Evolution of a Couch Potato

When I had my surgery almost 4 years ago, Dr. Warnock stressed to me the importance of exercise. Well, I could barely walk, much less exercise and my finances didn't permit me to do water aerobics. I spent two years slowly gaining more strength and didn't really gain any real advantage in movement til I had my knee replacement in August two years ago. After recuperating from that surgery, I began to get around a little better but was still pretty much the typical couch potato - I had another knee that was literally bone on bone and moving HURT and it HURT badly. Well that hasn't changed but something has. In June I decided I had to do something - I had gained about twenty pounds and that wasn't acceptable. I have been cutting back calories til I was practically starving - at one point, I was eating less than 400 calories a day - and still wasn't losing. So I decided if I ever wanted to lose that pesky 20 pounds, I was going to have to move - Dr. Warnock told me that my metabolism might be completely shot - so I decided that the way to boost it was to MOVE. I started walking on my lunch hour at work - and I walked the whole hour - I took a pain pill an hour before my lunch and walked the entire South Campus of the Medical School on my lunch hour - with the use of my cane. I have kept that up religiously but have added to my exercise regimen. My apartment complex recently opend a fitness center and I have moved into it. I have a friend who is very "gym knowledgeable" and she came over and showed me how to use the machines to my best benefit. That was two weeks ago. When I started, I could barely do 2 minutes on the bike, 8 reps on the upper body pulls, 8 reps on the upper body lifts, 1 minute on the Eliptical, and 10 minutes on the treadmill. Today, I did 2 30 minute sessions on the treadmill for a total of 3 miles and a calorie burn of 350. I did 15 consecutive minutes and 1.5 miles on the bike; 10 consecutive minutes on the Eliptical and another 5 minutes on the bike for another half mile. I also did 60 reps on all the weights except the upper body lift - I can only make 30 on it. I am also doing 60 reps on the leg push which I didn't even try til this week. So, in the short span of not quite 4 months, I have turned from a total couch potato into a person how looks forward all day to working out. I NEVER thought I would say that - exercise was always an four-letter word to me and I could never understand how people coubl become addicted to it. I do now. Yes I hurt, but in truth, I hurt whether I exercise or not and I really believe that this will help prepare me for my knee replacement - and make recovery easier. So my advice to all of you who are resisting exercise - don't - it could make the difference in whether you reach your goal or not - or whether you suffer regain. I haven't lost the 20 pounds - but I have lost about 8, I think - it's hard to tell with my scales and I will know more when I weigh at Dr. W's next time I'm in Wichita Falls. But I have lost an inch in my waist and an inch under the bust - I haven't checked other measurements but I know, whether I lose the 20 pounds or any inches at all, I definitely feel better - and I have virtually lost my appetite - I really have no desire to snack all day now. In fact, I've got to make myself eat when I cool down some. Today, I've had 90 ounces of Crystal Light; a protein drink, and a protein bar for a total of 455 calories. I will either have another protein drink or a light dinner. I found out last night that it isn't good to eat a heavy meal after a strenuous workout. Hope you are all doing great.

There you go again with the inspirational posts Patty! Great job. I am convinced that you--and my nutritionist are right. Exercise is the number one key to successful maintenance. IMHO--the other key is no grazing. I am really thrilled for you. I'm having knee problems too, but at this point that is not my number one focus. I am vowing to get back to the exercise as soon as this ps recovery is completed.

Lynda, I resisted this for so long - and to be honest, I don't think I could have done it before the first replacement. I am so enjoying the fitness room - and I know that I have to be getting healthier for my efforts. Hope your PS recovery is coming along nicely and you will soon be back with your nose to the exercise grindstone. As for the grazing, I have pretty much lost interest in grazing since I started this more intense exercise. It's amazing how I don't want to graze - usually - I still have moments but nothing like I have had in the past. I made myself eat the protein bar this afternoon because I had had nothing but liquids all day and had a long drive home in heavy traffic - didn't want to have a hypoglycemic spell behind the wheel. But, the truth is, I really didn't want to eat. And, I still don't. I just fixed a Fuzzy Navel and am sipping on it. Patty

Patty, That is a true testimony to the difference exercising can make. Two months after I had my revision surgery I had to have knee surgery and that meant no walking for a while. I lost NO weight that month. I started back walking slowly and when I got back to the gym I was doing the treadmill at 1.5 miles per hour. It hurt, and it continued to hurt, but I pressed on. Today I did the treadmill at 3.5 mph and felt great! Then I came home and TJ and I rode our new tandem bike around the neighborhood (we always get so many grins when folks see us on our bicycle built for two). Earlier in the day I fondled a package of Oreo cookies in our breakroom FULL of every kind of free snack and candy a person could want. I looked at it and put it back down thinking there was NO WAY I was going to eat those and spend an hour in the gym trying to work them off. It just proves that the more I exercise the better I want to eat; the better I eat the more I feel like exercising. It's a win-win combination and you summed it up quite eloquently! I'm so happy for you and I can say I absolutely, positively know how you feel about getting addicted to exercise. Keep up the good work lady! DD

DD, How funny that you mentioned the Oreos. I was working in my boss's office today - the motherboard on my computer died- and she brought me a huge chocolate chip cookie back from a meeting - it looked sooooooooooooooo good. You know what, that cookie is wrapped in a napkin in my bag - I brought it home for my son. Our exercise equipment tells how many calories you have burned - and believe me, I had no intention of putting myself through the agony of trying to burn up enough calories to compensate for that cookie. Thirty minutes on the treadmill between 2 and 2.5 mph only burned up 155 calories - there is no way I could burn off that cookie - and I really didn't want it. Something I should have mentioned - if you look at something and say, "it's only x amount of calories, I can burn that off" - get on some good gym equipment and see just how hard you have to work to burn off that amount of calories. And, remember, it takes a loss of something like 3500 calories to lose a pound. Glad you are doing so great. I envy you riding around the neighborhood - even if I could ride a regular bike, there is no way in this horrid heat. Patty

Great Post Patty, You truely inspire me, as soon as I get Maria's afghan done, I am hitting the roads for walks myself, you were right in one sentence more then you know, you are in pain, whether you excercise or not, so it is a couple of pain pills then I am going out walking, thank you for the post...... I needed it!!!!!! Love you, Me

You go girl!!! Never thought you'd be a gym rat, did you?? I love it!! Dr. W. will be so proud of you. There you are, with one knee still bone on bone, and you are still out there working out. You are truly an inspiration! Sometimes it's hard for me to make myself go to the gym and I have NO pain! You rock!! Hugs, Connie

Connie, I couldn't have done it without you - talk about being an inspiration - you definitely are one. And I wouldn't have a clue what to do with all that equipment without your generous help. Thanks for helping make me a gym rat. Patty