weight loss with limited excersise?

[RCP'smommy 0]

Hey everyone!!! I'm intersted in being banded and so is my mother. My mom, however, has degenerative disc disease in her back, degenerative joint disease, and needs her hips replaced. All of these things are worsened by being overweight. She went to her consultation for the lap band and they told her that she would have to work out every day like "crazy" in order to see any results and that she may not be a candidate because she has some physical limitations. She told them she would be able to walk and swim and they didn't seem satisfied. They said without excersise she could hope to lose about 40 pounds. Has anyone else only been able to do a limited amount of excersise and still had good results? I think once she started losing, she may be able to excersise more....seems to be a vicious cycle!

I appreciate any info! THanks!

[CalicoskiesNC 2]

My dr told me at least 30 min daily of something aerobic and 3 times a week try to some strength training.

[Jennifer Hathaway 12]

I might be a rare case but I have lost 95 pounds in less than 8 months with only walking at work. I don't exercise, I need to tone up now. But it is possible to lose weight with walking. I am now at goal, it can be done.

[isaviolinist 11]

Basically, the recipe for losing weight is consume fewer calories than you're burning on a daily basis. I don't know how many calories your mom burns daily, but assuming she burns 2000 without exercise (which is just the average...everyone is different and there are many different factors which contribute to how many calories a person burns daily), if she eats 1000 calories daily, she'll have a deficit of 7000 calories per week (1000 calories per day). That's about 2 pounds per week. I lost 80 pounds initially without doing very much exercise. I slipped back into old habits and regained about 50. I then relost the 50 plus some via healthy eating and TONS of exercise and I feel like a different person than I did when I lost without exercising. Exercise is very helpful and while you can lose without it, I think its great to try and do some. You feel WAY better and it helps me stay motivated.

[L12 13]

I exercised very little for the first 60 pounds or so lost; I had major foot problems, could do no weight-bearing exercise, and could not be in Water due to my feet being bandaged 24-7. Once I got under 200, my feet started to get better and I could do a lot more, and I started riding my bike once in a while. I got a very active, physical job, which helped in my weight loss, and once I hit about 150 I started running/walking, and had no further foot problems. Now I'm just running with occasional cross-training activities, still have an active job, and have far exceeded my weight loss goal. I didn't actually start exercising until I had lost over 100lbs. and was close to my goal. Not that I recommend that route for anyone, but it is possible to lose weight without exercise; perhaps once some of the weight is off she can be more active with less pain and risk of injury.

[honk 780]

You mentioned swimming which is a GREAT exercise for overweight people. Disclosure: my mother swims every day and has done for the last 30 years. My 80 year old mother has had both hips replaced due to arthritis. So yes she swam before having her hips replaced but she continues to do so. Two years ago I could no longer take the pain in my right knee and finally went to the doctor. He said the weight had to come off, gave me some pain medication and showed me the door. Anyway presurgery I lost 82 pounds modifying my diet (sometimes more than others); and swimming 6-7 days a week.

I wonder if her doctor has this opinion that to be fit and healthy you need to be this ultra gym rat who can run marathons. I don't run, have never run, and don't plan on running unless it's life or death. I guess I don't understand where the doctor gets off saying someone is'nt a candidate because they don't like their chosen exercise. My doctor wanted to know what strokes I did because he was on the swim team in college.

[andrea0121 28]

I wonder if her doctor has this opinion that to be fit and healthy you need to be this ultra gym rat who can run marathons. I don't run, have never run, and don't plan on running unless it's life or death. I guess I don't understand where the doctor gets off saying someone is'nt a candidate because they don't like their chosen exercise. My doctor wanted to know what strokes I did because he was on the swim team in college.

I have nothing pertinent to add, but this cracked me up.

My aunt has HORRIBLE rheumatoid arthritis. Horrible....she's had booth her feet broken to try and straighten them out...anyway, swimming is about all she can do and is wonderful for her. I swam competitively all through grade and high school. I was fit as can be, the only time I had any issues was when swimming breaststroke and having my knees pop. Otherwise nothing else ever bothered me. It's wonderful cardio too. I can't wait to get some lbs off and go swimming again.

[honk 780]

andrea0121, if you're going lap swimming I highly recommend a waterproof MP3 player. Makes an hour of swimming sooo much more pleasant. There are several on Amazon. Unless you have a physical limitation I would start swimming now. When I started I desperatly needed to loose weight because I had HORRIBLE knee pain. So bad I did'nt want to go or do anything. I went online and bought a fat lady swim suit with a skirt and I started swimming. Once you are in the Water no one can see anything.

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

My Dr suggested no exercise other than walking (to which I am not doing regularily yet) for the first 3 months.... I am 1 month post op and have lost 47 lbs. I have a long way to go and plan on begining an excercise program in a few months where hopefully it will help me to lose even more weight than if I didnt exercise!

And on a side note my mother was basically bed ridden the last year of her life. She was overweight but just being on a regulated diet she dropped 50 lbs. So in my opinion to say people cant lose weight without excerise is just simply not true. Its all about the calorie intake.

[andrea0121 28]

andrea0121, if you're going lap swimming I highly recommend a waterproof MP3 player. Makes an hour of swimming sooo much more pleasant. There are several on Amazon. Unless you have a physical limitation I would start swimming now. When I started I desperatly needed to loose weight because I had HORRIBLE knee pain. So bad I did'nt want to go or do anything. I went online and bought a fat lady swim suit with a skirt and I started swimming. Once you are in the Water no one can see anything.

honk, I know I should jump on it now. I'm so paranoid that someone might say or think (heaven forbid) something mean about me. I'm going to look around and see if I can get a membership to our wellness center just for pool usage. Thanks for the heads up about the waterproof MP3 player, that's awesome!!!!

[Humming Bird 275]

I am not in any way encouraging anyone to go against their Dr.'s rules. I am also not saying the way I do things is the best way. I do not claim to be a Dr. or a fitness expert or a lapband expert or even play any of these on TV..........but......... I do not exercise. I lost 100 pounds in 1 year with the lapband. I am now at a normal BMI and feel great about it.

[RCP'smommy 0]

WOW!!! Thanks everyone for such a great response! You all had some great ideas! I love the idea of swimming laps with a waterproof MP3 player. I'm with you, honk. I don't understand how they can say that walking and swimming would not be enough excersise! Seems to me if you have to work out like a "gym rat" (LOL) everyday of the week for hours a day and diet that you wouldn't really need a lap band?!?!?! The reason she wants to get it is because she can't get the weight off cuz she can't excersise. But she can't excersise because of her pain and the added weight on top of it. I would have thought just the lap band alone would make you loose weight....you can only fit like 2 TBSP of food in your stomache for goodness sake!! Anyway, thank you so much for the info, you all sound like your making awesome progress which is very promising! Good luck and keep it up!

[sunshine30 0]

i need some help understanding how this works

[sunshine30 0]

I am not in any way encouraging anyone to go against their Dr.'s rules. I am also not saying the way I do things is the best way. I do not claim to be a Dr. or a fitness expert or a lapband expert or even play any of these on TV..........but......... I do not exercise. I lost 100 pounds in 1 year with the lapband. I am now at a normal BMI and feel great about it.

[sunshine30 0]

i need help