So i am wanting to lose weight. I can be quite lazy after work i will go straight to bed and do nothing on weekends. I wondered if anybody else struggles with motivation to lose weight.
I did calorie counting back in 2015 and in 2 years i lost 2 stone by just doing that. I feel that will not be enough now if i did it again, i think i will need to exercise to tone up belly and thighs. Can anyone recommend any exercise they do or think would be suitable. Not at the confidence stage to go places like the gym or swimming.
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LouLamb
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Do you have to go to the meetings? Can you just follow it? I am not at a stage with my confidence to do things like that. It has only been in the last year or so where i have spoken to my mum and brother about my weight.
I go to the meeting because I need lots of encouragement and knowing that I will get weight helps me to control myself. Some people do it online but I don't know much about it. Have a look at their website. I don't have much self-esteem and I currently hate the way I look but the group is very good. I have to lose at least 4 stone. 😭
I have got a lot of confidence when it comes to my weight . I’m going to try my calories counting for a month and see how it goes and then introduce exercise as well . I just need motivation .
I’m sure your lose the 4 stone. I want to lose 11lb by June - July
Hi, I lost a little weight before Xmas by going to my gp. There is a health advisor that comes every Friday. I gave my diary of food intake and exercise before weighing me. Now you can drive are you walking less? Can you afford a cheap exercise bike or walker? Bike didn't work for me as it hurt my hips too much, good luck, I'm sure you will achieve your goal weight
Can an exercise bike help you to lose weight? I was going to get one after Christmas but a disc in my back slipped and i was in alot of pain . I still intend to get one when this settles down , im limited as to what exercise i can do and I need to lose weight and get fitter . Good luck with your campaign , I know you will be able to do it 😀😀
Hi. I’ve just joined Weight Watchers Flexi online. No meetings. I’m finding it really good as it tracks your daily intake and you can see clearly the points you are using, and have left. Xx
Exercises for toning muscles are a different matter from exercise to lose weight. My daughter used Slimming World online just to find out how it worked - now she does it herself. Where do you park the car at work? Could you park a bit further away - makes doing a bit of walking so much simpler!
Have you ever looked at the 5:2 diet - you eat 500 calories on 2 days a week, the rest of the week you eat normally. On those two days you have to take care but the rest of the week is easy and you can fit it with going out for a meal! When you choose the right foods 500 calories can be a biggish meal.
I've been a slimming world member for years. I'll always continue to have ups and downs, gains and losses but I have managed to maintain my 3st 7lb weight loss for 2 years. I still live my life....eat out lots but its all in the planning. Overtime I have built up my exercise too and achieved many milestones in terms of fitness. Exercise alone is not enough but a combination of healthy eating and a healthy living which SW promote. I prefer group as I'm a person who kids myself when I don't see the result I desire. Even as a target member that support is still truly vital. Lots of stuff online in regards to weight watchers and slimming world. Normal everyday eating focused on filling up on foods with the least calories.
The only thing I ever found helped with losing weight was going low carb i.e. changing your diet permanently. I've always felt restricting calories doesn't help because after you've lost the weight your body reacts as if its been starving i.e. you get even hungrier. You can eat what you want with low carb but only have some carbs once a day - definitely have some because autoimmunity doesn't seem to like anything too radical, and low rather than no helps stave off some unpleasant side effects of cutting out carbs - but carbs are better in the form of root vegetables rather than bread.
If you combine that with cutting out sugar and do homemade it should help. Another thing with cutting carbs is that you don't get so hungry once you've got used to it (takes about 3 weeks).
Apparently exercise doesn't help you lose weight but gentle exercise helps you get more energy. I guess if the kilos drop off you might feel like doing more.
We published a blog article on lupus and exercise which discusses exercises which you can do from the comfort of your own home. There also is a 15 minute lupus-friendly workout video which you can follow: lupusuk.org.uk/lupus-and-ex...
I think we all struggle with our weight and exercise. For me, it's not all about my lupus but my hip pains and middle age approaching too. It seems like it's easier to put it on when you are older and harder to get it off. I haven't been one of those people who have lost a lot of weight with lupus.
I was told by my Consultant last year that I should take a small walk every morning. Only 10/15 minutes and that would help with my energy levels later on in the day. Gentle exercise only. I do try this and he is probably right. Although when I'm not feeling good with my lupus, the fatigue just takes over and getting up at 6.30am and getting my 3 children to school by 9am, feels like a days work already and the fatigue cripples me, so no walk, I must preserve my energy for later - and picking them up, after schools clubs and cooking a meal.
I do do Pilates and this has also been recommended by a few doctors now. The older ladies at my class have lovely toned physiques - good arms and legs etc.
is there somewhere near you that does Pilate classes? It's much more gentle and not cardiovascular, but concentrates on core strength and muscle tone. I also find I am one of the youngest there (unusual these days) and so there is no need to feel embarrassed. I can't stand the thought of going to a gym and being judged!
We bought my husband a FitBit last year to get him to walk more. He has a mainly desk job but is shattered, mentally, when he gets in and hates the gym and classes etc. He much prefers a walk. So for him the FitBit has meant he can see how few steps he has done during his working day, 8am until 6pm and so after eating his evening meal, he goes out for a walk to reach his 10,000 steps a day target. My 3 children now all have one too. They get more steps in their days at school, with PE lessons and after school clubs etc but my husband will take whoever needs more steps out with him for his evening walk. They are all achieving 10,000 steps a day and spending time together. They enjoy it. In fact I think we need to put my daughters target up, as she is doing so well.
For us lupies, the key is gentle exercise. And you have RA too, so you don't want to over do it too soon. Build up exercise gradually.
I am not a fan of fad diets either or ones you have to pay to join clubs for - although no doubt they work for some people. But I think in the long term they are unrealistic. People lose weight when they follow them but when they achieve their goal and go back to their "normal diet" they regain the weight again. I think just trying to eat a good balanced diet and have regular exercise is good enough. I am sure there have been studies that say that those people who walk regularly can be just as fit as those who go to the gym or do high impact activity.
I am trying to cook my meals from scratch every day. I haven't used a jar of sauce or packet mix for quite some time now. I hate ready meals and never have those anyway - the amount of additives and salt etc horrify me. I think the less processed food and the less additives the better. I am convinced these are not helping our weight issues in modern society, as they are man made products. I drink milk and eat butter - my husband is a chemical engineer and will not touch margarine under any circumstances. He understands what's in them and the processes they use to make them.
Do you enjoy cooking? Are you the one that cooks at home?
Anyway, I know you work and I think your job is on your feet and quite physical, but maybe a pedometer to measure your steps would be a good start?
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