4 years ago I went on my most successful diet ever and lost 44lbs. Within a few months, it (I) all fell apart. After a diagnosis of arthritis, my doctor told me to stop doing high impact exercise and weights at the gym, both of which had helped my weight loss. Stupidly, I stopped going to the gym completely and within weeks my joints stiffened and I fell into a cycle of resting my painful joints and comfort eating. Within a year all the weight was back on. Long story short, I am now back at the gym doing mobility exercises and swimming and my joints are much less painful most of the time. Now its time to re-lose the weight. I am going to attempt the Weightwatchers plan on my own (lost the 44lbs at WW so know the plan works, but cannot afford to re-join, gym membership is more than I can afford as it is). Also had letter from doctors wanting to discuss my high cholesterol and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease so now is as good a time as ever to get started.
Good luck with the diet and exercise Bigmumma. Arthritis can be crippling, so it's good to hear that the exercises are helping.
When it comes to high cholesterol there is a lot of evidence to suggest that eating too many refined carbohydrates, like white bread, causes the problem, rather than eating fats.
I couldnt understand why my cholesterol and fatty liver level remained high after making significant changes to my diet. I had cut out cheese, chips, changed to a low fat marg, etc so was really upset to be summoned to the doctor to review my readings tomorrow. I am expecting to be prescribed statins which I had tried so hard to prevent. Refined carbs might explain it. Thats going to be a hard one having a sweet tooth but there's sugar free options. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
If your GP does suggest statins, make sure that he goes over all the pros and cons (or gives you some detail material to read). I had high cholesterol about ten years ago and my GP was going to prescribe statins. I said I wasn't very happy with that idea, considering some side effects which had been reported. So she didn't give me the prescription. I have changed my diet, particularly over the last couple of years, and now my cholesterol levels are satisfactory.
Thank you Knotty. I did just that last year, my doctor wasn't happy, especially as I was in first stage of fatty liver disease. He told me I had a 4% chance of having a stroke or heart attack within 10 years. I asked him to give me 12 months to turn my results around and really had thought the changes I made would have made a difference. Obviously I didn't do enough. I wont refuse the prescription this time. I think the consequences of having a fatty liver outweigh the risks I have read about statins. Thank u for taking the time to reply, I made this bed, now I have to lie in it
I never thought of that when I rejoined the gym and am now tied into a contract for 12 months with a two month cancellation fee, but I am seeing my doctor tomorrow so will ask if the NHS still offer vouchers for Weightwatchers and Slimming World. I am just a few pounds short of being morbidly obese so am hoping there is some sort of help he will be able to offer me. Thank you for replying.
I empathise with you completely. I have been trying to manage the pain with paracetamol because of the link between ibuprofen and high blood pressure but succumbed to cocodamol at four this morning. It knocked me out and I have had a late start to the day but ... I am pain free and trying to get my head round the weight issue.
I have had so many stop starts losses and regains. I keep how bad I feel about myself to myself. We want to do it. We need to believe we can do it. I wish you all the luck in the world. Here's hoping. xx
Cocodamol is brilliant at pain relief but at the dosage I am prescribed, it spaces me out so I also try to get by with paracetamol or the lower dose cocodamol that you buy over the counter. Am allergic to NSAID's so cocodamol my only option at moment. I have had trouble in the past accepting I will need to rely on painkillers for the rest of my life and have chosen to be in pain over being spaced out and of course this has led to binge eating. In the past few months I changed my outlook and now I take the painkillers most days and at the first sign of pain. As my mobility increased, my pain reduced so most of the time I take the low dose cocodamol. The gym exercise has certainly reduced the stiffness and throbbing pain, the cocodamol does the rest. But I know what you mean, it's really hard to diet when in pain. Try not to feel bad when you have a bad day, only those in chronic pain really understand how hard it is to tackle two major issues at once - pain and diet. I take each day one at a time, I prioritise pain relief then I know I have a reasonable chance of having a good day. Good luck in your weight loss endeavours. It's going to be a long road for both of us methinks, with pain being our biggest adversary.
Hello Bigmumma. I was diagnosed with high cholesterol in December. Doctor said to attempt to reduce it through healthy eating, and if that didn't work then go on the statins - which I'm not keen on. I've lost about a stone so far, although have stalled for the last month or more. I really need to get motivated again.
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When I was diagnosed with high blood pressure 18 months ago, the doctor told me to lose weight and my bp would come down. I lost just over a stone in 3 months... And my bp went up and dr increased my meds! Obviously weight loss must work in the majority of cases otherwise it wouldn't be recommended but it didn't work for me. Likewise, I made a lot of changes to my diet re my cholesterol plus I drink a daily Benecol drink, but it wasn't enough to reduce my cholesterol. I know it's my fault, my general diet is causing my high cholesterol, that's why I am here. Tried it on my own and it didn't work. Forums like this are a form of group therapy so I am hopeful this time. Keep going Anthony and I am sure you will be successful. After the bp incident I gave up! Stupid I know. Thanks for replying, getting my thoughts down on paper (so to speak) is helping get my head in order about the whole thing, and knowing others are facing the same challenges reduces that horrible feeling of having to do it all alone.
Just back from Dr.s.
Managed to get my cholesterol down from 7.7 last year to 6.9, so an improvement but not enough. Am now on statins.
Very upset about my fatty liver... Last year I was right at the top end of normal, bordering on first stage fatty liver disease. This year... I have a fatty liver.
Confused, how can my blood lipids be down but my liver fats up?
The results show how complicated our bodies are, I think. One piece of advice I have come across to possibly help combat NAFLD is to take probiotics, not in a sugary drink but in high strength capsule form. They won't do you any harm and will help with general gut health.Try googling NAFLD and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
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How do you stay motivated when you're not seeing (or feeling) results?
Have you been through this?
Not losing weight but body shape changing? 
