Weight loss support

Daniel_2021

Hi,

I've been out of rehab and a wheelchair user for 8 months now, during that time i've had further stays in hospital and pain that can't be controlled.

During this time i've mainly been stuck inside and utterly fed-up, i've started eating more rubbish and as i'm less mobile the weight has piled on. It's got to the point that I detest how I look and I have another battle on my hands.

Does anyone have any success stories or tips for weight loss? If you are a wheelchair user all the better. 

I only eat seafood so you'd expect it to be a doddle but I seem to gain weight just by blinking!

Thanks in advance,

Daniel 

woodbine

@Daniel_2021 hi how are you this evening? I'm not for a second. dietician, but I would have thought that the answer might be a varied diet, I know the only way I ever lose weight is to eat less of everything Burt still eat something of everything (if that makes sense?)

Daniel_2021

Hi @woodbine i'm not too bad thanks, you?

Yes variety is the spice of life after all.

I hope you don't me asking, do you have a mobility issue that's impacted your weight? Did it settle down after a while?

 I seem to just be getting worse in every way every month, I fall every few days, the pain never goes and my mental health well that's poor all the time.

Thanks,

Daniel 

janer1967

Hi I can empathise I've been in wheelchair for over 4 years now and the weight has piled on tho it has remained stable for last 18 months 

I don't eat that much a light breakfast and a cooked evening meal and the odd treat . I don't eat between meals or snack 

I eat far less now than I did some of the meds also don't help 

Guess it's lack of exercise and metabolism 

I would speak to your gp if concerned they can offer support 

SueHeath

Hi @Daniel_2021 Hope your well.

I'm not in a wheelchair but have been less active for the past year and i have noticed my weight rising.

I do feel that @janer1967 is right with lack of exercise and metabolism

Perhaps we should look up how many calories are recommended for less active people.

DavidFord

I am not in a wheelchair but your problem is understandable.

Yes it could because of continued eating and as one said because of lack of exercise. I had experienced gaining weight whenever I got hospitalized. This is the fact when we did nothing, eating and rested only it might be happened.

So don't worry about it, once you will get into your routine it can help to lose your weight.

Tori_Scope

Thanks for sharing that with us @davidford What kind of routine do you find helps you best stay in shape? 

RJPar

Is an interesting topic.........
I recently lost a lot of weight from February 2022 - November 2022 approximately 30kg, to the stage I could not even walk, as a lot was muscle loss, I didn't know what my real issue was until I arrived back in the UK & went straight to hospital & was diagnosed with colon cancer, one operation later & I'm on the road to gaining weight but not muscle tone, my oncologist is concerned after one chemo session I have very bad pins & needles in my left leg that's affected my mobility & seemingly not building any muscle in my left leg, so an appointment with a neurologist on Tuesday, but my stomach has ballooned 😭😭. Now currently I'm nearly 84kg. I'm 6ft tall & aged 63, I use dumbbells 3kg for my arms (but still flabby/wrinkled skin). Also trying to get motivated to do any exercise is an issue.
Anyone with any suggestions???
A gym is out of the question (cost) + the moving around & public transport 

Cher_Alumni

Hi @RJPar

I'm sorry to hear you're going through chemo after colon cancer diagnosis, that's really rough going and we wish you the very best with your treatment. 

I know some local councils have physical activity teams (details on relevant local council's website) or you could speak with your GP as sometimes they can refer you to an exercise referral team. These are normally free or subsidised and you could enquire about any transport provision they provide.

That's one idea! Others may have more 

RJPar

@Cher_Scope

Thank you,  I'm sure like most here you have good & bad days....... That's great I never thought of the council, I will check their web page 😃👏👏

Starlingbird

Sorry to hear what you are going through, @RJPar. I hope the neurologist gives you some answers and solutions. 

I wonder if a physio could help you? Also, if motivation is an issues, do you have a friend who you could exercise at home with? Just an idea, as we often stick to something if we have committed to a group or other person. I have recently read/heard that if we tag an exercise routine on to another routine, then it is easier to stick to. For example, I have to do knee exercises, and I would do them when I was boiling the kettle (otherwise I would just stand there waiting for it to boil!). I now have different knee exercises to do, so I do them when I get in bed at the same time as I do my nightly Sudoku puzzle After doing them for a few weeks, they really have become a habit!

RJPar

@Starlingbird

Thanks 😁...... I'm in a very strange situation, I'm in a location in the UK where I have never been, I don't know anybody apart from the people I'm in temporary accommodation with & without wishing to sound nasty as we all have our problems, I wonder what happened to social skills.....I have one that just comes to stay once or twice a week, one that has substance abuse, one that can't peel a potato & one that has his GF & Pitbull dog neither are allowed.....so u put that all together with an operation, chemotherapy & unable to move well is not a good combination 😂🤣😂 I can but laugh 

SueHeath

Doesn't sound very nice for you @RJPar do you have any family in the UK ?

Starlingbird

RJPar said:

@Starlingbird

Thanks 😁...... I'm in a very strange situation, I'm in a location in the UK where I have never been, I don't know anybody apart from the people I'm in temporary accommodation with & without wishing to sound nasty as we all have our problems, I wonder what happened to social skills.....I have one that just comes to stay once or twice a week, one that has substance abuse, one that can't peel a potato & one that has his GF & Pitbull dog neither are allowed.....so u put that all together with an operation, chemotherapy & unable to move well is not a good combination 😂🤣😂 I can but laugh 

Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that @RJPar. You really are in a challenging situation. But your humour is a fantastic coping mechanism and will help keep your head above water! 

You say you are in temporary accommodation. Are you waiting for social housing? 

You are certainly being tested at the moment! I really hope things get better for you soon.

durhamjaide2001

I'm in the same boat and have been all my life so I would try doing a calorie restricted diet as it's worked winder for me when I was younger 

RJPar

@Starlingbird Tested isn't the word, if I had hair I would pull it out 🤣😂 to be honest I am waiting for anything that's available (as long as it's not shared accommodation) I can't complain to much, everyone has been so helpful from NHS - UC - CAB & crisis UK, I would urge anyone that needs assistance reach out & ask, even if they can't help they will generally point you in the right direction. Only the council have been awkward & I can understand why, I'm not from this area & wasn't in the country for a very long time.  But eventually it got turned around after I had been outside in the freezing cold for 6 hours & ended up where I am currently.

We digressed from weight 😁

RJPar

@durhamjaide2001

I've never been one that's watched what I've been eating, I've always been reasonably active (apart from a bit of a belly) I blame gravity for that 😁 I stayed in good shape, but now I'm not active the weight is going on Nov 2022 I was 69kg last time I was weighed (this week) 84kg...

Just be comfortable where you are, if you can say X is my weight &: maintain around that area....... I don't know your situation, but even small exercise for 5 minutes at a time throughout the day is a lot better than zero 

RJPar

@SueHeath
I am the baby of 11 children (no TV I guess) 😁 sadly just 5 of us left now & they don't live near here 
The reason I came to this location is because my son lives close by, he has been a great help when he can, but he has work & college & as with any 19 year old an active social life.
Is hard dealing with the boredom & not being mobile & using public transport to go to hospital 

DB204

I went on to Gabapentin for Nerval pain as not only do I have fibro but also have CFS\CFD, on top of that I broke my spine in 3 places 20 years ago. The surgery I had made life impossible as one of the screws is screwed through a nerve. So I was put on Gabapentin (similar to pregablin) > went from 8 stone to 17stone in 4 months. The heavier I have got the worse my pain has gotten and I have been asking and pleading for help with my weight. 

It doesn't seem to matter how many times I ask I just got told try dieting.. but I don't eat that much I will have something like Weetabix with strawberries for breakfast and my evening meal with no snacking.

I am currently trying the 8\16 diet which is where you eat normally for 8 hours then nothing but warm drinks & clear fluid in the 16 hour section. But even that doesn't help.

I just feel you can ask and ask and get no help at all. 

I had trouble with my mental health last year because I hate my body that much (amongst other worries) I was in a mental health hospital for 8 months last year and nothing helped. To the point where I took attempts on my life 4 times whilst in hospital.

I only have my daughter who is an adult now and my partner as family and because we have moved around with my partner's job I have not a single friend to speak of. 

I am largely bed bound but certainly housebound as whilst on the mental health ward last year I was raped which has kept me housebound.

I have tried so so many diets but nothing works. I just want to be lighter to stop the pressure the weight puts on my back making it hard to get around the house.

I have stopped reaching out for help because it is never (never) followed through. I was meant to have physio & pain specialist both in the community along with counselling for the rape at home & help for secondary mental health team coming to the house to also counsel me on everything else. None of it happened and I tried for almost a year afterwards to get that important help from the mental health team but nothing.

My partner works away sometimes and when he is gone I can go days without speaking to anyone and feel so lonely and isolated. A few weeks ago I was in hospital for 3 weeks and it broke my heart when people got loads of visitors because my partner could only visit me when he wasn't away and my daughter lives quite a distance away so my visitors were very limited and seeing others with lots of family & friends surrounding other patients bed. This broke my heart. Life has turned out very solitary.