I have to go LIVE at Ronald McDonald's House!

jenbusick

Lots of ideas given for the food issue. As for the exercise part, ask if there is a physical therapy room near by in the building where you could use a treadmill, bike or eliptical that is not in use while your child is in therapy. Or maybe a room where you could take a portable DVD player and do a workout? Just tell the doctor or nurse that you need the stress release. Most of them would understand in your situation and try to help out.

Good luck!

I'll ask, but since it's a pediatric facility they may not have anything, um, my size.

jenbusick

with restuarants & take aways - can you ask them to do grill chicken on its own and then add that to your salad.

I like this idea. Never thought of asking that.

jenbusick

You are doing good to plan ahead. I am sorry you are going through all this. I can't imagine that kind of stress.

You have been getting a lot of good ideas. I think if you can do some grocery shopping and plan ahead you will be fine. Are you able to keep things in a fridge at the RMH? You could get yogurts, carrot sticks and hummus, cottage cheese, peanut butter. You can make your own salads and use tuna. I do think you should focus on trying to mainain instead of losing weight. Stress can make you gain so don't panic if you see a slight gain.


Best wishes to you and your daughter.

It's good stress, but still stress. IIRC, we get drawer in the fridge that has our room number on it, everything else we have to mark with a Sharpie or it's community property, but it's kind of like the fridge at the office -- if somebody takes it, they take it, you know?

Spitfirex007

You can always do sit ups and push up's, walking stairs, running in place...

Hope all goes well!

summerx275

first of all, good luck to you and your daughter. Hopefully she will get her wish of jumping on a trampoline!

as for your exercise, check out this website. Gainfitness.com. It is free. Someone else had posted it on here, and I have found it to be very helpful. It will create workouts for you, and you can select whether it is in a gym or your home. If you select home, it is usually body weight exercises, which you can obviously do anywhere. Hopefully you can find some ideas for a workout routine that you could do even after she goes to bed at night.

hemlock2010

I think the poster was suggesting a portable dvd player and some fitness DVDs for YOU. Or do you have a laptop with a DVD player? That way you and your daughter could use the laptop to skype with family/friends when she feels up to it, and you could use the laptop to play workout DVDs for yourself while your daughter is playing on her DS.

Or bring a jump rope, find a park, let your daughter enjoy the outdoors in a park (even if she's enjoying the outdoors while playing pokemon!) and you use the time for jumping rope. It's great cardio exercise and highly portable.

how about a portable dvd player? she would enjoy it for movies also!!!

They have TVs in the common rooms, just not in the bedrooms. But she's not a big TV watcher. I'll bring her DS along and it will keep her happy.

jenbusick

I think the poster was suggesting a portable dvd player and some fitness DVDs for YOU. Or do you have a laptop with a DVD player? That way you and your daughter could use the laptop to skype with family/friends when she feels up to it, and you could use the laptop to play workout DVDs for yourself while your daughter is playing on her DS.

Or bring a jump rope, find a park, let your daughter enjoy the outdoors in a park (even if she's enjoying the outdoors while playing pokemon!) and you use the time for jumping rope. It's great cardio exercise and highly portable.

how about a portable dvd player? she would enjoy it for movies also!!!

A jump rope is a good idea! I have been concerned with getting an intense enough workout without somebody or something to 'push' me to it, but jumping rope is naturally intense, portable, and takes limited space. I like it! Thanks!

They have TVs in the common rooms, just not in the bedrooms. But she's not a big TV watcher. I'll bring her DS along and it will keep her happy.

jenbusick

first of all, good luck to you and your daughter. Hopefully she will get her wish of jumping on a trampoline!

as for your exercise, check out this website. Gainfitness.com. It is free. Someone else had posted it on here, and I have found it to be very helpful. It will create workouts for you, and you can select whether it is in a gym or your home. If you select home, it is usually body weight exercises, which you can obviously do anywhere. Hopefully you can find some ideas for a workout routine that you could do even after she goes to bed at night.

Oh, thank you! I figured there had to be SOMETHING like that, I'd just never needed it before!

I hope she jumps on a trampoline, too. Her therapists here at home are skeptical, but heck, they were skeptical that she would walk at all, that she would climb ladders, and that she would dance or play basketball, and she does all of those things, so I won't tell her it's an impossible dream. This kid does what she wants to do!

KelliH729

Well first and foremost, I am praying for your daughter!!!
Second, it may actually be beneficial really to be there, it isn't like you will be eating a lot. You will have set, scheduled meal times which can help!
I agree with the other people who suggest to bring a laptop, portable DVD player, etc and do workouts in the room while she is resting.

KelliH729

Instead of making it seem like the wheelchair is because of her impairment, tell her that she's helping you exercise since you will be pushing her weight as well as yours. Make it a game and try to find other ways she can "help" while you're getting your exercise.

You know, I totally agree with this!! You really could make it "fun" for her and even push her while running. You could probably check around to see if you could find a jogging stroller, they are usually much bigger then "regular" strollers and would possibly accomodate her

Becca_007

For exercise, I'm afraid there won't be many options. Even if I could go for a walk around the city, what do I do with my disabled kid, yanno? I can't go while she's in therapy, I'm supposed to be in the building, available to her therapists, during that time.

I'm looking for ideas, suggestions, anything really. If I can find one or two things that will work while I'm away, I'll be farther ahead of the game than I am right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2r8pronXw:flowerforyou: "Working out when traveling"

hemlock2010

The more I think about this, the more I love the wheelchair idea. The two of you could do a different walking tour of the city each day. Or if you could find a fitness trail, you could do the fitness trail and your daughter could cheer for you and count reps at the exercise stations.

I hope you'll find a way to make the time a special treat just for the two of you. :flowerforyou:

Flyntiggr

Which RMH are you going to? If we know the city/state, we might be able to suggest things to do specific to that area when she has down time from treatments.

Good luck!

pghfan

Which RMH are you going to? If we know the city/state, we might be able to suggest things to do specific to that area when she has down time from treatments.

Good luck!

That's a great idea, MFP has people everywhere, it seems! Someone will likely be able to help you out if you don't mind saying what city you are going to!

jenbusick

Which RMH are you going to? If we know the city/state, we might be able to suggest things to do specific to that area when she has down time from treatments.

Good luck!

Birmingham, AL.

I was hoping I could get some tips from the social worker who is supposed to refer us to the RMH, but I can't REACH the blamed social worker!

jenbusick

The more I think about this, the more I love the wheelchair idea. The two of you could do a different walking tour of the city each day. Or if you could find a fitness trail, you could do the fitness trail and your daughter could cheer for you and count reps at the exercise stations.

I hope you'll find a way to make the time a special treat just for the two of you. :flowerforyou:

Heh. I'm afraid she'll be so exhausted by the therapy that we'll spend our afternoons in the RMH while she sleeps it off, frankly. 4 hours of PT in one day would certainly do ME in for the duration.

But I am contemplating taking her Amtryke along. She could ride it around with me. My only reservation is that when she's on her tryke, I have trouble keeping up on foot -- but then again, better workout for me!

melaniecheeks

Sending good wishes to you and your daughter - I hope all goes well.

Is there a toaster in the kitchen? I'm a great fan of "stuff on toast" - half a can of sardines in tomato sauce, half a ripe avocado smushed with a squeeze of lemon juice, humous, a snack pot of baked beans, cottage cheese.

Lots of squats, push-ups, sit-ups....and what do you call that one where you sit down with your back against the wall so your legs are at right angles - brilliant for toning the thighs!

rileysowner

For exercise don't count out bodyweight workouts as less intense. My current workout is purely bodyweight and it is very intense. Better yet, I don't have to carry anything with me.

The exercises are:

Squats
Push-ups
Let me ins -- open a door and face the end with the door knobs. Put your feet on either side of the door and grab the door knobs on either side with the appropriate hand. Squat down so you arm are extended and your torso and thighs are at a 90 degree angle. Pull your body toward the door bending your arms trying to touch your chest to the door edge. Keep your elbows in and your torso and thighs at 90 degrees. Then lower yourself back. That is one repetition.
Lunges (could add another set of push-ups and let me ins here after the lunges)
Plank

Warm-up with a little running on the spot, 2-4 minutes maybe throw in some jumping jacks or something else to get your muscles warmed up. Then start the exercises. Do each exercise for 10 repetitions. With no rest between exercises move on to the next one and do 10 repetitions. Continue until you get to the Plank and hold that as long as you can up to a minute and a half. Once you are done that you have done one set. Rest 90 seconds and do it again. Rest 90 seconds and do it a third time. Cool down with some stretches for a few minutes.

Not only will this work your whole body quite intensely, but it will cause a great deal of metabolic disturbance which will keep you burning fat for up to 38 hours after. The whole workout will take about 20-30 minutes at most, but you will really feel it.

To increase the intensity you can slow down how fast you do exercises like the squat and stop and hold at the bottom of it. In the case of push-ups to make them easier put your hands on something higher like a chair or stair step. The higher the easier they are, but always use full push-up position, don't do them from the knees. For Let Me Ins moving how far in front of you your feet are will modify the difficulty.

This, if your interested is what is called a Metabolic Resistance Training routine. You can add other exercises shooting for no less than three and no more than 8 or so.

stormieweather

As for food, I'd look at it like a camping trip and plan meals accordingly. Two alternatives for breakfast (maybe cereal and eggs/turkey bacon), a whole wheat wrap with turkey or ham and lots of fresh veggies on it for lunch, and simple things like chicken stir fry or bbq chicken or lemon garlic chicken or with a salad and baked potato for dinner. Make a list of what you need and try to create meals that will use similar ingredients. Like, you could make eggwich's on whole wheat rounds, or you could make hamburgers and homemade fries. Or you could make spaghetti and garlic bread or meatballs and penne. Or chicken parm over penne. Or...or...tons of possibilities with a fairly short list.

cereal
milk
eggs
butter
turkey bacon
whole wheat wraps
roast deli turkey or ham
lettuce,
tomato
onion
chicken (lots)
gr beef
olive oil
seasonings (garlic, soy sauce, pepper, salt, dill, parsley, oregano)
bag of potatoes
Box of linquini
Box of penne
parmesan cheese
pasta sauce
pesto sauce
bbq sauce
fresh whole wheat baquette and whole wheat rounds
salad dressings

jenbusick

Rileysowner: that sounds a lot like the routine that my EA Sports Active disk (for Wii Fit) is putting me through right now!