I've had my J-Pouch since 2006. I haven't been able to get my weight under 195 since surgery. I'm 5'3" and current up to 230. I've tried Weight Watchers, protein diets, counting calories, all which have worked really well at first but then I seem to stop losing! I am a 40 years old divorced mother and my weight is really starting to take a toll on me. I am tired all the time, I tried starting Couch to 5K but my joints hurt too bad to continue. Someone suggested Lap-Band to me but is that even possible with a J-Pouch? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! I'm very frustrated and disappointed in myself for not being able to get it under control. HELP!!!
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For me the diets never worked but increasing my exercise resulted in quick weight loss. Do you know why your joints hurt? Past use of prednisone, medical condition, etc.?
I started out on a walker, then a cane and finally learned to race walk. If you work with a race walking coach, you are trained on flexibility and form. One of my coaches had her colon removed in July and completed a marathon in October! It was very tough but I completed my first half marathon in Dec. My reversal was in June. I crossed trained with weight lifting in a pool. I am older than you and worried about permanent damage to joints.
My physical therapist said the couch to 5k plan was not recommended for post surgery recovery. It is a plan useful for people without our medical history. In his opinion it did not include enough stretching and was too hard on recovering joints.
I also had a problem of eating to stuff down emotions such as frustration, embarrassment and pain. My j-pouch recovery has been a roller coaster of success and problems. My compulsive need to eat has stopped on its own. I have lost 23.6 lbs in six months. I suspect it will take the same amount of time for the last 25.
I am concerned that being tired all the time could be from something other than your weight.
Have you had your iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 checked lately? I have malabsorption problems with the last 2 vitamins. The vitamin B12 was fixed quickly with a supplement but the vitamin D has been a problem. A normal reading is 30-70. My first test was less than 4 and now it is up to 18.3.
You are probably under a lot of stress from the combination of surgery and being a single mother. Would counseling help? Relieving the emotional stress will make it much easier for you to accomplish losing a large amount of weight.
I wish you the best of luck. It is much harder than most people can imagine. You just have to be very stubborn and not give up. There will be lots of problems and set backs along the way. Keep reminding yourself that you deserve to reach your goals!
I started out on a walker, then a cane and finally learned to race walk. If you work with a race walking coach, you are trained on flexibility and form. One of my coaches had her colon removed in July and completed a marathon in October! It was very tough but I completed my first half marathon in Dec. My reversal was in June. I crossed trained with weight lifting in a pool. I am older than you and worried about permanent damage to joints.
My physical therapist said the couch to 5k plan was not recommended for post surgery recovery. It is a plan useful for people without our medical history. In his opinion it did not include enough stretching and was too hard on recovering joints.
I also had a problem of eating to stuff down emotions such as frustration, embarrassment and pain. My j-pouch recovery has been a roller coaster of success and problems. My compulsive need to eat has stopped on its own. I have lost 23.6 lbs in six months. I suspect it will take the same amount of time for the last 25.
I am concerned that being tired all the time could be from something other than your weight.
Have you had your iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 checked lately? I have malabsorption problems with the last 2 vitamins. The vitamin B12 was fixed quickly with a supplement but the vitamin D has been a problem. A normal reading is 30-70. My first test was less than 4 and now it is up to 18.3.
You are probably under a lot of stress from the combination of surgery and being a single mother. Would counseling help? Relieving the emotional stress will make it much easier for you to accomplish losing a large amount of weight.
I wish you the best of luck. It is much harder than most people can imagine. You just have to be very stubborn and not give up. There will be lots of problems and set backs along the way. Keep reminding yourself that you deserve to reach your goals!
The only thing that helps me maintain my weight is good ol exercise. If I don't do it, I will gain weight. I joined an affordable gym (Planet Fitness) for $10 a month and dedicate 1 hour a day to some sort of cardio. Treadmill, eliptical, stepper, ect. The elliptical machine may be a good choice for you if your joints hurt because its no impact. I don't diet, I just try to make good choices with food. I don't particularly enjoy excercising but it does help and I do feel better. It's just part of my daily routine now.
I'm not sure what causes my joint pain but I was on prednisone for many years! I'm an emotional eater as well. I know exercise is the key but I'm just having a hard time with it right now. I work full time as a college recruiter so I have to travel a lot. It's hard to fit it in & still spend the time I need to with my son. I feel that if I could lose some of the weight I would have more engery & exercise would be easier for me. I'm very frustrated & depressed. 
Excercise helped me, but only to lose about 10 pounds. You really need to eat less while increasing activity, which maintains your metabolic rate when you reduce your caloric intake.
What really made a difference was a medically managed weight loss program. It was offered through my health plan. They did a full matabolic panel with EKG before beginning. You atart out with meal replacements (protein shakes and bars) for 15 weeks, then transition to real food for another 15 weeks. I lost 65 pounds on this. My husband joined me. Ihave gained back about 20 pounds of it, but learned valuable lessons about portion control, mindful eating and what triggers mindless eating.
the main thing is not to diet in the long run, but change your eating patterns for life.
Jan
What really made a difference was a medically managed weight loss program. It was offered through my health plan. They did a full matabolic panel with EKG before beginning. You atart out with meal replacements (protein shakes and bars) for 15 weeks, then transition to real food for another 15 weeks. I lost 65 pounds on this. My husband joined me. Ihave gained back about 20 pounds of it, but learned valuable lessons about portion control, mindful eating and what triggers mindless eating.
the main thing is not to diet in the long run, but change your eating patterns for life.
Jan
Jan's idea is very interesting. Can you call your insurance company and see if they have any weight loss plans they cover or offer? Mine only covers Weight Watchers which did not work for me.
I have been involved in sports my whole life but I can tell you it has never been easy. There are moments when I excel at a particular sport and I feel like I am gliding or flying, but the rest of the time it is hard work. You need to keep your dream in front of you. Find a short mantra you can say while working out. Mine is too silly to write here but it works for me. It is just three words that keep my rhythm and remind me of my goals.
At our level it is easiest if we do one fitness day followed by a rest day and repeat. Saturday is the day I do longer or harder distances followed by a complete rest on Sunday. For joint relief I use Perform cream and epsom salt baths. Stretching twice a day every day after a five minute warm up helps a lot.
When I travel I use the gym at every hotel I stay in. All of them seem to have basic treadmills that you could at least walk a few miles on. I also use resistance bands. You can buy the resistance bands at Target or any sports store. I use to two different strengths: a light one for my weaker muscles and a more resistant one for stronger muscles. There are lots of guides on the internet for each brand of band. Even if all you can do is one mile on the treadmill in the beginning, it is a start. I was told to always stop before I was tired. Eventually I built up to the 13.1 miles. I use the bands on "rest days."
I use the free Nike running app on my phone. It works on walking too. Your target workout heart rate should be 70% of your maximum heart rate. This is about 150 beats per minute for me so I put a playlist together of music that matches that many beats. I think I started out using Shape's magazine website suggestions for finding good music that matched the beats I needed. Running World also has a lot of information on developing a good playlist to listen to while working out. The music helps me to keep going even when I feel lousy physically. The music always cheers me up.
How old is your son? I have four boys, now men. One trick was to enroll them in sports and do my exercising while they were doing their sports. Sometimes we would all take a sports class together like kayaking, rock combing or yoga. It is a challenge to figure out parenting, working and time for yourself.
One of my neighbors is a Lap-band surgeon. Her husband is a lawyer who works full-time taking care of the lawsuits. Based on how busy he is, I would not recommend lap-bands for anyone with a j-pouch. The procedure keeps improving but apparently there can be a lot of problems.
My puppy says I am writing too much and need to go to sleep. She keeps putting her head on the keyboard. Let me know if I want more specifics on anything. Remember: Fat girls can do anything, if we just put our hearts and souls into it. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
I have been involved in sports my whole life but I can tell you it has never been easy. There are moments when I excel at a particular sport and I feel like I am gliding or flying, but the rest of the time it is hard work. You need to keep your dream in front of you. Find a short mantra you can say while working out. Mine is too silly to write here but it works for me. It is just three words that keep my rhythm and remind me of my goals.
At our level it is easiest if we do one fitness day followed by a rest day and repeat. Saturday is the day I do longer or harder distances followed by a complete rest on Sunday. For joint relief I use Perform cream and epsom salt baths. Stretching twice a day every day after a five minute warm up helps a lot.
When I travel I use the gym at every hotel I stay in. All of them seem to have basic treadmills that you could at least walk a few miles on. I also use resistance bands. You can buy the resistance bands at Target or any sports store. I use to two different strengths: a light one for my weaker muscles and a more resistant one for stronger muscles. There are lots of guides on the internet for each brand of band. Even if all you can do is one mile on the treadmill in the beginning, it is a start. I was told to always stop before I was tired. Eventually I built up to the 13.1 miles. I use the bands on "rest days."
I use the free Nike running app on my phone. It works on walking too. Your target workout heart rate should be 70% of your maximum heart rate. This is about 150 beats per minute for me so I put a playlist together of music that matches that many beats. I think I started out using Shape's magazine website suggestions for finding good music that matched the beats I needed. Running World also has a lot of information on developing a good playlist to listen to while working out. The music helps me to keep going even when I feel lousy physically. The music always cheers me up.
How old is your son? I have four boys, now men. One trick was to enroll them in sports and do my exercising while they were doing their sports. Sometimes we would all take a sports class together like kayaking, rock combing or yoga. It is a challenge to figure out parenting, working and time for yourself.
One of my neighbors is a Lap-band surgeon. Her husband is a lawyer who works full-time taking care of the lawsuits. Based on how busy he is, I would not recommend lap-bands for anyone with a j-pouch. The procedure keeps improving but apparently there can be a lot of problems.
My puppy says I am writing too much and need to go to sleep. She keeps putting her head on the keyboard. Let me know if I want more specifics on anything. Remember: Fat girls can do anything, if we just put our hearts and souls into it. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Russell,
First off, so sorry that it is has gotten out of control...it is very hard to put the worms back into the can once you have opened it...harder still when you are battling so much stuff...But it has got to be done whether you like it or not...it is not your health but that of your child that is in play here...and his image of his mom...he needs a role model and you are it. I agree with all of the others here, no regime is going to work if you stay sitting on your sofa. You need to get up and get moving...doesn't matter what it is...walking, climbing, rolling around on the floor, (idealy, the pool)...and yes, all hotels/motels seem to have a gym or pool and if your joints hurt then the pool is the best thing for you...But...you need to work on pleasure...the pleasure of moving your body, feeling your muscles and joints and giving yourself the gift of activity...it will help the exhaustion in the long run...it just takes time...also...food substitution is the only way that I have ever been able to reduce weight...no fried foods allowed in my house, nothing pre-packaged (hids so much fat, soduium, chemical, sugars...) I make or bake it or eat it raw or don't eat it (you can still eat a ton of calories that way but at least they are healthy)...the mic is my friend. I can mic a full, healthy meal fast that you can defrost a lousy one...a whole potato stuffed with fresh veggies and topped with a sprinkle of cheese is pouch friendly and quick...write to me and I will give you 10 quick recipes that are kid friendly, low calorie and easy...
You need love, help and motivation...and we are here
Sharon
First off, so sorry that it is has gotten out of control...it is very hard to put the worms back into the can once you have opened it...harder still when you are battling so much stuff...But it has got to be done whether you like it or not...it is not your health but that of your child that is in play here...and his image of his mom...he needs a role model and you are it. I agree with all of the others here, no regime is going to work if you stay sitting on your sofa. You need to get up and get moving...doesn't matter what it is...walking, climbing, rolling around on the floor, (idealy, the pool)...and yes, all hotels/motels seem to have a gym or pool and if your joints hurt then the pool is the best thing for you...But...you need to work on pleasure...the pleasure of moving your body, feeling your muscles and joints and giving yourself the gift of activity...it will help the exhaustion in the long run...it just takes time...also...food substitution is the only way that I have ever been able to reduce weight...no fried foods allowed in my house, nothing pre-packaged (hids so much fat, soduium, chemical, sugars...) I make or bake it or eat it raw or don't eat it (you can still eat a ton of calories that way but at least they are healthy)...the mic is my friend. I can mic a full, healthy meal fast that you can defrost a lousy one...a whole potato stuffed with fresh veggies and topped with a sprinkle of cheese is pouch friendly and quick...write to me and I will give you 10 quick recipes that are kid friendly, low calorie and easy...
You need love, help and motivation...and we are here
Sharon
The "magic" for me was adding physical activity outside the house (away from the kitchen!). It also helped the a couple of times a week I had to eat a light, early dinner so I wouldn't have a full stomach when I started. My daughter lured me into martial arts. It's not for everyone, but I lost 40 pounds that I'd been stuck with for over ten years. I was getting some sort of exercise six days a week (most weeks), and trying to eat mindfully (e.g. fruit for a snack). When my activity level dropped a couple of years ago ten of those pounds came back, but the remaining 30 pounds feel like a big improvement.
Travel can be a real killer for weight management and activity. Have you tried the travel weights or yoga products? Do you have a smart phone or ipad you can download a short yoga routine to? 20 minutes can make a big difference in getting going. Gentle yoga might help stretch things and relieve some aches too. I like Rodney Yee for beginner yoga that is easy to do but effective - its not the celebrity hot yoga that would kill a person just starting!
Also, you don't say how old your son is, but my kids LOVE Just Dance (we have it for Wii). I find its great to just do one song at a time - gets me moving but not too strenuous, and I spend time with the kids too. I have a Zumba Wii disc too but have only done the single song routines so far as I'm building my stamina after no exercise for a long time. Even just the video games have a bit of moving about - tennis, baseball, any of the sports games...
I hate to exercise just to exercise, so I have to find another purpose - fun with the kids, sightseeing, people watching, whatever. It's really hard for me to exercise just cause I'm supposed to...
It might help to have a goal too. At my kids school 18 moms did the Diva Dash together - a 5K with obstacles - and it got me super motivated to get moving. You might need to start smaller than that, but again, I find having a purpose outside of me helpful. Sad, but true.
I also reward myself if I do well for a while - do you collect anything, or have a special activity? Like a massage, or facial, or a trip to a movie, anything like that? A non food perk for keeping it up might help too...Something you don't usually allow yourself to have...
Also, you don't say how old your son is, but my kids LOVE Just Dance (we have it for Wii). I find its great to just do one song at a time - gets me moving but not too strenuous, and I spend time with the kids too. I have a Zumba Wii disc too but have only done the single song routines so far as I'm building my stamina after no exercise for a long time. Even just the video games have a bit of moving about - tennis, baseball, any of the sports games...
I hate to exercise just to exercise, so I have to find another purpose - fun with the kids, sightseeing, people watching, whatever. It's really hard for me to exercise just cause I'm supposed to...
It might help to have a goal too. At my kids school 18 moms did the Diva Dash together - a 5K with obstacles - and it got me super motivated to get moving. You might need to start smaller than that, but again, I find having a purpose outside of me helpful. Sad, but true.
I also reward myself if I do well for a while - do you collect anything, or have a special activity? Like a massage, or facial, or a trip to a movie, anything like that? A non food perk for keeping it up might help too...Something you don't usually allow yourself to have...