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Old 07-27-2012, 05:45 PM   #1  
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Default Do you ever regain your mobility (? for those who have lost a lot of weight)

Hi,

I am 130 pounds overweight and am finding it VERY hard to get going. I ache everywhere, am so very, very, sore just from doing normal everyday tasks. I have been under a lot of stress over the last 5 years, especially (have four youn kids, saw my mom through a year of cancer and then her death which included a lot of family drama and am in charge of settling her estate and it isn't going smoothly).

My question is: this achy feeling. Do any of you relate? These feelings of immobility, of not being able to just do things - does it go away if I lose weight?

Thanks for reading,

Sarah
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Old 07-27-2012, 06:11 PM   #2  
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Here is my experience.

The good news is: Yes, I feel much more mobile, much more able and even willing to do things than I did at my heaviest. I can stand for a lot longer which makes kitchen chores a lot more pleasant and allows me to juggle more tasks at once. I don't fall as far behind on chores because doing chores is just plain easier. It takes so much less effort to do simple tasks now. It is really a remarkable difference - I am continually surprised by how much of a difference it makes.

The less good news is, this didn't happen overnight. I have seen people make claims like "oh I have been eating right and exercising for 2 weeks and I have so much more energy!" This was absolutely not my experience. I lost more than 50 pounds before I noticed any improvement in my ability to get around and do things - that took me a full year. I had to lose a significant amount of weight, but it did happen.

So that's my experience, for what it's worth. You will regain a lot of mobility and stamina, and you'll feel a lot less sore - but it will take a while and a significant loss before you get there. Just another reason to believe in your plan and stick with it for the long haul no matter what!
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Old 07-27-2012, 06:13 PM   #3  
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Yes, it does go away, you will find as you lose , especially when you reach goal weight, that you have more energy, energy that you never knew you had and you will be running up and down stairs instead of stopping to rest every step or two.
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Old 07-27-2012, 07:00 PM   #4  
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It will for sure get better! I am in so much better shape now and all my everyday stuff is easier I even started walking the dogs and we are up to 2 miles every morning. It didn't happen overnight. I worked for it. The most important thing is stay on plan and do not give up.
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Old 07-27-2012, 07:03 PM   #5  
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Not only can weight loss help, even without weight loss, activity can help.

When I first started, I lost 20 lbs "accidentally" from sleep apnea treatment. I had never lost weight accidentally before, so I was determined to try to do something different "this time" to succeed, rather than fall into to they typical lose/regain cycle I always fell into before.

I had always tried to lose weight rapidly and when the weight loss slowed down, I would lose motivation. I've lost it enough times to know that weight loss alone does help relieving some of the pain and lack of energy.

I'd make drastic changes that wore me out, and when the weight loss would slow, I'd feel so hopeless and discouraged I'd give up.

I decided on a revolutionary path. I'd only make changes I was willing to stick with FOREVER whether or not weight loss resulted. And for the first two years, I didn't lose any more weight (but I did keep off the 20) and the health and mobility strides I made were amazing, even though no additional weight was coming off. Moving more (even without additional weight loss) gave me more energy and less pain.

When I was comfortable with one change, I would add another. Eventually not only did I feel better, and move better, I also started to lose weight. For me, the mobility and energy improvements actually preceded the weight loss (which is probably how I lost the first 20 lbs accidentally. The medication and CPAP machine helped me feel better, and when I felt better, I wanted to do more, and was able to do more).

Weight loss OR other healthy changes can get the ball rolling, but it's a slow-rolling ball at first.

My first "exercise" was moving my legs in bed (I was in incredibly bad shape when I started). I'd put a step-counting pedometer onto my shoes (because I kept losing pedometers to the wash mashine), and every day I'd write down the number of steps I took that day onto a calendar. Every day I tried to beat the previous day's count (even if only by a few steps).

When you're morbidly obese, it can feel like trying to dig yourself out of a well with a teaspoon. You can decide it's not worth the effort, or you can start digging. As you make progress your teaspoon gets bigger.

The hard part is getting started. You can start with the weight loss first, or the activity first, or you can do both together - but mobility and pain are often a self-perpetuating cycle. The bigger you are, the less you want to move because of the discomfort, the more discomfort, the less you do move and the bigger you get. Luckily the reverse is also true. The more you lose, and the more you do, the less discomfort, the more you want to move, and the more you move the easier it is to lose and to do more and want to do more.

Start anywhere, but start using that teaspoon.
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Old 07-27-2012, 08:01 PM   #6  
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i have to agree - it does get better, but slowly. right now I am at 312 down from 350, i started with just getting out of bed and working on active projects around the house and doing chores again, even if i had to sit in a chair to do them.

Lately I have been walking pretty much everyday (for a month or so) i started with a quarter mile - 2 weeks ago i moved up to 1/2 mile, and it still makes my backs and legs ache towards the end.

stretching regularly helps too. I don't do it in any organized way yet, just stretching my legs, arms and back in ways that feel better..
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Old 07-27-2012, 08:03 PM   #7  
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Yes, it can definitely help! It may not be overnight and if you have sustained joint damage those problems could be residual, but I'd still expect significant improvement if you lost 20-30% of that excess body weight. That and body resistance workouts can help SO much. I have to prop my favorite, TTap, for being extremely gentle AND thoroughly rehabilitative (gentle doesn't mean 'easy', by the way!).
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Old 07-27-2012, 08:42 PM   #8  
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I had a hysterectomy at 20 so I already have osteoarthritis and some osteoporosis, I have degenerative back problems, bad knees and a herniated disk. I limped, back constantly hurt...I ached nonstop. It's TONS better now! I occasionally have back problems when I lift something wrong and knees hurt when I run too much, but hey, I can run now. I went to Kids Place yesterday with my grandkids (my stepsons kids) and I climbed, crawled and slid for 3 hours right along side the kids!
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Old 07-27-2012, 08:54 PM   #9  
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I sure can relate to what you are saying about the "soreness" or "achyness" if there is such a word ... I can do much more now than I could before I lost that 104 lbs. I still take my time and take rest breaks as I still have a ways to go, but I get a lot done considering where I started and the physical challenges I started with and still have (weak back from spina bifida; and injured knees).

You will start to notice a difference soon; it may take 30 lbs -- which is where I started to feel better. At first, if I overdid it, it would take days to recupe; now it only takes til the next day. I can walk further and longer too. The more you lose, the better you'll feel; just keep going!!!

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Old 07-27-2012, 09:05 PM   #10  
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Although I've been struggling for a long time to get and stay under 300, the main reason I keep working is that I love my increased mobility. Starting at 5 minutes a day if that's all you can do is okay: those 5 minutes will grow. Do whatever your body can handle; don't push yourself into injuries early, and don't think that small amounts aren't worth it.

You can do it!
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Old 07-27-2012, 09:12 PM   #11  
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I've lost 125 pounds, and yes, I'm much more mobile and have no daily aches and pains like I used to. Best wishes!
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Old 07-28-2012, 12:16 AM   #12  
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OP thanks for asking this question.
EVERYONE WHO COMMENTED:thanks for sharing your stories!
I have constant pain in my feet/ankles (some permanent damage) and it really gets me down sometimes... this post is encouraging. Thank you all, I look forward to less pain.
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Old 07-28-2012, 12:22 AM   #13  
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A MILLION times YES!!!!

At nearly 300 lbs, I was so dehabilitated by lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, that getting out of bed was a daily battle.

Today, I feel NO pain. I am strong and quick and feel like 8 million bucks!

getting healthy made all the difference for me. Before, I was just waiting to die. Now, I LIVE!! It's amazing .
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Old 07-28-2012, 12:35 AM   #14  
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Yes! I feel really great. There are so many things I can do. I rock-climb. I'm training for a half-marathon. I run and bike.

I had a really rough pregnancy/postpartum with my last baby and had horrible pubic symphysis pain and sacrum pain. Sleeping was fitful and torturous and sometimes it would take me more than 10 minutes to get out of bed because my back hurt so bad. I couldn't walk more than a couple of blocks without getting winded and this was not even at my highest weight. This was at about 245. I took medication that was supposed to treat some stomach pain and gained 25 more pounds before I decided to try to get my weight under control.

I lost down to 240 in one year with walking and a little running but it is the last 6 months that have brought the biggest mobility/fitness gains. I've been pushing myself a lot, but it really has paid off.

For me, doing some strength training has helped but also I think I've gotten a lot of new strength from indoor cycling. It has helped make my core stronger which makes everything else work better.

Good luck!
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Old 07-28-2012, 12:36 AM   #15  
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I have to agree with everyone who has already posted. I thought I was "fit and fat" when I weighed 252 pounds. I was in decent shape for someone my age who was 100 pounds overweight. I never realized how much better I'd feel after losing weight. I think a real help along the way is to get some sort of exercise while you're losing. You'll strengthen your muscles as you lose and the impact will be doubled.

Think about how much stress our weight puts on our joints. Think what a chore it is to carry heavy things. think how good it feels to put down a heavy load and not have to carry it any longer. That's what it will be like when you lose.

Welcome to the forum. God luck to you.

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