Need help as I am very limited on exercise

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pgm012197
pgm012197 Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was in a very serious car accident 2 years ago. It left me with nerve damage, pinched nerves, and messed up disks. To top it off I also have the beginning stages of Parkinsons and Ménière's disease. I can only walk maybe 15 minutes at a time and very slowly. The medications I was on while in the hospital and rehab added 80lbs on my 5'5' frame. I finally was able to stop taking the steroids and was given the go ahead to exercise. My question is, if I count my calories and account for every little morsel I eat, will 15 minutes of walking make a difference?

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  • EmmaFitzwilliam
    EmmaFitzwilliam Posts: 482 Member
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    Walking is my primary exercise, and I've lost 75 pounds in about a year. I've gone from barely able to walk less than a third of a mile in 20 minutes to walking a mile and a quarter in about 25 minutes (but I have no other significant underlying medical issues).
  • pgm012197
    pgm012197 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for your response!
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    Weight loss is a function of consuming less calories than you burn. When you're unable to exercise, you have less freedom to consume calories and therefore, the only way to lose weight is to eat less food.

    If you can move more, by walking or what have you, you increase the amount of food you can consume while maintaining a deficit.

    You don't need to exercise to lose weight. It just makes it easier to manage the hunger that comes from a deficit you may not be used to having.

    So sorry to hear about all the health issues. :disappointed:
  • pgm012197
    pgm012197 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for your response
  • kp106
    kp106 Posts: 10 Member
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    Full disclosure, I'm a physical therapist. I know you mentioned rehab, but have you considered going back to PT in an outpatient setting to work on strengthening/endurance, etc. I have several patients with complex medical issues, and it's not easy, but working as a team, we've figured out ways for them to be more active that they really enjoy and it doesn't wipe them out for the day or week. Not sure where you're from geographically, but I'd be happy to try to connect you to someone in outpatient neuro setting that might be able to really help you!! Movement is key :) and so is diet. Shouldn't attack it one way without the other! You can do it!!
  • pgm012197
    pgm012197 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for your response! I cannot afford therapy at this point. I am going to increase my time a minute every week like they did when I was in in house rehab. It may take a while but I will get there someday!
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
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    Most insurance will cover PT for X sessions per diagnostic code.

    If yours will, what you do is get your primary caregiver to give you different referrals.

    Get one for, say, lower back pain. Then get one for leg pain. Then get one for arm weakness.

    Sometimes you can work the system.

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