I'm glad to hear that you don't weigh yourself. I think that can lead to an unhealthy obsession with what the number on the scale is. It sounds as though you have a sensible plan -- cutting back as opposed to a "diet".

I can sympathize with this young lady. I am type 2 diabetic, 77-year-old male, easily 40 lb overweight. I suffer from edema, high blood pressure, PAD, kidney disease, and elevated cholestorol & trigliceride levels. I take medication for diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholestorol & triglicerides, and edema.

I tend to eat too much due to stress and boredom, and seem not to be able to exercise any will power to stop over-eating -- this coupled with the fact that I will eat foods that are not good for me. I just can't seem to control my appetite. I do not consume alcohol, and I do not use tobacco, nor do I abuse any substances or prescription drugs.

I have a history of congestive heart failure, severe arthritis/ stenosis of the entire spine & hips, chronic bronchitis, bronchial & lumbar pneumonia, and increased frequency of urination. I have had surgery to remove my sigmoid colon & peripheral lymph nodes due to cancer (I am now cancer free). I have had a Silverhawk procedure to remove excess plaque in the arteries of both legs.

I cannot get the proper exercise because of inability to walk properly since I have to use a walker and I tire easily plus being unsteady on my feet. It is a real challenge for me. Unfortunately I am not sufficiently motivated to lose this excess weight but at the same time I realize that I am inviting disaster if I don't.

I go to my primary physician (an internist) every 3-4 months, also to specialists such as nephrologist (kidney), cardiologist, and neurologist, on a regular basis. At this stage I just don't know what to do.

Neither I nor my wife drive; we depend on our daughter to provide transportation when she can (she works on weekdays and sometimes on a weekend day). We also depend on our county transportation service which is a small bus that can accommodate people in wheelchairs, walkers, etc. We can't afford to join clubs to use their exercise and pool facilities, and there aren't any YMCA's or aqua-therapy facilities close enough for us to use.

I have a couple exercise machines at home, like a no-impact stepper, but I am not fit enough to use it. The other is a unit that I can sit on and twist around and about to stretch my muscles; it isn't very effective.

My wife tries to help me but I resist her efforts and do not cooperate. I wish I knew what to do; I really want to lose weight and get some meaningful exercise.

You've taken a great first step! A group in our office joined together to take off a few pounds. Our diets were individual, and we weighed privately so there would be no embarassment.(It helps to have a good group of co-workers!) To make it interesting, we each put a dollar in the pot. At the end of the prescribed time, whomever lost the most weight got to keep the pot. The money was nice, but it was a great incentive for me to know that I would have to get on that scale one day a week, and I didn't want the needle to go up. If you come up with a solution to run off the craving for sweets, please SHARE.
Good luck!

Congrats Diane! Thanks for the suggestions dealing with the reality of not always having a home lunch. We celebrated the special holiday lunches at school with a classroom meal together: desks side by side, facing another row of desks, and a swath of colored butcher paper down the middle. I'd bring leaves, seed pods, acorns to decorate for Thanksgiving. (Just retired; miss 'em!)

It's great you have a group at school to walk with. That's motivating ! I don't deal with school lunches, but as a half day preschool teacher I sure see my share of cupcakes and sweets.It is so hard sometimes to not indulge. I always bring a healthy snack with me, but some days end up eating mine and the cupcake ! I am making a very dedicated effort to get my walking in each day before I go home.That works best for me.I've also put my weight lost(20 of 35) under my Lean Plate Club magnet. It's a daily reminder to keep on going, and hopefully not gain over the holidays.I'll enjoy following your progress and challenges. Good luck!