Struggling to lose weight!!

hellsbells
hellsbells Member Posts: 14
edited 15. May 2009, 08:21 in Living with Arthritis archive
I would ideally love to lose about a stone, but it is proving very difficult, i am following a diet, but as i cant exercise really at all due to my knees and wrist, its not helping at all. some days i have no appetitie either ! my knees are so big and swollen, and i am convinced that weighs! does anyone else find it hard also ? any tips? advice ? :?

Comments

  • jalith3
    jalith3 Member Posts: 19
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    hellsbells wrote:
    I would ideally love to lose about a stone, but it is proving very difficult, i am following a diet, but as i cant exercise really at all due to my knees and wrist, its not helping at all. some days i have no appetitie either ! my knees are so big and swollen, and i am convinced that weighs! does anyone else find it hard also ? any tips? advice ? :?

    Hi Hells Bells
    I started a topic the other day - 'Cycling with knee OA (a great discovery'). My knees are awful now - I use crutches to get around and can manage just a few metres, step by step without them. Just now trying to lose more weight before the TKR. If I can cycle getting on to my bike using a crutch then you can too!!! I live in the Netherlands so cycling is so much more accessible and safe than in the UK but I can now ride for a couple of hours easily. When you have bad knees you move so slowly and I reckon that you use less energy doing day to day stuff so it is harder to shift those pounds. You might like to look at the bike I have recommended because it may be difficult for you also to 'get on' a normal bike.
    Best wishes
    Sarah
  • lindah
    lindah Member Posts: 445
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    How about swimming? Can you get to a pool cos once in the water the relief on your joints is fantastic.
    Even if you do not swim try exercises in the pool as the resistance is not too tough.
    I have been trying to lose 1/2 stone since Christmas and cut down on all the sweets(jelly beans mainly) no crisps and not much alchohol.Hard at first but in the last 2 weeks with exercise I am getting there.
    I understand some yoga is good for you too but I know I would not be able to contort my body the way I did years ago.
    Hopefully you will get loads of ideas and pick and choose what suits you. There are leaflets available on this site as downloads to advise you as well.
    Linda H 8)
  • ritnew
    ritnew Member Posts: 338
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi
    I hate the word diet, as soon as it's mentioned I feel hungry so in our house it's called my healthy eating plan :lol:
    I'm waiting for a THR and been told to lose some weight to help with recovery. I've lost around a stone in about 5 weeks. All I've done is stick to low fat stuff, I've always used semi skimmed milk, I've cut out butter and use low fat spread, cut out sweets and cakes I eat more fruit instead and if my OH wants something that is laden with fat and calories I have the low fat alternative, salads, jacket potato instead of chips and dry roast potatoes. I've found caramel flavour snack a jacks satisfy my sweet tooth and crackerbread my craving for crisps.Oh and because I was a huge coffee drinker with loads of milk I just allow myself 2 cups a day and drink either tea or water the rest of the time, that's also helped me sleep better. I have brown bread instead of white. My weight is coming off despite not being able to exercise, and I do allow myself the odd treat. We went out for a meal Monday so Tuesday I made sure I was careful what I ate. I like lots of others do have the problem of constipation caused through the drugs the fruit and fresh veg is helping in that department.
    Good luck, I know it's a long process when you can't do much or any exercise, you will get there. You have to allow yourself the odd treat as I find it all becomes to depressing, bad enough having arthritis without missing out on all your fav foods.

    Rita X
  • hellsbells
    hellsbells Member Posts: 14
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    thank you for your replies... i have been on the internet and i am going to do a calorie controlled diet, and will certainly get down to my local pool :lol: i will even consider the cycling, i suppose even if i dont go far little and ofen is just as good.... :lol: hopefully my next post will say i have lost a few pounds...
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    My husband had to lose weight last year and his diet was fairly good to start with - he's lost 2.5 stone now and has done it by increasing 3 fruit and veg a day to anything up to 10 portions, using a smaller dinner plate than everyone else so his plate looks full but he is having smaller portions and other things like leaving his margerine out of the fridge so he's using less.

    Remember a portion of anything is a handful of food in the hand of the person eating it - if you see what I mean, so a childs is tiny, a mans is the largest and all the inbetweens (sorry if you already knew that but I think it's a good tip).

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • ninakang
    ninakang Member Posts: 1,367
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hello,

    I agree with all the above, but wanted to add that you need to keep your metabolism going and so need to eat regularly throughout the day - smaller portions every 3-4 hours. I do this and (exceot for a period after my children were born) I've never really struggled with my weight - yet, I've just started MTX!

    I would like to lose about half a stone but have decided that I like my food too much and in the great scheme of things, I'm really not all that bothered about it :-)

    Nx
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi
    I love these posts!!

    To lose 1 pound in weight you need a calorie deficiet of 3500 calories. ou can do this by reducing your daily intake by 500 calories which would allow you to lose 1 pound a week (in theory).

    When people come to me asking for weight loss advice many people can't or haven't done any exercise for a long time and so often it takes a while to be able to increase the calorie deficiet or until a client is fit enough to do more cardiovascular exercise.

    I would advise you to cut out carbohydrates after around 3 in the afternoon. Unless you exercise vigorously in the evenings you will not burn it off if you eat these foods after this time and instead it will sit in your stomach all night and turn to fat.
    If you dont know by carbohydrates I means potato, bread, pasta, rice ... and instead go for options such as sweet potato, vegetables (especially green).

    If you make this small change to your current diet you will definately see weight loss after a week. I can almost guarantee it!
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    p.s.... if you want to PM your current daily intake of food and drink I can suggest some other changes for you to consider.

    (I am a qualified personaly trainer and nutrition consultant so you can trust my advice on these subjects).
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi, I lost nearly a stone last year and would like to lose more but at least I haven't put it back on! :wink: I did it by just reducing slightly all the portions I have and giving up a few things which I snacked on, like a cake or bisciut. Buying low fat butter and cheese (although I love cheese, that was hard!). I only weighed myself once a week, naked, before breakfast :oops: . I lost about 1-2 lb a week, but it worked. I had to buy new clothes! :D I only did gentle exercises from the physio and short walks. Like the others really, and don't stop the whole thing if you eat a bar of chocolate!! I also drink lots of water :D
    Good Luck Sue
  • denpen
    denpen Member Posts: 389
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi
    I agree the best way is to eat a healthy diet and excercise.
    I have been told several times lately by the doctor and the nurse to lose weight but its easier said than done the nurse gave me a diet sheet and I told her that I eat everything that is healthy on there, so obviously it must be my portion sizes.
    I have just got the lealfets that arthritis care produce on diet and excercise the excercise one tells you which excercises you can do for your particular type of arthur i.e back, hips, knees. They are worth having, you can pick them up at hospital or download from this site.
    Denise
  • jackie1955
    jackie1955 Member Posts: 632
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    ninakang wrote:
    I've never really struggled with my weight - yet, I've just started MTX! Nx

    Hi Nina - is weight gain associated with the MTX?

    Jackie x
  • ramummy
    ramummy Member Posts: 100
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi there Hellsbells, I'm with you - in fact I'm more than with you as I need to lose two and a half stone of baby weight that I haven't shifted yet - the baby was born in Sept last year and I was diagnosed with RA in Nov - as you can imagine, being barely able to move I haven't been able to exercise it off like I planned to!

    I've done Slimming World and Weight Watchers successfully in the past and am actually going to rejoin WW on Wednesday so if you fancy a 'Slimming with Arthur' buddy then I'm your girl!!

    Lets keep in touch - best of luck!!

    xx
  • katekelly
    katekelly Member Posts: 975
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    When I had my steroid injection into my knee last year (and it was drained as well) I lost hlaf a stone in 3 days so the fluid build up must have something to do with weight gain. So now I only need 6 more joints doing and I'll be my ideal weight!!!
  • gocat1
    gocat1 Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    After seeing in the news recently that "Powerplates" help people lose weight 'faster than aerobics or swimming', was wondering if it's ok to use one of these if you have had joint replacement. Had RTHR 3 years ago and bit fed up of swimming and fancy trying something else.
  • joyous
    joyous Member Posts: 179
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    hi all i to struggle with weight gain am on steriods 5 mg a day enbrel. methetrexate , celebrex you get so fed up of it thinking bout food can i cant i, im convinced its the meds but which one i dont no evey time i go hos i get weighed and now the tape measure comes out o my not happy bout that . even thou im over weight ide say stone and half they never tell me to lose weight , as my blood pressure etc has been fine over the years . its so fustratin cos you no your trying yet nothin happens i would love a simple diet i can follow i do work but only 5 hours a day so only get half hour dinner by law try doing that eat something without getting indigestion not easy . can any one help i dont get any help from the hospital on that score x
  • joyous
    joyous Member Posts: 179
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    gocat1 wrote:
    After seeing in the news recently that "Powerplates" help people lose weight 'faster than aerobics or swimming', was wondering if it's ok to use one of these if you have had joint replacement. Had RTHR 3 years ago and bit fed up of swimming and fancy trying something else.
    hi i was wondering bout them to i fancy one i had a metal plate in my shoulder in june 07 bit scared to ask at the hos as well has any one said you can use them joy x
  • colinone
    colinone Member Posts: 1,039
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    hellsbells wrote:
    I would ideally love to lose about a stone, but it is proving very difficult, i am following a diet, but as i cant exercise really at all due to my knees and wrist, its not helping at all. some days i have no appetitie either ! my knees are so big and swollen, and i am convinced that weighs! does anyone else find it hard also ? any tips? advice ? :?

    Hello Hellsbells
    Tips and advice you say, well ill tell you the secret,
    the secret to diet and weight loss is to eat. I'll bet you have heard that in the past but its true it worked for me. Ok you have to watch what you eat and its hard to keep to it but it does work. Do you but the ready meals that you just throw in the oven you can buy the low fat ones. and when you get use to it you eat the ones with fat. This is what i done or should i say the diet my wife put me on. Three meals a day and a light supper. Breakfast 2 weetabix
    Lunch scrambled egg 2 eggs no bread, Afters Gelly and a banana
    Evening meal One of those throw in the oven meals no bread, Afters Jelly and ice cream, Supper a pear and a banana.
    If you need to snack inbetween dont eat bread cake or biscuites
    you can have ice cream or jelly a bit of fruit or tin fruit tin prunes are good for supper For a treat corned beef hash as one of your daily meals. You can add some veg to your main meal but try not to eat loads your body needs time to ajust to the smaller meals. You need to set your meal times so that you have all three meals at the same time each day. Have a normal sunday lunch but no roast potatoes just boiled or mashed. As you body gets use to less food you can vary your meals but keep the quantity down and not to many snacks. Things like Crisps alcohol and those things you know are bad for you just dont eat. Once your through the first week it gets easy. I lost a stone in 12 weeks doing this . Take care Colin
  • ritnew
    ritnew Member Posts: 338
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Very good advice Colin. I use the ready meals when my oh and daughter are having a fat laden meal, I just put a jacket potato with it if I'm extra hungry. There are some very good ones out there nowadays and quite cheap. I also have roast potatoes but I dry roast mine, par boil, knock them about the saucepan so they get fluffed up put on a non stick baking tray and hey presto roasties, not quite the same as having them cooked in goose fat but at least I don't feel like I'm missing out too much. I've lost about a stone since 23rd/24th March, when the consultant told me it would help my recovery after my hip op. I say about cause of all this metric stuff which I still can't get used to. If I need a snack I eat fruit or rice crackers.
    It has been fun and given me something else to think about trying to prepare a tasty meal that doesn't add pounds.

    Rita X
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi, I try to eat small meals and I am losing weight its slow but a pound or two a week is healthy, I have low fat everything and fully skimmed milk - luckily I don't like milk - so I prefer the skimmed milk, my downfall is when my husband comes home, I make a cup of tea and I always have a bisciut or three. :oops: I try not buying them, but they always seem to follow me home. I also eat a lot of apples, I know they are good for you and low in calories but if I eat four or five.....well it adds up! :) Still, you've got to live a bit! :lol: Love Sue