Hi, I need some stern supporters to kick me in the butt (",)

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JerseyGem114
JerseyGem114 Posts: 7
in Introduce Yourself
Hi Guys I'm Gemma,
I had a accident in March 2011 which resulted in 2 operations and a lot of metal work in my ankle, I was on bed rest for the first 7 weeks then spent 6 months doing light weight physio but I put on nearly 3 stone from just sitting around with my leg up :(
I've started healthy eating but my ankle is still healing so can't do hard core exercise anytime soon, I try to use my Wii fit but since the accident I lost my job and my self esteem so to be honest spend most days sitting on the sofa watching crappy daytime tv waiting to cook dinner for my fiance when he gets home from work.

I need motivating and a good kick up the *kitten*, my fiance is a body builder and all my friends are skinny (not jealous :s) so doing this on my own, I've gone from a size 12 and weighing 10st 2lb to a size 16 and weighing 12st 13lb in only 10 months. I've never been skinny but I don't think the extra weight I'm carrying is helping the recovery of my ankle and would like to at least get into my old clothes.

I will be grateful for any advice about how to gain will power and motivation please (",) Thanks xxx

Replies

  • lradatz
    lradatz Posts: 61 Member
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    good luck!!! Make sure to keep your water intake up along w your protein... I do Wii workout's- Just dance and some of the biggest loser videos, and I also do stair climbing. Idk how much you can handle, but those helped me lose 90lbs over the last 2yrs... Best of luck
  • Talirae9
    Talirae9 Posts: 23 Member
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    Sorry to hear all that happened to you! But it's good to hear you're ready to get moving and change your habits - boost that self esteem! Starting today, no more excuses. Start swimming for exercise since that won't hurt your ankle! Instead of watching tv, start job hunting - that's a full time job in itself! Make these few changes and you'll be feeling better in no time, which only motivates you to go even harder!

    How about that? Stern enough? ;)
  • JerseyGem114
    JerseyGem114 Posts: 7
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    Haha yes that was stern enough thanks :p
    I live in Jersey which is a small island so have no excuse not to go swimming, I live 2 minutes away from the beach.
    I used to do zumba before the acciddent but can't do that just yet but Wii fit, Just Dance and The Biggest loser are a big help at the moment.
    I might ask my bloke to take the sky remote to work with him so I'm not tempted to sit around watching tv all day lol
  • Yellowfrog62
    Yellowfrog62 Posts: 18
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    I am just starting also! Fat, 62 years old but fun! I am doing good so far so I hope we can all kick butt together. I'll kick you and you can kick me but lightly. You may have to stoop down for me to kick ya and keep you in line. I can't raise my legs to high...Good Luck!
  • rachcamp88
    rachcamp88 Posts: 88 Member
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    Hi gemma, I find that im more likely to exercise (walking on the beach or Just Dance) if I have someone with me. Even if your friends don't need to lose weight I'd bet they would be happy to go swimming with you or play just dance (whenever my cousin and i start playing just dance out whole family end up joining in because its fun and doesnt feel like exercise)
    I've always been 'the big one' out of my family and friends so i know how you feel.
    rach x
  • lcorbusier
    lcorbusier Posts: 8
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    Sorry to hear your accident. Really hard to find an activity when the broken part is what we all use quite often. Have you tried swimming? Laps back and forth in a competitive size pool and you'll work your muscles altogether plus a good plus for your cardiovascular system. Standard freestyle swim and you'll never break a sweat :)
  • Goingnuts2
    Goingnuts2 Posts: 160 Member
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    Hi Gemma

    Turn off the TV and get on the computer! I had foot surgery two months ago and I'm just beginning to "sloth" around. I did not turn the TV on and instead used myfitness pal to it's FULL potential. I added friends (who really helped me when I was really down on myself) I joined a group forum that works for me and found even more supportive friends.

    I too started feeling bad about myself (not healing fast enough, holiday's were horrible, can't travel stuck at home). I love fashion, so I went on line and checked out what's new (by the way Tangerine is the color for spring :) I also got out of my sweats and got into some comfy jeans and a pretty sweater, it made me feel better about myself. My husband took me to the hairdresser and I got an easier to care for hairdo and the pampering made me feel better.

    You just have to get creative, it sounds like your a "glass have full" kind of person and once you think outside the box you start feeling better.

    Feel free to add me as a friend, we can never have enough!
  • JerseyGem114
    JerseyGem114 Posts: 7
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    Haven't even been a member of this site for an hour yet and have already had sooo much help, advice and support, thank you all so much.
    Most of you have suggested swimming so i'm going to go out tmrw and buy a swimming costume, I usally swim in the sea coz I can wear shorts and vest top but its a bit to cold at the moment, I'll have to do that mad dash from the changing rooms to the water untill my self esteem comes back and may even buy a membership to incourage me to go more oftern so I don't waste money (",)
  • lcorbusier
    lcorbusier Posts: 8
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    Here's a wonderful quote from one of my favorite author, Paulo Coelho:

    Sometimes, I behave like water flowing around the obstacles I encounter.
    Occasionally, resistance might mean destruction and so I adapt to the circumstances.
    I accept, without complaint, that the stones in my path hinder my way through the mountains.

    But herein lies the strength of water. It can't be touch by a hammer or rip to shreds by a knife.
    The strongest sword in the world can't scar its surface.

    Accordingly, the river adapts to whatever route proves possible, but the river never forgets
    its one objective: the sea. So fragile at its source, it gradually gathers the strength of other
    rivers it encounters.

    And at a certain point, its power is absolute.
  • niki23poet
    niki23poet Posts: 36 Member
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    Hi Guys I'm Gemma,
    I had a accident in March 2011 which resulted in 2 operations and a lot of metal work in my ankle, I was on bed rest for the first 7 weeks then spent 6 months doing light weight physio but I put on nearly 3 stone from just sitting around with my leg up :(
    I've started healthy eating but my ankle is still healing so can't do hard core exercise anytime soon, I try to use my Wii fit but since the accident I lost my job and my self esteem so to be honest spend most days sitting on the sofa watching crappy daytime tv waiting to cook dinner for my fiance when he gets home from work.

    I need motivating and a good kick up the *kitten*, my fiance is a body builder and all my friends are skinny (not jealous :s) so doing this on my own, I've gone from a size 12 and weighing 10st 2lb to a size 16 and weighing 12st 13lb in only 10 months. I've never been skinny but I don't think the extra weight I'm carrying is helping the recovery of my ankle and would like to at least get into my old clothes.

    I will be grateful for any advice about how to gain will power and motivation please (",) Thanks xxx

    Hi Gemma. I have some physical issues that caused me to on weight as well. I can't do much hardcore work but every little bit helps. Have you thought about yoga or pillates? There are tons of great DVDs and if you're in NJ and have Cablevision there's an onDemand free channel for fitness. Look under Free OnDemand---Home & Leisure---Magrack and there you'll find Fitness & Yoga. Hope that helps. Feel free tonfriend me and we can motivate each other. :-)
  • JerseyGem114
    JerseyGem114 Posts: 7
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    Aww that quote is lovely thank you (",)

    I live in Jersey in the UK (don't worry, even people in the UK think I'm from america lol) I've tried yoga but I find it a bit boring and I need to enjoy something to stick at it, I have a resistance band which i'm using to strenghen up my calf muscle, once the cast came off my leg was half the size of the other :s hopefully with time I'll build my muscles back up and can do normal exercise again coz its not great only being limited to a small amount, I know yoga helps strenghen your muscles too so I might throw in 20 minutes yoga a few times a week and see if I can get into it. Thank you x
  • Florawanda
    Florawanda Posts: 283 Member
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    Hi, Gemma,
    I too have had problems similar, but not as severe as you... my biggest motivation was having to use crutches, my weight really made it difficult to get around. I am on, hopefully, the last lap, with less than 4 weeks to go before going back to the fracture clinic, and then a month later having the pins removed in day surgery. Almost from day 1, I realised I had to exercise, so lying on my bed did leg lifts, leg circles, leg pushes and leg swings, gradually increasing the number so I now do 25 on each leg. Now I can stand and put weight on the leg, I am starting to do upper body exercises to music - not much, but at least it is something! I haven't been swimming yet, as I am still very nervous about falling again poolside, but walking is OK with the crutches (still needed as pavements are so uneven!), and that is something I mean to do more of, but, like you, the temptation to stay indoors and play on the laptop has to be resisted! I still have to keep my leg up a lot, but try and fidget it - my skinny husband is a fidgeter, and I'm sure that contributes to his daily 'burn', as he eats much more than me!

    I think the quote is just great, and shows that if there are obstacles, we have to be inventive to try to overcome them! And though I've only been on the site for just over 2 weeks, there is so much support out there, it is great!

    So I shall be keeping the longterm goal in mind, but concentrating on doing just a little more each day, while keeping well away from all the chocolates, crisps and biscuits I used to consume in quantity!

    Good luck!
    Faith
  • leestanley3
    leestanley3 Posts: 38 Member
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    Jen,

    After breaking my leg and rupturing my ankle ligaments over 2 years ago, I still have very limited range of motion in my left ankle. I put on a good 2 stone from this time as i was on crutches and non weightbearing for 3 months, KILLER!! So i know where you are coming from .

    The secret to getting back on the horse is planning. Start off easy on yourself, get the habbit started. The weekly increase your activity by 2.5 -5% small acorns grow into big oak trees remember. If your fella is a body builder tag along, if your mates are going gym, tag along, you dont have to break any world records, just get with the program.

    If you do this also with your food plan, and prepare 3 meals and 2 snacks per day in line with healthy eating (apples instead of chocolate) it will drop off you in NO time. The diet is actually more important than the exercise in most cases.

    If you cant be bothered to do any of this I've just wasted 5 minutes of my life I'll never get back....I am sure you be there.

    Good luck and get planning. I have friend requested you and can email you every week to check up on how its going if you want???

    Lee
  • JerseyGem114
    JerseyGem114 Posts: 7
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    I have been to town today and brought a swimming costume :s

    Faith, I'm so sorry to hear that, the crutches were the worst for me but it was my wrist that took most of the pain, I was non weightbearing for 2 months (not as bad as you Lee) so I was hopping round the flat rather than using the crutches which I don't suggest coz I did slip a few times and put my full weight on my bad leg.

    Lee, I'm exercising at home at the moment, you might of had this problem to, my foot is still swelling up after beinging stood on it for more than 15-20 minutes so my trainners really make the pain worse so at home I can take my trainners off if i'm doing my wii fit, only wear them for dancing because I have a big screw near the arch of my foot and its a very strange pain when I bang that on the floor lol I don't really have an excuse not to go to the gym, I know I could sit down and put my foot up and ask for some ice and wait for the swelling to go down but once I start something I don't want to take breaks because I probably won't want to get back into it again, physio said I was very determined, if they gave me a exercise to do I would do it till I couldn't do anymore then I'd struggle to walk home, sometimes I do more damage than good lol
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    My advice would be to focus on weight training and do non-impact cardio when your ankle lets you. The extra muscle you put on will raise your resting metabolism and if done right won't subject you to re-injuring your ankle.
  • BellydanceBliss
    BellydanceBliss Posts: 330
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    kick kick...lol go easy on yourself hun. I would just walk to start and you can do what i do and do tummy crunches while watching tv lol i also am starting belly dancing soon and i cam convinced after watching this this is the way i will lose the rest of my weight and keep it off.
  • StrongGwen
    StrongGwen Posts: 378 Member
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    (reminder, you asked for "tough!") There's a guy in town in a wheelchair and he's at the gym working out almost every day. You've got an ankle problem? consider all the extra weigh as a chance to do weight-lifting with just your body! Unplug that TV and turn on some upbeat music. There is no alternative, you have to quit whining and just do it! (this slogan is taped on my bathroom mirror). Awesome mantra from "Body For Life For Women" book: I AM MY ONLY OBSTACLE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST EXCUSES! start NOW!!!:angry:

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