Help needed to reduce my weight and bmi

[Huskyboobear]

I had a SCA 28th February, had a ICD fitted on 13 march but when I left hospital nobody gave my any advice about fitness or what I should be doing, previously to my SCA I was quite active, walked my huskies up to 5 miles a day and ride my horse, however I live in a village which is very hilly, so walking ,I get a bit nervous, I've managed to get up to 1,5 miles but need to do other things, I stopped smoking over a year ago so packed the weight on, so now need to get 7 stone off, any advice would be great, thank you 😊 xx

[russino1]

Eat less calories than you consume.

it’s really is as simple as that (on paper anyway 😃😉)

from a practical point of view. I’d start off doing what you’re doing but slowly add in extra resistance. can you wear a rucksack with a few tins in it? and then maybe something heavier?

that will increase calories burnt.

assuming you eat healthy anyway, then main thing would be up your cardio work.

the one big thing to have is : patience.

It takes a while to put weight on and takes longer to take it off! don’t beat yourself up if you have a few backwards steps. look at the mid to long term.

good luck

[Huskyboobear in reply to russino1]

Thank you ❤❤

[Chappychap]

You've taken the critical first step, in that you're acknowledging that there's a problem and you've made up your mind to do something about it.

I followed a similar road to you, heart surgery followed by a recognition that some serious lifestyle changes were needed, exercise, healthy eating, weight loss, stopping the nicotine lozenges that I'd taken up to help me quit smoking.

They've all now been accomplished, but I won't pretend it was always easy.

Regarding weight loss, be sceptical of anyone touting some prescribed formula that's guaranteed to deliver results. We're all profoundly different, with different genes, different physical responses, and we all live radically different lives. So what worked for me may fail utterly for you.

I was lucky to have a very enlightened GP, he pointed out that I was showing signs of being insulin resistant, which suggested that type 2 diabetes might well be on the horizon unless I changed my lifestyle and lost weight urgently. This is unfortunately very common amongst people with heart problems. I tried several diet options, but the one that really worked for me was intermittent fasting allied to a Meditaranean diet with a low carb bias.

I got back into the healthy BMI range, felt twenty years younger, and most importantly had reversed the blood test indicators of insulin resistance.

But I'll say again, just because that combination was right for me isn't any indication that it would work for you.

So good luck with your endeavour and I hope you crack the weight problem quickly!

[Huskyboobear in reply to Chappychap]

Thank you ❤❤

[Heythrop51]

Six months ago I was overweight with raised BP and cholesterol, and also pre-diabetic. With advice from one of the HeartStars I adopted a Mediterranean diet but limited myself to 100gm of complex carbs per day. I have now reached my target weight and all my other figures are in the healthy range. Best exercise at this stage is walking and I think a loaded rucksack is pointless till you reach a healthy BMI. Initial weight loss was fast but then slowed. I think you must be looking at 12 - 18 months minimum.

[Huskyboobear in reply to Heythrop51]

Thank you ❤❤

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

I like to keep it simple.

First step. Smaller portions.

Second step. Cut down fat

A bit of weight loss and you’ll find exercise easier.

[Huskyboobear in reply to Kristin1812]

Thank you ❤❤

[Clerkenweller]

Basically eat less. Cut back severely on carbs. No white bread, deep fried foods, snacks. More greens salad and fruit. The BHF has free pamphlets and online advice with regard to diet.

[Huskyboobear in reply to Clerkenweller]

Thank you you ❤❤

[Ianc2]

No cakes, no biscuits, wholemeal bread, very little butter, no sugar/jam and regular exercise. Lots and lots of green stuff. Plenty of recipes on the BHF site.

[Huskyboobear in reply to Ianc2]

Thank you ❤❤

[Hidden]

No cake unless its sugar free

[Huskyboobear in reply to Hidden]

😊😊

[Prada47]

Hi

Do you have anyone who can help motivate you ?? telling you how well your doing how well your looking, it is recognised as a real assist when you are trying to lose weight.

Set yourself a realistic goal by selecting a Target Weight and a Target Date when you want to get there. It may be looking at the NHS, BMI chart and setting the target to get from Obese to Overweight etc .

nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-we...

I will never get to a Healthy Weight on the scale they have I have been there once on the way up I think it was in about 1970.

Don't beat your self up if you slip we all do at sometime or other!!

Best of Luck you can do it if you want to

[Huskyboobear in reply to Prada47]

Thank you ❤❤

[EMBoy]

I'm in a similar situation. Last August, I had a syncope which was followed by a pacemaker insertion the next day. I was given very little information about anything by the medical staff in the hospital. While I was in the hospital, my BMI was 29, but I gave up smoking and have piled on the weight since then. I do a lot of walking, but anything more strenuous is difficult as I have COPD and sore knees, so it looks like diet is the only answer. Very difficult whilst trying to keep off the filthy fags. Wearing a rucksack is also a bad idea as it will press on my pacemaker which has been implanted in my left shoulder.

I guess, the best thing to do will be to cut down on carbs and fat.

Best wishes.

[Huskyboobear in reply to EMBoy]

Thank you ❤❤

[Auiron]

Fortunately I have the 'Bin Diet' for you that is guaranteed to lose weight at zero cost and zero effort and comes with just one caveat. That is that you must have the same amount of food and calorific value in front of you that you usually have. No adding extra.

When you have an item of higher calories, of course carrots, peas apples etc are low calorie, in front of you put some in the bin.

A slice of bread and butter, cut the crust off one side and put it out for the birds. Maybe you have one bar of chocolate each week, break one square off and bin it. Mash potato, bin a bit. Fish in bread crumbs, break a bit of the end and bin it. Four roast potatoes, break a piece off one and bin it. Two spoons of sugar in tea, just put a bit back. AND so it goes on.

Do the above 6 times a day equals nearly 2,200 times a year. Easy to roughly work out the reduction in calorie intake.

Some say it is a waste but it is more important to lose weight and save a life. I've found over one year later that my food consumption has naturally reduced and weight down to target at minus 27%.

Other problems and illnesses have gone in one case and a lot better in two others. Everyone varies but I'm sure my heart is saying thank you at the lesser load and my knees as well.

Good luck with it. We have to do something ourselves and not just rely on doctors, nurses and of course surgeons to keep on repairing us.

[Huskyboobear in reply to Auiron]

Thank you ❤❤

[not2worry]

I found an app called Lose It.

You start by entering some basic information and your goals. It then suggests a caloric intake to reach you goal.

You enter what you eat at every meal.

I found you become very aware of the calories you are eating and start to think twice about what you are eating and the portion size.

I exercise daily, nothing other than walking and some easy exercise. You enter these activities as well.

It worked for me. Might want to give it a try!

[Huskyboobear in reply to not2worry]

Thank you ❤❤

[Huskyboobear]

Thank you ❤❤

[Prada47]

Hi Husky

OK that's all the Sunshine Blown your way Now Get On with It. LOL

Best Wishes

[Huskyboobear]

😂😂😂😂 yes well and truly milked that 😂😂😂 just come off my 1.6 mile walk and have weighed myself and lost 2,6 lb since Saturday yay

[Speakeazi]

Well done! Keep it going.

So it’s simple really.

No butter, cheese, mayonnaise

No frying

No sugar

No sweeties or chocolate

(A little dark chocolate is ok)

Limited amount of red meat if really needed once every fortnight

Lots of fresh fruit and veg

( no juice - the sugars in the fruit change and you might as well eat sugar)

Fish, salmon, tuna

Chicken turkey

I don’t know about veggie/vegan other than really read the label.

Look at the traffic lights on food packaging. You will find some “nutritional surprises/bargains”.

No red and the Saturated fats in the Green.

It’s all v tiresome and sometimes miserable

But

Living longer and healthier is worth it.

You can do it. Many of us have had to lose weight and hard as it can be the lbs do move.

[Hidden]

Hi Husky,

You have already had some great advice here. The only thing I can add that might be helpful is, as Not2worry said, to try using a food tracking app such as My Fitness Pal. This app has a massive food database and it allows you to scan barcodes so it's really easy to use. Its helped me really lose weight and improve my diet. It also syncs with various step and exercise apps so it will adjust your daily calorie intake depending on how much exercise you have done.

[Prada47]

Hi Husky

With regards to Red indicators, maybe, just maybe if your doing well on everything else !!

Ones with 2 Reds once a week is OK according to my Cardiologist ( not in writing ) but ( always the bloody But ) only if you have everything else under control. I use the Two Reds as a Treat.

You Can Do It

Stay Well

Stay Safe

[84green]

Hi. Lots of good advice already here.

In January, I also set myself a target to lose 100lbs. As of today, I have lost 56 of them ( 18% of my body weight). Later today, I hope to complete my final report n of the C25K running programme.

Personally, I followed a strict 600 calorie a day liquid diet (the Newcastle Diet designed for diabetics). Since then I have followed a low carb, Mediterranean diet - limiting carbs to around 60g per day and consuming around 120 calories a day. I am currently losing around 2lb per week and aim to keep to this until I reach my target.

My blood sugars and blood pressure are all reduced. I feel less hungry and more in control of my appetite, which I ascribe to reduced sugar craving.

I would say that diet is the key to losing weight not exercise. That is not to downplay the importance of exercise in helping your heart and making you feel better.

Happy to share more if you’d like to message me but in summary:

1. Be ruthless in counting carbs and calories. Hard at first but gets easier.

2. Make a note of what you eat - you will soon begin to know what works for you.

3. Adopt an exercise regime you enjoy and don’t stress if you feel you’re not doing a lot. You will improve.

4. Whatever diet regime you follow, remember that you have to change lifelong habits and find a diet that you enjoy eating, is sustainable and achieves your objectives.