Anyone else a wheelchair user and trying to loose weight??

JillyGMoo
JillyGMoo Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hiya
I was wondering if there is anyone on MFP that is also a wheelchair user and trying to loose weight?? I've put on so much weight since I got sick and its awful now trying to loose it again, especially as I can't do the same exercises as I used to do to shift the weight! I'm feeling lost and stuck to be honest and could do with some help :(
Thanks for reading,
Jill

Replies

  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
    Hi jilly! Listen all I can remember is at least 2 success stories that were posted here not so long ago from 2 wheelchair user, I wish I could remember when, try to use the search option and see if comes up.

    Hope somebody be more helpful than me.

    Wish you the best!
  • JillyGMoo
    JillyGMoo Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for replying Karyabc, I'll have a look and see if I can find them ;)
  • Jillish23
    Jillish23 Posts: 226 Member
    @JillyGMoo Here are the 2 articles that @Karyabc might be referring to (they were at the back of my mind as well). There are a lot of other articles too, found simply by searching on the term "wheel chair". Best wishes. ❤

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10164678/wheelchair-user-130lbs-healthier/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/32333744#Comment_32333744
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    I was when I first started losing weight, but once I got treatment for the disease that was causing muscle wasting, I was able to leave the chair behind.

    There is a series of exercise videos from PBS called Sit and Be Fit. A YouTube search for "chair exercises" will get you some options too.

    Are you able to swim at all?
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
    I lost my first 10 pounds while laid up in bed with a back injury. It's not about exercise...it's about how much you eat. You can do weight lifting.
  • amyllu
    amyllu Posts: 432 Member
    edited August 2015
    Hi Jilly, I'm not a wheelchair user but I do use the mobility scooters in stores in order to get my shopping done. I am disabled in that I have a very bad back and exercise is totally out of the question plus any housework that I am able to do is very limited and I can only do it in 10min stages. I'm in a lot of pain most days so a regular dosage of pain killers and sometimes morphine is my routine. It has been very hard to lose weight but I have managed to do so by cutting out as many carbs as possible. I am 80yo so that's another drawback as things slow down anyway at my age and my goal settings are for about 60 carbs a day and calories about 1300.
    It is doable even though it is quite hard.. at least I find it hard as I do love a piece of bread with most things.

    I see that you have had success before anyway so all looking good for this next attempt which I'm sure you will win anyway.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    If you have a physical therapist, discuss this with him or her. If no PT, ask doc for referral. They can help a lot.
  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
    Jillish23 wrote: »
    @JillyGMoo Here are the 2 articles that @Karyabc might be referring to (they were at the back of my mind as well). There are a lot of other articles too, found simply by searching on the term "wheel chair". Best wishes. ❤

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10164678/wheelchair-user-130lbs-healthier/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/32333744#Comment_32333744

    yes thank you! :)
  • RSSmith2015
    RSSmith2015 Posts: 10 Member
    Hi there! I am not a wheelchair user, but I work with students who are & I have found many resources on YouTube for workouts that can be accomplished. I participate with the students while sitting in a chair and, believe me, you will work up a sweat!!!! :+1:
  • JillyGMoo
    JillyGMoo Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks guys for your responses, I really appreciate each and ever one.

    I have to take 43+ tablets per day, plus 3 i halers and top up my Morphine tablets with Oramorph durong the day for break thru pain, as one of my conditions is chronic pain which is constant and sometimes total agony. I hate it with a passion! Sadly some of my meds have caused me to gain weight ontop of that the inability to move as much as I used to do has caused me to balloon up to what I am now. So exercise in the normal sense is out of the question as I also suffer with dislocatong joints so I can't do any weight training. Im really desperate to get back swimming (or whatever my version of swimming will now be haha), but not sure how to go about it safely??

    Ive dropped down to a 1600 cal diet at present and I do need to still do some tweeking, but Im trying and thats all I can do.

    Thanks for the links and the advice regarding YouTube, I'll have a toot and see what I can cope with.

    Thanks again guys
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    JillyGMoo wrote: »
    Im really desperate to get back swimming (or whatever my version of swimming will now be haha), but not sure how to go about it safely??

    I wonder if this is something at a physical therapist could with with you on figuring out.

    My gym has an on-site therapist who works in the pool with clients using a lift for pool entry.

  • JillyGMoo
    JillyGMoo Posts: 7 Member
    @azulvioleta6 not been in a proper pool since I got sick in 2011, apart from Hydrotherapy but that had to stop after 3 sessions cos they found out some of my meds had done something to my heart .... Haha no luck but keep pushing forward
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    WORK with you, I mean. Sometimes just sitting in the pool feels nice.

    Yep...do what you can do, call around and see what your options are and just keep trying. When I first started I had been very ill for several years and had no idea if I would be able to get my life back at all. I'm not sure if I'm quite there yet, but I've make a lot of progress in tiny steps.
  • JillyGMoo
    JillyGMoo Posts: 7 Member
    @azulvioleta6 that sounds very similar and I completely get how hard it is, well done for all your progress keep it going
  • shoofly435
    shoofly435 Posts: 74 Member
    Hi there I'm not in a wheelchair but I take meds for chronic neuropathic pain. One of the meds caused me to gain 50 lbs. I switched doctors and was prescribed a different med that works beautifully with no side effects or weight gain.
    When I stopped the weight gain med, the weight melted away - I just ate normally.

    Point is there are many meds with a side effect of weight gain, and I've found that doctors rarely warn people about this.

    The other thing is mechanism of action. With some pain meds (and psyche meds) it's not as simple as calories in/ calories out. These meds mess up endocrine function and who knows what else. I always had good habits they didn't suddenly change, but I gained weight. And when I stopped the med it came off so fast as to defy the laws of physics.

    Good luck with everything!
  • mrsjb1984
    mrsjb1984 Posts: 18 Member
    Im a wheelchair user and have azul as a friend :) ive added you as my friend.

    Lost 3 stone so far this year and its hard going. I am a below knee amputee, also have chronic pain and osteoarthritus. I take lots of meds and life is generally pretty difficult, although Im beginning to feel a little better as I lose the weight.
  • JillyGMoo
    JillyGMoo Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for the add @mrsjb1984 appreciate it and well done on your progress so far, thats brilliant
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    My mom often uses a wheelchair - she loves her water aerobics class. If you can find a class with a good teacher there's modifications that can be done. She goes almost every weekday.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    My gym caters to a significant number of people in wheelchairs, people with limited mobility, different kinds of handicaps, etc. If you can find one, a facility like it could have useful equipment and staff for you. For example, we have a number of hand-bikes, hand stationary bikes, three different pools (deep, shallow, and very shallow), there are groups and social activities for different ability levels, etc. Best of luck!
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    A little while back my company did some consulting with a company that makes treadmills for wheelchair users. They've worked hard to make it a great product. You might ask them if there are any gyms in your area that have their treadmill, or ask your gym if they'd consider getting one.

    http://www.wheelersparamill.com/
  • Sneddon1234
    Sneddon1234 Posts: 4 Member
    I am a recent amputee and trying to lose weight from the comfort of my wheelchair. With using the wheelchair I give my upper body a workout, but I've cut down on portion sizes and I am aiming to lose a half ound a week for a year. I best exercise I found because of it's wheelchair accessibility is the Skierg from Concept2. Google it. It works for me; from doing only a few minutes when I'm unwell after dialysis or a whiole intense 45 minute session when I'm feeling like I maybe should not have had the beef curry with fried rice the night before :)
    All the best in your endeavour, be paitent with your self.
  • supersmiles11
    supersmiles11 Posts: 50 Member
    Hi Thanks for this. I'm a recent wheelchair user eho also is on dialysis so really struggling to lose weight and not gain! I've tried cutting portions and doing bit more physical exercise but so tired all the time. I'm gonna look up that site. Thanks

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