Back again

[Beth_19]

Hi All,

I don't know if some will remember me but I was on the group about 6 years ago and lost in total 8 stone in weight once I got maintanence under control. I lost weight following a scary asthma experience and with encouragement from a very supportive and imformative clinician who unfortunately is now retired. I maintained my weight between 10 stone and 10 stone 5lbs up until December 2022 / January 2023 when I had a very bad case of Covid which badly trigger my then controlled asthma again. Over the past year and half I have been on countless high doses of steroids and had several hospital admissions (the last being just 2 weeks ago). My asthma is very much in a flare up and not controlled in the slightest, but I am back under the respiratory team (unfortunately it took forever to refer me despite how sick I have been) so hopefully we can get somewhere with better more effective treatment.

The problem is that because of being sick, feeling very depressed and unmotivated (back on anti-depressents) and the medications I have piled back on a lot of weight which I am extemely unhappy about. I know I need to hold myself accountable as some of it is my fault because I have gone for easy unhealthy options when I simply have been too tired or poorly to really prep and plan properly, but the medication definitely isn't helping though it is quite literally keeping me alive so its not something I can stop. I didn't actually realise how much weight I had put on until I asked at one of my admissions earlier in the year because I hadn't weighed myself for a long time (I think I might have been in denial).

I have tried to do it again myself for the past six months and I have lost a lb or two but find myself thoroughly unmotivated even though I know if I can loose some weight it will help my asthma. I think I need to be held accountable again like I was the first time by being with others in the same boat so I have come back.

I know I can do it because I have done it before but I am struggling to get myself in the right head space. I have also developed food intolerances to dairy and gluten since I had Covid (docs don't know why) so I have to think even more carefully to plan. I have noticed a few posts from other asthmatics so if any of you have any ideas I would be very grateful.

My plan is to go back to calorie counting which is something I haven't really done in about 4 years so I am getting my head around it again. So here it goes for painfully and personally finding shameful starting stats:

Start Date: Tuesday 25th June 2024

Starting Weight: . . . . . . aghhhhhh 16 stone (224lbs)

Start BMI: 37.3

Goal Weight: Between 10 stone and 10.6 stone

Current exercise: 1 pilates class a week if possible (1hr) - currently struggling to do much else due to asthma

Exercise Plan: 1 pilates class a week (1hr) , daily 1 minute of slow cycling on exercise bike (increase with time) and daily 5 minutes of simple stretches (increase with time)

Diet Plan: Calorie couting

Calorie Allowance: starting at 1800 and seeing what happens (all the apps say 1500 but that is what I was on when I reached 10 stone so I am giving myself a little leeway and will see).

Thank you in advance for all your advice and support.

[Grigid Moderator 4 stone]

Hi Beth_19, and welcome back to this wonderfully supportive forum

It can be hard enough to get going on a weight loss journey, but when you have particular health issues like yours, it can be even harder, so a huge well done for taking those steps.

You've highlighted yourself that there are areas that you do have control of, such as the calorie approach, and perhaps eating healthier foods, and you'll know that this is the place where you can get ideas for meals that will fit in with your day to day life, that will be sustainable.

I terms of the forum, some things may have changed so I'll pop the link to everything that's going on at the end of this reply.

we do have Springers Specials, where recipes are shared, and have just finished a 30 plants challenge which you should be able to look at although you won't be able to reply on that one. There's a challenge focussing on reducing sugar and alcohol if that might interest you?

You've done the bit that most of us dread - the bit where we step on the scales with our eyes open! Why not transfer this bit to the Weigh In??? 😉

The Daily Diary is still here, but now has a weekly host (which is me this week), usually in 2 parts, swapping over on a Wednesday evening. It would be great to see you there too :).

Here's the link, great to have you here 🍀

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

[Beth_19 7lbs Restart June 2024 in reply to Grigid]

Thank you. I must confess to having lurked for about 2 weeks at my last hospital admission so I have had time to scout around some of the changes, but I definitely appreciate the pointers for reference as my brain is sort of a steroid mush at the moment. I will definitely look at the 30 plants challenge as I am trying to limit my meat intake and will look at the sugar one as well (I don't drink anyway so alcohol is not a problem).

[Grigid Moderator 4 stone in reply to Beth_19]

Excellent 😊

[Grigid Moderator 4 stone]

You beat me to it on the WI Beth_19 👍🏼

[Frenchfields Restart Jan 2025]

Welcome back Beth. Firstly start being kind to yourself, you’ve gained some weight but you don’t need to keep beating yourself up over it -you know the reasons why you’ve gained so you at least know where to start. My adult son is a chronic asthmatic so I understand the struggles. Perhaps start by going for a walk every day and making a food plan and shopping list. If you can stick with it a few days it might help alter your mindset from lacklustre to positive. Have a good first week.

[Beth_19 7lbs Restart June 2024 in reply to Frenchfields]

Thank you. My mum and I are going to sit down tomorrow and meal plan for the next couple and days and next week so we can organise our shopping list. We generally cook most things from scratch if possible, but we have definitelt lapsed into picking easy bad things for simplicity and having too much. I'm not up to taking a walk at the moment because quite literally going up 12 steps to my bedroom leaves me breathless, but I am working up towards it with other little things.

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

I feel with the eating programme you are planning it will work . The plant based and no alcohol . Why really prep anything ? Warm weather and fling a load of salad on your plate . I also use a lot of tinned beans as my husband is hungry if we have just salad so I rinse a tin of chick peas then sprinkle black pepper . smoked paprika and oregano over them . I love beetroot . I buy the jars . Same as me I get sick of prepping but I have started having a tupper ware of chopped onions and peppers in the fridge so when I am shattered these are just tipped onto my plate . Broccoli and cauliflower are so easy to chop too as no peeling .I also have loads of frozen veg .

[Beth_19 7lbs Restart June 2024 in reply to focused1]

Thank you. If it was just me and my mum we wouldn't really need tomeal prep because we like so many things and are happy to go for healthier options more than not but my dad is a much more picky eater and I feel its unkind to ask my mum (who generally does the evening cooking because she is at home and I am generally at work although currently on the sick and because of my health conditions I'm exhausted by the time I get home) to make seperate meals. I make my own breakfasts and lunches so that is fine. Once we have the meals picked out and the ingredients in and we are back in the swing of it (we basically did it for 18mths in the past), its not so much of a problem. During the summer we do have more salads because of the hot weather.

Ohhh I love that chickpea idea I will give that a go. Yes we love frozen veg too its so easy. I am keeping a little bit of meat in my diet because I can't go without but I definitely want to reduce the amount we have.

Tonight we had baked turkey breast marinaded in gluten free soy sauce and garlic with roasted peppers, onion, courgette, carrots (potatoes for dad) and some lightly fried pak choi. It was delicious.

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg in reply to Beth_19]

It is those other people too but a good idea just to add some potatoes for Dad . Turkey is great . I think you are on track . I found it hard with 5 hungry boys . I used to toast a loaf almost every night as we didn't have that much cash . The waft of that bread . I admit I had a sneaky slice but took ages for me to shed the weight as I had them all over 10 years .

[Beth_19 7lbs Restart June 2024 in reply to focused1]

ohhh wow 5 hungry boys is definitely not easy. Thank you I am definitely going to try some of your ideas but not bread cause it doesn't like me

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg in reply to Beth_19]

I avoid bread too . My sons are grown up now so haven't got the excuses . My husband eats the same as me as I am the cook . He has never been overweight and does his 10.000 steps every day . I must do same as my work is on the go but we can't wear watches or have phones . I may have the odd bread roll at a family BBQ but that's about it . I have found I love oat milk too .

[Cockneyblue Restart March 2025]

These are all great ideas. Thank you.