Debbie Cousins- Журнал, 05 окт 23

Don’t give up Debbie I was dragging too and was barely getting 1000 steps in most days. Then I decided to pick myself up and have now lost 30 lbs. I started doing a 1 mile walk video on YouTube and now I am using my Gazelle Glider for 35 minutes every day. Walking outside is just too hard in the humidity down here so I have to do something that is in the house. My first day I could hardly keep up with the 1 mile walking video but now I can go to town on my Gazelle. Just make yourself get up and do it. Split it up even and walk twice a day to get back to your 4 miles and you don’t have to do it outside (too easy to cancel and blame the weather). Remember it will never happen if you don’t just get up. I’m a 66 yr worn out widow who was ready to give up on everything. If I can do it…you can TOO! 

I think you do fantastic job, I read your posts all the time. So you had a small setback no big deal don't we all...🤷 😊 What would you say to one of us if we had a setback, surely nothing negative. Dust yourself off, and pick yourself back up🤸 you'll be back in the right direction in no time. I have every belief that you'll be righting yourself in no time just give yourself a little, Grace. 

oh, Debbie, don't throw in the towel. come on, pull yourself up and out of this funk. we all cheer you on. wish I had the magic answer. praying for your strength  

omg... don't you dare lose your progress. you have done so well.  

You had surgery & had to slow down. Just because you feel you can't keep up the 4 miles a day doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of what you are doing! I had Covid a little over 2 weeks ago. I was only truly sick for 3 days, but that doesn't mean I bounced back immediately. When I got back to the Gym after 10 days, I couldn't keep up my normal routine. I adjusted as needed, but didn't give up. Finally, yesterday I felt better. I was getting tired by the end, but I still felt happy with myself. Your surgery was so much more than my illness. You have done so well & I think if you give yourself a little grace, you can get back to where you were. DON'T GIVE UP!! You owe it to yourself to continue on your journey to better health.  

Come on Debbie, keep at it! 

I'm an introvert. I like to be alone and work alone. But, when it comes to exercise and sports, i need the presence of othere motivate me. It is my healthy habit to always go to the gym, even when I don't feel lile it. Some of my best gym days come when I almost stayed home. To some the gym is a waste of time. But, time spent on self improvemt is never a waste. The joy of winning a foot race against your 12 yr old grandson is priceless. And, the look of envy of your daughter and sons face while you do it says get healthy too . Not to mention the ability to walk tall and strong.  

Hang in there and just start again … you can do this 

Everyone has off days! The beautiful thing is that as long as you’re alive, you have another chance! Believe in yourself! You can do it! 

As we get older it takes more time to recover from things like surgery, illnesses and overextending ourselves. We mentally compare our current situation to similar events that happened in our past then mentally beat ourselves up because we did it better, faster and with fewer issues before. You cannot keep comparing the present you with the past you, you cannot expect to have a major surgery and come home and go back to what you have always done, when you do that you feel like a failure. My hubby had a knee replacement surgery in 2021 and his Doctor gave me the job of monitoring his activities, he said....He won't want to do the PT exercises, make him do them. He will think he can go back to doing his regular routine as soon as the incision heals, don't let him. He will have less pain in the knee than before the surgery and because of that he will believe he is healed. He will be 50% healed after one year, 80% healed after 2 years and 98% after three years, he will never be 100%. That was the year he turned 62. He had his surgery in July, he returned to work at the end of October. He, like you, struggled with the speed at which he was recovering and chafed at the restrictions placed on him and resented me for enforcing those restrictions. He could not get down on the floor and back up till nearly a year after the surgery. Stop beating yourself up and punishing/comforting yourself with food. Accept that you are still healing and stop making demands of your body that it can't sustain. Right now you are over extending your body and when it demands time to heal, you call that failure and send yourself into a downward spiral, both mentally and physically. You are also putting stress on parts of your body that are trying to heal, slowing the healing process which contributes to your mental downward spiral. Show yourself some love, allow your body to heal and be kinder to yourself while doing it. You are not a failure, you are worth the time taken to recover, everything will come back to you in it's own time. Listen to your body, pay attention to it's needs. Feed it what it needs to heal and stop making unreasonable demands on it and it will reward you for not allowing your expectations to rule it's recovery. We all still feel like we are 20 on the inside, we have to remind ourselves that we are not 20 anymore and be considerate of a body that we have used and abused for our entire lives. Just my two cents, please don't feel like I am being critical or negative. This is a thing I have had to accept for myself as well as watch my husband accept for himself.  

I'm taking a totally different approach here. Everybody can say give yourself grace and you are recovering and I'm telling you-DO NOT regain your weight. Every day I am fucking disgusted with not fighting harder to maintain my loss and being disappointed with myself. You have worked so hard. Stop the excuses and get back to it today. Every day that passes makes it harder to get it back. I wish I had gotten control back immediately when I was up 10 pounds instead of 50-60. That's a whole different ballgame. Pick yourself up today and do it.  

When I said give yourself grace, I was referring to your inability to walk as much or be able to return to your activities 100%. I wasn't talking about allowing yourself to overeat. Controlling your food intake & calories is well within your abilities.  

Wow, I haven’t checked in here since I wrote this post. The overwhelming show of support brought tears to my eyes. So many others suffering with the same setback I’m experiencing, and yet, you took the time and energy to encourage me. Thank you! I’ve been praying that the Lord would give me back the “want to” so I can accomplish the goals I have for myself. After reading all these comments, I think He just answered my prayers through YOU! It’s after 2pm, and the only thing I’ve accomplished today is putting silicone scar tape on my knee and walking 1/2 mile. BUT, the day is not over, and I’m not writing it off! I’m going to get up right now and start walking and doing my PT exercises. I might not get it ALL done, but I will get SOME, and that’s better than nothing! Here I go. THANK YOU ALL!!! Your investment of time to encourage me made a difference! 

Ok, I did 12 out of 18 exercises and walked 1 mile (1-1/2 total today), SO FAR. I’m icing my knee for 30 minutes, and then I’ll finish the PT and walk at least 1 more mile - but if I reach the 3 mile mark (which I haven’t done in the past 9 days), I’ll probably try to summon the strength to make it 4. OH, and as an added bonus, I even drank a whole 16-oz bottle of water (been at least 10 days since I’ve done that!) Making progress! Thank you all again! 

Debbie, keep remembering to put yourself and your health first. In my nightly prayers i always thank God for my ever improving health. I never thought about it till right now, but i wonder if that doesnt subliminally help me make better choices the following day? God bless sis. 

I can relate. I am bed bound due to disability and it makes it hard to exercise and move. I try to do my PT regularly but it’s not very fun what I can tell you is weight loss is mostly what you eat. I have been able to lose 40lbs in total since may and i didnt exercise once! (I try to keep my calories at 2,000 a day) 

Finished ALL the PT exercises and walked another mile (2-1/2 total). Bedtime now, but I have to wake up at 8pm to take a pill. Maybe I’ll walk a little more then. If I can get to 3 miles, it’ll be the farthest I’ve walked in any of the last 10 days. Thanks again for all your encouragement and motivation! 

Debbie, if walking hurts your knees, there are lots of other exercises that you can do to stay fit. Have you tried yoga? 

Way to go!!  

We're all so happy. May I caution you, dear sister, to be wise with your goals? The suggestions here by your fan club have been wonderful. We all love you so much.