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There was an article recently (Washington Post, if I recall) about a weight loss study where they had two groups of people. Both groups were on a restricted diet. One group also exercised (combination of weight lifting, cardio and high intensity interval training under the instruction of personal trainers) and the other group did no exercise. They lost the same amount of weight after 6 months. The exercisers did benefit with improved blood measurements (cholesterol, triglycerides, BP, etc.) but the weight loss was near identical.
As a person who has had weight struggles all my life and who is a dedicated exerciser, I found that so interesting.
This. The average person doing the average gym workout (whether cardio, weightlifting, or a combination of both) doesn't burn nearly enough calories to make a difference when it comes to losing weight. The bulk of weight loss will come from diet. I frequent the gym as I aim to stay toned and increase muscle mass. Not to lose weight.
Prednisone is a kind of hell that you almost have to live through to understand. I'd swear I was the only person in the world who gained significant weight during chemo because my medical team basically kept me propped up so I could still work and take care of myself with a lot of pred both during and after treatment was over. I lived, but about 80 pounds heavier and it was slow coming off coupled with muscle weakness from inactivity. It's a battle I still deal with a decade on.
I'm wondering if you're actually not eating enough. You said you ate lightly with fruits and veggies. About how many calories were you hitting, and how are you measuring? Personally, there have been several seasons of my life where I get really serious about losing weight and so I restrict myself to the point where my "intuitive eating" only has me eating 1200ish calories a day. That's always when the weight has held on the tightest.
Other than that, I bet you already do all the usuals - keep a jug of water in front of you at all times, chew slowly, make better food choices. Exercise might not be in the cards for you now, but if you have access to weights or exercise bands you could do some weighted chair exercises. Grow With Jo is one of my favorite fitness YouTubers because all her routines are with fun music - you can try this rock chair exercise or this routine meant to be done while you're watching TV on the couch. While I don't think it's going to make the weight drop off by any means, it will help keep you focused and strengthen your core so that when you are at a point to get your knees done you won't be *totally* deconditioned. There are tons of seated YouTube videos so you can find the instructor and vibe that makes the most sense to you!
Hang in there. <3
Good advice on the couch/chair workouts! They enable movement even if you can't get out and walk around.
Interesting info on the pureed theory; thanks. It actually seems you'd burn FEWER calories if your body didn't have to actually process and digest the food, but whatever. I would probably just opt for nutritional/meal replacement drinks or protein shakes instead, as they sound much more appetizing than pureed turkey dinner! And "bloating" from "water weight" isn't the same as body fat/obesity and doesn't account for much of it. As for fasting, I had mixed results (lost some doing OMAD religiously, then gained it back), but others claim to achieve permanent weight loss this way. I assume they're not post-menopausal females. At any rate, fasting is certainly doable, even if you can't move a muscle. There's always Wegovy, which now seems to be the most popular means of weight loss until it isn't.
Last edited by otterhere; 10-28-2023 at 06:46 AM..
This. The average person doing the average gym workout (whether cardio, weightlifting, or a combination of both) doesn't burn nearly enough calories to make a difference when it comes to losing weight. The bulk of weight loss will come from diet. I frequent the gym as I aim to stay toned and increase muscle mass. Not to lose weight.
Best of luck to OP
For sure. I had a job where I was on my feet running around and lifting for 7 hours a day. No weight loss at all with the same diet.
But I felt more fit. You really can't work off calories with exercise, but it is healthy for us to move a lot.
The orthopod I consulted (good guy) said I needed to lose 50 lbs before he would fix my knees. I have those extra 50 lbs because my pulmonologist put me on prednisone.
Right knee is bone-on-bone and it's getting worse. Left knee is slightly less worse. My husband has to support me to help me walk. I have to literally pull myself up the stairs to get to bed.
I can't keep living like this. How can I lose 50 lbs when I can't even exercise?
Try Aqua Aerobics at your local YMCA. There's zero impact on bones and provides pain-free weight loss.
Oh, I've been there done that. First it was Wegovy. After three months of one-shot-a-week, I didn't so much as lose an ounce even though I was eating very lightly... fruits and vegetables mostly. Even my PCP said it wasn't working so there was no point in going further. $3,600 down the drain.
Six months of my knees degenerating even further. Now I'm one of those motorized cart ladies who zips around in Costco.
Everyone has their own story.
I don't have any advice for the weight issue but if you haven't tried it get a tube of Voltaren, faithfully rub it on your knees 2 or 3 times a day, it might take several days for it to kick in but when it does it really helps. My knees are a mess, but so is my back and a few other joints. I'm scheduled to see a rheumatologist to diagnose what creeping crud I have that seems to be destroying my joints one by one, not much can be done with the ones that are bad but I would love it if they had something that kept my joints from destroying themselves.
I have bone on bone with my knee . I have spinal issues that are inoperable too. I have been coping using the maximum dose of Extra Strength Tylenol. I can walk; but, not too much. I have to keep going and if I do too much in a day I'm toast for at least a day if not days.
Sometimes it's better to use some pain relievers in order to be able to get some movement.
I agree with people that say that anyone can lose weight fasting. However, it is a skillset in itself. It's more of a practice really. It takes practice and sometimes quite a lot of detox to be able to do it (especially extended fasting). There's a lot of literature available. The most dangerous part of fasting is refeeding (in other words, going off the fast) as well as keeping electrolytes and vitamin supplements up during a fast.
You want to know what is anti-inflammatory. Fasting. Fast three days and I guarantee you'll be walking again. That will impress upon you how much of a culprit inflammation is.
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. I have spinal issues that are inoperable too. I have been coping using the maximum dose of Extra Strength Tylenol. I can walk; but, not too much. I have to keep going and if I do too much in a day I'm toast for at least a day if not days. 
