I too can relate to the bathing suit bikini, weight gain , loss of exercise mobility etc., the 20 lb that felt heavy despite carrying it well enough on small bones, ok height at 5'6, having a cane... even went thru the wear skirts etc.... then due to other med issues decided to fine tune what i already thought of as a healthy diet....plus "talked" to myself about the fact that i might not be able to fix things health wise in certain areas regardless of what i did, but I
could "control" food intake, how much/what etc. and thus embarked on a regime that i hoped would take it all off plus make me healthier all around.... Also, I reminded myself every day that this was to be a life style change and so not a crash diet, learn to remain patient, and slow and steady wins the race to use a cliche.... i spoke with someone who was on a hypoglycemic diet (what/how did they eat); i already knew the WW use of points or flex systems; i read up again on the whole carbs/ fats/ protein issues etc. I knew that the fish/fowl/fresh fruits/ veggies. no choc/alcohol/ sugar/candy etc made a difference for me with fibro and crps; i knew from a guy who was a living example that tai chi had let him walk again with bad arthritis and eventually dump his arthritis meds and move up levels in fancy tai chi moves etc.; So basically I embarked on a combination of all of that and watched the pounds come off a healthy two pounds a week on average. I told myself the extra 20 did not come on overnight so it won't come off overnight and in two and a bit months it did come off....
It is wonderful to not have that weight on the shoulders. Think of holding a ten pound bag of potatoes in each hand... heavy huh?
Also it was great fun to go out and buy new clothes (side bonus was decluttering the closets)
![Grin ;D](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/grin.gif)
Ceecee has spoken of probiotic yogurt and that was something i always have eaten but now i stepped that up too...oh and breakfast became oatmeal and fresh fruit/berries every day (my cholesterol is good lol)
So even without big exercise it can be done as already said here.
I may not be back to downhill skiing or high impact aerobics or treadmills and weights and i doubt i ever will be due to spinal/ muskuloskeletal limitations, heart and so on, but oh it feels good to be thinner again and know that what i eat is so much better......
Hope this encourages anyone else.
If you start now, just think, by mid August the 20 lbs should be off!
![Grin ;D](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/grin.gif)
(without much effort! portion control and balanced eating, with more smalls meals a day being better than 2-3 bigger ones)
Happy losing!
![Smiley :)](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/smiley.gif)
W.