Re: weight loss exercise for someone who is not allowed to work out

[Guest guest]

Dear Pookie,Your sister's condition sounds so serious I'm not sure anyone other than a doctor could give a sound recommendation.  Diet IS the biggest component of weight loss though, and if she's leading a sedentary life her caloric needs are less than a normal person's.

I do think gentle walking is very good but man, the thought of blood vessels popping makes me very hesitant to recommend anything other than a clean diet.  As far as Weight Watcher's goes - my sister and good friend do the WW online - , do you know if WW online accepts foreign currencies or payments via PayPal?  I'm thinking they would be happy to get Hungarian money too   My friend has lost a LOT of weight with WW and his workouts are just walking for a mile or two on the treadmill every day, nothing strenuous. 

Peace to you and your sister!

 

I thought someone would be able to help with this question; maybe in a similar situation.

My sister is overweight. She has been dieting and not losing weight. She has been having health issues and last year they found that she has a congenital condition that made her neck blood vessels grow too thin and small. So her brain does not get enough O2. On her MRI and CT scan they found small focal spots of hypoxic areas and blood vessel inflammation. As a result she was put on mega doses of vitamins and supplements and was instructed to lose weight (she needs to lose at least 50 lbs but she would be happy with less like 10-15 to start). However she is not allowed to do anything that raises her blood pressure because the dr worries that her neck vessels will blow and she will get a stroke or worse. Essentially the details are that she cannot do anything with arms, cannot do push ups, lift arms above the shoulders, run, jump, and do anything aerobic. The unstable vessels are the reason they are not willing to operate to fix it. There is a high chance of giving her a brain bleed when they cut.

I don't think it is fair to tell her to lose weight and not allow her to exercise, and not set her up with a physio therapist or nutritionist who can follow her and give her advice. I am not talking about weight watchers, this kind of service is non existent in Hungary.

I believe she needs to use muscles to burn fat. She doesn't have any muscles obviously. She walks 2-3 times a week when friends can go with her, otherwise she won't go because it is in the dark and she is afraid to go out alone. When someone is free that is when they walk. I suggested to start walking the stairs up and down in her house so she doesn't have to leave the house. This would help her strengthen some large muscles in her legs and bum. If it hurts it's a good sign.

So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for someone to exercise when she isn't allowed to do anything heavy duty. I am an Insanity fan, anything that works the heart hard and burns muscle until I can't move, I know it will make me sweat and lose weight. I have always been active so walking doesn't do anything for me but for her who has been sitting all her life, and gained weight to please her husband (who is gone now and found a bigger woman) anything light will make a difference. But she wants to see result and the 6km walks are not doing anything.

She told me last fall that she started to lose weight when she started on the new diet and supplement regime. This time I asked her how much she weighs and I was surprised to hear she is 209 lbs. She is my twin sister so I can't even imagine how she cannot lose weight.

She is on a gluten free diet and also on some high protein/fat low carb/no carb diet. I don't believe this is healthy. But she won't believe me (a nurse) or my husband (a dr) so what else can I do? We read research data and work out in ways that work and eat healthy, we don't believe that a special diet is necessary that will restrict nutrients and potentially can create other problems. We believe in everything in moderation and moderation is up for interpretation. But if one sees the weight creep up in spite of the recommended diet, it's time to seriously look at what is wrong with that picture. I asked her to log what she eats. Her calorie intake is low but all her calories consist of fatty foods and very little fibre. She is in starvation mode and I can't get her off the starvation diet. What do I know, right? In all honesty I cannot identify with her problem because I never had it. I have never been overweight and I never dieted so I can't tell what it feels like. All I know is that she needs to start moving and I mean more than pressing buttons on the computer and this is said with respect. She does really that almost all day long, she is a judge so she sits all day and at home she is chatting on the computer. But we cannot question her activity level because she will get offended. My mom lives with her and she tells me she is worried but she can't cook healthy foods for her. I wish I were closer, it is hard to suggest anything in e-mails and I don't want to say something that will offend. I have tried sending research links, offered to coach and suggested coaching web sites, even personal trainers who work on line and follow progress, but she always tells me she can't afford it. The same way she can't afford to eat healthy too.

Any input would be appreciated.

[Guest guest]

Does weight watchers use calorie counts (in vs. out)? From what I

can see on their pictures it looks like people don't need to starve.

The meals look full and healthy.

My sister's daily intake is like this:

breakfast:

2 slices of salami or ham

3 slices or radish (why count slices of veggies? I don't get it)

coffee with some milk

lunch:

small piece of low fat cheese (what's small? )

3 slices of cucumber (again, why count this? go ahead, fill up on

it)

1 apple

snack: (she is too hungry by now and jittery, sounds like

pre-diabetic too)

small wafer like chocolate bar

and by now she knows she blew it for the day so she stops eating

dinner:

nothing

water:

3-5L per day

Total calories (I used Fitbit) around 850 calories.

Anyone looking at this can tell this isn't healthy. Why can't she

see it?

IMO she needs to start filling up on veggies and fruits (low

glycemic indexed ones and low fructose), keep the fiber intake high

and she can have the meat but not processed like salami (who knows

what's in it?), something like chicken, pork, fish, heck even an egg

for breakfast is better than salami.

I will look into weight watchers on line. I didn't know they can do

this on line too.

Thanks for the idea.

Dear Pookie,

Your sister's condition sounds so serious I'm not sure anyone

other than a doctor could give a sound recommendation.  Diet IS

the biggest component of weight loss though, and if she's

leading a sedentary life her caloric needs are less than a

normal person's.

I do think gentle walking is very good but man, the thought of

blood vessels popping makes me very hesitant to recommend

anything other than a clean diet. 

As far as Weight Watcher's goes - my sister and good friend do

the WW online - , do you know if WW online accepts foreign

currencies or payments via PayPal?  I'm thinking they would be

happy to get Hungarian money too   My friend has lost a LOT of

weight with WW and his workouts are just walking for a mile or

two on the treadmill every day, nothing strenuous. 

Peace to you and your sister!

On Sun, Apr 29, 2012 at 3:00 PM, Pookie

Bear

wrote:

 

I thought someone would be able to help with this

question; maybe in a similar situation.

My sister is overweight. She has been dieting and

not losing weight. She has been having health

issues and last year they found that she has a

congenital condition that made her neck blood

vessels grow too thin and small. So her brain does

not get enough O2. On her MRI and CT scan they

found small focal spots of hypoxic areas and blood

vessel inflammation. As a result she was put on

mega doses of vitamins and supplements and was

instructed to lose weight (she needs to lose at

least 50 lbs but she would be happy with less like

10-15 to start). However she is not allowed to do

anything that raises her blood pressure because

the dr worries that her neck vessels will blow and

she will get a stroke or worse. Essentially the

details are that she cannot do anything with arms,

cannot do push ups, lift arms above the shoulders,

run, jump, and do anything aerobic. The unstable

vessels are the reason they are not willing to

operate to fix it. There is a high chance of

giving her a brain bleed when they cut.

I don't think it is fair to tell her to lose

weight and not allow her to exercise, and not set

her up with a physio therapist or nutritionist who

can follow her and give her advice. I am not

talking about weight watchers, this kind of

service is non existent in Hungary.

I believe she needs to use muscles to burn fat.

She doesn't have any muscles obviously. She walks

2-3 times a week when friends can go with her,

otherwise she won't go because it is in the dark

and she is afraid to go out alone. When someone is

free that is when they walk. I suggested to start

walking the stairs up and down in her house so she

doesn't have to leave the house. This would help

her strengthen some large muscles in her legs and

bum. If it hurts it's a good sign.

So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions

for someone to exercise when she isn't allowed to

do anything heavy duty. I am an Insanity fan,

anything that works the heart hard and burns

muscle until I can't move, I know it will make me

sweat and lose weight. I have always been active

so walking doesn't do anything for me but for her

who has been sitting all her life, and gained

weight to please her husband (who is gone now and

found a bigger woman) anything light will make a

difference. But she wants to see result and the

6km walks are not doing anything.

She told me last fall that she started to lose

weight when she started on the new diet and

supplement regime. This time I asked her how much

she weighs and I was surprised to hear she is 209

lbs. She is my twin sister so I can't even imagine

how she cannot lose weight.

She is on a gluten free diet and also on some high

protein/fat low carb/no carb diet. I don't believe

this is healthy. But she won't believe me (a

nurse) or my husband (a dr) so what else can I do?

We read research data and work out in ways that

work and eat healthy, we don't believe that a

special diet is necessary that will restrict

nutrients and potentially can create other

problems. We believe in everything in moderation

and moderation is up for interpretation. But if

one sees the weight creep up in spite of the

recommended diet, it's time to seriously look at

what is wrong with that picture. I asked her to

log what she eats. Her calorie intake is low but

all her calories consist of fatty foods and very

little fibre. She is in starvation mode and I

can't get her off the starvation diet. What do I

know, right? In all honesty I cannot identify with

her problem because I never had it. I have never

been overweight and I never dieted so I can't tell

what it feels like. All I know is that she needs

to start moving and I mean more than pressing

buttons on the computer and this is said with

respect. She does really that almost all day long,

she is a judge so she sits all day and at home she

is chatting on the computer. But we cannot

question her activity level because she will get

offended. My mom lives with her and she tells me

she is worried but she can't cook healthy foods

for her. I wish I were closer, it is hard to

suggest anything in e-mails and I don't want to

say something that will offend. I have tried

sending research links, offered to coach and

suggested coaching web sites, even personal

trainers who work on line and follow progress, but

she always tells me she can't afford it. The same

way she can't afford to eat healthy too.

Any input would be appreciated.

[Guest guest]

,

You cannot " help " your sister unless she is truly serious about losing the

weight. We all know what must be done; it's a matter of finding it within

ourselves to actually do it. I, too have a sister who is terribly obese -- I'm

very surprised she has not had a drastic medical problem yet (she's 59, 5'0 " ,

about 325). You can lead a horse to water...

Sorry to be negative. I feel you frustration.

Indyrose

> >

> > I thought someone would be able to help with this question; maybe

> > in a similar situation.

> >

> > My sister is overweight. She has been dieting and not losing

> > weight. She has been having health issues and last year they found

> > that she has a congenital condition that made her neck blood

> > vessels grow too thin and small. So her brain does not get enough

> > O2. On her MRI and CT scan they found small focal spots of hypoxic

> > areas and blood vessel inflammation. As a result she was put on

> > mega doses of vitamins and supplements and was instructed to lose

> > weight (she needs to lose at least 50 lbs but she would be happy

> > with less like 10-15 to start). However she is not allowed to do

> > anything that raises her blood pressure because the dr worries

> > that her neck vessels will blow and she will get a stroke or

> > worse. Essentially the details are that she cannot do anything

> > with arms, cannot do push ups, lift arms above the shoulders, run,

> > jump, and do anything aerobic. The unstable vessels are the reason

> > they are not willing to operate to fix it. There is a high chance

> > of giving her a brain bleed when they cut.

> >

> > I don't think it is fair to tell her to lose weight and not allow

> > her to exercise, and not set her up with a physio therapist or

> > nutritionist who can follow her and give her advice. I am not

> > talking about weight watchers, this kind of service is non

> > existent in Hungary.

> >

> > I believe she needs to use muscles to burn fat. She doesn't have

> > any muscles obviously. She walks 2-3 times a week when friends can

> > go with her, otherwise she won't go because it is in the dark and

> > she is afraid to go out alone. When someone is free that is when

> > they walk. I suggested to start walking the stairs up and down in

> > her house so she doesn't have to leave the house. This would help

> > her strengthen some large muscles in her legs and bum. If it hurts

> > it's a good sign.

> >

> > So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for someone to

> > exercise when she isn't allowed to do anything heavy duty. I am an

> > Insanity fan, anything that works the heart hard and burns muscle

> > until I can't move, I know it will make me sweat and lose weight.

> > I have always been active so walking doesn't do anything for me

> > but for her who has been sitting all her life, and gained weight

> > to please her husband (who is gone now and found a bigger woman)

> > anything light will make a difference. But she wants to see result

> > and the 6km walks are not doing anything.

> >

> > She told me last fall that she started to lose weight when she

> > started on the new diet and supplement regime. This time I asked

> > her how much she weighs and I was surprised to hear she is 209

> > lbs. She is my twin sister so I can't even imagine how she cannot

> > lose weight.

> >

> > She is on a gluten free diet and also on some high protein/fat low

> > carb/no carb diet. I don't believe this is healthy. But she won't

> > believe me (a nurse) or my husband (a dr) so what else can I do?

> > We read research data and work out in ways that work and eat

> > healthy, we don't believe that a special diet is necessary that

> > will restrict nutrients and potentially can create other problems.

> > We believe in everything in moderation and moderation is up for

> > interpretation. But if one sees the weight creep up in spite of

> > the recommended diet, it's time to seriously look at what is wrong

> > with that picture. I asked her to log what she eats. Her calorie

> > intake is low but all her calories consist of fatty foods and very

> > little fibre. She is in starvation mode and I can't get her off

> > the starvation diet. What do I know, right? In all honesty I

> > cannot identify with her problem because I never had it. I have

> > never been overweight and I never dieted so I can't tell what it

> > feels like. All I know is that she needs to start moving and I

> > mean more than pressing buttons on the computer and this is said

> > with respect. She does really that almost all day long, she is a

> > judge so she sits all day and at home she is chatting on the

> > computer. But we cannot question her activity level because she

> > will get offended. My mom lives with her and she tells me she is

> > worried but she can't cook healthy foods for her. I wish I were

> > closer, it is hard to suggest anything in e-mails and I don't want

> > to say something that will offend. I have tried sending research

> > links, offered to coach and suggested coaching web sites, even

> > personal trainers who work on line and follow progress, but she

> > always tells me she can't afford it. The same way she can't afford

> > to eat healthy too.

> >

> > Any input would be appreciated.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Sorry all, I'm coming to the party late, been at my dad's this evening celebrating DH's b-day and been busy most of the weekend. Anyway... WW does not actually use calories, we (I'm a meetings leader, lost 25 lbs with it that I've kept off for almost 6 years now) use a formula based on the nutritonal information for foods (based on the fat, carbs, protein & fiber in one serving) but I don't know the algorithm (it is proprietary and as such unpublished) and we figure out "points" for foods based on that. Anyway, the approach is towards very balanced nutrition, eat real food, live in the real world and lose weight with the intention of keeping it off long term because you lose it living your real life and eating every day normal human food. We put a strong emphasis on whole foods but people can make any choices they like. WW is international, I know we're in the UK and Australia, for example, but I know nothing about if we're anywhere in Eastern Europe or other countries. The program does differ slightly from country to country too to accomodate for cultural/dietary issues. She might be able to sign up with the online program though (you could try www.weightwatchers.com or www.weightwatchers.ca for Canada, not sure what it is elsewhere) and follow it that way. She'd at least get the nutritional information (but none of the personal coaching and accountability meetings can provide). Anyway, as broad guidelines I'd go along with everything you said regarding her choices: veggies & fruits (which are 0 points, we want people eating them), lean proteins (so the salami and other highly processed meats would be less ideal choices) including meat and non-meat sources, low-fat or non-fat dairy and whole grains. She can still have some treats but filling up on the better stuff and reserving the chocolate wafers and other sweets for if she points left over.

Regarding exercise... it sounds like it would be extremely unwise for anyone but a medical professional familiar with her exact issues and situation to guide her in her choices for movement and, as noted, exercise is actually only a very small portion of the weight loss equation (approximately 70-80% is FOOD choices and only about 20-30% is actually exercise). I lost all of my weight without being at all active. Not a great way to lose it but I am living proof it can definitely be done (and I see it all the time in my groups though I advocate strongly for whatever safe activity you can take on while losing weight).

I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions.

(celebrating 5 years working for WW this spring!)

Re: weight loss exercise for someone who is not allowed to work out

Does weight watchers use calorie counts (in vs. out)? From what I can see on their pictures it looks like people don't need to starve. The meals look full and healthy.My sister's daily intake is like this:breakfast:2 slices of salami or ham3 slices or radish (why count slices of veggies? I don't get it)coffee with some milklunch:small piece of low fat cheese (what's small? )3 slices of cucumber (again, why count this? go ahead, fill up on it)1 applesnack: (she is too hungry by now and jittery, sounds like pre-diabetic too)small wafer like chocolate bar and by now she knows she blew it for the day so she stops eatingdinner: nothingwater:3-5L per dayTotal calories (I used Fitbit) around 850 calories. Anyone looking at this can tell this isn't healthy. Why can't she see it? IMO she needs to start filling up on veggies and fruits (low glycemic indexed ones and low fructose), keep the fiber intake high and she can have the meat but not processed like salami (who knows what's in it?), something like chicken, pork, fish, heck even an egg for breakfast is better than salami. I will look into weight watchers on line. I didn't know they can do this on line too.Thanks for the idea.

Dear Pookie,Your sister's condition sounds so serious I'm not sure anyone other than a doctor could give a sound recommendation. Diet IS the biggest component of weight loss though, and if she's leading a sedentary life her caloric needs are less than a normal person's. I do think gentle walking is very good but man, the thought of blood vessels popping makes me very hesitant to recommend anything other than a clean diet. As far as Weight Watcher's goes - my sister and good friend do the WW online - , do you know if WW online accepts foreign currencies or payments via PayPal? I'm thinking they would be happy to get Hungarian money too My friend has lost a LOT of weight with WW and his workouts are just walking for a mile or two on the treadmill every day, nothing strenuous. Peace to you and your sister!

I thought someone would be able to help with this question; maybe in a similar situation.My sister is overweight. She has been dieting and not losing weight. She has been having health issues and last year they found that she has a congenital condition that made her neck blood vessels grow too thin and small. So her brain does not get enough O2. On her MRI and CT scan they found small focal spots of hypoxic areas and blood vessel inflammation. As a result she was put on mega doses of vitamins and supplements and was instructed to lose weight (she needs to lose at least 50 lbs but she would be happy with less like 10-15 to start). However she is not allowed to do anything that raises her blood pressure because the dr worries that her neck vessels will blow and she will get a stroke or worse. Essentially the details are that she cannot do anything with arms, cannot do push ups, lift arms above the shoulders, run, jump, and do anything aerobic. The unstable vessels are the reason they are not willing to operate to fix it. There is a high chance of giving her a brain bleed when they cut. I don't think it is fair to tell her to lose weight and not allow her to exercise, and not set her up with a physio therapist or nutritionist who can follow her and give her advice. I am not talking about weight watchers, this kind of service is non existent in Hungary. I believe she needs to use muscles to burn fat. She doesn't have any muscles obviously. She walks 2-3 times a week when friends can go with her, otherwise she won't go because it is in the dark and she is afraid to go out alone. When someone is free that is when they walk. I suggested to start walking the stairs up and down in her house so she doesn't have to leave the house. This would help her strengthen some large muscles in her legs and bum. If it hurts it's a good sign. So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for someone to exercise when she isn't allowed to do anything heavy duty. I am an Insanity fan, anything that works the heart hard and burns muscle until I can't move, I know it will make me sweat and lose weight. I have always been active so walking doesn't do anything for me but for her who has been sitting all her life, and gained weight to please her husband (who is gone now and found a bigger woman) anything light will make a difference. But she wants to see result and the 6km walks are not doing anything. She told me last fall that she started to lose weight when she started on the new diet and supplement regime. This time I asked her how much she weighs and I was surprised to hear she is 209 lbs. She is my twin sister so I can't even imagine how she cannot lose weight. She is on a gluten free diet and also on some high protein/fat low carb/no carb diet. I don't believe this is healthy. But she won't believe me (a nurse) or my husband (a dr) so what else can I do? We read research data and work out in ways that work and eat healthy, we don't believe that a special diet is necessary that will restrict nutrients and potentially can create other problems. We believe in everything in moderation and moderation is up for interpretation. But if one sees the weight creep up in spite of the recommended diet, it's time to seriously look at what is wrong with that picture. I asked her to log what she eats. Her calorie intake is low but all her calories consist of fatty foods and very little fibre. She is in starvation mode and I can't get her off the starvation diet. What do I know, right? In all honesty I cannot identify with her problem because I never had it. I have never been overweight and I never dieted so I can't tell what it feels like. All I know is that she needs to start moving and I mean more than pressing buttons on the computer and this is said with respect. She does really that almost all day long, she is a judge so she sits all day and at home she is chatting on the computer. But we cannot question her activity level because she will get offended. My mom lives with her and she tells me she is worried but she can't cook healthy foods for her. I wish I were closer, it is hard to suggest anything in e-mails and I don't want to say something that will offend. I have tried sending research links, offered to coach and suggested coaching web sites, even personal trainers who work on line and follow progress, but she always tells me she can't afford it. The same way she can't afford to eat healthy too. Any input would be appreciated.

[Guest guest]

I should have noted three other things too:

1. the online program is paid for with a credit card so I suppose if the currency can be converted to American or Canadian using a card she could possibly sign up through the American or Canadian sites.

2. Part of the program too is teaching people to enjoy their favorite foods, just in smaller, healthier portions (too many people have bought into the "supersize it" mentality, at least in the United States, and think they need huge portions to be satisfied when really they probably need only half that amount or less).

3. Like Indy said too, though, if she does not want to make changes that will enable her to lose weight she will not lose weight. You can't want it so badly for her that it happens either. And it also doesn't happen magically just because she might want to lose weight but doesn't want to make changes. (You'd be surprised how many people have said to me, "How come I'm not losing? I want to lose weight, I paid my money to WW, I come to the meetings..." Are you doing anything else? Tracking your food? Eating smaller portions? No? Sorry, osmosis isn't part of the formula...)

Re: weight loss exercise for someone who is not allowed to work out

Does weight watchers use calorie counts (in vs. out)? From what I can see on their pictures it looks like people don't need to starve. The meals look full and healthy.My sister's daily intake is like this:breakfast:2 slices of salami or ham3 slices or radish (why count slices of veggies? I don't get it)coffee with some milklunch:small piece of low fat cheese (what's small? )3 slices of cucumber (again, why count this? go ahead, fill up on it)1 applesnack: (she is too hungry by now and jittery, sounds like pre-diabetic too)small wafer like chocolate bar and by now she knows she blew it for the day so she stops eatingdinner: nothingwater:3-5L per dayTotal calories (I used Fitbit) around 850 calories. Anyone looking at this can tell this isn't healthy. Why can't she see it? IMO she needs to start filling up on veggies and fruits (low glycemic indexed ones and low fructose), keep the fiber intake high and she can have the meat but not processed like salami (who knows what's in it?), something like chicken, pork, fish, heck even an egg for breakfast is better than salami. I will look into weight watchers on line. I didn't know they can do this on line too.Thanks for the idea.

Dear Pookie,Your sister's condition sounds so serious I'm not sure anyone other than a doctor could give a sound recommendation. Diet IS the biggest component of weight loss though, and if she's leading a sedentary life her caloric needs are less than a normal person's. I do think gentle walking is very good but man, the thought of blood vessels popping makes me very hesitant to recommend anything other than a clean diet. As far as Weight Watcher's goes - my sister and good friend do the WW online - , do you know if WW online accepts foreign currencies or payments via PayPal? I'm thinking they would be happy to get Hungarian money too My friend has lost a LOT of weight with WW and his workouts are just walking for a mile or two on the treadmill every day, nothing strenuous. Peace to you and your sister!

I thought someone would be able to help with this question; maybe in a similar situation.My sister is overweight. She has been dieting and not losing weight. She has been having health issues and last year they found that she has a congenital condition that made her neck blood vessels grow too thin and small. So her brain does not get enough O2. On her MRI and CT scan they found small focal spots of hypoxic areas and blood vessel inflammation. As a result she was put on mega doses of vitamins and supplements and was instructed to lose weight (she needs to lose at least 50 lbs but she would be happy with less like 10-15 to start). However she is not allowed to do anything that raises her blood pressure because the dr worries that her neck vessels will blow and she will get a stroke or worse. Essentially the details are that she cannot do anything with arms, cannot do push ups, lift arms above the shoulders, run, jump, and do anything aerobic. The unstable vessels are the reason they are not willing to operate to fix it. There is a high chance of giving her a brain bleed when they cut. I don't think it is fair to tell her to lose weight and not allow her to exercise, and not set her up with a physio therapist or nutritionist who can follow her and give her advice. I am not talking about weight watchers, this kind of service is non existent in Hungary. I believe she needs to use muscles to burn fat. She doesn't have any muscles obviously. She walks 2-3 times a week when friends can go with her, otherwise she won't go because it is in the dark and she is afraid to go out alone. When someone is free that is when they walk. I suggested to start walking the stairs up and down in her house so she doesn't have to leave the house. This would help her strengthen some large muscles in her legs and bum. If it hurts it's a good sign. So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for someone to exercise when she isn't allowed to do anything heavy duty. I am an Insanity fan, anything that works the heart hard and burns muscle until I can't move, I know it will make me sweat and lose weight. I have always been active so walking doesn't do anything for me but for her who has been sitting all her life, and gained weight to please her husband (who is gone now and found a bigger woman) anything light will make a difference. But she wants to see result and the 6km walks are not doing anything. She told me last fall that she started to lose weight when she started on the new diet and supplement regime. This time I asked her how much she weighs and I was surprised to hear she is 209 lbs. She is my twin sister so I can't even imagine how she cannot lose weight. She is on a gluten free diet and also on some high protein/fat low carb/no carb diet. I don't believe this is healthy. But she won't believe me (a nurse) or my husband (a dr) so what else can I do? We read research data and work out in ways that work and eat healthy, we don't believe that a special diet is necessary that will restrict nutrients and potentially can create other problems. We believe in everything in moderation and moderation is up for interpretation. But if one sees the weight creep up in spite of the recommended diet, it's time to seriously look at what is wrong with that picture. I asked her to log what she eats. Her calorie intake is low but all her calories consist of fatty foods and very little fibre. She is in starvation mode and I can't get her off the starvation diet. What do I know, right? In all honesty I cannot identify with her problem because I never had it. I have never been overweight and I never dieted so I can't tell what it feels like. All I know is that she needs to start moving and I mean more than pressing buttons on the computer and this is said with respect. She does really that almost all day long, she is a judge so she sits all day and at home she is chatting on the computer. But we cannot question her activity level because she will get offended. My mom lives with her and she tells me she is worried but she can't cook healthy foods for her. I wish I were closer, it is hard to suggest anything in e-mails and I don't want to say something that will offend. I have tried sending research links, offered to coach and suggested coaching web sites, even personal trainers who work on line and follow progress, but she always tells me she can't afford it. The same way she can't afford to eat healthy too. Any input would be appreciated.

[Guest guest]

good points. I assumed she wanted to lose because she talks about it

all the time. She made me stop ordering her dress for the wedding

because she wants to wait until she loses more weight. When she was

telling me every time she lost 3 lbs, 5 lbs, whatever, I believed

she was. When I asked her how far she is from the goal and how much

actually weighs, she said "just by looking she looks 85 kg, but

actually on the scale she weighs 95 kg". I didn't know what to say.

That's a 20 lb difference and yes she was always considered heavy

boned, I think when she hit 200 lbs we can stop talking about bone

size.

She said she can follow the recommended healthy diet (paleolithic 

diet, the last one rated out of 20 and then out of 24 so it sounds

like a fad diet, not healthy at all) in the first week of the month.

After that she runs out of money and she eats whatever she can

afford. I know gluten free is ridiculously expensive. (we just found

out one of my boys has to be on a gluten free egg free, milk free

and soy free diet, plus citrus fruits and some seeds so I know how

hard it is to feed someone on a restricted diet - i just want to cry

myself), if I cook whole foods we are not struggling to feed him. We

just don't eat bread or pasta, but I experiment with baking some

treats sometimes. She said being gluten free helped her lose some

weight so I think she just needs help to continue. Which is my

problem now. 

I understand the exercise restriction when there is a medical

reason, and there is one for her. But when a dr says you have to

exercise and lose weight but you can't raise your BP, I wonder

exactly what kind of exercise he meant. Maybe yoga, walking,

swimming, Tai chi or anything like that, but I thought it was not

fair to give her that order and not help her to get there somehow.

So she is lost.  

On a side note, I read once a long time ago that cats sleep almost

all day long. They hardy exercise and yet they are not fat. How do

they do it? They stretch a LOT. They stretch the muscles to wake

them up. Perhaps something like that would be helpful for her.

She also has a dog that my mom takes care of. People who have dogs

lose 12 lbs per year just from walking them 3 times a day. They

don't have a choice  but get out and move. I think little things

like that could add up. She is not the most rested person, being a

single mom of 2 teenage girls is tough (now one is 20 something),

and all of them are severely overweight.

I have a dance video that I do with my kids and we will take it when

we go in the summer. I can walk with her every day and I am sure she

can drop a few more lbs before the wedding. I don't expect her to be

125 lbs in a few months. She just needs some good direction that she

can follow and that's not scary for her health, if she could not

figure this out already.

I will see when I am with her if she really wants to change but

can't, or she just says that but is not willing to change.

Thanks for the opinions.

I should have noted three other

things too:

 

1. the online program is paid for

with a credit card so I suppose if the currency can be

converted to American or Canadian using a card she could

possibly sign up through the American or Canadian sites.

 

2. Part of the program too is

teaching people to enjoy their favorite foods, just in

smaller, healthier portions (too many people have bought into

the "supersize it" mentality, at least in the United States,

and think they need huge portions to be satisfied when really

they probably need only half that amount or less).

 

3. Like Indy said too, though, if

she does not want to make changes that will enable her to lose

weight she will not lose weight. You can't want it so badly

for her that it happens either. And it also doesn't happen

magically just because she might want to lose weight but

doesn't want to make changes. (You'd be surprised how many

people have said to me, "How come I'm not losing? I want to

lose weight, I paid my money to WW, I come to the meetings..."

Are you doing anything else? Tracking your food? Eating

smaller portions? No? Sorry, osmosis isn't part of the

formula...)

 

 

 

Re: [Exercise

Videos] weight loss exercise for someone who is not

allowed to work out

 

Does weight watchers use calorie counts (in vs. out)?

From what I can see on their pictures it looks like

people don't need to starve. The meals look full and

healthy.

My sister's daily intake is like this:

breakfast:

2 slices of salami or ham

3 slices or radish (why count slices of veggies? I don't

get it)

coffee with some milk

lunch:

small piece of low fat cheese (what's small? )

3 slices of cucumber (again, why count this? go ahead,

fill up on it)

1 apple

snack: (she is too hungry by now and jittery, sounds

like pre-diabetic too)

small wafer like chocolate bar

and by now she knows she blew it for the day so she

stops eating

dinner:

nothing

water:

3-5L per day

Total calories (I used Fitbit) around 850 calories.

Anyone looking at this can tell this isn't healthy. Why

can't she see it?

IMO she needs to start filling up on veggies and fruits

(low glycemic indexed ones and low fructose), keep the

fiber intake high and she can have the meat but not

processed like salami (who knows what's in it?),

something like chicken, pork, fish, heck even an egg for

breakfast is better than salami.

I will look into weight watchers on line. I didn't know

they can do this on line too.

Thanks for the idea.

Dear Pookie,

Your sister's condition sounds so serious I'm not sure

anyone other than a doctor could give a sound

recommendation.  Diet IS the biggest component of

weight loss though, and if she's leading a sedentary

life her caloric needs are less than a normal

person's.

I do think gentle walking is very good but man, the

thought of blood vessels popping makes me very

hesitant to recommend anything other than a clean

diet. 

As far as Weight Watcher's goes - my sister and good

friend do the WW online - , do you know if WW

online accepts foreign currencies or payments via

PayPal?  I'm thinking they would be happy to get

Hungarian money too   My friend has lost a LOT of

weight with WW and his workouts are just walking for a

mile or two on the treadmill every day, nothing

strenuous. 

Peace to you and your sister!

On Sun, Apr 29, 2012 at 3:00

PM, Pookie Bear

wrote:

 

I thought someone would be able to help

with this question; maybe in a similar

situation.

My sister is overweight. She has been

dieting and not losing weight. She has

been having health issues and last year

they found that she has a congenital

condition that made her neck blood

vessels grow too thin and small. So her

brain does not get enough O2. On her MRI

and CT scan they found small focal spots

of hypoxic areas and blood vessel

inflammation. As a result she was put on

mega doses of vitamins and supplements

and was instructed to lose weight (she

needs to lose at least 50 lbs but she

would be happy with less like 10-15 to

start). However she is not allowed to do

anything that raises her blood pressure

because the dr worries that her neck

vessels will blow and she will get a

stroke or worse. Essentially the details

are that she cannot do anything with

arms, cannot do push ups, lift arms

above the shoulders, run, jump, and do

anything aerobic. The unstable vessels

are the reason they are not willing to

operate to fix it. There is a high

chance of giving her a brain bleed when

they cut.

I don't think it is fair to tell her to

lose weight and not allow her to

exercise, and not set her up with a

physio therapist or nutritionist who can

follow her and give her advice. I am not

talking about weight watchers, this kind

of service is non existent in Hungary.

I believe she needs to use muscles to

burn fat. She doesn't have any muscles

obviously. She walks 2-3 times a week

when friends can go with her, otherwise

she won't go because it is in the dark

and she is afraid to go out alone. When

someone is free that is when they walk.

I suggested to start walking the stairs

up and down in her house so she doesn't

have to leave the house. This would help

her strengthen some large muscles in her

legs and bum. If it hurts it's a good

sign.

So I was wondering if anyone has any

suggestions for someone to exercise when

she isn't allowed to do anything heavy

duty. I am an Insanity fan, anything

that works the heart hard and burns

muscle until I can't move, I know it

will make me sweat and lose weight. I

have always been active so walking

doesn't do anything for me but for her

who has been sitting all her life, and

gained weight to please her husband (who

is gone now and found a bigger woman)

anything light will make a difference.

But she wants to see result and the 6km

walks are not doing anything.

She told me last fall that she started

to lose weight when she started on the

new diet and supplement regime. This

time I asked her how much she weighs and

I was surprised to hear she is 209 lbs.

She is my twin sister so I can't even

imagine how she cannot lose weight.

She is on a gluten free diet and also on

some high protein/fat low carb/no carb

diet. I don't believe this is healthy.

But she won't believe me (a nurse) or my

husband (a dr) so what else can I do? We

read research data and work out in ways

that work and eat healthy, we don't

believe that a special diet is necessary

that will restrict nutrients and

potentially can create other problems.

We believe in everything in moderation

and moderation is up for interpretation.

But if one sees the weight creep up in

spite of the recommended diet, it's time

to seriously look at what is wrong with

that picture. I asked her to log what

she eats. Her calorie intake is low but

all her calories consist of fatty foods

and very little fibre. She is in

starvation mode and I can't get her off

the starvation diet. What do I know,

right? In all honesty I cannot identify

with her problem because I never had it.

I have never been overweight and I never

dieted so I can't tell what it feels

like. All I know is that she needs to

start moving and I mean more than

pressing buttons on the computer and

this is said with respect. She does

really that almost all day long, she is

a judge so she sits all day and at home

she is chatting on the computer. But we

cannot question her activity level

because she will get offended. My mom

lives with her and she tells me she is

worried but she can't cook healthy foods

for her. I wish I were closer, it is

hard to suggest anything in e-mails and

I don't want to say something that will

offend. I have tried sending research

links, offered to coach and suggested

coaching web sites, even personal

trainers who work on line and follow

progress, but she always tells me she

can't afford it. The same way she can't

afford to eat healthy too.

Any input would be appreciated.

[Guest guest]

Gluten-free diets... I've read that people trying to follow it for weight loss find it doesn't work well for that. People are grabbing it because they assume since it is for a health issue that it must also equal "weight loss" which is also "healthy" but GF isn't reduced calorie or fat so it doesn't promote weight loss on its own. Paleolithic is one of the latest diets, very difficult to follow also because it is very restictive. Many report good results with it but sticking with it is difficult.

On the exercise thing, I agree it wasn't "fair" of her doctor to tell her she needs to exercise but didn't give her much help with it. The doctor, if you were able to talk to him or her, however, might cite specific ideas that were given to your sister but she blanked those out because she didn't really want to do them. It is also very possible a doctor would just say you need to do something but with these restrictions then not give very helpful advice on what to actually do. They focus on the what not to do more so than anything in my experience.

So it is possible that's what happened, but a lot of times people who don't really want to make changes even when they're told they need to will change the story to make themselves sound like victims of circumstance. "I'm trapped by whatever circumstance and can't do anything about it and no one will help me" is the theme. Then, well-meaning, caring people like you endeavor to help them but you can't do anything about it either because the bottom line is they'll keep adjusting the story to ensure that they stay stuck (and it never occurs to them that they are their own worst enemies because the truth they completely believe is that they can't do anything meaningful about their situation no matter how hard they try and no matter how much other people try to support them or even do things for them). I see this too often at WW and it is particularly sad there because these people are paying money to do absolutely nothing meaningful. They also drain the staff of their time & energy because they want attention and think it is essential for them to lose weight (help me to change) but then never engage in any useful weight loss work on their own for more than a few days at a time. We want to help them and we also don't want to lose members so we try to help. (With experience though, we learn to spot these types of people, treat them with kindess and respect and offer help from time to time but try to disengage from spending large amounts of time with them because it is so draining and so many others are working very hard and really do need our assistance.) So if your picture of her is accurate and unless you like impossible projects (or enjoy being a martyr yourself and getting attention for all the work you put into impossible projects), I'd suggest you consider finding a way to disengage. Support her with lots of love but consider not putting much more energy into it until she shows you very significant commitment to helping herself. It may sound not very compassionate but caregivers have to protect themselves too so that they'll continue to have the resources to use to help when/if the time comes that the person is ready to truly accept the help and move forward. As long as you always stay kind, respectful and loving, she'll know you do care and you'll be helping her in more ways than either of you realize too.

Re: weight loss exercise for someone who is not allowed to work out

Does weight watchers use calorie counts (in vs. out)? From what I can see on their pictures it looks like people don't need to starve. The meals look full and healthy.My sister's daily intake is like this:breakfast:2 slices of salami or ham3 slices or radish (why count slices of veggies? I don't get it)coffee with some milklunch:small piece of low fat cheese (what's small? )3 slices of cucumber (again, why count this? go ahead, fill up on it)1 applesnack: (she is too hungry by now and jittery, sounds like pre-diabetic too)small wafer like chocolate bar and by now she knows she blew it for the day so she stops eatingdinner: nothingwater:3-5L per dayTotal calories (I used Fitbit) around 850 calories. Anyone looking at this can tell this isn't healthy. Why can't she see it? IMO she needs to start filling up on veggies and fruits (low glycemic indexed ones and low fructose), keep the fiber intake high and she can have the meat but not processed like salami (who knows what's in it?), something like chicken, pork, fish, heck even an egg for breakfast is better than salami. I will look into weight watchers on line. I didn't know they can do this on line too.Thanks for the idea.

Dear Pookie,Your sister's condition sounds so serious I'm not sure anyone other than a doctor could give a sound recommendation. Diet IS the biggest component of weight loss though, and if she's leading a sedentary life her caloric needs are less than a normal person's. I do think gentle walking is very good but man, the thought of blood vessels popping makes me very hesitant to recommend anything other than a clean diet. As far as Weight Watcher's goes - my sister and good friend do the WW online - , do you know if WW online accepts foreign currencies or payments via PayPal? I'm thinking they would be happy to get Hungarian money too My friend has lost a LOT of weight with WW and his workouts are just walking for a mile or two on the treadmill every day, nothing strenuous. Peace to you and your sister!

I thought someone would be able to help with this question; maybe in a similar situation.My sister is overweight. She has been dieting and not losing weight. She has been having health issues and last year they found that she has a congenital condition that made her neck blood vessels grow too thin and small. So her brain does not get enough O2. On her MRI and CT scan they found small focal spots of hypoxic areas and blood vessel inflammation. As a result she was put on mega doses of vitamins and supplements and was instructed to lose weight (she needs to lose at least 50 lbs but she would be happy with less like 10-15 to start). However she is not allowed to do anything that raises her blood pressure because the dr worries that her neck vessels will blow and she will get a stroke or worse. Essentially the details are that she cannot do anything with arms, cannot do push ups, lift arms above the shoulders, run, jump, and do anything aerobic. The unstable vessels are the reason they are not willing to operate to fix it. There is a high chance of giving her a brain bleed when they cut. I don't think it is fair to tell her to lose weight and not allow her to exercise, and not set her up with a physio therapist or nutritionist who can follow her and give her advice. I am not talking about weight watchers, this kind of service is non existent in Hungary. I believe she needs to use muscles to burn fat. She doesn't have any muscles obviously. She walks 2-3 times a week when friends can go with her, otherwise she won't go because it is in the dark and she is afraid to go out alone. When someone is free that is when they walk. I suggested to start walking the stairs up and down in her house so she doesn't have to leave the house. This would help her strengthen some large muscles in her legs and bum. If it hurts it's a good sign. So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for someone to exercise when she isn't allowed to do anything heavy duty. I am an Insanity fan, anything that works the heart hard and burns muscle until I can't move, I know it will make me sweat and lose weight. I have always been active so walking doesn't do anything for me but for her who has been sitting all her life, and gained weight to please her husband (who is gone now and found a bigger woman) anything light will make a difference. But she wants to see result and the 6km walks are not doing anything. She told me last fall that she started to lose weight when she started on the new diet and supplement regime. This time I asked her how much she weighs and I was surprised to hear she is 209 lbs. She is my twin sister so I can't even imagine how she cannot lose weight. She is on a gluten free diet and also on some high protein/fat low carb/no carb diet. I don't believe this is healthy. But she won't believe me (a nurse) or my husband (a dr) so what else can I do? We read research data and work out in ways that work and eat healthy, we don't believe that a special diet is necessary that will restrict nutrients and potentially can create other problems. We believe in everything in moderation and moderation is up for interpretation. But if one sees the weight creep up in spite of the recommended diet, it's time to seriously look at what is wrong with that picture. I asked her to log what she eats. Her calorie intake is low but all her calories consist of fatty foods and very little fibre. She is in starvation mode and I can't get her off the starvation diet. What do I know, right? In all honesty I cannot identify with her problem because I never had it. I have never been overweight and I never dieted so I can't tell what it feels like. All I know is that she needs to start moving and I mean more than pressing buttons on the computer and this is said with respect. She does really that almost all day long, she is a judge so she sits all day and at home she is chatting on the computer. But we cannot question her activity level because she will get offended. My mom lives with her and she tells me she is worried but she can't cook healthy foods for her. I wish I were closer, it is hard to suggest anything in e-mails and I don't want to say something that will offend. I have tried sending research links, offered to coach and suggested coaching web sites, even personal trainers who work on line and follow progress, but she always tells me she can't afford it. The same way she can't afford to eat healthy too. Any input would be appreciated.

[Guest guest]

, I love this, and I recognize that at times I have done just this, be it with weight or something else.  You call a spade a spade and that is why YOU ROCK!!!!

" .. but a lot of times people who don't really want to make changes even when they're told they need to will change the story to make themselves sound like victims of circumstance. " I'm trapped by whatever circumstance and can't do anything about it and no one will help me " is the theme. Then, well-meaning, caring people like you endeavor to help them but you can't do anything about it either because the bottom line is they'll keep adjusting the story to ensure that they stay stuck (and it never occurs to them that they are their own worst enemies because the truth they completely believe is that they can't do anything meaningful about their situation no matter how hard they try and no matter how much other people try to support them or even do things for them).

[Guest guest]

How did I miss this one? I completely agree. Robbins says,

and I'm sure there are others, people will make changes to their

lives when what they have is painful enough. If it isn't painful

enough they won't change. I guess she isn't hurting badly yet. ;0)

, I love this, and I recognize that at times I have done just this, be

it with weight or something else. You call a spade a spade

and that is why YOU ROCK!!!!

".. but a lot of times people who don't really want to make

changes even when they're told they need to will change the

story to make themselves sound like victims of circumstance.

"I'm trapped by whatever circumstance and can't do anything

about it and no one will help me" is the theme. Then,

well-meaning, caring people like you endeavor to help them but

you can't do anything about it either because the bottom line

is they'll keep adjusting the story to ensure that they stay

stuck (and it never occurs to them that they are their own

worst enemies because the truth they completely believe is

that they can't do anything meaningful about their situation

no matter how hard they try and no matter how much other

people try to support them or even do things for them).

[Guest guest]

Thank you, ! I think everyone does this from time to time, even people who normally believe the mostly do have control over their own lives. Sometimes, it just seems easier to deal with things by blaming outside forces and not having to take any personal responsiblity. Some days I wish it really was easier too! :-)

Re: weight loss exercise for someone who is not allowed to work out

, I love this, and I recognize that at times I have done just this, be it with weight or something else. You call a spade a spade and that is why YOU ROCK!!!!".. but a lot of times people who don't really want to make changes even when they're told they need to will change the story to make themselves sound like victims of circumstance. "I'm trapped by whatever circumstance and can't do anything about it and no one will help me" is the theme. Then, well-meaning, caring people like you endeavor to help them but you can't do anything about it either because the bottom line is they'll keep adjusting the story to ensure that they stay stuck (and it never occurs to them that they are their own worst enemies because the truth they completely believe is that they can't do anything meaningful about their situation no matter how hard they try and no matter how much other people try to support them or even do things for them).

[Guest guest]

Hi , I'm resending my entire reply. I hope it is helpful.

Re: weight loss exercise for someone who is not allowed to work out

How did I miss this one? I completely agree. Robbins says, and I'm sure there are others, people will make changes to their lives when what they have is painful enough. If it isn't painful enough they won't change. I guess she isn't hurting badly yet. ;0)

, I love this, and I recognize that at times I have done just this, be it with weight or something else. You call a spade a spade and that is why YOU ROCK!!!!".. but a lot of times people who don't really want to make changes even when they're told they need to will change the story to make themselves sound like victims of circumstance. "I'm trapped by whatever circumstance and can't do anything about it and no one will help me" is the theme. Then, well-meaning, caring people like you endeavor to help them but you can't do anything about it either because the bottom line is they'll keep adjusting the story to ensure that they stay stuck (and it never occurs to them that they are their own worst enemies because the truth they completely believe is that they can't do anything meaningful about their situation no matter how hard they try and no matter how much other people try to support them or even do things for them).

[Guest guest]

Painful enough or there is some other strong enough motivation to change. Unfortunately pain seems to be one of the strongest motivators.

Re: weight loss exercise for someone who is not allowed to work out

How did I miss this one? I completely agree. Robbins says, and I'm sure there are others, people will make changes to their lives when what they have is painful enough. If it isn't painful enough they won't change. I guess she isn't hurting badly yet. ;0)

, I love this, and I recognize that at times I have done just this, be it with weight or something else. You call a spade a spade and that is why YOU ROCK!!!!".. but a lot of times people who don't really want to make changes even when they're told they need to will change the story to make themselves sound like victims of circumstance. "I'm trapped by whatever circumstance and can't do anything about it and no one will help me" is the theme. Then, well-meaning, caring people like you endeavor to help them but you can't do anything about it either because the bottom line is they'll keep adjusting the story to ensure that they stay stuck (and it never occurs to them that they are their own worst enemies because the truth they completely believe is that they can't do anything meaningful about their situation no matter how hard they try and no matter how much other people try to support them or even do things for them).

[Guest guest]

Fear is another good one -- that was what got me going. Watching my parents

deteriorate, and thinking " there is MY future. "

Indyrose

>

> , I love this, and I recognize that at times I have done just this,

be it with weight or something else. You call a spade a spade and that is why

YOU ROCK!!!!

>

> " .. but a lot of times people who don't really want to make changes even

when they're told they need to will change the story to make themselves sound

like victims of circumstance. " I'm trapped by whatever circumstance and can't do

anything about it and no one will help me " is the theme. Then, well-meaning,

caring people like you endeavor to help them but you can't do anything about it

either because the bottom line is they'll keep adjusting the story to ensure

that they stay stuck (and it never occurs to them that they are their own worst

enemies because the truth they completely believe is that they can't do anything

meaningful about their situation no matter how hard they try and no matter how

much other people try to support them or even do things for them).

>