Grandma needs a workout...

Hi everybody. Im new to th is forum, but really need some help here. Im a 61 year old extremely healthy and agile female, (grandma to 18 grands so I hafta be agile!) I had RNY 2 and a half years ago, losing 130 pounds. Over the winter, when I stopped walking,,I gained 10 pounds and a few inches. I panicked! I have been journaling everything in fitday, and watching every bote that goes into my mouth,and have lost 5 of those ten pounds. However, I am not exercising at all! I am so overwhelmed with everything I read, that I dont know where to start. Can someone give me some ideas here? I bought hand weights, 2 and ten pounds, a whole bunch of Sweatin with the Oldies videos ( do they REALLY work??) Some Leslie Sansone walking dvds. and even a Cher workout,,,...now, I need someone to tell me what to do first??!! Im upping my water and protein,,and keeping calories below 1300. Should I go lower?  HELP! Somebody,,,anybody,,,,,, Be Blessed Betsy

I have done the Leslie Sansone videos and if you want something to do on a rainy day I would highly suggest it, but I agree with the others that you might as well get out and enjoy the weather by walking outside.  The nice thing with the Lesle Sansone videos is that if you walk with the beat you can track how far you have walked with the video.  I haven't seen or done a Sweatin' to the Oldies video since I was in high school (11 or 12 years ago) so I am not sure how they are now.  I say keep it simple.  If you would like ideas for exercises to do with the hand weights I can talk to my sister who is a personal trainer and see what she says and then let you know.  I hope you find some sort of exercise that you enjoy! ~Nicole

Hey everyone, thanks for all the tips! I cant afford a personal trainer right now, and there is no Y here, its a small town. However, we have lots fo streets to walk, and a beautiful new walking trail at the park, so thats where Ill start. Walking is one thing I enjoy, so may as well start there, right? Its getting out that door thats the hard part,,instead of saying,,Ill walk as soon as I,,,feed the dog,,clean the bathroom, make the beds,,etc.....and then,,its too cool, wet,,,hot,,,I gotta learn to discipline. You would think at my age, Id already have that part figured out! LOL Ok,,,got my tennnis shoes on,,,,Im goin,,,,,, Blessings Betsy

I believe in keeping things simple. With the warmer/nicer days outside, take advantage of daily walks outside. It's a great way to get in some simple exercise and get outside and see the neighborhood. Start off small to get the joints and muscles accustomed to walking outside. Then each time out increase your distance.

Before you know it, you'll be a hot grandma, that people will be checking out.

Good luck 

I don't know about the sweatin to the oldies, but I have done the leslie sansone ones before and you actually can get a pretty good workout out of it if you put some effort into it.  Just like someone else said...it's getting nicer outside so take advantage of that and go for walks.  Basically find something that is fun to you and have a good time with it.  Good luck with what ever you choose.

 

 Hi Betsy, I'm also new to this forum as well as being new to OH.  I'm traveling almost in the same shoes you are; I'm going on 71, had my RNY 3 yrs 4 months ago, lost 135 lbs, wore out my exercise bicycle and then stopped exercising because I didn't know what to do.  My weight stabilized with this 135 lbs several years ago but still 40 lbs above where I want to be.   Then, I had a major setback with a failed liver last year (due to a bacteria which ate my internal organs causing my liver to fail), regained 15 lbs, and not being a happy camper with my weight going in the wrong direction.  Now, I have 50 lbs or so I want to lose to regain my former self.  I'd also previously taken care of my elderly mother who was a total care person.  I installed handicapped rails throughout my house.  After her death, for 12 years, I used these handicapped tools to assist me.  I found I deliberately made myself a cripple where I've been unable to walk up or down a single stair step without intense pain even though I’d pull on the railings to assist me.  Following my recovery from liver failure, I realized if I didn't immediately change my ways, I'd be in a wheel chair before the year is out. In January 2008, I started doing tons of research into knowing the proper foods to put into my body and started attending various WLS support groups, learning about nutrition, vitamins, minerals, as well as fitness tools.  I've been learning tons upon tons of wonderful information and access to incredible tools -- such as the wealth of information available at www.obesityhelp.com. Like you, I've had the weights, the exercise videos, the balls, the hand weights, the weight bench, the ... whatever for years.  But, I didn't know where to start.  Hopefully my sharing with you what I have been experiencing and struggling with, and what I've been learning and implementing, will help you.  I truly hope so.   The first thing I did was start to attend WLS Support Group and surgery events in my area, learning more of what I wish I had known before.  Through attending one of the WLS Support groups, I was introduced to a personal trainer.  Desperate for help because of my being crippled, I hired him to help get me started and to teach me the right way to exercise so I wouldn't hurt myself.     Yes, it cost a lot of money; but, I've found it so worthwhile because I'm gaining so much confidence besides energy, and my being crippled is becoming a thing of the past! Also, as a senior citizen, I have access to the FREE Silver Sneakers program at the YMCA.   Because of your age, it may be available to you as well.  Check with your insurance provider.  But, if it isn't, simply join the Y.  I'm so glad I did.   I truly didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I did these 2 things (hiring a personal trainer, and enrolling at the Y in the Silver Sneakers Program).  I just knew if I didn't do something, I'd be in a wheelchair before the year is out, and forced into a skilled nursing home and out of my home, unable to care for myself. I've been training for 5 weeks now, and the difference is incredible.  I work out doing weight training with my personal trainer 3 times a week for 60 minutes each time plus 30 minutes stretching and do cardio work at the Y 3 days a week for 1 hour 30 minutes, followed by a soak in their Whirlpool for 15 minutes or so.  It is incredible!  My trainer showed and encouraged me to do cardio on a treadmill at an elevation of 15 but a speed of only 2.0 in place of really fast speeds, pumping my arms, and keeping the elevation flat.  I find it amazing that I CAN do this – and I CAN – when 6 weeks ago, I could only do 2 minutes tops and with the elevation flat. I think this just goes to show how resilient our bodies are, if we get our bodies to start working through regular exercising.

also regularly do stretching exercises in my home.   The trainer is showing me easy ways to use what I already have in my home, such as walking up and down my stairs, or using 1 lb cans of vegetables or fruits, to work my muscles.  He’s taught me how to do squats to get whatever muscles working, and shoot 6 lb medicine balls against the area above my garage.   Betsy, these things were foreign to me 6 weeks ago!  Simply foreign. I've learned so much; but, more importantly, I'm feeling ever so much better, and no longer am I a cripple!  I find it hard to remember that only 6 weeks ago I was a cripple and in so much pain.  Now, I still have some pain upon getting up from a seated position; but, I am improving, and so encouraged. One of my exercises is to walk up and down 12 stairs to my garage loft without holding onto the railing to pull myself up and holding onto the railing for dear life as I descend.  I can now do this!   I've had to hang on for dear life to any and all railings to get up and down stairs.  But, no more!  And, I can almost get off my toilet now without pulling on the handicapped bar! 

Every day, I’m getting better and better in every way!  I've also lost a good number of inches from my frame.  My weight is slightly changed.  I’m told if I keep doing what I'm doing, the weight will come off.  But, hey, my clothes are much looser and I have tons more energy! Betsy, regarding keeping calories below 1300, that may or may not be a good idea.   I just had a basal metabolism test done, which tells me precisely how many calories I need daily to sustain my body and how to increase my caloric consumption and get my sluggish metabolism to change its ways.  My heart beats per minute are way, way low. being in the low 40s and high 30s.  I found that out last summer with the failed liver.  The docs were considering putting in a pace maker; but, all the cardiology tests proved I didn't need one.  I just have very low heart beats per minute. Additionally, I consistently ate around 1,000 calories a day since my surgery.  Before my surgery, I was never able to eat much food.  For example, if I ate 1/2 of a sandwich I was OK.  If I ate 3/4 of a sandwich, I'd gain weight!  So, I'd starve myself and eat only 1/2 of a sandwich, and some fruits and no vegetables, and wonder why my weight ballooned.  My weight ballooned 135 lbs following the death of my mother following the 50 lbs I’d put on caring for her.  It was hard caring for her total needs and my body simply fell apart following her death.  After my RNY, I settled on 1,000 calories a day, exercising daily on my air exercise bicycle until I wore it out reducing my weight this 135 lbs but not keeping any records. Because I started going to various WLS support groups, I found out about www.MyFitDay.com.  I was thrilled to hear that you are using this tool.  Isn’t it a wonderful tool which helps track food consumption, not only the calories, but more importantly the nutritional elements of the food, your weight, your exercises, etc?  So, I started tracking my calories, food choices, and exercises, falling in love with MyFitDay tool!  I then began to adjust what I was eating to ensure I was getting at least the minimum daily requirement of this and that.  I also started taking the amount of calcium citrate and vitamins recommended by one of the doctors which looked on the charts as though I was getting toxic levels.  Then, I had my blood tests done to see where I stand.  I found that with what I'm doing, my blood panels have me right down the middle: not too much and not too little of anything.  Wow!  Following my blood work and checking in with my primary care doctor, I saw a nutritionist.  The nutritionist told me I needed to get to 1200 daily calories, because 1200 is considered the normal bottom rate.  I forced myself to eat more, which has been hard to do, but I felt I had to because 1200 is the magic number.

I also talked with her about the fact since my RNY I have probably consistently only had 1 oz. 2 times a week of cooked carrots and once in a while a V-8.  Every time I had a V-8 my body sang.  But, I truthfully also make my own soups, which are stuffed with all types of vegetables, especially tomatoes.

She said, “Why don’t you consider juicing your vegetables?”  Wow!  This is another subject; but, I did start juicing my vegetables, and my body is really feeling ever so much better!  Now, I’m out on the Internet researching juicing fruits and vegetables and raw food and other nifty subjects relating to food.   I found through juicing my vegetables, I could get my 2.5 cups of veggies in daily because this equates with only 6 ounces of juice.  My pouch can handle that!  Regarding water consumption, I keep my consumption around 3 quarts daily.

Yet, because I increased the number of daily calories to 1200 to 1300 and no longer 1,000, I started to put on more weight much to the consternation of my personal trainer and my intense disgust, considering my workout weekly schedule.  I told him I was going to reduce what I was eating because I refused to have my weight increase even though my body size is being reduced significantly through weight training and cardio work. He recommended a metabolic profile test to determine what my resting metabolic rate is, as well as what the rate is at various levels of exercise.  He wanted to prove to me that I really could eat 1200 calories a day.  I told him, "I couldn't!"  See www.NewLeafFitness.com for further information. I had the test yesterday.  It is amazing.  I found out that my base rate is 771 calories a day!  Currently, if I eat more than that, I gain weight, unless I exercise off the increase in calories.  I think that not only did I do myself in by relying on the handicapped bars I'd installed in my home 12 years ago to assist my total care elderly mother, I also caused my caloric burn to go down and down and down far below the 1200 which is considered to be the amount we must eat to keep our body going through my own foolish and ignorant actions.  I think that every time I ever went on a diet over the past 50 years or so and starved myself, I caused my caloric set point to become lower and lower and lower and lower, bottoming now at 771 calories a day.  I don't know that for a fact, but it sounds as though that is exactly what I did.  Maybe there is someone on this list who could help me understand this better? So, should you or shouldn't you reduce your calories?  I can't answer that.  I just know I'm glad I paid to get this metabolic profiling test because now an exercise program has been designed specifically for me and my needs.  To the extent I follow it, I should be able to finally increase my metabolism and yes, through eating lots more foods increasing my daily calorie consumption, get my body working right, and get my weight out of the obese range.   Today was my day not to do any cardio or any exercises.  I’ll start my program tomorrow, and will let you know how it goes.

But, I do know I wouldn't be where I am now, if I hadn't hired the personal trainer.  If you decide to consider getting the metabolic profile done, www.NewLeafFitness.com lists who can do this profiling in your area.  Fortunately for me, I found that I was able to get this profiling done from the same location where I am being helped with my personal trainer. I asked the trainers, “Why this specific type of test and why this company?”  The owner of the fitness shop told me she’d researched the various methods, and in her opinion, it is the best metabolic testing program. Yet, should you or shouldn't you do what I am doing?  If you can afford to hire a personal trainer, great; but, if you can't, there are great resources available for us through this exercise and fitness forum.  There is even a DVD for bariatric folks on appropriate exercises.   I took a preview look at it this evening and it looks simply great!  The Y is wonderful, and trainers are available there as well. 

Betsy I hope knowing some of what I’ve been going through and learning and doing helps you and answers your questions and concerns.  Blessings to you in your personal weight loss journey and your daily life!