I have sent her a note and feel strongly that everyone here has a nugget of something to offer

"I have the struggles that the woman featured on your show have - yo-yo dieting. With each diet came more weight. I have done Jenny Craig, South Beach, Atkins - name it I was on it. I am diligent about my diets.

Here is my main problem. I am handicapped and excerise is hard for me to do. I have a bad back with herniated disks in both my cervical and lumbar spine. I had surgery to repair my achilled tendon and although it is much better it also can hurt when exercising.

I love your recipes but I need assistance in what to eat and maybe some "real" exercises that I can do. "Real" means some that work. I have tried some sitting exercises and I joined Curves but my curves soes not have anyone that walks around and tells you if you are working out correctly and as a result I did not see any progress.

I am at my wits end. Additionally I also just had surgery for breast cancer. Now more than ever, a healthy diet and lifestyle are so important to me to maintain my health and to look better and feel better about myself."

All the suggestions you have received have been good so there is not much I can add. There is a website with info for people who are disabled or have specific problems exercising. I do not have the info here at work but will try and find it and post.
I am confident you will do well - you have just taken your first baby step.

Andrea

Although I am not qualified in any way whatsoever to give you medical advice, I can tell you that I work in a Physical Therapist's office and we regularly treat people who have many of your conditions. (ie the cervical/lumbar problems and the achilles tendon) Perhaps you are already seeing a PT for these conditions! If you're not, you might want to go talk to your physician about getting an evaluation with a good one. They can really point you in the right direction for strength training tailored to your specific needs, and (at least ours) are MORE than happy to provide you with fitness advice. They may be the most qualified people to advise you as to what exercises should be OK and what should be avoided to make sure you don't aggravate any of your conditions. Also, hopefully, they can reduce the pain you are having in every day life. I hope this helps, and kudos to you for playing such an active role in your own healthcare!

A diet with at least 7 servings of fruit and veggies per day will support your good health. Eat whole grains and lean protein. Avoid processed food and you will feel better.
My Aunt is a brest cancer survivor and swears that she is alive because of the changes in diet, exercise and attitude. She is a different person now.
You are so worth this effort and I know that you will feel better and be healhtier as you make these changes.
I encourage you to post here on the forum and we might be able to help with specifics and to offer more support.

If you take it easy, exercise may actually help with your back pain. You just have to be especially careful not to overdo it.

I would recommend checking with your local hospital to see if they have any exercise classes for people with back pain that you can do. Yoga, stretching, Pilates, etc. with modifications may be especially helpful.

The water exercise ideas are great. I can't tell from your posts if you can walk but if you can, that may be another good option for you.

As for diet, I have seen some studies that suggest getting significantly more than the minimum of 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day can decrease your cancer risk.

Be careful and take good care of yourself. cate's idea about treating yourself to a makeover is a great idea. A new hairstyle or outfit can really make a difference in your outlook, and it doesn't have to be expensive if you shop around.

I also agree that swimming and water aerobics may be good solutions. You may also want to check into resistance bands as well. Please check with your doctors though before starting any new exercise!
As for the nutrition part, be sure to be eating lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean protein. As you said, a healthy diet and lifestyle is key to being as healthy as possible.
I wish you well and a speedy recovery from your cancer surgery.

Splurge on some nice clothes and makeup, first of all. A lot of folks here have found that they didn't get to a place where they could lose weight until they started feeling better about themselves.

For exercise, I have a yoga ball/balance ball that I've used, and its wonderfully easy on my back and knees. I also swim and try to take a walk every day. Even if you "only" take a five minute walk, or bounce on the ball in front of the tv or computer, its still better than nothing.

I have endometriosis, so part of every month I just can't do a lot. I just try and do what I can. Keep that in mind, if you are in a lot of pain, just do what you can.

Try to incorporate one or two new healthy foods into your life. It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing approach, babysteps work! With recovering from surgery, babysteps are the best approach.

Find non-food rewards for yourself. Bubble bath, makeup, a new outfit, a haircut. Some folks put a quarter in a jar each time they do something and save up for a big splurge.

I've lost weight (about 50 lbs in a little over a year) by eating well, and moving. I don't count calories or weigh myself, and while I still have a way to go, its a noticable difference.

You can do it!!!

Cate

I did some looking and found a few DVDs that might be helpful from an exercise standpoint:

Back Care & Stretching

I'd also recommend water aerobics, as it's low- to no-impact and customizable to your particular fitness level in a way that many other group classes aren't. Additionally, most water aerobics instructors are well-versed in limited mobility adjustments, since many people who are unable to exercise any other way begin in the water. YMCAs, YWCAs, community pools, Boys & Girls Clubs are a good place to look for water aerobics classes, and many will let you try a class once or twice before joining.

D