Here is my path to a healthy weight and lifestyle
As a child I was always a bit chubby, but actually it wasn't too bad for me. I've moved a lot, I've climbed trees and haven't racked my brain about it. It was in the middle of puberty when I began to exercise less and eat more. I weighed 86 kilos at the time. My legs exploded and I wasn't sure what was happening to me. I cut myself off. I just wanted to hide. I went to a nutritionist from my health insurance company with my mom. It was completely free and I found it really informative. She showed me my mistakes and the pounds fell off too. You can get information from your health insurances, actually each has its own program and this is usually really cheap for the members.
So I took off diligently, but my legs? What was the matter with them?
Nothing happened then. I was frustrated. I kept my 70 kilos for a while. Until I started eating my frustration with my body again - in the truest sense of the word. In the meantime I was as good as an adult and made the jump quickly. Weight Watchers online supported me and I learned how to cook healthily. A lot of vegetables and fruits were my new friends. With this I also lost weight again until I came to 68 kilos. According to the BMI, this was still not normal, but it felt good. But what was wrong with those damn legs? As good as nothing went ...
Losing weight with lipedema: where was my mistake?
I looked for the faults in myself. Eat less? Sports? After all, something has to help. Eating less was the biggest mistake I have ever made while losing weight with lipedema. I tried to starve myself through the day with a mere 1000 kcal. It didn't feel good, nor did it leave a place to live. I signed out of Weight Watchers and kept a journal fatsecret (Free app for tracking food). I was exhausted and tired and couldn't get myself up to exercise. Several attempts failed miserably, either because of motivation, sore legs or lack of strength.
Dear readers - eat! And sensibly.
Nobody really needs to start below 1400 kcal. This is, on average, the consumption of your body at rest. Anyone who has been eating less for a long time should look into the topic Starvation metabolism . employ
After a long back and forth I finally came to a doctor who knew his way around and me Lipedema diagnosed. A devastating message - in my eyes. Days started and ended with tears and I was really completely trapped in my own world. To be said very lovingly by the doctor
"Well there is nothing you can do about that."
is not the fine English kind.
I got my stockings, which I found absolutely terrible. I still wore them. They helped me with a lot of exercise ... even if I didn't want to admit it.
I can't even say what kind of day it was when I decided to show the disease and myself that it was different. I bought myself Jillian Michaels - Shred: Slim in 30 days
- a really tough program for someone who doesn't have stamina or strength, but a great introduction to fitness and weight loss with lipedema.
The liposuctions
I had three operations in 2014/2015 and now I was really busy wearing my compression. Incidentally, with whom I have become friends. I wear them confidently as a piece of clothing that belongs to me. Of course there are always bad days, but who doesn't have them?
I started eating more consciously and healthily. To this day, however, I keep track of what I eat to keep track of things. 1700 kcal are my daily ration. Sometimes a little more. I now exercise six times a week. Including three strength training sessions on TRX
, twice yoga and once endurance in the form of jogging. I feel very comfortable with this way of life, I always get 30 minutes of exercise a day somehow and I can now eat a lot more. My new one is happy! I currently weigh 65 kilos, but I don't weigh myself very often anymore. There is only one number on the scales, we shouldn't make our happiness dependent on it.
So important when losing weight with lipedema
It is really important to me to make you understand that diets are just crap. You should eat, you even MUST eat. Please do not renounce anything ... at most do not renounce! A normal life includes chocolate, popcorn, etc. Just try to balance these things out - it's a matter of balance. Everyone who has the will can change something. Whether with lipedema / lymphedema or without. Get started It is your life and you have to move it! You may make a lot of mistakes, cross many mountains and valleys, but the path is worth it when you finally arrive where you always wanted to be.
With this in mind, I wish you all the best in losing weight with lipedema and the courage to change!
I understand exactly what you are writing! First of all, you always think that you are just too fat and try to get rid of it, but inside you know that something is wrong. The search for a doctor who knows what is going on and can help is often long and hard. Because the sayings you hear from the many doctors in front of it are often hurtful. But as soon as you have the diagnosis, the journey of fighting against your own figure really begins ... Thank you for this post and the blog. You have given me a lot of courage to deal openly with my illness and to be more self-confident.
Dear Madeleine,
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your words and hope that together we can all manage to gain more understanding and attention for our life with lipedema. Because only when every second person on the street knows what disease they can assign to our compression, the pressure on the health insurance companies increases. Until we have achieved that, we will give everything!
Kind regards and feel depressed
Caroline
Hello dear Anja,
your words encourage. I had actually hoped that the diagnosis of lipedema by a specialist would improve. Instead, I have the feeling of being alone more than ever ... I wear my compressions, go to lymphatic drainage every week, do sport 3 times a week and make sure that my young family of 4 eats healthily in general ... and I'm secretly deeply desperate.
Your before and after photos are terrific and there is an incredible amount of discipline and strength behind them. Great how you can do it .. keep it up. It's like a little strip of hope on the horizon.
I would be extremely interested in whether you have heard of similar success stories and experiences without lipsuctions and whether there are corresponding tips in this regard.
I would be very happy to hear from you.
Kind regards, Janine
Hello
Thank you for this great post.
I don't have a diagnosis from a doctor, but I have the feeling that I also suffer from lipedema.
I try to do more sport but with 2 children and without support it is usually difficult.
I eat very healthy, have been giving up sugar for years, but I can't get my legs slim.
But I don't want to have an operation if someone can do it that way.
Is that possible?
Many thanks
Hello Kathi,
yes, you can feel better without surgery. It always depends on the individual body. Take a look at this article: Living pain-free with lipedema
Best regards,
Caroline