Disability and Weight Loss

ohthedorkness

Hi y'all! My name is Acacia and I'm disabled (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Idiopathic Hypersomnia). I would love to meet others with disabilities who are working on weight management. Comment or message me!

drsmhaynes

Hi Acacia, I have Multiple Sclerosis and in spite of my biggest symptom which is fatigue I carve out time to exercise. I have issues with some flexibility and depending on the day, my other symptoms may kick in, but I modify but keep challenging myself because as a health professional I know how important being healthy is for my disease and just in life. Exercising and eating healthy helps me maintain a healthy weight. I wasn’t always like this though. I was morbidly obese before.

planktonbye

Hello! I have a prosthetic leg, plus, you know, I'm not athletic even when I'm at normal weight. Stationary bike is usually what works for me. I had a fantastic period of time when I was near a city bike path and could ride a real bike, but that is no more, sadly! I'll friend the both of y'all if that's OK!

KerrieA87

Hi, I have autoimmune system problems for which I take immunosuppressants. I have a chronic migraine disorder and exercise induced anaphylaxis. I tend to focus more on the diet than the exercise aspect of weight loss

planktonbye

It's diet that really gets the job done, anyway. It's almost impossible to burn enough calories exercising to lose weight if you don't control your diet first.

drsmhaynes

Exactly. I learned the hard way that you can’t put exercise a bad eating lifestyle.

ashleynaultmed

Hey I have Guillian Barre Syndrome(so I’m paralyzed from the core down,used to be neck down at the start) also looking for other disabled people on here. I’m logging to see how certain foods affect my body and how I feel. Weight loss would be good but at minimum trying to maintain

prestonpaigeme

I would love to be friends and help support you. I have a few different disabilities but my left arm and both legs are partially paralyzed and my ability fluctuates at times. I struggle with mental and body fatigue. If I overwork my body it shuts off at times and can be hard to move even unimpaired areas. I struggle from insomnia and learning and cognitive disabilities which can make it hard to focus, plan or control food impulses. I am looking for others with different disabilities where becoming fit can be somewhat challenging and have to be creative and find new ways to challenge ourselves. I'm excited to meet you. You can call me Nola.

Xellercin

Hey, I am disabled and can barely walk with crutches. I have a connective tissue disease, severe orthopedic problems with my hips, and a lot of serious joint injuries including serious spinal nerve damage. I can only walk a bit with crutches, and all exercise is risky for injury. I can easily dislocate my knees by shifting my weight in bed, I'm that fragile.

But I've always been able to lose and manage my weight through diet alone, so I yo-yo less than most people. I gained a lot of weight once during grad school, but lost it and kept it off after graduating. Then gain back some of that weight in 2019 due to prednisone and other drugs that cause weight gain (I hate prednisone), but have again lost it and am keeping it off quite comfortably.

I also still do a lot of exercise. Nothing with an intensity that would contribute to weight loss, but enough to maintain good muscle mass, posture, and strength. It's the cornerstone to managing my condition and my pain. I have an excellent physiotherapist who manages that care for me.

I also look super fit, which is kind of hilarious since I can't even walk. People see me on crutches and immediately assume I'm an injured athlete. lol. But it goes to show that you don't need to be able bodied and going hard in the gym to have a well muscled, strong body.

The most important part of the puzzle though is that I have an EXCELLENT psychologist who is very knowledgeable about chronic illness and pain. Without that care, I wouldn't have the psychological skills to manage the constant stresses, and I wouldn't be able to take nearly as good care of myself.

Over the years I have learned how to respect my limitations and work within them so that I can live the best life possible, and my life is actually pretty awesome, despite being in constant pain and often being stuck in bed.

ReneelovesD

Hi everyone! My name is Renèe and I have multiple disabilities and illnesses that keep me bedbound 90% of the time. I'm always looking and welcoming new MFP friends for support. Feel free to add me 😊

waxingturtle

Anyone active in here anymore? I'm looking for some disabled pals to get healthier with. Add me as a friend!
I have a tethered spinal cord, fatigue, chronic pain and much more. I log my foods and try for some kind of daily movement.