Losing weight for health reasons - anyone else?

[CoffeeGirl88]

Hi, I'm new here. I have been a 'little overweight' for a while now, thinking it is mostly cosmetic and 'I'm not that fat really' and 'I'm really just average sized'; completely in denial! I went to the dr on Friday with fatigue that has been plaguing my life for about a year... He immediately started suggesting obesity-related problems that he suspects may be responsible. As of this Friday I am awaiting an appointment at the sleep clinic to investigate the likely possibility that I may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea and I am waiting on blood test results looking for diabetes. I feel like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over me and I suddenly realise I had been really foolish to think I just needed to lose weight to be attractive and pretty - I need to lose weight to be healthy! I cannot be someone who is so fat that they stop breathing in their sleep I am disgusted in myself and determined to lose weight. I know the biggest motivating factor for weight loss is often to try to look good so I just wondered who else is here to try to reverse an obesity-related health condition and how you're going about it? I feel like I've been trying to lose weight forever and keep failing. Potentially having OSA and Type 2 Diabetes are a heck of a lot more motivating than wanting to look good though! I really hope I have some success this time around... Maybe being part of a weight loss community here will help? I look forward to getting to know you all and following your journeys. I'm sure there will be a lot of inspirational people here and that I'll benefit from the group support rather than trying to do it on my own

 

[kazd]

I too am coming to the realisation that it's not just about looking pretty. I have been overweight most of my married life, my husband has pretty much stayed the same and at the moment he works away where he has nothing to do in his off time but work out so is looking buff. I need to get the bull by the horns and lose weight otherwise I too could find myself being tested for diabetes. Good luck

 

[NickiSue]

Me!
I was diagnosed borderline Diabetes Type 2 during a random MOT at the GP surgery a couple of years ago and put on 1000mg metformin. I've been under control for a couple of years and levels were much better. My last diabetes review (a few weeks ago) showed my levels to have shot up (oddly my cholesterol has dropped right down). Really and truthfully I should be labeled as T2 now however my practitioner is retesting in three months in the hope that 1) it is a random result 2) giving me a chance to try and lose some extra weight. No pressure!
I have PCOS too so weight loss for me doesn't come easily. That said my health team are fab and I rejoined WW on Sunday so am being pro-active.
Good luck with your health/weight goals xx

 

[yoyoy]

Me too. I'm a type 2 diabetic and have been told that I MUST lose weight. I'd relaxed because I've lost 5 stone and thought that was it, but apparently not. I'm also disabled - fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis and recently a lovely tremor - what fun.

 

[Taz]

Same but in a different way. I always knew I was obese and needed to lose weight but always wanted to do it to look better. Until January 2013...... I have a condition called EDS Type 3, it's a connective tissue disorder which means all my joints bend the wrong way and I'm prone to injury. I had my second knee op in November 2012 and it didn't quite go as I'd expected. At my follow up appointment with my surgeon he told me that they'd done everything they could for my knee but there was an issue in there they could do nothing about and eventually could land my completely immobile til I'm old enough for a knee replacement. Basically the knee is terminal. At 18st it was obvious that my weight was threatening to speed up that process and I was looking at being in a wheelchair in as little as 2 years from then.

I didn't need much more encouragement, there's no way I was going to give up on my life like that! I joined the local leisure centre and got back to swimming and started AquaFit and sorted out my diet. As I got stronger I found other things to do and fell in love with cycling. I can't do anything high impact so my choices are limited. I now have a personal trainer who specialises in injury prevention and rehabilitation so he helps me get the most out of my gym sessions without causing injury or dislocating.

Too much emphasis is put on appearance and not enough on the health implications. I think when we are faced with life changing health issues we have a different motivation and as such are more likely to succeed

 

[solange]

I never had a weight problem when younger. I put weight on late in life and at one point hit 13.5, went down to 12.12 and stuck. I was getting pains in my knees and hips and struggling with our ancient, very steep stairs. I also found myself leaning across the supermarket trolley for support, struggled to reach bottom shelves and God forbid if the scan it yourself handset was at the bottom. This may be TMI but wiping my botty or cutting my toenails was impossible to do properly!!! I am now 11.12 and the difference is amazing. So yes I have to say go for it.

 

[Taz]

I do think sometimes we just learn to accept what we can and can't do and it's only when we lose the weight that we realise we've unnecessarily put up with a restricted way of life. I would never want to go back to the way I used to live