I currently weigh just over 16 stones. I seem to be putting on weight every week.
I am extremely inactive with asthma and I tend to sleep a lot during the day as I don't have much to do at the moment until October.
I have a membership to the gym and swimming as well as classes but I just seem to feel too tired to go and tend to snack a lot during the day. I have an exercise bike at home.
My question is what could be the best way to start getting active and to get me out? I want to lose some weight as I am worried about my health in general.
I was told that if I started sleeping less during the day and stuck to three balanced meals and snacks and day that I could start losing weight, is this true?
Any comments or suggestions are welcome.
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Naturegirl22
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And welcome , you have come to the right place if you want plenty of help and advice , the people on here are lovely and always willing to help.
Nothing is impossible as long as you set your mind to it.
The best way to start loosing weight is to count your calories that is everything you put in your mouth ,
Wright down every thing you eat and drink ,cut out alll the bad snacks unless it is fruit but you still have to be carful how much fruit you eat ,
drink plenty of water ,
and start exercising by walking it is lovely weather at the moment so you can enjoy some of the lovely sunshine You could even go on your exercise bike while watching the telly .
Break the bad habit and do something for you to make you feel and be healthy about yourself.
Hi, I have a mild underactive thyroid and am on Levothyroxine 75mg daily but it doesn't make any difference. They usually just measure the FT4 and oh I can't remember but rarely the FT3. My memory is getting worse x
I think it is related to your symptoms. They kept telling me I was on the right dosage so when I visited my mum in Germany I paid to get a blood test there. My dosage went from 100 to 150 as a result. Keep at your doctor...u are not imagining it! That's how I felt when they said it was normal.
Thank you. They decreased my dosage from 100mg to 75mg just because my FT4 was 20 something which is very slightly over range according to them and did not even measure my FT3 levels which are essential as well but keep being told that they do not need to measure this or that it does not matter when I know it does but they do not listen to me. x
I should have read all the posts - sorry Naturegirl, just realised you are already on thyroxine!
I understand how you feel - I mentioned T3 to my doc and she said oh, I think you have to have that checked by a hospital - and they only do it for specific reasons - can I call you back? Still waiting for that call! I plan to chase that one up tomorrow!!
Hi. Sorry to hear you're stuck in a rut. It seems you are stuck in a vicious cycle at the moment. The tiredness leads to sleeping and comfort snacks, which make you tired, and so on. It's hard to get out of the cycle but youve made the first step posting on here as you recognise there is a problem. Eating more healthily and moving more will give you more energy and make you feel loads better. The real challenge initially is trying to change your habits. Can you set aside a couple of days where you make a pledge to yourself to get outside, maybe go to the pool (you don't need to go mad straightaway-just making the first step) and try and avoid the snacks and eat some small meals and fruit/veg. Also drink plenty of water. Hopefully you will feel better and it will spur you on. I know breaking the cycle you're in is hard-I've just been trying to do it myself-it does work but you have to make yourself work for it until you have changed your habits. Good luck-let us know how you get on.xx
I'm am also very overweight and suggest that one of the 'easiest' things to do would be as you said and eat 3 balanced meals a day.
Try and put loads of veg on your plate - if you currently eat none aim for 2-3 spoons, if you currently eat a bit aim for quarter of a plate etc - as this is generally low calorie and filling. Aim for 1/3-1/2 plate at every meal. It won't work if it's doused in butter/oil etc though! If veg won't go with your meal add fruit instead.
Swap fried food for baked and cooking oil for lower calorie spray cooking oils. Have healthier snacks available ie boiled eggs/sandwich meat/fruit/veg sticks.
When you're cooking use leaner meat like 5% mince, skinless chicken (although it's cheaper to remove the skin yourself) and cut the fat off other meats before cooking when possible.
It may be really difficult to do all this at once. If so, pick one and do it for a week then add another one in etc.
Get your asthma and any other medical conditions under control. Take all your inhalers (and other medications) properly when you're supposed to. I was told by an ex-asthma nurse that many people who've used inhalers for a while have really bad technique! Re-read the instructions on how to use them. She also told me that a spacer/aero chamber makes a big difference and that many people benefit from these so get one if you don't have one. If you're needing the rescue inhaler more than a couple of times a week your medications are not optimized. I would suggest using your regular inhalers for at least 2 weeks properly (some of the preventers take this long to work properly) and if you're still needing rescue doses going to see your GP/practice nurse for an asthma check.
Lastly -sorry for the long post- exercise. If you're not using the gym and are not fit enough cancel for now. Just walk or do the Nhs strength and flex/c25k if you're able. If you're unable to do much, do 2 minutes walking at whatever is a brisk pace for you. After a week do 2 1/2 and build it up.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I think it would be best to focus on one thing at a time to start with. This is very helpful, thank you x
For me walking (with my dog) is my main exercise and as I've lost some weight and got fitter I've speeded up quite a bit and now include hills that I wouldn't have several months ago. I sometimes stop and do some press ups on a bench or dips if I'm in the mood. I've tried gyms numerous times and never managed to stick at it. I am asthmatic and have an irregular heart rhythm and now am so much fitter and enjoying the walks so much more and burning far more calories than when I plodded round. The dog is healthier too!
Definitely good advice on sleeping less during the day and 3 meals - try healthy snacks such as a piece of fruit or a small portion of nuts.
Aww thank you so much, that definitely does sound like great fun x
I was in a similar place and have managed now to lose 3 stone and still working on it so it does work. My mantra was/is 'Move more/Less food' BUT! equally, whatever I Just ate, is in the past; it's the next food that matters. Are you dressed? Go out now. Go to visit the gym; don't do anything just get there! Maybe... speak to someone.... See how helpful they are. They are! Anything that gets you out of the house and isn't about food. Good luck!
Yes definitely, my world seems to revolve around food even when I am stressed or not feeling hungry, it is like a compulsion. Thank you xx
Hi Naturegirl22 I've been reading back through all your older posts and the advice you have been offered in the past. Given your multiple health problems perhaps you need to visit your GP. How are your studies going is this your final year coming up?
Yes you are right thank you. I visited the GP before and was given diet pills but I do not want to take them as you can lose vitamins and minerals that your body needs.
Jenyfer, I passed my second year and start my third year in a month's time. I am feeling nervous but excited about it too xx
Take a look at the Pinned Posts section, to the right of your screen (bottom, if you're using a mobile) and have a look at the Welcome Newbies thread, it has a link to the NHS 12 week plan, which is a guide to healthy living, rather that a specific diet plan.
Consider joining any, or all, of our challenges, as they're fun and motivating.
Join us for the monday group weigh-in. If you follow Zest , you'll be notified when she posts the thread. However, the latest thread can always be found in the events section, to the right of the home page.
Be active on the forum, as that's where we exchange ideas and get our daily dose of motivation and inspiration
Naturegirl22 , have you thought about swimming, it's really good for the lungs and it's less impactive so you won't feel it like running or weights and cardio. Also as Pamed said, count calories and drink water! You'll get there👍🏼I really think swimming would be ideal for you 😆
Naturegirl22 i noticed you do have a swimming pass, I think also you have to break the habit of wanting to sleep, you have to force your self down to the swimming pool, it will take a few laboured attempts to get your self going but eventually you will get used to it and it will get easier to go to the pool! The hardest part is making your self do it, but after a week or so of being active you will have more energy naturally!!!
don't feel self conscious, people will respect you for getting out there and doing something to make your self feel better! any one that smirks or says anything nasty isn't really worth taking any notice of, and at the end of the day you'll be the one laughing when you have lost that weight and proven those people wrong! you've have taken the first step by buying that membership, next is the hardest one, getting your self out of the house, ignoring the voice that's making you feel self conscious and going to the pool.
If it's really what you want, you will absolutely get there, just be strong and don't let any one knock you down or make you feel like you want to give up
I am in a similar situation to you, I suffer from sleep apnea and don't sleep well so feel weak and tired, and I have put on too much weight I've just bought a Fitbit watch and it has really motivated me I have also started tracking my calories and started swimming at first it felt like a chore to go swimming but now I'm starting to enjoy it, it isn't easy but good luck and just try little and often.
Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing for short periods of time while your asleep the hospital did a sleep study of me and they put monitors on you during the night, they found I stop breathing upto 22 times per hour sometimes for as long as 30 seconds so I have disturbed sleep, I now sleep with a Cpap machine so when I stop breathing the machine pushes extra Oxegon into my lungs to make me breathe ( I hope I've explained that right lol) also with the Fitbit watch if you link it to your phone or iPad etc it tracks your sleep tells you when you went to bed and woke and your sleep pattern, and with food you can Evan scan the barcode with you tablet and it adds the food to your daily intake it's really helping me have a look on you tube it will tell you about it. Julie x
Just set your goal to do something! ie walk round the block and not, say, eat crisps. At the end of the day review what you have achieved. If you did those two things you have done two positive things to improve your health. Of course, 3 balanced meals, no snacks and sleeping less will help, and if we all did what we were supposed to, we would all be perfect! Unfortunately we don't and we aren't. Try to get to the gym even if you don't do a lot. The more time you are out of the house, the less time you have for snacking and sleeping. Remember, every time you say no to one snack or move just a little bit more is a step nearer to your goal.
Hi, The NHS website has a 12 week step by step weight management course, I would thoroughly recommend this, if possible where the classes are running....The beauty of that is actually meeting people and committing once a week...I did this and made to very lovely friends, we continue to meet up at the gym and encourage each other each week...it's amazing how the time flies when you are talking, laughing with someone which is always good medicine....Visualise yourself actually doing something worthwhile and before long you will be moving in the right direction...hope this helps you...
Firstly I can be all lovey dovey and tell you how wonderful you are and how pixies and fairies do exist and unicorns are a wonderful pet or I could say..........
The only way to stop being too tired to do exercise is to get your bottom out the door and exercise. You find that the less you do the more tired you feel. You need to get your head in the right place and make a plan of action.
Plan to do at least 30 minutes of exercise every single day. It doesn't have to be flat out until you 'puke' exercise either. All you need to do is raise your heart rate to a point where you can hear your breath. You should still be able to hold a full conversation during exercise. You will find that as you get fitter, you will be able to go faster yet still keep the same breathing/heart rate. If you go out like an 'ejit' then you will stop too soon and hate it.
As for diet........STOP DIETING.......A diet means you have to restrict things and at the end, unless you have changed why you overeat in the first place, you can end up putting the weight back on. So, to summarise, find out why you overeat, tackle that and at the same time exercise. The more exercise you do, and this sounds stupid, but the more energy you will have during the day and the more exercise you will want to do.
As for your diet, and I'm not talking about slimming, I mean you can start by getting a smaller plate, change white for coloured food I.E. Change white bread for whole grain bread, white pasta for whole wheat, white rice for whole grain rice, milk for soya, rice milk or almond milk. They all taste great but carry less calories so you still eat the same things but have just changed them slightly. If you take sugar then STOP. 6 spoons a day is = to 37,230 calories a year or over 10lb in weight.
Good luck and don't get depressed. Break down your weight loss into tiny chunks, lots of small victories are better than one big one.
Oh and if you do have a unicorn, don't tell anyone as they won't believe you
Gary
Here is a link about exercising S L O W L E Y that I made.
Swimming sounds great-it is a whole body work out and you can start very gently and work from there. Walking is exercise -fast enough to get you breathing faster. Walking outside would help you to enjoy the trees, flowers and scenery as it's Summer. Stairs are good too. Trying doing step ups using 1 stair.................Encouraging yourself to move around every 40 minutes so you are not sitting for too long. Just a few ideas....
I think you know what to do from all the informative posts...It's step by step you choose which you would like to take ...You are not alone all the lovely people are here by your side,encouraging and supportive.Do one thing different today .You can do this,believe in yourself ,its so worth making these lifestyle changes hard but so worth it.Looking forward to reading your posts to see how you are getting on.
Hi ! It seems that I were in the same situation as you. I'm 20 years old now, but were diagnosed with asthma when I was 3.
I turned 110 kg in April last year and my height is 163 cm, which is a massive obesity.
I have had terrible dificulties with my breathing and hence did not enjoy exercising a lot. However, I found a solution by a adorable diet, it is called the 90 days diet. You can find more here: 90daydiet.net/meal-plan/
I am 72 kg now and I am still enjoyng the diet, because it is really easy to follow it.
You don't really need to stop yourself of eating anyhing, you just have to do it in the right day.
I hope that helps. And don't forget : You can do it !
I have asthma to and a lot to lose. It's time to get moving it will help your asthma. But it sounds like you need to talk to you doctor. You may have depression he can get meds for that. I had problems sleeping it was from depression. I have bipolar. You could just have the fall blues but your doctor should be checking into.
I feel for you I think that some meds that I'm on wants me to be hungry. I try to close it out of my mind so far it's been working but I don't know for how long. My asthma and diabetic meds make me hungry. I have a long fight to go. But I know I have to do it. I got to be around to help my husband out. His heart is only working at 11% he has had three heart attacks and a heart pacer put in he is 6 yrs older than me. He doesn't take care of his self and I have no family around to help out. So I have to get fit for me.
Has anyone mentioned depression? You sound a bit down which could be causing you to overeat. Overeating is comforting while you are feeding yourself, but makes you feel miserable afterwards and that causes you to overeat again in order to get another short-lived happy-fix, and so it goes on.
You need to start giving yourself credit instead of putting yourself down. Go for a short walk and congratulate yourself at the end of it - a little exercise is better than none and you've made a first step
Take some time to do a calorie count to remind yourself what 2,000 calories actually looks like. Try just one day of keeping to it. Find other things to do to keep your mind off food ( housework, craft kit, more walking, paint your nails, have a bath, dance around the kitchen, call a friend, write a letter..............) then congratulate yourself at the end of the day. Was it really that bad? Could you do another day? One step/one day at a time
I have found the books by Judith Beck (The Beck Diet Solution) very helpful and I think they might help you. She teaches you cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to put you in the right mindset and give you the confidence to keep to your chosen diet. CBT is recognised by the NHS
You are not weak and hopeless, you just need a boost and a turn around in direction to get you on the right path - you really can do this
Thank you so much, I need to get to the cause of my overeating. It feels like a compulsion where I cannot focus on anything else or not for long until I snack. It causes anxiety otherwise x
I was in that place a few months ago. I have severe breathing issues and have to use a CPAP machine not only at night, but during the day too. I put on so much weight from steroids and lack of exercise from spinal injury too. I spend more time at the hospital than at home. I was sitting in the house all day tired and feeling sorry for myself. I did the nhs 12 week plan and for exercise i started setting goals. Walking out the door just a few metres and back initially, marking points on lamposts, gates, walls 2-3 times a day and every couple of days just increasing the distance a little. I also did very simple seated exercises such as sitting to standing 10 times, lifting 2 lightweights above shoulder and a few stretches to activate all muscles. I got some foot pedals and started doing just 2 minutes on them and increasing time by 30 secs 2-3 times a week. I started writing an end of day summary and highlighted the small acheivements like exercise, put washing in machine or read a book for 30 mins. As for eating i wrote down everything I ate and drank and the calories and figured out which foods were the worst offenders and stopped buying them and changed for healthy alternative. I am currently unable to walk outside without my CPAP breathing machine, but I do walk, very slowly and have this week been to the gym and done a very short new programme adapted to my needs whilst on CPAP. Since February I have lost 14kg in weight. If i can do it, you can. YOU and ONLY YOU can make the changes, no one will do it for you. The more weight you put on, the worse your asthma will be. Book an appointment with your GP or asthma nurse for a review and tell them you want to start exercising gently and need your asthma under control. Book an appointment with your gym and tell them you are a member and would like a new programme made for your needs, if they are a good gym, they will do this for you. If not, cancel your membership and go elsewhere. I hope my story has helped give you a kick up the bum to sort yourself out, i can't believe where i am now compared to a few months ago. Keep me posted on how you get on.
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