your journey!

@MuttiNM we need a “nuclear” inspiring button. Even if we only got to use it once, you’d get mine.

I started two years ago when I was 56. If you’d told me that the two-years-later me would be doing half the stuff I do, or having chicken salad for breakfast instead of Entemann’s donuts, Geneva cookies and M&Ms, I would have thrown my appertif bag of Doritos at you. (And then anxiously clawed it back to finish the bag. )

I can sincerely say I am in the best shape of my life.

You can improve your quality of life. It’s simple and surprisingly easy once you invest the effort into learning the basics of CICO (Calories In, Calories Out). And it’s so fascinating once you are on the path. It’s almost like your body has been craving this and is grateful. Strange and wonderful things begin to happen to it.

Plus just getting out the door will do wonders for your mental state. Sunshine is addictive.

For me, I no longer watch TV. Seeing my bedridden mom on a 24/7 diet of Law & Order SVU for eight years just killed any appetite for the boob tube. Dear Lord, I promise I will exercise my butt off just not to hear that sound they make at the beginning of every segment of that show.

@kshama2001 i am so sorry your husband and your had to go through it, too.

It was so frustrating watching her just give up. She always said one day people would wait on her hand and foot. I think in some wierd way she enjoyed it til it got out of hand. It was maddening watching her happily create her own prison and then sink into depression because she couldn’t do anything. She couldn’t even move her hands and arms at the end. Nose itch? Someone had to scratch it for her.

Not for me. I will go down fighting.