[Aunt Donna]

I need to lose weight to take pressure off my feet, but because of bone spurs, gout, and poor circulation, my feet are in constant pain. I trying to diet but I need to exercise also. Walking is painful right now. Any suggestions. This is totally getting to me. I can't think straight, and spend a lot of time crying. I go back to the doctor Monday. Thanks for letting me get this out. YUGH!!!

hi. some gyms have arm cycles. basically, they are cranks turned by the arms to strengthen them and burn calories. is swimming an option? cycling? i've had some good results by bicycling and it's easier on my feet than walking.

[bipolarmedstudent]

Low-impact exercises
- swimming or water aerobics
- the eliptical machine
- spinning (cycling indoors)
- the rowing machine (this one is great, as it focuses on your upper body)
- hula-hooping (burns mad calories!) - you have to buy a good, heavy hoop though
- strength-training
- yoga
- pilates

You should be doing strength training if you want to lose weight. It increase your muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories than fat. If you increase your muscle mass, you will be burning calories all day -- not just while you are excercising. Basically, by strength-training, you will increase your metabolism. Go get some free weights and do upper body exercises. You can also do a bunch of excercises on the floor, like abdominal crunches, without putting pressure on your feet.

Finally, make sure that your gout and arthritis is well-treated with medication. Don't be afraid to take pain meds if you need them!

[Aunt Donna]

Thanks for all advice. It is very helpful. The doctor put me on a 1300 calorie diet and I have to see him once a month. I have bone spurs in both feet along with arthritis from my back downward. I have given up my six pack a day coca-cola habit for water with lemon.

I take my pain medication on a regular basis along with a prescription nsaid. Thanks for all the replies.

Sounds good. It is not a good idea to mix acidic beverages like soda with N-SAIDS as both can cause stomach problems. Coca-Cola has a lot of unnecessary calories too. I have been brewing my own black tea and drinking it plain over ice. It gives me a bit of that caffeine zip without all the sugar. And, tea is supposedly good because it has anti-oxidants. Green tea is even milder and has more anti-oxidants.

I once saw a physical therapist who recommended starting upper body exercises using cans of Progresso soup! (I guess Healthy Request soup will do too!) Once you increase basic strength then you can move up to light weights. Even a little exercise helps.

I have bad feet also and it is a nightmare. Will the bone spurs eventually heal or will they require surgery?

[Aunt Donna]

Thanks for the advice using the soup cans. It sounds like a winner. I like drinking tea and it does take care of caffeine fix. I can't drink green tea because how it looks to me. (like a urine sample) LOL

Surgery is only done on bone spurs when you have joint replacement, not for them alone. They don't go away on their own, that is way I am on a diet to lose weight to ease pressure. I am taking nsaids for the inflammation, once I lose enough weight I can get shots that will help greatly. I can't get them right now, because they make you gain weight and I weigh too much now.

What do you do for pain for your feet?

Yeah, I can't do green tea either. For some reason, it sometimes gives me nausea.

I could write a book with my foot problems! Let's see: They are very narrow (AA width). My narrow feet slide around a lot in my shoes, creating callouses that need to be shaved off by my podiatrist. Recently, I had a clogged sweat gland on the bottom of my foot from a callous. It hurt like heck. My feet are different sizes (there's a 3 size difference), so one shoe is always too big. This recently led to an achilles heel injury on the smaller foot. My lesser toes are crooked. On the smaller foot, this leads to bursitis. The crooked toes will also cramp on cold and damp days. Sometimes, they cramp at night. I have bunionettes on both feet that make getting shoes a problem, especially on the smaller foot. I have arthritis and plantar faciitus on my right foot. Because of my narrow and differently sized feet, I will never have a pair of shoes that fit properly. Narrow feet do not absorb shock well, so running and other sports are out. I require arch supports on both feet. They especially help the right foot that has a partially torn tendon. Reparative surgery is not recommended for the tendon injury unless it totally tears. Since my shoes fit poorly, the damaged tendon hurts me daily. The big toes on both feet - the only toes that actually do anything - bend very little (almost not at all on the left foot), inhibiting my ability to walk and run. That will do for now! Did I ever tell you about my arm problems . . .

Oh, one more thing. I hate all my shoes. They are ugly. I have to settle for shoes that stay on my feet. There are very few shoe styles to choose from. If I can get anything to fit at all.

[Ycart]

Nordstrom and nordstrom.com will do "intentional mismates" for feet which are not the same size. It is nooo problem at all either! Doesnt cost anything extra.

Sent from my iPhone