I have been putting on weight since having pain in my groin since last October. I saw my GP was referred to a consultant only to be told I need a hip replacement. Since October I have put on nearly 2 stone in weight due to poor mobility. Any advice on best way to lose it in 2 months? Thank you 😃
Dear Sara
My experience is that imobility is not the main problem.It's the food!
I had got to about 11 stone give or take a couple of pounds and was assured this was inevitable at my age ever since my late 50s.
A chance comment on TV to the effect that women generally increase a dress size with each decade, but age has nothing to do with it and anyone can lose weight.This was about 2 years ago.
I decided to go for it and I am now 9.Stone and feeling much happier at age 80.
No faddy dieting is the answer, but a permanent change in eating habits.
I now eat only natural whole foods,nothing with additives, no ready meals,no meat fish or eggs.
Just masses of veg in every variety of shape and colour. Plenty of potatoes (especially sweet) rice, pasta ,and lots of legumes,( beans,lentils etc.)
Lots of fruit and salads, A lot of spinach and avacados.
It works for me!
Good luck.
Joyx
Hi Sara,
warm welcome to this wonderful hippies forum where personal stories and experiences are shared ....
I wish, really wish, I could give you the perfect answer - Unfortunately, and sadly I have gained a lot of weight over the year(s) preceeding THR surgery -
I believe it is the decline of mobility - not being able to do physical things painfree took its toll - slowly, gradually, but surely -
I lost a couple of kilos before my 1st THR through exercising but had to stop as it became too painful -
I am in the process of making peace with myself regarding the plumpness .... my body went through2 THR surgeries and is slowly gaining more strength and energy --
I will follow this discussion though ...
Joy, I am happy it is working for you --- I wish my weight thing was food related ......
Sara, when is your THR surgery scheduled for?
big warm hug \renee
Meant to say also stay away from all processed foods.( the word processed escaped me before)
Often find myself unable to find the word I need.It seems the brain is cluttered with too much rubbish,much like an overstuffed filing cabinet.
(The word comes when I stop looking for it.)
Also give all junk food outlets a miss!!
Hi Joy thanks for your reply. I do eat very healthily ie no processed foods lots of friut and veg love sweet potato. Apart from a Saturday when I go out for lunch!!
i wondered if it was the medication.
Hi Renee
thank you for replying. I'm not sure when mine will be done. I was told in March I needed one but as the pain wasn't constant & I was 57 I found it hard to believe it so opted for a steroid injection which I had in May. It was great but sadly only lasted 9 yes 9 days. I'm now in absolute agony taking all kinds of painkillers including morphine. I Saw consultant 2 weeks ago & am now on the waiting list. I can't even walk my dog anymore. My exercise routine is just around the house. But I do have a healthy diet & would feel better if I could lose some weight. I don't have any medical/health problems apart from my hip!! It's really getting me down.
I think medication has a lot to do with it too - weight gain (sometimes Rapid) is listed as a side effect but so is weight loss -
I am so sorry that you are in so much pain ---
Try to keep your self as fit as possible - I tried and found it very challenging when in so much pain --- no use beating yourself up though -
For some reason men, the male population, are able to lose weight easier than us ....
Wishing you a lot of strength and peace of mind - remember that all is well -
please keep us posted on how you are doing, okay?
Hi Sara,
First off - a big hug. I definitely agree with your goal but adding pressure to yourself before this operation may not be the best timing. Starting the change in philosophy ... oh yes, but major weight loss likely not.
Having said that, there is no doubt less weight would make recovery easier.
I lost 40 pounds about 8 years ago. I think the key ingredients were: drinking lots of water (8-10 glasses per day), eating a protein breakfast every day (usually involving Greek yogourt , fruit and cereal or steel cut oatmeal, but not exclusively), decreasing portion sizes and increasing the proportion of veggies and fruit to meat and carbs, and increasing my activity levels (walking a lot and a gym workout - now I might recommend doing this in the pool as exercise with a bad hip is much easier and effective there). My last pice of advice is .... don't be afraid to leave something on your plate! We are taught from an early age to finish our meal or clean our plate. Well, actually, we should just stop when we are full or had enough. And do no get sucked into .. oh but this is a treat - if it doesn't taste amazing it isn't worth the calories! By the same token - it is better to treat yourself with something worthwhile once a week, than to feel like a victim. Celebrate your life and your week.
I understand this might not work for everyone, but that was my approach h and I've managed to keep off all of it (except 5 pounds) for 9 years.
To be honest, I think working with a physiotherapist to build up key muscles group might have more effect presurgery ... focusing on the core, glutes and adductors.
Big hug and best wishes for your surgery.
Linda
Sara - I think the best thing you can do at this point is stay as fit as you can, treading water at the local pool for me was a life saver, right up until the day before surgery, floating with a noodle tucked under my arms, and using the assisted floating to stretch, gave me some relief from the pain, even in the last couple of weeks when I was in a wheelchair, pain was a nightmare.
Pain killers as strong as you are on are going to make you sleepy, prbably constipated as well.
Just eat healthy as you can, lots of protein, yoghurt and skinny milk for calcium, you are going to need to re-build muscles and blood after your surgery, let alone new bone as you do apparently around the implant, all helps stablise the implant.
Best wishes for your surgery, being a double hippie I can sympathise where you are coming from, not fun but you do improve hugely compared to where you are now.
I was in less pain after my surgery than before, much to my amazement, but when they asked me to get on my feet, well that was another story, but after about 10 days was able to give up the really strong morphine type medication, amazing, as I had been on morphine for months previous to surgery.
Hi Sara, I lost 2 stone in just over 2 months on Slimming World pre-op. I was very dubious but it has worked & I felt so much better for doing it. You don't really have to cut things out, just adapt your cooking & cook meals from scratch (no processed rubbish). The food I have cooked us amazing but if you don't like cooking, Iceland sell SW ready meals. Good luck x
Oh that is HARD ... I managed to lose 5 stone (70 pounds) by eating salads instead of sandwiches and pies for lunch.
I also cut carbs right back so only 1 potato instead of 4-5.
Portion sizes make a huge difference too.
You just need to eat less calories than you burn - so don't look for 'low fat', but go for 'low calorie' foods when shopping.
Good luck
Graham
Hi Sara. I had my hip replacement 8months ago and like you, had put on 2 stone because of lack of mobility. I am 15 stone now compared to the 13 stone I used to be.
My surgeon never asked me to lose weight before surgery! He could see I could barely walk with 2 crutches so he knew exercise was out of the question! I actually find that quite rude that you were asked to. I was expecting mine to say something along those lines as I told him I'd put on 2 stone but he said 'Karen, you're healthy. Your heart is great, your blood tests have come back fine - you're fit and healthy. Worry about losing the weight after your hips have been done. He made me feel so good about myself and I'll never forget that. Yes I know its better to lose weight before an op but if losing weight was that easy, we would've done it before now lol.
If I were you, just eat as healthy as you can and dream about losing all your weight by walking after your op. The op isnt as scary as it seems and I myself recovered well. I was walking around the supermarket after 3weeks and driving at 6weeks. At 8 weeks I was able to play with my grandson on the playground, climb thru the tunnel and go down the slide with him.
All the best for your op x
Hi sara:
I sure wish I had an answer as I have put on weight in the last 16 months myself not being able to move or function like I normally would. It has been real difficult to say the least. I try to eat healthy and also I think that for myself I may eat out of boredom because I am not able to function like I normally would either. I just had my first hip replacement almost 10 weeks ago and am getting my second one in 19 more days. I am so looking forward to being able to function normally and be myself again. Wishing you well Barb
Don't worry too much about your weight as eating right and keeping up your intake of protein, calcium and vitamins so you can recover well. Protein shakes can be a great solution in the early days when you may not feel like eating.
Aqua or hydrotherapy are good options right now for easing pain and strengthening muscles.
Take care,
L
Cut down on your portion sizes. You can get a plastic plate which has proper portion sizes marked on it. Very useful. It's easy to think that you eat less than you actually do. A friend lost a lot of weight quite quickly with the Atkins diet. I wouldn't do this for a long time as I'm not sure it's that healthy long term but I was told that for quick weight loss it was OK for a short time.
Hi Karen
Thank you so much for your reply. To be honest the consultant hasn't said I have to lose weight it's me that wants to lose the weight I too can barely walk and think if I could just lose some weight I might feel a bit better in myself I eat very healthily and usually before all this exercise quite a lot. Apart from my hip I don't have any health problems but I'm worried given my family history if I put on too much weight It will cause heart problems or diabetes.
I'm so glad you're feeling much better now you've had yours done I have the pain like this.
Kindest regards Sara
The last line should read never known pain like this!!
Hi Barb
Yes I think boredom plays a big part!
Good luck with your 2nd hip. I hope all goes well with a speedy recovery x
Kindest regards Sara
Hi
I don't think my portion sizes could be cut any less. I take 1500 calories a day. I'm 178cm tall (if I could stand up straight) am sure it's immobility that's the problem.
Kindest regards Sara
Hi Graham
I don't think portion sizes could be cut any less. I take 1500 calories a day. I'm 178cm tall (if I could stand up straight) am sure it's immobility that's the problem.
Kindest regards Sara