Less of me

[JuliaGent]

Hi I'm Julia. I am tired of being this weight and want to be slim again . I had a dreadful accident 6 years ago that left me using a wheelchair and needing 24 hour care . Due to forced inactivity I piled on the pounds and there they have stayed! I am now out of the wheelchair but unable to take part in rigorous exercise but desperately want to lose this weight. I need all the support you can give please .

[Hidden]

Hi Julia,

Welcome to this wonderful forum. You will succeed and we will help you.

You will get a more formal welcome soon, but just wanted to say hi.

Start by taking all your measurements, weigh yourself and work out your BMI and daily calorie allowance on the NHS calculator.

Good luck 🍀

[Diana]

Hello, welcome, the fab news is diet is more important than excercise, I'm sure there are certain excercises you do, whatever they are plenty of encouragement and support here.

Good luck

[PippiRuns 6kg Restart Nov 2023]

Hi Julia, I'll do the formal welcome mentioned by isou7000👍- so welcome to the NHS Weight Loss Forum here on HealthUnlocked.

To get started, take a look at the NHS 12 Week Plan, it contains recipes and exercise plans to follow for the first twelve weeks of your journey. Many here are using it with success.

Take a look at the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile device) and find the 'Pinned Posts' section, here you can find the Welcome Newbies tread witch is full of advice abot getting started. You'll also find various challenges that are going on in the forum - join anyone you like.

I would also recommend the Monday Group Weigh-In posted alternately by Zest and moreless (I suggest you follow them, they are also our volunteer site admins).

I'm sure there will very soon be less of you!

Iben

[Hidden]

Hi Julia,

Wow I cannot even imagine what you've been through but it is amazing that you are now out of the wheelchair.

I only joined this community on Tuesday but have found everyone here to be really kind, non-judgemental and incredibly supportive. I think it is good idea to get involved in the conversations going on because we can all learn from each other.

I have submitted my weight and measurements for the weekly weigh in and am really looking forward to the first weigh in. I've also joined the winter solstice challenge and am aiming to lose 5% of my body weight by 19th Dec. I think it's very motivating and fun joining in with these smaller challenges, perhaps you might like to give them a go.

Due to an operation I had a week ago I cannot do any rigorous exercise for a while (not that I have ever done rigorous exercise) so I have been looking at youtube clips of pilates for beginners. I'm going to start off slow and build up.

Keep on updating your progress and you will find everyone responds with loads of kind words of support. I look forward to seeing you around the forum

[SueElr]

Hi Julia. You have arrived in a good place! I acknowledge you for your incredible and amazing strength to reach this point! I know that you have that ability.

However, I invite you to take the words ' rigorous' and 'exercise' out of your vocabulary.

All and any movement is great. It occurs to me that you know that more than most - having passed through the last 6 years.

There are so many compassionate, informed and funny people on this website who will move along with you so welcome.

[curlyann]

Hi Julia. You've definitely come to the right place. Can only imagine what you've been through but congratulations on getting out of the wheelchair. That is a big achievement on its own. The 12 week plan is great - from experience I've had, counting the calories has worked better than all the other diet plans I've tried. I took the word 'diet' out and now eat healthily and with no worries of it all piling on again. There are lots of good recipes on here and loads of support. Any question- however silly it feels to you -the answer will be on here somewhere:-). Good luck - be gentle on yourself!

[Hidden]

I have found using myfitnesspal app very helpful and also mindfulness to reduce food cravings and stress which raises cortisol and weight. I also see myself as a soft sexy lady as opposed to a fat one. You do not say how overweight you are but longevity studies have show that people in the overweight section of BMI charts live longer than those in the slim or thin section. Being obese or morbidly obese does shorted you life span. Have you tried exercise in water. Swimming burns up loads of calories and can often be done by people unable to exercise other ways.

[Annabelle_Bebbs in reply to Hidden]

And if you can't swim my physio daughter tells me that just walking around in the water, forwards backwards and sidewards, against the resistance of the water is as good for you as the swimming

[Norni]

Hi Julia

Just wanted to send you lots of positive vibes and good wishes. I had some success by cutting out starchy starches and sugar and eating lots of great veggies with fish and poultry. Don't know if you drink but staying off the booze really helped too.

Keep going. You're attitude is great and you deserve success!

[ShortyS]

I'm so sorry about everything you have been through, diet is 80% food, 20% exercise so try not to beat yourself up about lack of exercise and focus on what you can manage. Not quite the same but I do know where you are coming from as I put my weight on from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) & mobility issues, along with fertility issues, steroids, depression etc but now I'm back on RA medication with far less RA episodes I'm trying to get back on track. I do the 5-2 diet which really works for me even if I can't get as much exercise in during a week, but any lower intake of calories will work if you can stick at it, you need to find what works for you. I had to deal with my emotional eating issues and some days they still bite me in the bum so I know its not easy but we can all get there together... welcome and good luck!

[JuliaGent]

Awe thank you everyone . I'm feeling really encouraged and supported. I will get my head around all the recipes and have stood look at the challenges .

[Uhlen]

I understand your feelings. While I'm not in a wheelchair, I do have arthritis in my knees, which is painful. You have my support and encouragement!