Hey ladies,

I just want some honest opinions here, advice, whatever you have to offer. Basically, I get worn out just taking a couple of steps, my back begins to hurt a lot (my lower back) and my knees too...it really feels like my legs will give out on me. climbing stairs? Ha! Did that today, I almost died. I was grasping onto the railing for dear life out of fear of falling from my knees giving out. But I so want to start exercising. I have been losing weight slowly and steadily, just can't remember how to do my ticker lol, I'll figure it out one day though. But I have a treadmill I can't even use, and for christmas my gift to myself was Dance Praise Remix (search on yahoo, you'll see it, it's very cool), but ladies I'm not sure I can even do that.... I mean, I figure the dancing and praising will keep my mind off my body freaking out, and maybe once I drop a few more pounds I'll be alright to go on the treadmill. I don't expect exercise to be a walk in the park by any means, but man, I'm like "how can I really lose weight without being able to exercise from severe pain?" Lastly, when I say all these symptoms, this is not from harsh exercising; this is from every day life, regular walking pace, etc. Suggestions pretty please cause I'm so desperate here.... Holli

Hi Holli,

Sorry to hear that you are having a hard time with your back and knees. My Dad has the same issues but attends a "Silver Sneakers" aerobics class where most of their working out is done while sitting in a chair. I've heard of "chair aerobics" videos. Maybe that might be worth looking into. Also, could your doctor/physician offer some suggestions, especially with having the knee problems?

Best to you and congratulations on the work that you're already doing!

-Star

Well doc says it's from the weight stressing my knees, and that - at least for now - there is not any physical damage permanent, so that's good. I told him I was losing weight and he just said to go slow. I just can't go to see him as often as I would like, cause I 've taken so much time off of work (2007 I'm so happy is gone... suffered 4 m/c and 2 robberies, so 2008 I hope will be a year of promise) It really is depressing cause I am only 32, but I feel like I'm 80 right. :Sigh:

Hang in there and like your doctor said, go slowly. I say to take things "one day at a time." 2008 is gonna be great! (I can feel it!!!)

We CAN do this. We WILL do this.

You can only do what you can do. It's about making small changes and then over time you'll see just how far you've come from the day of small beginnings! So if you can do 5 more steps tomorrow that's an improvement on today! The only thing I'd add is to make sure you have good shoes. Good shoes (specifically for my gait) make a BIG difference for my back and knees! GL in 2008...may it be a happy and healthy one for you!

Holli,

As Nori said, you can only do what you can do. Start there and keep going forward. I used to have a LOT of lower back pain. Even having to stand in one place (like in a line at a store) would start it to hurting so badly. Once I started losing weight and exercising (mostly walking), it quit hurting. I almost never have back pain anymore.

And don't discount how much you will benefit from small amounts of exercise that you continue to increase. I found that my (beginner) fitness level increased very drastically in the course of two months. I went from being out of breathe and exhausted when walking 1/8 of a mile to being able to walk two brisk miles in less than 6 weeks. And at the time, I weighed much much more than you weigh.

Good luck, you CAN do this!

Holli,

When you are pregnant, your body releases a hormone that relaxes the tendons and ligaments so your body can stretch for housing and birthing your baby. Even if you weren't pregnant for too long before you miscarried (and I am SO sorry to hear about all of your losses ), the ligaments around your knees could have stretched and then if you don't have enough muscle to stabilize your knee, you could have a bit of pain from that. Are you able to join a gym? Maybe getting a trainer to give you some good exercises for strengthing the leg muscles will help you have better form when you're walking and climbing stairs so you don't have as much pain.

One step at a time! Every day if you build your endurance a little bit, you'll end up with a huge change over time.

Good luck!

Kara

thanks Kara... well I'm like, really hurting for cash, so a trainer is out of the question for me unfortunately. When we had to move after the second robbery on 10/22 (we just moved 11/3/07), our bills went up by over 300 a month eek! that's pretty much where I disappeared to btw... anyhoo, you might be onto something though...I will definitely look for some knee exercises onlline, maybe there are some videos out there of demonstrations or something.

And Tammy, how great is that???? Too awesome. I really hope that will be the same scenario for me. It's just the matter of getting started ya know. It's like I start, then the pain comes, and I end up having to stop way before my goal. and I set small goals right, cause I'm just starting out; 15 minutes usually. And I have to stop after around 3 minutes oyyy. I just am so scared of falling and injuring myself you know. I do hope one day it won't be this way.

I guess I know from other's posts that exercising is not necessary to lose weight; but I want to do it for several other reasons: a) so I don't lose muscle, b) so I restrengthen my body after 4 m/c and 2 pg to term total, and c) I have anxiety disorder and I know losing weight is a HUGE stress so it'll help that and also I read somewhere exercise releases feel good endorphins so that will relieve my stress hopefully to a managable level. and plus, it helps you live longer Sigh, I'm such a basket case. 2007 really did me in, but I am hoping that in 2008 it'll be just the opposite. I really believe it will, somehow.

Oh, I'm a total endorphin addict! Once you get started you'll be hooked.

Kara

I had a similar situation when before I first started losing (255 lbs). I would take a pain killer for my back and just walk around the block once a day. I noticed that my walks would take less and less time after a while.

Eventually I would do longer walks - all the while my back was slowly starting to get better as the muscles started building more and more.

I was doing very well and was walking 4 km per day (3 miles), but then the cold weather came and clashed with my asthma - I got sick and was forbidden to walk outside again until the weather warmed up.

So we purchased an elliptical - it's SOOOO low impact, it is a smooth ride and you can adjust the tensions to whatever suits you the best.

Hope you start to feel better soon!

that's a good idea, except my theory is if I can't handle a treadmill (just my legs) I sure can't handle an elliptical lol, cause my arms get very tired very quickly too. I weigh about what you weigh now, in the 220's, fyi, except I'm 5'9". I do want to get one though, later when I can handle it and can last longer than a couple of minutes lol.

Have you thought about trying to exercise in a pool? The water would support your weight and I think you would have a lot less issues with pain. If you aren't a swimmer, you could just walk or run back and forth in the pool.

I recently started having problems with one of my knees--here is a link the the exercises my doctor recommended to strengthen my leg muscles: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_patellod_rex.htm. The quadriceps isometrics (which you do sitting down and sounds a lot harder than it actually is), is supposed to be particularly good. I've read about it in other websites and articles about knee pain.

Also, I think you might find the ellipital easier than the treadmill. Some ellipticals have stationary arms and even the ones with arms that move usually have a stationary arm position as well. So you could use an elliptical without moving your arms. And the motion on the elliptical would be a lot less jarring to both your back and your legs than walking or running on a treadmill. With my knee pain, I have no problem using the elliptical, but the treadmill is a problem.

When I started doing the cardio, I couldn't do the treadmill but I was good to go on the elliptical. The circular motion kind of helps your legs go around, rather than you having to pick them up and put them down. Hopefully that makes some sense!

yes that makes a lot more sense Laura - thank you!!! And Barbara, wow I would have never thought, well both of you Now to scrounge up the dough for one..... I might look on craigslist to see if there's one local to me that's a good deal

Check used sporting goods stores, too. There used to be one around us in New Jersey called Play It Again Sports. And yard sales! You can find good deals there - people who use them just a couple of times and then they become clothes hangers...

Kara