Let's get fit in 2008...August challenge!

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Originally Posted by bbrock Hi Everyone....I'm new to the site. I had my hysterectomy on 5/21/08...it was suppose to just be laporascopic, but I ended up being cut open and stapled. My doctor told me it was very difficult, he said I didn't want to part with my cervix (lol). So, I had everything removed at 43. It was horrible....post op pain was awful...got infection after staples were removed, not very pleasant. So, I'm not just over 3 months and I am a big girl to start, but this belly is unreal. I eat, I drink....it always swells. When I sleep on my back all I see is my belly.....it looks like a ball in there. Can anyone suggest the best exercise for the belly. Is it true that it will continue to swell...they say up to a year??? I surely hope not. I do some walking, but just started to go back to work less than a month ago. My back gets really sore too, I know it's because of this belly. So so sad.....would love a quick relief, but know I need to do some serious workouts. What do you think???

welcome to this forum bbrock. i'm a small gal with a big belly...it's so hard to get rid of. it's actually exactly the same as it was before my surgery even though i lost 30 lbs. and 8 inches around my middle after the surgery! i gained it all back and it does seem to swell a bit after i eat, but i never have any discomfort. i had been taking 3 dance classes a week and a body-sculpt (small weights) class plus yoga before my surgery and did not lose one ounce or one inch! i think i probably should have concentrated more on eating smaller amounts and cutting out empty calorie snacks along with the exercise (which i have been doing this time).

you are still too close to your surgery to start any serious exercise other than walking for now...at least i think; everyone's different so take it slowly. don't do anything that hurts is what i was told. maybe concentrate also on eating healthier and cutting out things like pop, alcohol, anything too rich, although once in awhile should be okay...no sense in depriving yourself.

let us know how you're progressing every so often and feel free to share any tips! good luck - you're not alone.

Hey, thanks for the reply and for the comforting words. I guess I'm not alone. I just seem to hear myself always complaining about the belly. Hopefully in time and some gradual to then some serious exercise it will get a little better. Also, my incision is so hard too.....and around it, gets hard...that's along with the bloat. Oh well.........I guess it could be a lot worse. I shouldn't complain, at least for me they took out everything before anything more serious happen.

Again, thanks and I will take it one day at a time. I don't drink and I'm not really a soda drinker, once in a while.......I guess I got real lazy after surgery without being able to do anything, especially after the infection. Like, we all said it will get better.

Keep on dancing....sounds like fun.

Take Care.....and I'll pop in now and again...)

WELCOME BBROCK. the only advice that i can give you is to continue walking and watching what you eat. i too was a big girl and referred to myself as a tank, and when that got old i started walking everyday and eventually tried running which almost killed me. lol. so i made little goals for myself like i'll see if i can run from light pole to light pole at first i got half way then when i finally reached that first light pole i was jumping like a coocoo girl , then i went to everyother pole and so on by two months i was running/walking three and half miles a day. once i saw that i lost up 3 pounds a week with adding a little bit of running it helped to really get me going. i also use to go out and buy a really nice blouse that wouldn't fit me and hang it up in front of the mirror in my room and that use to really motivate me because if spent money on it then i was going to wear it. as far as the belly i still have mine and once i'm cleared for ab exercise i'll go to my old routine which is doing crutches and leg lifts whenever i'm sitting and watching tv usually while the commercials are on. after you get over the initial pain from working on your midsection it actually becomes fun and then i try to beat the number i did during the last set of commercials. eventually i'd like to start doing yoga i did it years ago but it's so hard to get back into atleast for me anyway. I weighed my self today and lost another pound which is very exciting for me because now i'm in the sixties.169 to be exact but hey there's a six in there, lol. my total weight loss since i had my daughter last november is 45 pounds, the last 8 since i had my surgery. it's very exciting because when i found out i was pregnant it was a big shock and i really worried about the weight i was going to gain again but i did pretty good i gained only 40. today i started on my ellipticle i lasted 10 minutes and felt like i was going to fall out but you have to start somewhere. i'll continue to do 10 and gradually add 5 minutes til i get to 45 which is what i use to do. i'm hoping to lose atleast 19 more pounds but for now my mini goal is to get to 164 once i get there i'll make a new goal and so on. i never give me a date to do this because whenever i do that i never meet the deadline. i can say that i have struggled a lot with my weight and the thing that has given me results its my mini goals, i guess because they are realistic. if i could only apply these mini goals and stick to them in all areas of my life i'd be set.

Welcome, bbrock. You see, we all have these extra pounds, and we all have these swelly bellies, and we all also share a desire to get rid of both pounds and bellies. I agree with the others, though, bbrock -- you are way too close to try any exercise beyond walking, unless your doctor permits it.

Cutting down on empty calories, having smaller portions -- these help a lot. And to tell truth, it wasn't until I was 1 1/2 years out (last spring) that I really felt as if I was strong enough to exercise and get rid of my belly and extra weight. So cut yourself some slack (but keep that frig door closed), and wait a bit on the exercise. This site has some helpful exercise suggestions. You might try some leg lifts (from a prone position on your back) -- stuff that will give your body a rest, so you're not tugging at those muscles too hard, while also using those tummy muscles just a tiny bit.

Nice to see you ladies here this week. It's my week to go back to work. I'm trying to think positively about this, but it's hard! I have had a good summer!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by bbrock Hi Everyone....I'm new to the site. I had my hysterectomy on 5/21/08...it was suppose to just be laporascopic, but I ended up being cut open and stapled. My doctor told me it was very difficult, he said I didn't want to part with my cervix (lol). So, I had everything removed at 43. It was horrible....post op pain was awful...got infection after staples were removed, not very pleasant. So, I'm not just over 3 months and I am a big girl to start, but this belly is unreal. I eat, I drink....it always swells. When I sleep on my back all I see is my belly.....it looks like a ball in there. Can anyone suggest the best exercise for the belly. Is it true that it will continue to swell...they say up to a year??? I surely hope not. I do some walking, but just started to go back to work less than a month ago. My back gets really sore too, I know it's because of this belly. So so sad.....would love a quick relief, but know I need to do some serious workouts. What do you think???

to the group (((((bbrock))))). I certainly can understand your concerns over the

One thing I wanted to mention was that, at your stage of your recovery and considering all that you've delt with since your surgery, this swelling is a normal part of recovery. This belly is not due to fat or lack of exercise. It is caused by the swelling of recovering tissues.... much like a knee will swell after being injured

The swelling may also be a sign that you're doing a bit too much, too soon. I remember that in those early months after I returned to work, despite having a desk job, I would have the swelly belly when I returned home. I would rest with my feet up for the evening and would be fine come morning.

Of course, exercising tends to cause the belly to swell, since it is soliciting muscles that are healing

Considering all of this, you may want to discuss any exercise program with your doctor: s/he's the only one who knows the extent of your surgery and understands all about your recovery.

In the meantime, you can make sensible food choices in order to avoid gaining weight

Sorry for not having kept with this thread: Life has been kind of hectic around here and, honestly, exercising is the last thing from my mind. Not only is it a mad rush to get DD ready for her first year of High School, DH has been in and out of the castle: he was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder a few weeks ago And it doesn't help that I'm still grieving the loss of my dear

Soooo.... between being worried sick, caring for him (he's in lots of pain either from arthritis, being too tense or from the pressure from the bladder... or all three ) and rushing around doing my own stuff as well as most of his, I often have either no time to eat or am simply not hungry. The result has been that I've shed about 10-15 lbs since the passing of our kitty. While I'm not complaining about shedding those extra lbs... and I need to loose twice as much to be at my goal weight.... I wish it was because I'd been working hard at healthy living and exercise, not because life's been dealing us all those blows

Big congrats to those of you who have met their August challenge

Big s to those who are struggling... I know that you can do it

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Originally Posted by Dany Sorry for not having kept with this thread: Life has been kind of hectic around here and, honestly, exercising is the last thing from my mind. Not only is it a mad rush to get DD ready for her first year of High School, DH has been in and out of the castle: he was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder a few weeks ago And it doesn't help that I'm still grieving the loss of my dear Soooo.... between being worried sick, caring for him (he's in lots of pain either from arthritis, being too tense or from the pressure from the bladder... or all three ) and rushing around doing my own stuff as well as most of his, I often have either no time to eat or am simply not hungry. The result has been that I've shed about 10-15 lbs since the passing of our kitty. While I'm not complaining about shedding those extra lbs... and I need to loose twice as much to be at my goal weight.... I wish it was because I'd been working hard at healthy living and exercise, not because life's been dealing us all those blows Big congrats to those of you who have met their August challenge Big s to those who are struggling... I know that you can do it

dear dany...i'm so sorry to hear of your d.h. fighting the cancer battle and then the loss of your kitty. i hope your d.h. has a good prognosis. no wonder you have set aside your exercise routine. i'm in a similar situation...my dad was recently dx with esophagus ca., just had a a g-tube installed, then had a mild heart attack and is in an acute care ward. like you, i'm sick with worry, in fact, this morning i woke up sick and had to take it easy...i think it was just from stress and sadness. and my poor 18-yr. old kitty is showing signs that she doesn't have long to live...i just hope she dies peacefully and we don't have to take her to the vet to put to sleep.

dany, i found it helpful tonight to walk the dog in the fresh air and let down a few tears, then watch a silly movie on t.v. i've neglected my exercise routine also being so busy taking dad to appts. but i did thoroughly enjoy my yogadance class on sat., which i hadn't been to in a long time. we really do have to conserve our energy at times like this and at the same time keep things going at home.

please take care of yourself as you're caring for your family. best wishes to you.

Hello, Dany and Nogreat. You both have a lot on your. Losing weight is good, I guess, but I wish your reasons for so doing, Dany, were different. You must be such a wonderful support to your husband in his sickness -- you are such a wonderful support to us here. I am sure he's getting the best of medical and physical/emotional care, with you around. But right now, I want to say to you and Colleen, I hope you two are taking care of yourselves. Colleen's going out for walks with the dogs, and letting the emotional knot become untied, well, that sounds like good therapy to me. Some use retail therapy, others use the outdoors and animals (like Colleen and me). It works for me! I am so sorry about your kitties, you two. My dog has recently developed a limp. I'm not ready to let him go. He's got more spunk with all his ailments than I ever did. I learn a lot about having a zest for life, by watching him. I hope you two have a good rest of the week. Take care of yourselves. We need you! Warm good wishes to everyone here.

Thank you so much for your kind words (((((blueheron))))))) and (((((Colleen)))))

(((((Colleen)))))) I'm sorry you're going through much the same issues with your dad and your own kitty That walk must have felt soooo good.

I haven't been able to walk my Golden Retriever: I've turned into such a clumsy clutz with all these worries Not only did I bruise one of my ribs chopping vegetable with my "easy" chopper (nothing easy about it ), I also banged my left "pinky" toe 4 times on Sunday: it's gone from a fierce black on Monday to "dark gray" today. But the rib still hurts and, since Hercules likes to pull (his name fits: he's very strong), walking him would do some damage.

But I do have a few outlets... my favorite being walking to the store.

Gee, Dany. You know, I become clumsy when I'm already burdened with problems I'm trying to face off. It sounds as if you might be the same way. Maybe it's time to stay off that bike, just in case something else would be in store for you. I hope things calm down there soon for you. Walking alone to the store sounds like a good thing! As long as you are not trying to carry back too much from the store on that sore toe, holding the bag against that sore rib! Take care of yourself!