Anyone disabled & trying to loose weight?

Hi!
I've been disabled/differentlyabled 20 years on May 1st. Tomorrow! I have health issues that make it hard to do even "normal routines" and "light chores". This is an ongoing issue, weight, and I am looking to feel better and move more without pain. I'm looking to start a discussion group for like minded individuals who can help encourage one another, even with just getting out of the bed, chair or what ever limits you! Join the discussion please! CJ
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Replies

  • Gogohobbs
    Gogohobbs Posts: 31 Member
    I've been disabled for 15 years..
    Want to break free from that. I have chronic pain most of the time.
    Add me if you like .
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    Gogohobbs wrote: »
    I've been disabled for 15 years..
    Want to break free from that. I have chronic pain most of the time.
    Add me if you like .

    Oh Gogohobbs, I totally understand!! I will add you, please add me. I sure could use a motivational friend who truly gets what I am going through! Thank you for sharing! CJ :)
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    I have a muscle disease that leaves me bed-bound or home-bound at times, and the more I use a muscle the weaker it gets if the disease is flaring.

    I've set up MFP so my daily calorie goal is at about my minimal metabolic rate and for sedentary activity, so I should lose weight even if I'm bed bound. I also enabled the "negative" exercise calories, so days where I'm inactive it subtracts calories from the goals.

    My weight loss certainly hasn't been linear, though. Meds like steroids and IgG infusions, and treatments like plasma exchange affect my fluid balance and I'll have huge shifts in water weight. At times the disease affects my ability to chew and swallow well, so I'll lose weight quickly but re-gain once I'm able to re-hydrate.

    I've found that a low-carb diet has been best for helping curb any cravings, especially while on steroids. I try to walk as much as I'm able, and a step counter has been really motivating and helpful to see patterns (for instance, a full grocery shopping trip is as many steps as a day at work for me, so that explained why I struggled so much doing both on the same day!). During bad spells I just walk around in my house more, taking breaks as I need. During good spells my dog gets some exercise too :)
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    Wow Cheesy567! I understand a lot of what you talked about, though when I gain muscle, it pushes on nerves and causes me more pain. The steroids are a bummer and don't seem to help me, just make me fat. I told my hubby, "The next time the Dr says I have to have more steroid shots, I'm going to ask him to budget in my bill for a new wardrobe for when the weight sets in". After all, each time, I have to get bigger sized clothes. It's a vicious cycle.

    I like your Ideas that you mentioned and the only thing that I am doing differently is that I got a timer, kitchen timer, from dollar tree for $1 that I set for example, 15 mins. When the timer goes off, I stop what I am doing and go lay down. I have trouble knowing when to stop, so this new addition works great!

    I hope we can all be a good source of support for each other! I've added you as a friend, please add me!!
    Enjoy your day!
    CJ :)
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    Hi Everyone,
    Tell us what you did today.
    I walked for a short bit, did a bit of gardening and home chores that included folding laundry and washing some dishes.

    Tell us what you did today! CJ
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    Tough day Everyone,
    But I did move some small rocks with my garden wagon. I've not done that in over 10 years. However, today was a sugar splurge day, it just happened and Hubby said it is the only one this month. Which is good that today is the 14th and the month is almost half over! Enjoy your Weekend! CJ
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
    I am disabled and at times I am house bound because of my muscle issues. I joined a gym 3 weeks ago with my husband. I am tired of letting my disease run my life so I am taking it back! I rode the bike 20 minutes today and did very light weight training to hopefully build some muscle strength. Have a great night everyone!
  • andielyn
    andielyn Posts: 233 Member
    Hi...I'm in the same boat and need new friends here who get the physical limitations we face. Please add me!
  • andielyn
    andielyn Posts: 233 Member
    Hi folks....thanks cjdsign for starting this conversation. I have been sick for awhile but just recently left my job due to my illness. I have gained a lot of weight being sick, and haven't been able to be active or exercise for awhile now. I started back here because I am gaining weight and need to get it under control.
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    I am disabled and at times I am house bound because of my muscle issues. I joined a gym 3 weeks ago with my husband. I am tired of letting my disease run my life so I am taking it back! I rode the bike 20 minutes today and did very light weight training to hopefully build some muscle strength. Have a great night everyone!

    I too understand the "house bound issues" and I force myself to get out and shop, walk, garden or any other moving thing. I love Sunday's Service at the Church and Sunday Night Services, but it is so hard to keep moving and not rest between activities. But there are weeks where the covers are so much more welcoming! Those are the days I need a group like this!! I hope you find solice here too! And Kudos for the bike and weight training!! CJ
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    moobaloo13 wrote: »
    So glad there are some other disabled people on here! I get so sick of struggling with my weight due to physical limitations and my meds and nobody understands! I haven't been this heavy since I was heavily pregnant 17 years ago & it's making me miserable. I lost 20lbs about 2 years ago by using MFP, but I've been put on Lyrica & steroids in the last year and my weight has rocketed up again. I've just gone low carb & low cal, high protein, fibre & fat on the 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet - 4 days in & I've lost 7lbs :smile:

    I'm having an enforced rest day today due to overdoing it this week...I've walked too much trying to hit my step-count goal every day & now I'm exhausted & my knee is very painful. But on the plus side, I can see how beautiful it is outside from my bed and I get to cuddle with the cat all day lol.

    Hope you're all well. M

    Gosh! I'm there with you on the meds and steroids, and now I'm on a neck steroid/lyrica/lydacane cream. And the weight is an issue for me too. Thank you for being so open and we are here for you too!! Oh and heat and Ice the knee every 15mins with a break for 15 mins so that you decrease the swelling!! And Wooo Hooo on your weight loss!! CJ
  • moonchildisme
    moonchildisme Posts: 83 Member
    What is CICO?
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    andielyn wrote: »
    Hi folks....thanks cjdsign for starting this conversation. I have been sick for awhile but just recently left my job due to my illness. I have gained a lot of weight being sick, and haven't been able to be active or exercise for awhile now. I started back here because I am gaining weight and need to get it under control.

    Hi andielyn, and thank you for joining us here! being sick is no fun, but hopefully you will get some encouragement here. I do use another site for the exercises/stretches called fit2me. It is a diabetic free and easy site to use and I just plug in my "exercises" daily life, info into the exercises here on MFP. I also use the recipes as they are very good and healthy and most of all they taste good. Which is a plus +++++ in my book.

    I like that I am accountable here and have a place to chart myself. It takes away the stress of remembering when I am all medicated up. Some days it is just one moment at a time.

    Calorie Goal

    Eating healthy doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan that starts with selecting a healthy but realistic goal for your daily calorie intake.
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    BinaryFu wrote: »
    I have my MFP set for sedentary because I cannot do most things. Walking is painful and difficult. Sitting for too long is as well, laying down can hurt. Basically, there's no position where my back doesn't complain that it wants to be in some other position than what it currently is in.

    Although outwardly I appear to function just fine, it is only because I have learned how to ignore anything under pain level 4. I wake up at a 2-3 and it grows throughout the day, sometimes up to a 7 or 8.

    Doctors are too terrified to give me a regular treatment of pain medication so I can function, exercise and do normal things. So, until they realize I'm not a drug seeking junkie, I suffer daily.

    Weight loss however, has not been difficult for me, other than willpower. CICO works quite effectively and I've lost 24lbs in 12 weeks. I have a long way to go, which is a pain in the rump, but I know the results will mean a little less back pain (maybe I'll go down like, one or *gasp* even two pain levels! *Swoon*) and I'll look better which will also make me feel better.

    Hi BinaryFu, I have mine set for sedentary also, though I do a bit, nothing like a normal person does. So I found this other site that charts things like showers, which I find not only painful, but hard to do, and I add this as an exercise; I'm standing, moving, holding on, and sometimes sitting. This site also charts for making the bed, laundry, dishes, and more. It is a great way to add our own personal life exercises to the list. Here is that website: http://calorielab.com/burned/?mo=se&gr=13&ti=self+care&q=&wt=150&un=lb&kg=68

    I just input the things I do for the day and then transfer them into MFP here under my exercises. Hey, it may look funny to some, but to many it is a daily struggle and we here know how much a struggle it is. So log it. I sit and work the pc for only 15 mins a day, but I log it as my exercise. It hurts to sit, stand, lay, walk too much some days that nothing gets logged. And that's OK too! I am finding that calorie, salt and fat intake are very closely related to how my pain is through the day. I totally get the pain numbers. My level 10+ is tears. And then the imobility hits me and my day is done. I then look forward to the next day, sleeping more than 4 hrs at a time, and keeping my pain level under 7. A friend told me that, if she woke in the am with no pain, she would think she were dead. I have to agree with that!! Have a Great Monday!! CJ
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    What is CICO?

    It is the basis of MFP.
    Here is a link for the best answers. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10141464/cico
    I hope it helped! CJ
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    edited May 2016
    the website for Fit2Me is : http://fit2mecoach.com for diabetes help or just great stretching exercises and recipes!! I am CJDSign on here as well! CJ Oh and if you noticed the pillow under my head in the avatar....LOL this is how I am most of the time I am typing on the pc! LOL CJ
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    I eat a lot of salad and veggies and I put chia, sesame, and flax seeds in all my leafy salads, potato salad, Chinese and Asian foods, In chicken salad and steamed squash & onions. I like the crunch in yogurt and oatmeal too! And just a quick note for all you who eat from their yards like I do, yes I really do, my bad cholesterol numbers went down 50points & Good cholesterol went UP 50 points in a year of doing only this change. CJ
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
    Made it into the gym today with my cane in tow. Wanted to try the elliptical so bad today! I tried it and big mistake lol...took me over 2 hours to get through all my exercises but I did it and while some of my body feels better my knee and ankle not so much lol. I'm gonna lay down for a while and let my meds work there magic! I hope everyone has a beautiful day!
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    Lisamn1214 wrote: »
    MS here. Diagnosed at 16. 32 now. I am usually too tired to exercise even with fatigue meds. 90% diet change and I'm down 65 lbs from 244. Stay strong! Add me if you like

    Hi Lisa, Wow! I do total understand the exercise thing! Way To GO!!!! Woooo Hoooo! CJ adding you!
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    Made it into the gym today with my cane in tow. Wanted to try the elliptical so bad today! I tried it and big mistake lol...took me over 2 hours to get through all my exercises but I did it and while some of my body feels better my knee and ankle not so much lol. I'm gonna lay down for a while and let my meds work there magic! I hope everyone has a beautiful day!

    Wow! Kudos to you!!!! I do hope you knee and ankle are better tomorrow! Great going today!! CJ
  • cjdsign
    cjdsign Posts: 202 Member
    Hi everyone! Well, disappointment on the scales today. I know I am stronger with a hard week of doing "Stuff" last week, but I gained the 3lbs I had lost and 3lbs more! Hummmm. So I'll keep up the hard work, for me, this week and see if there is a change. I've been eating under my calories, but I do think it is muscle...finally! I had a good day and I hope everyone did too! Hugs, CJ
  • ironhajee
    ironhajee Posts: 384 Member
    Exercise is not only for the body but for the mind and soul.

    I pray for you to always find inspiration in the things that appear little

    ;)
  • moobaloo13
    moobaloo13 Posts: 11 Member
    I suffer from chronic pain disorder and hyper flexible joints so depending on flares can leave me wheelchair bound as well as a jug of mental health issues. I've managed to lose 5 stone so far by doing gentle exercise (light cleaning, walking, swimming) and i did a complete over haul of my diet which made the biggest difference. I cut out all dairy, eggs, gluten foods and soy. Lost of fresh meat (or frozen) and veg and fruit instead. Also worked on meal sizes and balance. Still got 3 stone to lose but getting there :)

    Ahh I'm hypermobile too! The pain is excrutiating. Well done on your weight loss, that's an amazing amount!
  • moobaloo13
    moobaloo13 Posts: 11 Member
    cjdsign wrote: »
    Hi everyone! Well, disappointment on the scales today. I know I am stronger with a hard week of doing "Stuff" last week, but I gained the 3lbs I had lost and 3lbs more! Hummmm. So I'll keep up the hard work, for me, this week and see if there is a change. I've been eating under my calories, but I do think it is muscle...finally! I had a good day and I hope everyone did too! Hugs, CJ

    Totally understand your disappointment, but there's all sorts of things that can affect the numbers on the scale and although, it's a set back, it's a minor one that you can overcome! Rooting for you to keep going & I'm sure the scale will move in the right direction sooner rather than later :wink:
  • crystalbluewolf13
    crystalbluewolf13 Posts: 197 Member
    cjdsign wrote: »
    I gained the 3lbs I had lost and 3lbs more!

    Not sure about other girls but I ALWAYS gain just before my totm. It's mainly water weight though. Could it be that? (sorry for the kinda personal question)
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
    Cj...don't look at it as disappointment. Sure we all like to see a loss on the scale but sometimes it just doesn't happen every time. Many things can factor in to the number like where your at in your cycle, time of day, sodium intake, fluid retention, how long before last meal and so on. You are doing great! I myself can gain 5-7 lbs during TOM. I focus on my clothes and other non scale victories like hey I rode 5 minutes longer today than a couple days ago and my husband complemented me on the way my jeans fit different! :) you got this! So please tell me a non scale victory my friend!