I feel so "fragile"!

[Puja 148]

Does anyone else get this feeling? It's quite irritating to be very honest!

Before I lost weight, I felt really strong and "hearty".. I could lift things and push heavy boxes around. Now, I feel like those silly girls at the grocery store that ask for help to lift a box of Water bottles. I AM that silly girl.

I've been studying for exams these days, and often find my bum hurting from sitting on it too long, and certain positions are no longer comfortable, because I've lost the padding!

I also have this constant irritation around my elbow, where the nerve keeps getting pinched, because I rest it on the table, just so.

It's getting ridiculous! While I like that my boyfriend can lift me, I don't like that a really strong wind can also throw me off balance. I'm wondering if this is because I've lost muscle, and really need to work out more... or if my center of gravity is off, and I need to work on my core strength.. or if this is what normal petite women deal with on a daily basis?

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

This is interesting, I also have the same stuff like the wind blowing me around, not as strong as before. But I do love it because I love being skinny and I know that I haven't exercised like I'm suppose too. So my goal is to get my BUTT in gear and start exercising more......

[Butterthebean 8,146]

You may have lost some muscle, but even if you didn't you'd feel weaker by losing all the weight...it's simple physics. You can't use your weight to throw other weight around anymore. You can't "put your weight behind it" like you once could. And the padding....heck yeah. Who knew toilet seats were so friggin firm? I can't even enjoy a good magazine anymore.

And let's not even talk about how cold I've been all winter. It's getting ridiculous. It's May and I'm still wanting to light the fireplace....in Texas.

[Puja 148]

Msskinniness, please let me know if the exercise helps! I've been mostly sitting on my butt for the past several months due to exams, but I'm itching to get active again.

Butterthebean, good point! Perhaps a lot of the lifting and pushing was simply me throwing my weight around. I do think that some strengthening will help.

[makemyownluck 785]

And the padding....heck yeah. Who knew toilet seats were so friggin firm? I can't even enjoy a good magazine anymore.

LMAO!!! I'm too early in post-op to be laughing this hard!!! Ow! and LOL!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I cannot relate to this.

I am so strong now; I feel like wonder woman...hahaha

Okay, I am not really that strong, but I can do pushups (well,not many but more then zero!)

I have survived 2 crossfit classes!

I can do spinning classes that last an hour (wow, I have never sweated so hard in my life though!)

I can do more of the heavy work around my little farmette

I can climb in and out of things like the bed of my truck or whatever

I can mount my tall horse from the ground

I did some mowing and raking and didn't wear out in 10 minutes

I feel like it just took all my energy before to move my 300# around. Now, I can use that strength for other things plus I have more strength I think!!!

I have lost 150# and i am sure I lost some muscle, but I have worked out through this whole journey and I think that helped alot.

I am still not a featherweight, I wear size 8 pants so not a skinny person - but normal sized - and concealed under a bit of a loose skin, I have a muscular frame.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Another thought is that some of the group exercise classes I do (also my Julian Michaels DVDs) have a balance component. I was amazed at how hard that was for me. I suspect that losing alot of weight quite literally throws us off balance since center of gravity keeps shifting around. I can do the balance stuff alot better now, I think it is an important component of exercising. I heard from a nurse friend that is one of the key problems with older people if they don't exercise, they lose the muscle that makes them quite literally "steady on their feet"

the good news is that the body responds very quickly - the muscle rebuilding is exponentially fast when you first start. I think it is worth a try to see if that doesn't make you feel more secure and steady.

[Puja 148]

CowGirlJane, it's so exciting to hear about your agility and energy! I know that I was feeling stronger before I started sitting inside and studying all day, so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it.

It's not the best excuse, I know, but it is the main priority at the moment. I'm glad to know, though, that some fitness will really help. Thanks!

[cmaloney 151]

Agh!!! I totally relate to the bum reference. My tailbone is killing me. I have to sit a certain way now & I have extra padding on my chair at work & also have to bring something extra to pad my mat during Pilates. Who would've ever thought I'd have these problems!!! Lol - I'll take it!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Besides the bum padding... even my spine hurts when I lay on a hard floor. I need to double fold a mat to do situps/ab work. Apparently extra skin isn't that good of padding...lol

[clk 3,519]

I found that the buttaches faded with time as I got used to less padding. No, I won't be hiding from my kids in the bathroom reading a novel on the toilet anymore but hey - I no longer get achy from sitting at the table for dinner.

I also feel more fragile. I know that I have lost muscle but I agree with butterthebean and it's simple physics. I can't help my husband lift and carry like before but I'm also half the size. I'm able to do more - stand longer, walk farther, do those pushups and squats, etc. but I'm not able to do those very physical things I relied on my bulk to help me accomplish.

All in all, it's a fair tradeoff, I'd say.

I'm sure strength training would help to some extent because if you challenged yourself you would get stronger. But I doubt that'll stop the wind from blowing you around.

~Cheri

[Globetrotter 1,340]

My hip bones hurt all the time now, and I'm not even skinny yet! It's not that they stick out yet (woohoo, someday!) but its like they are in a constant state of bruise and I had to be careful when um ... *relating* with the boyfriend as there were occasions when our hipbones collided - yowwwzaa#%$&*!! talk about ruining the moment!

[clk 3,519]

My hip bones hurt all the time now, and I'm not even skinny yet! It's not that they stick out yet (woohoo, someday!) but its like they are in a constant state of bruise and I had to be careful when um ... *relating* with the boyfriend as there were occasions when our hipbones collided - yowwwzaa#%$&*!! talk about ruining the moment!

Um, yeah. I experienced quite a bit of pelvic bruising until I learned my new body and found that I can move differently. Who knew hips and what-not could actually hurt so much? And how do super skinny women actually DO it with all those bones jutting out? It simply can't be comfortable...

[BenisaMartim4 369]

Does anyone else get this feeling? It's quite irritating to be very honest!

Before I lost weight' date=' I felt really strong and "hearty".. I could lift things and push heavy boxes around. Now, I feel like those silly girls at the grocery store that ask for help to lift a box of Water bottles. I AM that silly girl.

I've been studying for exams these days, and often find my bum hurting from sitting on it too long, and certain positions are no longer comfortable, because I've lost the padding!

I also have this constant irritation around my elbow, where the nerve keeps getting pinched, because I rest it on the table, just so.

It's getting ridiculous! While I like that my boyfriend can lift me, I don't like that a really strong wind can also throw me off balance. I'm wondering if this is because I've lost muscle, and really need to work out more... or if my center of gravity is off, and I need to work on my core strength.. or if this is what normal petite women deal with on a daily basis?[/quote']

Girl, just take your name off of this and put mine in. I have ALL the same problems. I used to be so strong. I never asked for help with anything. I rearranged the furniture in my house all the time. Now when I try to get the door open at the gas station I have to run into it 3 times before it will ding. I feel like such an idiot! You would think it weighted a ton. My boys knock me around all the time now too. I feel like I'm in the cage with bulls.

I had to have some x-rays and a couple of MRIs yesterday for some trouble that I am having. When I saw the x-rays I was like well no wonder my butt hurts so bad. There absolutely was not an ounce of padding on it. I already knew the upper part of my back had no padding because you can see the projections on my spine sticking through. And I stinkin' freeze slap to death all the time!!

I feel like much of mine is due to muscle loss. I have lost #164 and I have never exercised. I so want to go to the gym, but my husband won't hear of it. I'm hoping when he sees the results of these tests that he will reconsider. I know I would benefit in more than one way from it. I know for a fact that if I built thigh muscles it would help my knee. The surgeon told me that the muscle in that leg was completely withered.

Hubby hurt his back at work last week and has really been suffering. I'm hoping it will give him a bit of empathy about the pain I have been in over the last 10+ years. *fingers crossed*

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Benisa, I learned more about this from my horse vet then ANY human doctor...LOL

I ride an older horse - age when many start heading to retirement, but mine still climbs mountains and gallops beaches with the best of them. My vet counseled me many years ago to keep him STRONG - build and maintain muscles through great nutrition and appropriate exercise. He told me the day that I stop riding him is the day he will be lame and need to go out to pasture. The best protection for joints is strong muscles so they can do the work instead of the skelton doing it.

Anyway, I have applied this principle to me too. I am surprised to hear that so many of you report being able to lift less now. I can manhandle bales of hay that i wouldn't have even tried when I was 300#. I am much more stable/better balanced too. the ONLY case where I can't manage something is that i move hay by putting it on the cart. I have 95# and 135# bales. I can get both onto the cart by rolling, flipping them on. The 135# bales I cannot manage the cart -we are too close in weight - I need to have one of the guys move the cart/handtruck for me. So, very rarely, weighing less has caused me to have less "umpph" - okay, sometimes heavy commercial doors put up a fight too...lol... but for the most part I am definately stronger and more capable now.

Does your hubby object to the cost of gym membership or is it something else?

Julian Michaels DVDs cost $10 at Target and you get as good of a workout with her as any gym I have gone to. I use the "ripped in 30" DVD but there are of course lots of other choices.