others w/physical disabilities?

hrnielsen1973 · March 2015

I am 41 years old and trying to lose a couple. I have CP, using a wheelchair the majority of the time.

hrnielsen1973 · March 2015

Are there reałly no others with there own wheels\ walkers / cruches?

redlocks70 · April 2015

Hello. I am new to the forums here and I'm a first time poster. I also have CP and am finding it difficult to loose weight. Maybe we can encourage each other. I wish you all the best in this journey. It definitely feels like an uphill battle, doesn't it?

hrnielsen1973 · April 2015

do you use a manual chair? what is your mode of transportation? :-)I don't have much weight to lose, and I have stopped b
logging. but my husband and I are both on this journey. he does the cooking.I am posting publicly to encourage others to join the conversation. I find that I usually work on ccore strength

redlocks70 · April 2015

Hello there hrnielsen! No I don't use a manual chair. I was actually researching the electric wheelchairs, buy they're so pricey! I do use a cane and a walker with wheels. I feel bad about gaining weight- its definitely making it hard to walk! My boyfriend and I are also on this journey of weight loss- he's loosing weight and gaining muscle so quickly! I find I must be so diligent and mindful and of everything I eat. I'm not seeing the results like my boyfriend is. Its discouraging, still I can't quit. My quality of life depends on it at this point. Thanks so much for being brave and opening up this topic for those with disabilities. We sure could use the encouragement!

couponwheelie · April 2015

Hi! I am new too. I am 47 and use a powerchair due to severe polyneuropathy and myleopathy after a critical illness. I also have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome also so am unable to use a manual chair due to dislocating joints. I am trying to lose weight that has been with me since before I became sick. My husband is supportive but is just happy I am alive and says he doesn't care about my weight. He is a gem.

Last night I found some wheelchair exercise videos on YouTube that I am going to try. It isn't easy to lose weight when your largest muscle systems don't work.

Redlocks, our insurance paid for my chair after my doctor and PT gave medical documentation for each feature. The insurance company called me personally to tell me it was approved. Mine has full power tilt and recline, elevation, and power leg rests.

hrnielsen1973 · April 2015

Welcome!

It isn't about the number on the scale, especially if you can't balance on one.

My husband and I have cut back on white rice, butter, and red meat - as well as cheese. He is going to to try to calculate homemade pizza calories - jared spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, red onions, marinated chicken, peppers, sans cheese. Wish us luck on that one! :-) And yes, I do miss the butter. but we have found pesto - a little goes a long way.

redlocks70 · April 2015

Hi couponwheelie- so glad to meet you! I will have to talk to my dr. about getting a wheelchair that's covered by ins. I'm glad you have one that's meeting all of your needs! I'll look for the sitting exercises on YouTube. I'm sure anything I do will help! This morning I spent a lot of time walking around my house during commercials of NCIS.

Hrnielsen- that homemade pizza sounds so delicious! I use butter to saute veggies. I can't find a good replacement for it! Yes, you're right about the scale- I want to throw mine out! It's my boyfriend's best buddy lately! I just have to remember there's a bigger goal than a number on the scale..

hrnielsen1973 · April 2015

store bought whole wheat pizza dough + sause and toppings - onions (he forgot em) = 120 cal per 100g. No cheat here and it was delish! I could have gone in for a third piece, but didn't :-).

redlocks70 · April 2015

I'll have to make the pizza this weekend. I like the fact you can customize it any way you like. I'll let ya know how it turns out! I've been living off of Easter leftovers and need a change.
Couponwheelie, have you found any exercise videos on YouTube that you like? How are they working out for you?

georgeous66 · April 2015

Hello,
I do not use any walking devices but I do live with crps (lower right leg) as well as myofacial pain. I recently joined to shed a significant amount of weight by watching what I eat and trying to do as much walking as I can stand. I am at a point where I have decided to take control and do as much as a can tolerate to be healthy for me, my young kids, and my husband! I am inspired by your story! Here's hoping we can find strength to keep working hard and inspire each other! Feel free to add me if you like.:)

AgentOrangeJuice · April 2015

Just an observation, but why don't people with disabilities have avatars?

TwinkieDong · April 2015

It seems like every day's the same
and I'm left to discover on my own
It seems like everything is gray
and there's no color to behold
They say it's over and I'm fine again, yeah
Try to stay sober feels like I'm dying here

And I am aware now of how
everything's gonna be fine one day
Too late, I'm in hell I am prepared now,
seems everyone's gonna be fine
One day too late, just as well

atypicalsmith · April 2015

In the 80s, I volunteered for UCP and they had a very active sports program. If your local UCP doesn't, offer to help start one.

atypicalsmith · April 2015

That is just plain mean.

klkateri · April 2015

LOL, they all have fewer than 20 posts so I'm also assuming new to MFP. Give 'em a minute!!

NOW, I have had a knee replaced and am considered disabled from it but I am able to walk and am getting back to running. However, I was wheelchair/crutch/walker/cane bound for nearly 5 years and I still tried to work out. But Mostly I did upper body workouts and those chair workouts on YouTube. I hated them because they were full of old people but I did them and I think they helped... at least in terms of recovery time.

I did find that pool workouts were the best thing ever!! Even on days when walking was awful once I was in the pool I could do a lot more and strongly suggest it!!

But I found, that food was the end all or be all of my weight. Because I was depressed I just ate and ate... and now I'm here, 100 pounds overweight and struggling to get it off.

Best of Luck to all of you!!

FatFreeFrolicking · April 2015

Uncalled for.

joseccastaneda · April 2015

I have lost 93 pounds so far on mostly diet changes. My mobility is compromised a bit since i have arthritis in both of my legs. I get exercise when i can, but my focus has been on maintaining a caloric deficit. I've learned that playing with the numbers and portion control has been what I've focused on. I don't restrict specific foods and still enjoy the occasional hamburger, pizza, Chinese, ice cream, etc.

georgeous66 · April 2015

It must be a side effect! Lol

georgeous66 · April 2015

I do go to our local y to the Theraputic pool, and swim at home in the summer;and yes pools are wonderful for getting some exercise....just wish I could exercise like I used to....lots of cardio and such....the intensity is what I mean...also exercise without increased pain would be lovely too.

farfromthetree · April 2015

My daughter is blind, she makes the best blind jokes. People with physical disabilites usually have an excellent sense of humor, as well as being tough as nails.

Oh, and she does CrossFit!

AgentOrangeJuice · April 2015

My brother is epileptic and he usually just shakes all my terrible jokes off.

KETOGENICGURL · April 2015

I'm severely limited after a car accident, and then some cancer, then a small stroke…I use a cane/walker when I may need it, and walk 40-60 minutes..slow- a day. For weight LOSS, exercise is not the big issue, and won't affect your success.. it's the foods you chose, not just a low calorie limit which tells you are are starving and to hold on to all fat… especially for women. the most success for obese people is eliminating all processed food..all sugars except fruit sugars. you will hear lower carb works better than lots of breads and whole grains..the heavier you are the less carbs you need as they can trigger insulin issues.

there are some AMAZING bread and pizzas made with cauliflower, riced up small, then baked, with sauce and topping added… http://ifoodreal.com/cauliflower-breadsticks-recipe/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtQjlqiuLj8

eliminating the flour/wheat works and allows for taste without metabolic issues.

PLEASE consider joining these sites…MOST people seriously overweight have the same mobility issues, and dietary choices will cause more loss than thinking you must run/lift or do endurance for hours.

There are groups ALREADY to join..one is 100+ pounds with no surgery and another is 50+ pounds to lose JUST SEARCH for these groups and join many who're active already.

For many 'morbidly obese' by the charts with metabolic disease based on carb intolerance and sugar will find a group The Low Carber Daily and 2 "Keto" groups discuss diets that eliminate these, to find better satiety and quicker weight loss.

good luck..so many thousands of posts come in daily this one will be lost soon..so find a group.

Lefty1290 · April 2015

I also have CP. It's pretty mild, but not without its challenges. More than anything, I just want my right side to do what my left side can with ease. It's strange to have half a body that doesn't work correctly (muscle weakness). I don't use any walking aids. Working out more and losing weight has definitely improved my walking, strength, and stamina.

davert123 · April 2015

can't help here but just wanted to wish you all the best. There are hundreds of thousands of people here so I'm guessing if you keep plugging at this you will get some results :-)

njitaliana · April 2015

I have a disability. And an avatar.

I've been in physical therapy for the past 15 months. It has really helped a lot. I log regularly and have 68 lbs off so far.

Land_Rocket · April 2015

Awesome... just found this post.... knew I wasn't alone on this forum.

georgeous66 · April 2015

I never even considered my physio as calories...I guess I'm just used to going...; ) yeah more calories burned....

couponwheelie · April 2015

I hope I'm doing this reply correctly.

I haven't started the YouTube exercises yet. I hope to next week when I am off from OT and PT. I'm tapering off a high prednisone dose and between the side effects, working hard in PT (I walked 44 feet with my walker today), and the usual myelopathy and neuropathy pain, I haven't been able to psych myself up for them. My heating pads and I are best buddies today.

couponwheelie · April 2015

Now you've challenged me to find a good one.

I am a newbie so I'm still catching up.

Land_Rocket · April 2015

So, how is everyone's weight loss journey going? Since I finally managed to work out the appropriate calorie allowance (which was a real Pain In The Ash!), things are going great here.

To work out my actual calorie needs, I ended up buying a BodyMedia Link Fitness Tracker from eBay (as you can't buy the Link in the UK) which told me that on a good day I'm using a maximum of 2000 calories. Obviously this proved to me that the advice of 2500 calories for a man would make me gain weight!

From the American SCI website (http://sci.washington.edu/info/forums/reports/nutrition_2011.asp#calorie) I also found the calorie advice: General guidelines suggest that persons with paraplegia need about 28 calories per kilogram (kg) of your ideal body weight. If you have tetraplegia, you need about 23 calories per kg of ideal body weight (the weight you should be). This corresponded with what the Bodymedia told me.

Although tetraplegia is not quadriplegia, googling for quadriplegic calorie allowance gave me the same answer for tetraplegia. The extremely bad part is once you know what your body uses calorie wise, you then need to create a deficit to lose weight!!!, I emailed MFP at one point and expressed my displeasure at the fact that MFP always advises 1500 for men, 1200 for women - as I didn't feel that it accounted for restricted mobility. Luckily, you can manually set your goal allowance.

I feel that when you have mobility restrictions, it's even more important to understand what you body needs. We are all unique, so everybody will have different calorie requirements.

I was always told by my GP that Cerebral Palsy would mean I needed to eat more (would have a higher calorie allowance) due to the spasms. I don't take medication at all as I find it hard to swallow. So I try to keep medication free and away from the doctor, but it does mean that my spasms are not controlled in any way. Again, it just proved to me that it is so easy to overestimate what your body needs.

My big downfall (the reason I gained weight in the first place) was always the beer - I used to drink tons of it on a daily basis from aged 18 up until I turned 40. Since I cut it out totally, I have lots more energy, and I've been able to use my calorie allowance sensibly on foods that are much better for you.. and so far, it's working.

I am also aware that we all have bad days. Sometimes you do need to just take a break from it all, but when that happens, don't punish yourself. I always just get back on track next morning. Just keep reminding yourself that you can do it - the one thing that will make it work is your own inner strength.

I also try to not use the word "diet"... it's a "lifestyle change" as I will always watch what I eat from now on for the rest of my life.

Just remember.... it is possible, no matter what your ability... so keep at it, think positive, and the rewards will come your way.

-- John.

others w/physical disabilities?

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