I have 1.5 weeks left until my last dietitian appointment. I am happy to say I've been exercising. I do not enjoy it. It hurts. I know it is a requirement and although 3 days a weeks are needed now, it will be 5 days a week after surgery. But I sure hope I start enjoying it, or at least look forward to it in some type of accomplishment type pleasure.
When it warms up a little, I want to resume taking water classes at the YMCA. I haven't been there since the beginning of December, but I just can't mix below freezing temps and swimming. I am hoping March will be that month to begin again, I just need it to stay in the 30's during the day.
In the meantime, I am using a workout video, playing with nephews, and walking. I am not counting the playing with nephews as exercise in my thrice weekly requirement. Unfortunately, all three of those activities hurt at some point. The workout video makes my muscles hurt while doing it, but once I am done the pain fades with only a little lingering soreness. Playing with the nephews mainly makes my back and sides hurt if I do too much. I chalk that up to my back problems. They have so much energy that when I should probably stop, they just want to keep going. And they love being chased, pushed on wheeled toys, tickled, etc. I love playing with them, but I am always in pain afterwards. The walking makes my shins hurt if I try to walk too fast, but the whole point is to get my heart rate up. So I haven't been just walking much.
I've read that I should try compression socks/stockings to help my shins. Can I find those in my size? Um, no. I have massive calves. Also, that stretching both before and after walking will help. I feel a bit foolish going to a store such as Lowe's and warming-up, stretching, walking, then stretching again. It's too cold to walk outside yet. I wonder if I warm up and stretch at home then drive to a store to walk, then drive home to stretch would be very effective? Probably not.
So anyway, this all boils down to the fact that I am almost solely using the workout video for my exercise. And as I said it hurts, so I don't enjoy it or look forward to it. But exercise I must.
Exercise is going to be so important after surgery in helping me to lose all the weight I want. The doctor's office gave me a Weight Loss Outcomes chart of my doctor's patients ranging from 2002-2012 showing the percentage of excess weight lost over the first 3 years. This chart tells me two things.
First, year one will be the most important time to work hard at my weight loss. Second, in the first year, on average his patient's lose 81% of their excess weight. After that, patients lose a bit more, but by year three, patient's weight loss have have stabilized with patient's gaining back about 5%. So to optimize my weight loss, and hopefully exceed 81% excess weight loss, I am going to need to follow all the guidelines and bump up my exercise to achieve my goals.
I don't know what I will weigh upon surgery day, so I can not accurately calculate what 81% of my excess weight will be at that time. But if I go from today, at 349.7lbs, to my ideal BMI weight max being 150 lbs. My excess weight is 199.7 lbs. 81% of that is 161.6 lbs. So, if I am an average patient of my doctor, I could expect to get down to 188.1 lbs in first year. That number boggles my mind, and I will feel and look so different. But I can't help but think if I work a little harder, think what could happen. I told the dietitian, and it is true, I will be extremely happy, pleased, satisfied, to achieve a weight less than 200 lbs. It couldn't hurt to strive for more though, as long as I remember that anything more is a bonus and not to be disappointed if I never reach 150 lbs.
188.1 lbs... I haven't weighed that since I was 12 years old... mind boggling.
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