Working out with health issues

CharleePear · September 2013

I have a long term illness that gives me fatigue, migraines, fogginess, lack of concentration and overall weakness. I am determined to lose weight, but as I don't work eating healthy is hard. It would be easier if I could afford to live alone and buy my own food but I am at the mercy of other people's eating habits. I think I am doing ok, apart from needing more vegetables. I work out at least and hour at a time trying to do circuit or interval training combining cardio and strength exercises. There are many exercises I just can't do as I almost pass out. I have been working out so hard, going to the gym 3-4 times a week which is a lot with my condition. I have been doing this for almost 3 months and I have seen some small changes but neither my scales or my tape measure has changed. It gets frustrating, especially since I haven't trained regularly for about 7 years, maybe more and thought I would see more results sooner. I won't stop going to the gym even if it takes my extra cash a week, I find working out at home is not as motivating and I don't do it. Sorry for all the moaning hahaha I just wanted to put a post up to see if there are others like me out there. I want to lose at least 15kg.

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves · September 2013

You're not going to make any gains with that attitude. Sorry to be rough, but your post is just a bunch of excuses. Work out, eat better.

mudmonkeyonwheels · September 2013

You're not going to make any gains with that attitude. Sorry to be rough, but your post is just a bunch of excuses. Work out, eat better.

Um a touch rude? Have you suffered from any long term health problems?

Just keep doing the best you can, make small improvements, try and add 1 extra serving of vege each day for a week or so. Then try something else. Make sure you listen to your body. I'm not sure what you have, but I know that I have chronic fatigue syndrome and as part of that my whole autonominic nervous system is messed up- including my digestion so weight loss is not an easy thing.

Keep at it, make small changes that you can maintain and listen to your body!

jillsjourney · September 2013

I have a chronic health issue and working out is tough. I started small, a Leslie Sansone tape on Youtube and worked up from there. I am nowhere near where I want to be but I am making small changes and increasing my exercise. You can do it, it just may take longer but this isn't a race to see who can lose the most weight first. Just put your health first and you will get there!

cafeaulait7 · October 2013

I find that I often need an excuse to vomit uncontrollably and stop doing what I was busy doing, so I picked migraines, too

But you sound like you are doing great! An hour is really good. I usually only get up to 45 minutes with my health stuff (and much of what I do is gentle), but that's enough for me to stay in shape.

If you haven't noticed a loss in inches in 3 months, you are cutting pretty few calories compared to what you probably planned, or you are measuring in different places, etc, imho. Or you do eat more than you expect. Track your calories to see how much you really eat if you aren't already.

If your deficit is small, that's OK too if you are OK with losing more slowly. That's what I like best. Don't do that if you lose motivation easily, though. It can feel like it's not working when it is because it's just quite slow. YYou have to track religiously if you do that, I find. It would take me forever to figure out I wasn't eating in the right calorie range because I see changes on the scale slower doing it this way. Good luck!

veghel · October 2013

I have Fibromyalgia and I know where you are coming from. If you are at the mercy of other people's eating habits maybe be aware of your portions sizes and try to eat more vegetables. Going to the gym 3-4 times a week is great! If you are getting discouraged by your scale why don't you start taking pics every month. Sometimes you can see the subtle differences and that motivates you.

I don't know if you have Fibromyalgia but it sounds like you have some of the same symptoms I have. It's hard for others to understand why one day you are feeling great and working out at the gym. Then a couple of days later you don't have the energy to even get out of bed. It has nothing to do with being lazy or trying to make excuses. I found that since I've been exercising regularly and especially now that I'm doing strength training my pain has probably dropped by about 70%. I still have my off days but I just take it easy for a day or two and then go back to the gym when I'm feeling up to it.

My weight came off slowly but that's ok. Don't get discouraged it will happen.

CharleePear · October 2013

Yeah I am used to people saying I am making excuses, but I am harder on myself than anyone I have met, so much so that I have collapsed, had convulsions and paralysis because I have pushed too hard. I was born with Hydrocephalus but apparently the past 7 years is not that playing up, I am still trying to figure out what exactly is wrong with me, I live in NZ which means free health care but it also means really, really long waiting lists. I sometimes have 2 weeks at a time that I can only make it to the gym once or twice if I am lucky and the rest of the week I am only able to handle light duties (I don't work but I can lie in bed, see a friend for coffee or watch tv) Unfortunately, I do fall for the eating junk food when I am at my worst. I could possibly buy a few veges and keep them aside, NZ is expensive to live in lol. I do feel as though I make too many excuses, I do need to overcome eating junk food when I am really sick (which can be twice a week) I guess it will take some adjusting to not giving in. I count my calories, often I don't eat enough, that might be an issue. According to MFP I should have lost 5kg at least by now but ok, at least I am doing good by my body and going to the gym when I can

It's awesome motivation paying money I don't really have, makes me definitly go to the gym as much as I can hahahhahaha I do need to lose at least 15kg to get healthy, that is bare minimum, I would like to lose 25 but hey, at this point any would be good. LOL Thanks guys, its encouraging to read your posts

cafeaulait7 · October 2013

I'm so sorry that you don't have a firm diagnosis yet

I got a nerve/blood disease in college that took way too long for my doctor to diagnose, so I know what you mean, I think. It was because that doc just sucked, so it was extra frustrating (insurance wouldn't let me go to a different one at that time). It turns out I stopped being able to digest one vitamin (I take shots now), so it was this fairly weird thing that was rare for my age, but still.

Your body might be conserving calories or something. Health issues can be strange. I got super skinny when I was sick, and it just happened.

Watch the junk food, yes

I was adding in coffee, more coffee and candy bars, and it turns out I was looking for energy. It makes sense, but there are better ways to get more energy from food!

Take care

You really are doing well to do the parts you can do. Until you finally get a good diagnosis that's the best you can do. I hope your docs can figure it out soon! Fingers crossed for you.

CharleePear · October 2013

Thank you so much for being understanding and I think you might be right. I think I might be conserving calories or something. I am so fatigued all the time. At present I am bedridden and have been for the best part of a week, its been like that on and off for those 7 years. I guess I am frustrated cos on top of everything I don't want to be chubby. But getting healthy is priority. Thank you again. I am going to see a neurologist soon, I have been under the top neurosurgeon for most of my life and I think they were all looking at my condition I was born with the whole time, but it seems to be something else. So here is hoping I find out soon. I find I don't really get fitter or lift more at the gym either, so weird. Maybe I am just not as much as I would like. Sorry I sound pessimistic I am not by nature sorry.

aliagain · October 2013

My sister suffered with chronic CFS (was 90% down) and she found that Graded Exercise Therapy really worked considering she has just completed a half marathon 6 years on. In the UK, physios offer it free on the NHS and it is a slow/gentle way to increase your ability to exercise and improve your fitness without stressing out your body. Maybe look into it?

CharleePear · October 2013

Thanks, it won't be free here in NZ but I will still look into it see if I can get some sort of subsidy.

Working out with health issues

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