Weight issue

[PPMS_420]

Is there any exercise we can do to lose weight. I get too wore down trying to exercise the way I was taught. Not being able to walk after about 5 minutes then I have to recoup. I was 190 when MS hit me. Now I'm too close to 300lbs. I'm not over eating or anything. I just have no way to do traditional exercises as half my body doesn't work. Does anyone know any exercises i can do or is it a lost cause?

[Xvettech]

This is an awesome question! I too only have 1/2 my body thats usable these days. I do yoga now. Also Dr. Gretchen Hawley has some great online exercise courses. She has MS too so she gets it. The medicines are also no help for weight loss. My Neurologist isn’t happy cause I stopped some medicines or refuse to take some that have weight gain as a side effect! Oh well, I don’t want the weight gain! It’s bad enough to have to deal with everything this MS brings!

[PPMS_420 in reply to Xvettech]

I will definitely check it out. Thank you so much

[Xvettech in reply to PPMS_420]

Your welcome. Good luck with everything you do!

[Petdog in reply to Xvettech]

Thanks for the tip about Dr. Gretchen Hawley. I just checked her out and she's awesome.

[starlight5]

Whatever movement you can manage is great, but weight loss really comes down to what kinds of food you are eating. That is what I have found. Have you tried eating low carb🤷‍♀️

[PPMS_420 in reply to starlight5]

Thank you for your response. Yes, I did that for 6 months only too keep getting bigger

[lbenmaor]

Have you tried Chair Yoga? Leslie

[PPMS_420 in reply to lbenmaor]

No i have never have but I will definitely look into it. Thank you 😊

[agapepilgrim]

i went on the MS diet and lost 80 lbs with no exercise. It is basically 6 servings of veggies and fruits a day, and chicken or fish not fried after eating first the fruits and veggies.

[BettysMom]

Truly, the only way to lose weight is to change your eating habits, often drastically. See if you can get a referral to a dietician. Even an active, healthy overweight person cannot lose weight with exercise alone.

[CatsandCars]

I seem to remember Gretchen Hawley having a YouTube video involving cardio exercise using punching motions (assuming that'sthe half that works?). Aaron Boster also has videos about exercise and MS. He talks about exercise being a part of your lifestyle, and he knows how hard it is with fatigue, etc. He has several in which he talks about diet.

I would also recommend a calorie app. Unless you have a metabolic disorder, eating fewer calories than you burn will result in weight loss. I use one called Lose It, which has a free version with ads. I would not recommend a drastic reduction in calories; rather, I would suggest knocking a few hundred calories per day off of your suggested calorie budget. For me, that kept me from starving while I figured out what kinds of food to eat. I was never able to lose weight and maintain it in my entire life because I was always starving myself, which slowed my metabolism. As soon as I stopped dieting, I would gain it all back. I also found it very difficult not to cheat when my calorie budget was too restrictive. Keeping track of what I ate was critical, because it was very hard for me tell how many calories I ate. I also found it was critical to not keep a lot of junk in the hoùse. I don't know your situation, but I hope my experience can help you find a strategy that will help you!

BettysMom's suggestion of seing a dietitian makes very good sense. It's super easy to lose track of how much you eat in a day, at least for me.

Best wishes for finding what works for you!

[Cwright170994]

My husband cooks a lot of homemade meals, and he does a lot of soups (my favourite is leek & potato). Last night he did minestrone, and I think I'm feeling the effects of it this morning 🤔 we double up the ingredients and tub the remainder for dinner/lunch for my husband to take to work. It's crazy what a change in what you eat, and the ingredients you put in makes. I can walk around my house with a walking stick, and my husband bought me a vibrating thing that I strap to my thigh. That helps me walk better! Even unaided sometimes! 😱 still can't walk as far as I used to, but it's a step in the right direction (sorry for the pun).

[stepsforNeeC]

Never a lost cause! Have you seen those stationary devices you use to exercise your legs? Basically, you can sit on your Sofa and put your feet on the pedal base. Good for circulation and strength. You should also discuss this with your doctor, because some medications have increased weight gain as a possible reaction, Prayers and Blessings. NeeC

[grammyshay]

I seem to remember that one of the national MS groups having some sort of DVD with exercises on it. There are also all kinds of chair exercises on YouTube. I have one of the desk bicycles that was mentioned above. It is really good. I got it on Amazon. There are many to choose from.

[Robsmom]

Exactly! Never a lost cause. I was the complete opposite. When I was diagnosed I weighed 280 lbs. After a couple of years I realized this was not helping me at all. I needed to lose weight and could not afford weight loss programs. I started using the free app My Fitness Pal. I logged everything I ate. I started with things my doctor had suggested, only drinking water. Try to avoid a lot of carbs. Also, at that time I was able to walk independently, so I started walking as much as I could. 4 years later I weighed 174 lbs. Since then, 7 years now, I can't walk independently and my eating is not as healthy as it has been, and I have gained about 20 lbs back. BUT, I exercise regularly. I go to an MS Wellness Program where I do whole body exercise on Mondays, seated yoga on Wednesdays, adaptive pilates on Thursdays, and a pool class on Fridays. I just added a strengthening class (weights) on Wednesday afternoon. There are classes for people of every ability. The point is as long as you can do something, do it. There are many YouTube videos, and apps for people with MS of all abilities. Don't give up. Try your best. Not always easy, but worth it.PS, there are many people in the program who have PPMS.

[PPMS_420 in reply to Robsmom]

Thank you. I'm definitely not giving up. I never quit anything in life and I look at this challenge no different. Thinking my issue with my weight is self induced and I possibly ingested too many carbs and baja blast mt. Dew is my weakness.

[Robsmom in reply to PPMS_420]

Well, we all are guilty of that. Just start making small changes and they become habits. Like I said 4 years, it's not a quick fix. I wish you well. Being the best version of ourselves is the only thing we can control.

[ahrogers in reply to PPMS_420]

Lots of good suggestions here. I think people forget to count the liquid calories sometimes. Soda has lots of sugar. I would start by drinking one less Mt. Dew per day and keep cutting out another each week until you can get off and then only have as an occasional treat. I had to give up Mt. Dew years ago due to bone density. It took a while but now I rarely even think about having it. The caffeine is probably messing with your sleep too. Poor sleep can impact energy and weight gain too

Good luck!!

[Diva1976]

Look up Aaron Boster on YouTube. He talks about intermediate fasting. Choose your block of time you’re going to eat. And during the cutoff time. You’re only drinking water. My PT said black coffee/black tea is fine too. No sugar in it.

This has worked for me. I hope it can work for you! I eat a lot of salmon and vegetables regularly. I also have green tea every other day with honey. Green tea fights inflammation and aids in weight loss amongst other things. Salmon is good to fight inflammation. I’ve managed to be 30 pounds lighter.

Any movement you can do is a plus! Don’t give up!

[PPMS_420 in reply to Diva1976]

I most definitely will look into it. I eat fish every now and then. Thank you for your response and support.

[Diva1976 in reply to PPMS_420]

You’re welcome

[Jer29-11]

Not a lost cause at all! While exercise is very important, it is only about 20% of weight loss. Diet is 80%. To lose weight, you must achieve a calorie deficit (eating less calories than you burn). Often when you’re able to lose weight, exercise becomes easier. I agree with other comments to track calories and get a referral to a dietitian. Also, eating out is not good for weight loss as it’s hard to track what you’re really consuming. Cook at home and keep it very simple. We meal prep at my house and I can pass along easy ideas if you’d like 😊. My husband lost 40 lbs by meal prepping and healthy eating.