Help I'm not sure where to start
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Help I'm not sure where to start
| Sat, 07-17-2004 - 11:59pm |
Hi, I'm new here and need some guidance. I'm 34, 200 pounds (about 60 more than I should be), High Cholestrol (254), HDL (29), triglycerides (293). I have tried every diet out there...no success (obviously). My doctor said if I don't do something I will pass at a young age. Where do I start? Any ideas?
Thanks,
Vicky

i'm 38 and started at about 275 lbs, and am now about 198. i've gone from "morbidly obese" to "overweight". i'm a big girl tho. 5'10 1/2" with a large frame who is skinny when she gets down to 150.
it was very hard for me to get started. so many starts and stops. :( but i'd been hospitalized about 5 times with pulmonary emboli, a direct result of DVT. additionally i had high blood pressure and hypoxia, so my doctor kept telling me i HAD to do something, NOW.
i tell ya. i wanted to exercise, but i felt like a whale. especially on the floormat, trying pilates. there was no way i had the flexibility or range of motion for it. it frustrated me so much, i'd eat more and get depressed. :( the only thing i did have was determination. so, i started by focusing on something i could control....my diet. i put myself on a sensible, altho mostly vegetarian diet, where i could eat 4 or 5 times a day. my doc helped me set it up and i actually started losing pounds. slowly, but steadily. for the first time, i felt like maybe i could really do this.
well, pretty soon i realized that i needed to exercise. i needed endurance, especially if i was gonna exercise with my lowered lung capacity. AND i wanted to do all the things i used to do. i wanted to dance, swim, travel with my bf. go hiking in the mountains! but most of all, i wanted to swim. i used to compete in body surfing and really missed that.
okay, i was determined. but the only thing i could do at first was walking. i guess they were being literal when they said "baby steps". :) well, it was something i could do and something i liked. so, i did it. and i still do it. walking gives me great pleasure and altho it took awhile, i could see the difference. in the way i felt, the way i moved and the way i looked. my clothes weren't fitting. they were actually loose!
it took about 8 or 9 months and losing 25 lbs before i finally reached a point where i decided i wanted to do more. so i added stair walking. i did it at home, in my apt building. 5 flights and its still difficult for me. but that's mostly because my lungs are still lined with old clots and they hinder my normal lung capacity. kinda like only having 1 1/2 lungs. anyway, i could only do the full flight once, but it was a start. and got my heart pumping. :)
somehow, i discovered that i enjoy strength training. :) so, i bought 2 and 5 lb hand weights and thanks to the internet, i've learned all about how to train my upper and lower body and use alternate days. i keep walking for the cardio and the enjoyment. BUT! in the last 4 months, i've escalated from a walk to a JOG!! imagine that! every day for approximately 20 minutes, i really and truly jog! i can only do a mile and i realize a 20 minute mile isn't going to put me in the record books, but that doesn't matter. i didn't think i could ever do it again but here i am, jogging every day.
however, i'm doing all of this at home. i can't deal with the stress of knowing strangers are watching me. "competing" against THIN women who look perfect scares the pants off me. so, even tho i live in a very small nyc apt, i have all my little training things here. my mat, my stability ball and pump, my hand weights and a homemade workout bench.
i still have a long ways to go before i get where i'm going, and i still won't allow a scale or a full length mirror in my apt, but this turtle is winning her race. i hope something i said helps you find your path.
vess
ps: please forgive me for writing such a long post.
Hi Vicky, and welcome to the 30's board!
I just read Vess' post to you and what she has done is a great way to start.
Taking one aspect of your life and changing it while gradually changing others as you travel the fitness path is a great way to go about this! Making too many changes at once can be overwhelming.
Start with something small for one week, increase your water intake let's say. Week 2 work on your food intake, and keep going with the water! Week 3 start incorporating some exercise, while keeping an eye on your food and water intakes! etc....
On our website we have a 'hints' page-
http://pages.ivillage.com/cl-vi_islandgirl/id5.html
EXERCISE is vital to any weight loss plan. Exercise will help you reach your goals quicker, and enable you to begin living a healthier lifestyle. Your energy level will improve drastically and you'll feel better!
WATER is another key element. It helps you feel full, and it also causes the fat to break down easier in your body (and leave!). Thirst often disguises itself as hunger, so when you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water first. Wait 10-15 mins and if you are still hungry, THEN have something to eat. The standard daily recommendation is 64 oz, OR one-half your body weight in ounces.
JOURNALLING can be a major help in determining what changes need to be made in your food plan, as well as in your mindset. By journalling your food, your moods, and your reactions to different situations, you can easily see patterns that need to be broken, and begin the steps to do so. A good journal on line can be found at http://www.fitday.com
MODERATION is a huge component. And becoming our board motto! There
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Vicky,
Welcome to the board.
Welcome to the board Vicky, I have to say, you've got some great advice in the posts above!!