Weight - How I Lost Weight After My Hysterectomy - Hystersisters Hysterectomy Article

		HysterSisters > Fitness After Hysterectomy Articles
Weight - How I Lost Weight After My Hysterectomy

Weight - How I Lost Weight After My Hysterectomy

From the Fitness After Hysterectomy Articles List

HysterSisters Articles

Options to Hysterectomy
Pre-Op Hysterectomy
Post-Op Hysterectomy
Hormone and Menopause
Intimacy after Hysterectomy
Pelvic Floor
Fitness after Hysterectomy
GYN Cancer
Grief and Loss
Endometriosis
Uterine Fibroids
Hysterectomy Stories
Ask A Doctor

I lost 50 pounds!

Okay, so you want to know how I lost the weight. Here goes. First things first:

1. Remember when you were 20 and could diet for a month and drop 20 pounds easy? Those days have gone.
2. Remember when you did those exercises to the tune of "you must, you must, you must increase your bust?" You were about 13. Those days are gone.
3. Remember when if you just were moderately active and didn't eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's a night you stayed the same weight because your metabolism worked? Your metabolism has now slowed to somewhere between comatose and death.

That's the bad news. Now here is how I lose weight.

1. Take your goal weight. Lets say it's 140. If you are sedentary you need to eat 1400 calories a day to maintain that weight. [140 X 10]. If you move moderately.....that is that you meet the Surgeon General's guideline of accummulating [yes, it does not have to be done all at one time] 30 minutes of deliberate exercise on all or most days then you can multiply your goal weight times 13. [140 X 13 =1820] If you exercise like crazy....about an hour of HARD exercise a day you can multiply by 15 [140 x 15 =2100]. Now that you know the formula you can figure out your range of calories you can eat.

Now here is the bad/good news. If you are over 50, your metabolism is slower anyway and it is not going to get any faster no matter what those 22 year old spandex girls tell you. If your metabolism was slow to begin with, you don't get to use the goal weight X 15 unless you are actively employed as a lumberjack who spends your evening at the gym because lifting trees all day isn't enough exercise for you. Got it?

Now here is the good news. You don't have to count calories every day of your life. Do it for two weeks and you know what is what. American's eat the same 10 meals over and over again. {Framingham Heart Study} So, what you really have to do is get the drift [count for two weeks] and then count one week a month from then on....uh, that's to keep you honest.
And for those two weeks you are counting at first.....measure those portion sizes. So you really know what you are eating.

The great news? The life extension folks really think that we will live longer on fewer calories. Animals do. Most mammals do. They suggest 1200 a day forevermore. {Every nutritionist out there just had a coronary} Hey, I didn't say it...they did. I'm just trying to tell you how to figure out how many calories you need to MAINTAIN your goal weight because....you got it...that's how many calories you get to eat each day.

2. Face time. Face time is not time you spend worrying over that crows foot that is now an eagles foot. Face time is SHOWING UP FOR EXERCISE. Start where you are. I had my hyst on November 14th. My hemoglobin was 7. On January 1, my hemoglobin was 9. I could walk a half a mile. That's what I did. By March I was up to three miles. I added weights. Okay, the weights were so tiny that they were hidden by my hands at the time, but I perservered. Now the edges of the weights show and are actually heavy, and hey....it's October, and my arms aren't buff, but for 53, I could go sleeveless without dying of shame. To me that is progress. What is my routine now? I do 4-5 miles a day, 200 sit ups a day, and lift either for
arms or legs about 5 times a week. FACE TIME. I show up. I do the work. And I am aware that I have to do this for the rest of my life. A friend who is 73 told me she can walk 3 miles a day because she does it. FACE TIME. She does it. Do exactly what you can and work from there....hey, you got all the time you got left for you. Do what you can when you can.....and work from where you are to where you can go.

3. Be patient. It will take me the same amount of time or longer to lose the rest of my weight that I want to lose.....but it sure does feel good to be fit, healthy, and moving. One more thing to sell you on exercise. If you exercise, obesity is NO LONGER a risk factor [Steve Blair, Cooper Clinic....and I trust this guy].

No miracles here. I am a 53 year old woman with a metabolism just this side of death. Possibly the metabolism is even dead but my MD does not want to discourage me.....ha. I have always fought my weight. I work at it. Some days I screw up. The benefit of being 53 is that I finally know that if I screw up I get to start over again the next day. I don't have to go off my diet because I FAILED. I gave up that thinking because it is bad for my physical and mental health. And because I finally got old enough to figure that out. There ARE some benefits to being older! Wisdom is one.

So, you asked....that's how I did it. I showed up. And by the by, anything counts. You work out and keep within your calorie limits for three days....hey that beats no days. And there is another site that is helpful for those that want to talk to people about their progress, track their progress, get meal plans, get recipes, etc. It is ediets.com. It is the second most used site on the internet. I don't feel too badly about mentioning it here because I sure talk about hystersisters there.

Good luck everyone!

And remember, positive self talk only. Here is my last piece of information for you. What comes first motivation or behavior? If you said motivation....and I bet you did, you are wrong. One tiny step [you read a fitness book, you visit the ediet site, you look at fashion magazines, you talk you your friends about your unhappiness with your jeans size] leads to another. Behavior comes before motivation. Every single tiny step you take builds motivation. It's an inside job....nobody can motivate you....but you can sure motivate yourself just by knowing that every single thing you do increases your motivation. Remember, behavior comes BEFORE motivation.

Oh yeah, and by the by. Do you think that people who are overweight have lower self esteem than other people? Do you think that people who are overweight have more depression or mental illnesses than other people? Do you think that overweight people have more eating disorders than the rest of the population? If you think that, you would be wrong. Overweight people do not have any less self esteem than people who are say...blond, or have big noses, or drive mini-vans, or garden. People who are overweight suffer the same chances of having a depression or anxiety disorder than any other group. Only 1-5% of the population has an eating disorder. That's 1-5% of the WHOLE population...not just overweight people. So bust your myths, then go bust your butt.

And that's all the secrets I know. If you want more, visit National Institutes of Health [NIDDK in particular] and read the obesity guidelines for the nation. They say the same thing really...they just take longer to say it because they are academics! ha.

Good luck. Take it minute by minute, but take it. It feels too good not to go for it.

Terfemme

Printer Friendly Version

Recommended for Hysterectomy Recovery

The HysterSisters Store has gathered products made specifically for your recovery from surgery. Here are the best sellers we can recommend to help you:

The Great Binder Set - We have made it very easy for you and combined the two best binders and the Silky Sac into a great set to save you money! Our favorite is the Perfect Pocket binder with cold/hot packs!
Deluxe Hyst Prep Set - As you plan, we've gathered the best products into one set for special pricing.
Post-Op Panty - These great panties speed recovery, and reduces scarring. They contain a medical-grade silicone panel over incision to reduce scar's apperance while they provide support to weakened muscles and tissues from surgery. Excellent!
Softest Bra Ever - When you want to wear something, but feel nothing. This is the softest bra ever, in microfiber with no hardware or tags to chafe or dig! The comfort-ribbed underband stays in place gently, so it is perfect for sleeping and lounging.
HysterSisters Accessory Kit - Are you a HysterSisters fan? This set has a fun collection of HysterSisters items.
Very Private Moisture - Once your doctor gives you the green light for intimacy, this is the stuff! This is a best selling product with a high rate of permanent, satisfied, repeat customers! Relieves vaginal dryness instantly, protects tissue & enhances intimacy. "Buy it for the problem, use it for the pleasure."

Tips for Exercise Success

Weight - Is My Scale a Reliable Measure?

Find A Doctor Near You

Christopher Stroud, M.D. 11123 Parkivew Plaza Drive Suite 101 Fort Wayne IN 46845 2609695071	Gerald Harkins, M.D. Department of OB-Gyn P.O. Box 850, H-103 Hershey PA 17033 717-531-6447	Megan Daw, M.D. Western Carolina Women's Specialty Center 2100 Ridgefield Blvd Asheville NC 28806 828-670-5665
Jack Ayoub, M.D. 44035 Riverside Parkway Suite 435 Leesburg VA 20176 703.858.5599	Kimberly Newman, M.D. 10030 Edison Square Drive Suite 100A Concord NC 28027 704-403-7670	Geoffrey Bowers, M.D. 834 Chestnut Street Suite 300 Philadelphia PA 19107 215-955-5000
Ken Sinervo, M.D. 1140 Hammond Dr., Ste. F6220 Atlanta GA 30328 770-913-0001	Ellen Wilson, M.D. 5323 Harry Hines Blvd - Dept of OBGYN Dallas TX 75390 214-648-4747	Emily Cunningham, M.D. 1720 Nicholasville Road Suite 702 Lexington KY 40503 859-264-8811

Receive support and resources for your hysterectomy related needs: