_{^{I'm sure this has been talked about before, but I thought I'd throw it out there again. I have several chronic illnesses and chronic pain that prevent me from exercising like a normally healthy person. I do not have access to a pool which I know can sometimes help when suffering from chronic pain, so I'm looking for alternatives. I need to lose probably 120 pounds to get healthy and already am eating healthy to get started.
Anyone have any suggestions???}}

Not sure what your illnesses are, but there are such thing as "chair" workouts that I've seen. You can sit on a core/yoga ball and use hand weights doing several core and hand weight exercises from the sitting position. Is it possible for your doc to refer/or give you a prescription basically to the hospital's or other place for physical therapy? That way you would get access to a pool, etc.

I deal with chronic illness also (I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) ) So I know how hard it can be get exercise. For me there are days I cant even move. I dont have a lot to lose (due to my illness I have been so sick I did lose some) but theres always that last 20 or 30 lbs that never want to come off. This simple as walking I cant even do most days. I try and move no matter what state I am in. This week I have been in bed most of the week but I still (even laying) got my body moving. You can even lift water bottles while sitting in a chair. If you get creative there are things you can do.

Do you take meds for it? I know some meds can cause you to swell also and retain water, so you might talk to your dr about a diuretic or about drinking more water (like I said talk to your dr). You can PM me if you want to talk if you dont want to post it on here, but there are some awesome people here who give GREAT advise should you choose to share

Bablondie had good advice about the physical therapy. I know most insurances will cover that for almost anything (they almost force it on you in some cases) so you should check that out, at least it would get you some exercise!

Chronic illness are tough but not impossible to deal with. I know some days I have to just load up on the pain meds and get stuff done. Some days thats not even possible. Just try and stay positive and do something, anything, to try and stay active!



((if possible when you respond can you not write so small its really hard to read with my eyes cuz of my MS)) (thanks ) )

I'm so fortunate that I have never had an acne problem. However, some people I know have mentioned that either:

a: their acne has cleared up since they have started exercising and eating better, or
b: their acne is worse

Do you fall under one of these?

Neither has happened to me, but ....
a) if the acne is clearing up, they're probably drinking less sugary soda and more water to cleanse their systems.
if the acne is getting worse, they might need to use a different cleanser (or soap) for their face.

Thanks for the insight!

Mine's gotten worse... I used to have perfectly clear skin but now have two pimples on my chin/jawline that don't seem to want to go away. I'm sure it's from working out without removing my makeup first.

My skin does whatever it want for no reason at all. lol

I tried Proactive and I don't worry about it anymore. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was different when I would break out, but I could NOT find a pattern... so I just treat it all the time and forget about it.

Nothing has ever changed for me from working out or not. I had really bad acne as a teen,and that vastly improved by age 20 or so. But, I still have almost constant breakouts, and am in my 40s.

A few years ago I stopped eating sugar and my face did clear up and lasted about a year. I was so excited and telling everybody the wonders of the "no sugar" way of life for the skin.

But then it started back up! I am now facing what I never imagine possible: wrinkles and zits together. Unbelievable.

But, I too just do the best I can. Been using Retin-a since I was 22, and obviously it has not helped my acne (maybe it has and it would be way worse, who knows), but I continue on with that for other reasons.

Nothing else can be done. No amount of exercise seems to change anything, and eating right apparently has no long term affects with me regarding the skin.

I don't let it bother me anymore. Amazing by the time you reach a certain age, you do mellow a lot.

My name is Jodi, I am a 31 yr old but I am disabled I have MS I have had it for the last 5 yrs the thing that I wonder about is that no one on the biggest losser talks about getting in shape when disabled Last year for 3 months I was a paraplegic During that time I gained 20 lbs this year I was down with my disease twice first time i gained 22 lbs and at the current time I have been down for the past two months and in that time I have gained 15 lbs so I went from around 155 lbs to 210 in the past year in a half so how do I go about excerzing when I have no feeling in my legs why dont they ever talk about working out for disabled people I take alot of pills each day about 17 and of course those dont help me lose weight they help me gain weight so if any one knows how to get a hold of someone from the show to ask these questions that would really really help me If I could just lose 20 lbs it would make me feel so good about myself and not feel so useless any good comments will help

Ty and God Bless

Oh hunny I am so sorry for your struggles. I can give you the advice that I would take personally. To me it sounds like you want to feel good and healthy and its not always about losing weight but just feeling good inside.
Here are my suggestions and please remember that this is just purely my opinion on how to feel better.
First, do you have a health food store near you?
They have cleanses you can buy, like detoxifying cleanses and stuff like that, using these cleanses also help so you don't feel sluggish and they also help in a way so that you are not feeling food deprived, Also talk to a certified nutristionist and tell him or her about your condition and see what they suggest, I know at the health food store i have in my hometown that there is a nutritionist on hand at the store location. I would also look around at the food they have in their store. Foods that contain the label USDA are Organic products and imo are the very best foods that anyone can put into thier body. I know a women who did NOT diet at all, the only thing she did was change from eating store boughten food to all organic food and the weight just melted off of her, she even ate homemade chocolate chips cookies and potato chips, it didn't seem to matter what she ate as long as it was Organic, meaning containing that green label that says USDA. If you just made this one change (eating only Organic foods) I whole heartedly believe you would feel so much better.
Agian this is purely my opinion but I wanted to give you some helpful input. Goodluck with whatever choices you make and I hope your able to feel better about yourself soon.

Hi Jody,

I can't imagine the struggles you face and I really have only a little I can offer.

First, have you talked to your doctor? Can he recommend exercises or set you up with a physical therapist?

Second, several months ago, someone had posted a message about losing weight while in a wheel chair. I have posted a link to that message.

Please get this to Alison

Best of luck to you!

R

I don't have any real advice.

But I joined a gym with an indoor pool, because I had injured my back, and thought swimming would be a good thing to start off with while I was healing.

I went on Sunday, and as I walked out of the locker room, a man was coming out of the men's locker room in an electric wheelchair. He drove to the spa area, stopped his wheelchair in front of the stairs. He kinda slid out of the wheelchair, and crawled up the three steps to the spa, then slid in. (I was totally impressed)

After sitting in the spa for about 20-30 minutes, he climbed out, and crawled to the pool (about 12 feet away, but down the same steps he climbed up. ANd slid into the pool. He had no use of his legs, and only one good arm, but he managed to move in the water a little.

We talked a little, he told me that since his left arm is crippled, he can only swim in the farthest right lane, so he can use his right arm on the wall. It takes him most of the afternoon by the time he gets back home. He needed a lot of help at first, but now he does it all himself. (His wife drives him there three days a week) He doesn't think he's lost much weight, but he feels a lot stronger, he takes less medicines, and he sleeps much better on the nights he has been to the gym.

I have never met someone who worked so hard, and I am still impressed. I am not sure I could do it, but I was insprired by him.

(this pool is equipped with a lift for wheel chair patients, and has stairs that he used to climb out on)

I was diagnosed with a form of MD about 5 years ago (I'm 52 now). The neurologist prescribed prednisone, believing that I also had polymyositis. As I rapidly gained weight, she kept telling me that it wasn't my fault, which was nice to hear, but didn't solve the problem. After more than 4 years on prednisone, a clever rheumatologist boldly proclaimed that he didn't think I had polymyositis at all, and that I showed signs of steroid myopathy. It took nearly a year to wean off the prednisone, and now I've lost nearly 35 pounds without exercising. This probably isn't the place to condemn exercise, but I want to put it in perspective. I recently read an article in the January 2008 Ladies' Home Journal, which was about the role of exercise in losing weight. The author basically stated that yes, exercise burns some calories, it helps you sleep, it makes you healthier overall, etc., but to use it as a tool to lose weight is unrealistic (1 lb. = 3500 calories = 35 miles of walking--unless, of course, you are on Biggest Loser and burn a few thousand calories a day exercising). He did advocate a low carbohydrate diet plan, and I have had some success with this approach. Supplied with carbohydrate, our bodies will burn that for fuel first instead of body fat. I have not eliminated fruits and vegetables, but I try to eat no "white" foods or foods made of flour. I eat real fat, no trans fat. I stretch when I can, and move as much as I can, but I can't "go for the burn" as the "burn" will destroy the remaining muscle I have and it won't rebuild. My grandmother lost over 50 lbs. on the original Weight Watchers program back in 1968 without any added exercise. For muscle building, for muscle toning, for elevating the metabolism, sure, exercise and weight-lifting are great. For some of us, though, it's not.

Hi Jodi, I am so sorry about your struggles. The first thing you need to do is talk with your doctor about your concerns. He/she may have some recommendations for you, especially as it pertains to exercise and nutrition. Many health insurance policies now cover nutrition counselling, physical therapy and aqua therapy, that would be such good exercise for you.

I have many health issues as well, and the only time I feel good is in the pool. You can find handicapped equipped pools by looking for special education schools, senior centers, rehab centers, gyms, and sometimes even the YMCA. I went to a water aerobics class offered at a special ed school; it had a wheelchair ramp right into the pool.

Here is a link to a website that lists resources for people with MS; these groups may be able to help you find more resources.

Hope this helps.

Oh I love the pool too, thats my favorite kind of excerise. I need to get a pool, I miss swimming .

Any movement at all that raises your heart rate is good for you and burns calories, even just sitting down and raising your arms up and down over your head. Combine that with eating healthy (complex carbs, lean protein, fruits and veggies- knock out white flours and processed foods) and I bet you see results. You can also look on the NBC Biggest Loser site to calculate your Resting Metabolic Rate, which is the amount of calories you would burn if you simply laid in bed all day. Use this as a guide, and bring your calories below that, but never below 1200. Here is the link to that:
http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/dietc...alculator.shtml

Hi JodyB. I Private Messeged you with some advice. I hope it helps.

Hi. I also have MS and was on steroids for 4 years. I gained weight from that and my activity level changed. I started at 110 lbs at 5'0" and now 280 lbs. I am doing well at the moment with my MS and off all my meds to prepare for pregnancy. I have posted in the Newbie section as well. I had a year I was unable to walk and that is when I really gained the weight. I am walking now and can even jog a little......lol I just dont want to jog at this point. I ate alot when I was diagnosed from depression. I was diagnosed when I was 19 years old. I also have a cousin with MS. I have stopped eating out and buying "junk" food. With the steroids no matter what I did I gained weight. I do have the "moon" steriod face and that is now starting to go away, I have a chin again... even if it is a small one lol! My doctor told me my MS will improve greatly with weight loss also. Please feel free to contact me anytime to talk about dealing with MS and weight loss and finding ways we can acheive our goals. Hugs~ Frankee

It would be so great to get that kind of help-- I have multiple sclerosis and need to lose 60 pounds. Everywhere out there says work out work out work out-- but it is a tough thing to do. I want to, but physically cannot. And there are many people like that out there, but many trainers do not understand that getting warm from exercise makes my vision poor or i get uncoordinated. Would be great to find the help for those of us with a whole host of crippling disabilities and losing weight would make our lives so much better.

Kim

Water exercise is recommended for people with MS since you don't face the heating challenges associated with other exercises.

You might want to check other web sites for options such as:

http://www.heuga.org/

http://www.nationalmssociety.org

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/DS00188

Yeah, I was on steroids for 6 years (I have Crohn's Disease, among other things), then on and off for 5 more and gained a lot of weight. I still look in the mirror and don't recognize myself. Steroids suck, but they keep us alive.

Hey, best of luck on getting pregnant, Frankee!

Here's a link to an article that people over twenty may want to read as they begin their diet......Fat Cell study.

This article can be looked at from two different perspectives. On the one hand, it is good to see science closing in on possible factors that lead to obesity. With this information in the hand of parents, we could be see, in a few generations, the beginning of a turnaround in obesity, as mom's and dads finally take responsibility and get their children up from the TV and outside to play, as well as getting them to eat right.

On the other hand, this study could set a dangerous trend in motion, as more and more people could begin to have the fat cells surgically removed. In other words, liposuction. In a country that already lives under the knife in the name of vanity, an article that could be viewed as supporting this type of surgery is just not a good thing.

But, I would like to see the glass half full and hope parents finally get it. Good health begins during childhood. I have a friend. He has a 12 year old....who weighs more than me....a 43 year old. It's insane. And its so easy to fix.

-Eating right can be done easily and without the kids arguing. Pizza? Papa Murphy's Thin Crust pizza. Tastes better than any other I've eaten with a heck of a lot fewer calories.

If you look around, you'll find a host of options.

-Video games? My whole family...we all play Dance Dance Revolution together. I play Guitar Hero with my son. We're buying a Nintendo Wii and Wii fit. Make video games fun and healthy at the same time.

Grymm

I didn't read the article but if the conclusion is summed up in your first paragraph then I have to say that that's not really ground breaking new info.

As for healthy video games, why don't you just get the wii ultimate with world sim where you go outside and do something like play soccer or baseball or throw a frisbee or something? It's so lifelike you can even spill some blood.

Well said and I do agree. But, try telling this to today's kids. Try telling the gangs to leave you alone. If I have to get a videogame system to keep my kids in shape, then so be it. In the case of their health, the ends justify the means...

Grymm

We just got a Wii fit, and I have to say it's a lot of fun. My kids love video games, and I love the Wii because there are many I can play, almost as well as my kids. Since Wii Fit is new, we are on it constantly now. One right after the other. It has some really neat features, measures progress and improvement and really stresses balance and posture. I love it!
My kids are healthy and active. In spite of a love of video games and computer activities, they are fit and thin and also enjoy outdoor activities. We also recently bought a volleyball/ bad mitten set, and are having lots of fun biking and such....
I applaud the Wii for changing video games. Wii Sport also got people up off the couch. I don't think any video game could of should be anyone's total physical activity, but it sure helps when they make it so fun!

I bought a Wii for my kids last Christmas. We brought it to Texas to visit my brother and sister who live there and everyone loved playing. we would play and play and the winner just kept playing until they lost. The kids and adults loved it. Then on christmas day my nephew got rock band for a present and we shared playing the both of those games. I havent got the Wii fit yet but will. I have one son who plays baseball and one who does not really like sports or many out door activites so he gets out when we go to a baseball game or he plays the wii or rocks out to rock band. Which we had to get after we seen my nephews at Christmas. I really love how they are making video games that move kids more.

I used to manage a game store, so we have a lot of game systems. We play the heck out of Guitar Hero I, II, and III. We have several different Dance Dance Revolutions. We stay active all the time as a family. It's just awesome. Lose weight and family time. You can't beat it...

Grymm

I believe that Type 1 diabetics are forgotten and in the shadows of Type 2. I tried to enter the biggest loser club and could not because I am a diabetic. I want help like other people do. I have so many health problems from poor control over 21 years and I am not ready to die yet. I look forward to raising my daugther and watching her grow up. I want help and need help. I need to find doctors that can help me. I also want to speak to children that are diagnosed with Type 1 before they destroy their life and it's too late to stop the destruction. Type 1's need a voice to protect our children. Please help me prevent destruction of children's lives.

I'm sorry to hear of your struggles. As far as the show goes, it appears that they do not want the liability of admitting someone to the show who is in very poor health. Managing blood sugars with the intense workouts (6-8 hours a day?) would be a challenge for even a well controlled diabetic who has no other health concerns. If you are brittle, it could be disastrous to work out like that without very tight control at all times. Add additional health concerns, and it's just to risky for all concerned. Type 1's would need a much slower program and this show wants to get it all done in 5 months.

As far as Type 1 children are concerned, what is it that you would like to see happen? I know it is a huge challenge to keep them compliant, especially in their teens because they want to be just like all the other kids and don't want to stand out as having a disability, or not be able to eat like their friends. Many rebel against the strict structure as that is what teens do in general. How do you propose to educate them better and get them to make better choices? It's a hard proposition; in all things like drugs, alcohol, risky sex behavior, unsafe driving, you can educate them about the dangers until you're blue in the face. But young people tend to believe that somehow those things won't happen to THEM. That's why it's so terrifying to be the mother of a teenager. Believe me, I have two of them, and it's really scary at times.

Solange is right on target. It would be extremely difficult and dangerous for you to work out like the folks do on Biggest Loser.

My son (17) just started with an adult endocrinologist who specializes in getting young adult Type 1s to comply with all issues needed for good control. I went with my son on his first visit and listened as this doctor spent an hour and a half with him. The doctor's goal is to get Type 1s to become their own experts.

I learned something very important from this doctor that was not part of our training when my son was young. We thought good control meant keeping your blood glucose down to around 80 mg/dl before meals and no higher than 120 mg/dl post meals. Dr. C. said that OF COURSE Type 1s are going to have high blood sugars frequently every day. The trick is to test very frequently such as at least 8 times per day, and take extra insulin to bring the high numbers back down over and over again. Have roller coaster BGs, avoiding serious lows of course, instead of staying steadily high all day. His patients that test frequently and take insulin to treat their highs several times a day get very good A1C test results every 3 months.

For the full article about Walgreens giving free care to jobless and the uninsured Click here!
tqo

first of all i would like to say how much of an inspiration the show is to me. i only have 20 more pounds to lose to reach my personal goal. This question is for either of the trainers or for anyone who can give their opinion. i have some serious stretch mark issues. my belly button looks like an introverted prune! i guess my belly is alot smaller having lost 60 pounds, but with 20 more pounds to go, what can i do about this.

and to kristin; you are so sweet. i just want to tell you how much you have encouraged me. i was told that i need to lose more weight and try to regain some muscle tone in order to try to have more kids. i have 2 little girls who were both born premature. the second was very close to being born at 23 weeks which meant that she could've been deaf or blindor worse. she made it to 28 weeks and she is fine other than some minor complications. we would love to try for one more child! i just think that it's neat to see you trying for the purpose of beginning a family. you seem to know why you want to lose the weight and it's not just for vanity's sake. i seriously hope you take the win!! but i think that's why you are so sweet, because you know that it's more than the win that you are fighting for. Best of wishes!

sara

Dear Jillian or Bob,

I am 54 yrs. old and used to be skinny. At the age of 42 I had 2 heart attacks. The high carb, low protein diet they had me on caused me to really gain a lot of weight. I now have been diagnosed with fibro. How in the world can I lose weight now when it hurts to move? I'm tired of sitting and crying because I just keep gaining and see no end to this. Please help me. My life is at stake . Thank you,

Sabrina

Sabrina, I know a lot of how you feel. I am 30 years old and was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis last year, that has progressed really quickly. I am already using a cane and my neurologist sees a wheelchair in my future since I am already losing muscle control in my legs.
I want to fight this disease, but it's so difficult being heavy and not being able to do much as far as exercise. I wish Biggest Loser could find a way to do a "handicapable" season. I would fight!! I'd need Jillian to kick my ass, but I'd fight. LOL Good luck to you Sabrina.

Moriah

My stepmother has severe fibromyalgia and she does a water aerobics class at the YMCA. Do you have access to a pool? You need to do something. Exercise has been shown to help with fibromyalgia. In fact, the less you move, the worse it gets. How about walking?

I am 62 years old and I have COPD which makes even walking very difficult. I use a wheel chair when I have to walk any distance. I also have had hernias 3 times in 2 years all needing surgical repair. Besides that I am allergic to nuts so that is a no no. I weigh over 300 pounds and it just makes everything so much worse. I am also diabetic. Is there any hope for me?

Absolutely there's hope! Make your goals small. Set 1 goal around these 3 areas a week:
1. nutrition
2. fitness
3. changing your mental/spiritual state

So, in other words, you could set a goal to:
a. write down everything you eat each day
b. Walk for 5 minutes daily
c. Journal about why your health is important to you daily

Week 2:
a. make an appointment with a nutritionist
b. Walk for 7-10 minutes; see if your health insurance will pay for a trainer (many YMCA's have discounted rates for seniors)
c. work on continuing to journal and looking at what your roadblocks are--maybe you decide to do a few different things: seek ministers/rabbi's counseling; seek a life coach; seek a counselor


For subsequent weeks you would increase you goals in each area.

You are not hopeless. You have the power within you to overcome this!

I just had surgery on my foot last week and am down for at least 6 weeks. Yes, this has made the fibro much worse. I think I have too much time to just sit and think about how much weight I'm probably gaining while being immobile. Walking does help but my foot was so bad I could only walk about 15 minutes a day. Taking one problem at a time. Thanks for your input everyone.

Ouch, sorry to hear that. Well, I'd suggest swimming until you can bear weight. Maybe a recumbent bicycle would work.

I know how frustrating it is to be injured and unable to work out. At least with an injury we can say "this too shall pass."

I was wondering if anyone has a list of the tests given to the Biggest Loser contestants by Dr. H??????
I want to have them done by my doctor at the beginning of my program and then at the end! I am 48 year old female that has slapped on almost 60 pounds since starting peri-menopause and I need to get it off, however my health issues are even worse with all of this weight gain and with the family history I have I just would like to have the tests done. So if anyone has the list or knows the tests given I would greatly appreciate getting it.

My health issues are:
1. High Cholesterol (since the age of 29 (family history...weighed 110 and was in great health then, but doctor put me on lipitor 10mg, because of family history when I was 35 after 6 years of a 250 plus cholesreol).
2. High Blood Pressure - was diagnosed a year ago and put on meds, weighed the same as I do now, 170 (seem to just maintain this weight - does not want to budge)
3. Teethered Cord Syndrome - was diagnosed with this in January and they are monitoring me, as I do not want to have the surgery until absolutly necessary!

So please someone respond!!!

Thank you,
Jules

I have a friend who was at risk for prostate cancer as it ran in the family and was particularly aggressive. He was screened routinely every 6 months via the PSA blood test. A few months ago it came back indicating that something was going on. After a biopsy and CT scan it was determined that it was already a stage 2. Normally they go in with a specialized surgical machine to reem out the prostate or remove it totally. He was set for surgery yesterday. He had been waiting for the surgery for over a month.. and was looking forward to recovery. Once at the hospital there was a delay. Finally the anesthesiologist and surgeon came and said that they would NOT do the procedure. The position of the surgery requires that your head is lower than your body... (I get the general idea...) Another hospital in the area had a patient with a BMI in the low 40's had the same surgery last week and is now brain dead. (stroke?) The surgery was to last 4-5 hours. I'm sure that all facets of the cases are not alike.. My friends BMI is in the 50's.. he's a large guy. The next best option is radiation. But that option may not be perfect... I'm sure that it's up to individual doctors on whether to risk the surgery but it obviously is a strike against you if you are already morbidly obese. His family and friends will be cautiously optimistic as he gets ready for radiation therapy.

Just an encouragement to you guys who have larger BMI's...

While that is true, it's very important to listen to your body as well. Most days I wake up feeling like I ran a marathon I didn't train for, and that's just trying to get through a normal day. If I do too much exercise, the next day is so bad, I feel like I was hit by a train.

On the other hand, Cymbalta has really helped to take the edge off of my pain level.

As many of you know Laura Denoux of The Biggest Loser Season 7 is a Start! Heart Walk Director for the American Heart Association

There is a Start! Heart Walk benefiting the American Heart Association is taking place in Miami-Dade at Tropical Park on October 3, 2009. Laura will be participating in the walk and is trying to raise money for it.

I have joined her team and set up a donation site. I hope you all will donate if you can. http://miamidadeheartwalk.kintera.org/biggestloserfans


Support a good cause and donate today.

I hope this isnt against the rules, as its a good cause

lost100 is right, there is hope. You just start small, do what you CAN do and soon you may find yourself able to do things you thought you could not do! Good luck!

Your hernias have all been repaired?

How far can you walk right now? What I would do, if you are able, is to take the max you can walk without pain, and do it several times a day. Any exertion over what you are doing now, is going to benefit you. What may seem a small amount of exercise is not if it is more than what you are currently doing.

But if you can do it a few times a day, and maybe each week increase a minute (or whatever you feel you can do), then that would really help.

The point being you do need to push yourself a wee bit beyond what you can do "comfortably" but you do NOT want to be in any kind of pain or out of breath in a way that has you catching your breath. Of course your heartbeat will increase and you will be out of breath some, but there is a fine line there and you will know it when you hit it. But you do need to do it long enough and enough intensity to actually feel you are working. (I see people on the treadmill, holding a magazine or book in one hand and the railing in the other, and walking so slow they are almost going backwards. That is fine if it is the best you can do, but if you are holding a book that is slowing you down from what you are capable of, kwim? You do need to push yourself. If you don't have a personal trainer you need to be your own. Be sensible on what is safe.

Next, is diet. Diabetes should not hamper anything. Just cut out sugar (if you are allowed fruits, cut those down and stock up on veggies instead...best for weight loss).

Meals and snacks should contain a protein, a healthy fat, and a complex carb (veggies, whole grains, beans, lower sugar fruits,). Should always have a veggie with each meal, and if you are hungry, then an additional complex carb.

You are only 62. You are not old. You have lots of living left to do and you can't do it properly at 300 lbs. Believe me, you can do this. You can! You have to believe it yourself though in order to succeed.

Small goals. Don't saddle yourself with "scale number" goals. You have no idea how the weight is going to come off. You must just eat the right foods, increase exercise and let the chips fall where they may.

Small meals and snacks every 2-3 hours will help increase your metabolism.

Oh, are you able to do any light resistance training? Very necessary as increased lean body mass is what increases metabolism, which means more burned calories while at work and at rest.

Resistance is probably more important than cardio, although you really need both. While cardio will burn more calories while doing it, increased muscle mass in your body increased your calories burned throughout the whole 24 hours in a day.

You can do it! Don't start tomorrow. Start right now this minute.

Oops, wow I failed to look at the date this thread was started. Early May.

I have COPD as well, and I am much younger than you. Are you on oxygen?

Hey everyone

I'm new here
But I hope that no one else is as rude as "therealwongit"
I hope that one day you realize that its terrible to rub it in other peoples faces that you dont suffer from a condition that they do suffer from.

Apart from that, I can offer some advice on the actual issue.
When I started exercising more regularly, I found that pimples on my back, forehead and neck were increasingly common. It turns out that if you cut away the skin on the affected area, and clean up any residue immediately, the scarring should be minimal and a non-recurring issue.

Hope I helped somebody