Is this all?!

Ruth, thank you very much. I will always accept a hug!!! Erica

I weigh 500-odd pounds (have been very good on pre-op diet and exercise plan, but it's been four months since I was weighed last, so I won't be too specific about what comes after the "500"). So my joints and back don't like most forms of exercise, either. I can't run. I can't ride a bike. I can't do anything that requires me to be on the floor laying down (how would I get back up?). What works for me is water aerobics. We do all of our exercises in the shallow end of the pool standing up, so you don't need to be able to swim or even get your hair wet if you don't want to. My class is pretty high impact. We're jumping for a good 25 minutes. Since it is in the water, all the stress is taken off your joints. The workout also does you more good than exercising on land -- you're getting resistance from the water. Doing a class like this 2-3 times a week might be just what you need. It'll jump start your metabolism and give you a nice energy boost. I was reluctant myself at first because I don't like wearing a swimsuit around other people and I hadn't exercised in 15 years. I found a suit that covers everything (e-mail me if you want details on that) and I have a bunch of bath sheet towels that cover me up. When I'm in the water, all you can see are my head and shoulders. As for not having exercised, I won't lie. You do feel it after the first class. I felt it mainly in my feet. I go to class at my local Y. Our instructor had WLS herself and is 2 years post op. Most of the water instructors I've met have been nice and down to earth and weren't bony little aerobics *****es (pardon my French). That's a huge plus for me. I still have some gym teacher aversion left over from high school Good luck. You've made really great progress, and I know you can make it the rest of the way.

Rebecca, I read you profile and you are so funny. I totally agree that the women who constantly call themselves HUGE!!! at 250 should be shot through a cannonball. It depresses me so badly because I started out at 450, so what do people who think of themselves as so gross at 250 say about me?! In any case, thank you for the kind words. I am going to find the neares****er aerobics class and hope for the best! Erica

450? Hon, you had me beat by a good 120 pounds You were pretty thin to start...well, relatively speaking I don't know that the lighter WLS women should be shot, but they might want to show the larger folks a bit of sensitivity. Then again, I know women who weigh 140 (at 5'3 or so) who think they're enormous. It's a female thing, and it makes me wish people would teach little girls to love thir bodies and be proud of them. Anyway...if you're looking for a class, I would definitely try the Y. You'll want to find out if the pool has stairs (I could still use a ladder at 350, but I don't know that doesn't go for everyone -- I definitely can't use one now because my knees won't support me). In my area, pretty much all the Ys have stairs (portable in some cases, but if they support me, they should be fine for pretty much everyone else on planet earth ). In my exprience, I've found that pretty much all the people in class are female, mpst are over 40 and come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colors. We've had men in class, but never more than one, and even then, it's one of the ladies' husbands along to keep her company. I also have a chair aerobics routine that I do on days I don't get to the Y. I do not enjoy it. I don't like sweating and puffing, but it needs to be done. I do feel pretty good when I'm finished with, if not during. Exercise seems to increase my energy and improve my mood. If you want the full description of that, I can e-mail you. Anyway, I can't say enough good things about the Y. Apart from having to contend with other people's kids (not a favorite activity for me), I really like it, and the people there are very welcoming and friendly. Good luck and let me know how it goes.