Thread: In need of some brainstorming

1. Have your hormones and vitamin levels checked.
2. You may use orthotics for your feet or you may use some inserts from a health/fitness store.
3. Yoga is good....you might want to try Tai Chi for relaxation, and/or pilates for a more challenging routine.
4. Try to walk at least 30 minutes a day - you can do it slow on a treadmill.

Other than your feet, do you have other health issues? Any medications? Surgeries or injuries?

No, no other issues. I have orthotics and because i lost my insurance a year ago, I have not been able to get them replaced and they have broken down.

got on the dreaded scale this morning. been a week since i weighted myself last. not good news. rather discouraging morning at 158lbs. did my yoga anyways and now i am gonna go take the dog for a walk and try to ignore the pain in my feet. probably won't be a half hour tho. it is 3 degrees out there this morning. wish i could afford to go to the doctor and have my hormones and vitiamin levels checked. maybe that would explain part of my weight loss issues. it is a complex issue and there is more than one thing involved here. i just wish i could find the magic recipe. i am trying my hardest to stay positive. but weight gain makes me want to give up.

Stick with the yoga and try adding pilates. You definitely need something that will get your hear rate up and make you sweat. I was going to suggest the bike, but you said that hurts your feet as well. What about the row machine?

don't have a rowing machine. wish i could go to the gym and try out different fitness equipment, but the nearest gym is 45 minutes away and they don't have a trial membership. i called and asked. i would hate to buy a rowing machine and then not be able to use it. i am going to look into the pilates and get a couple of dvds. you folks have been great. i thank you for the brainstorming. obesity runs in my family and i don't want to go there and i can feel it coming that if i don't change something soon i will become obese, which i know will only make my feet problems worse. i have to change this. this is the year of success. i can feel it.

I have bad feet too- if you can save up the $30-$40 then try OTC heat-molded orthotics. I got mine at 's Sports and they work WONDERS as long as I don't push it too hard.
My other suggestion is small increments. Start with 10 minutes walking 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Then 15min 3x for 2 weeks. Then 15min 4x for 2 weeks. You'll be up to 15 extra minutes of exercise a day before you know it!! Don't expect to be able to do 30 minutes every day right off the bat because you will just hurt too much the next day and give up. Small changes add up! And then in 3 months you can list all the small changes you've made and be proud of your accomplishments!

Oh, one other thing to try... Can you sit on an exercise ball at work? It is fun (I would bounce up & down for hours while working the phones), builds muscle and the constant movement helps burn extra calories (not many but every little bit helps). Co-workers would steal it to play with when I went to lunch and I'd have to walk around & find it - hey another calorie burner I didn't think of the first time!

Huge suggestion!!! Look up "Hungry Girl" recipes, they are worth their weight in gold! It's a woman who's made it her life's mission to make healthy recipes out of guilty favorites without sacrificing taste or satisfaction! The portions are big and the calories are low. I LOVE her stuff! She's got some books with recipes but she has a few online that you can find. That will help with filling you up without filling out your figure.

Also, drinking at least 8 8oz glasses of water a day will help your body flush out all the water soluble junk in your system. I'd also recommend a daily multi-vitamin. Try taking one thats made from natural food sources. Unless is says "made from natural food sources" then it's being made from chemically separated, artificially compounded sources which your body can't absorb very well (not to mention, who knows how pure the "sources" are, eww).

Also, if you eat out then cut your portions in half. I've been cutting my portions in half at every meal for a couple months and I've lost 10lbs (and I'm the laziest person when it comes to losing weight!)

Try all that for a month and see what happens

thats a great idea. about taking the ball to work. never thought of it. i wonder if my boss would mind? guess theres only one way to find out. and thanks jeanner, thats what i have to remember. every little bit counts. It may only be an extra 20 calories burnt, but it more burnt than before. i weighed myself this morning,..... 157lbs. i lost a pound. i am sooooo happy. thanks for the time.