Full time wheelchair user

Biffybeans1
Biffybeans1 Posts: 81 Member
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
As a full time wheelchair user and someone who cannot stand or walk at all, I'm always in a bit of a bind when it comes to weigh-ins. It's not possible for me to weigh in and in essence, I'm completely sedentary. I cannot do any excercising that makes my body go against gravity. Therefore, I can only do range of motion PT and nothing more. Virtually no calorie burn there.

However, I got my doctor's approval to eat between 700 - 900 calories daily rather than the 1200 calories suggested on my fitness pal. I'm watching fats, cholesterol, sugar, and sodium and the daily diary works out great for tracking these. My doctor runs a routine blood panel on me either every 3 or 6 months to make sure I'm eating nutritiously and my system is staying on a healthy course. I did this a couple years ago and had no adverse health problems....really no health problems at all except a much improved blood panel and a slow but significant weight loss.

My measuring stick for nutrition and weight loss is through daily inputing into myfitnesspal diary. My goal on myfitnesspal is to lose no more than 2 lbs. a week. I've posted that I've lost 5 lbs. in the past month but in acutality I have no idea. When I did this a couple years ago I merely gave myself a pat on the back when I changed clothes sizes.

Anyone else in this same predicament as I am?

Replies

  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    How often do you see your doctor? perhaps you could take your measurements and go by that instead of weigh in and only change the weight after you have seen your doctor.
  • Biffybeans1
    Biffybeans1 Posts: 81 Member
    Good idea! In fact I thought of having my husband take a couple of my measurements in a couple months. But, better for my husband to take my measurements now for a baseline. Good or bad, my hips/thighs can't be measured :smile: I usually see my doctor once a year. But, since my blood panel recently looked a bit high since I had reverted to eating less than healthy foods, he wants to see me in 6 months. A good period of time to notice a difference in my clothes.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    I try not to stick to the scale because it makes me crazy. right now I weigh in monthly when I see the doctor. I also plan to take measurements tom since I definitely feel a difference in my clothes, including getting into some that were a bit snug.
  • hillbillygeek
    hillbillygeek Posts: 16
    Hello everyone, I'm T12 paraplegic for 22 years and an amputee. I cannot stand or walk at all, and have extremely restrictive finances, so gym membership(s) and driving are both out of the picture for me. However, I do use a hand cycle, just like this one (http://www.amazon.com/Aerobic-Pedal-Exerciser-Arms-Legs/dp/B0002DMK80/ref=dp_cp_ob_hpc_title_4). Since they don't have hand-cycle exercises in the database, I simply choose the "Walking, 2.5 mph leisurely pace" setting.

    I used to be on SparkPeople but their site is crazy and hard to use. And besides, I have real life friends here! That's going to increase my motivation big time!! Today is my first day on the site, but I've been exercising with the hand cycle for months. Now it's time to continue exercising and start taking a close look at what I eat every day.

    As for weigh-ins, I use a tape measure around my waist and neck. I plan on measuring every two weeks. I read something on the site here that says using a tape measure is actually a better measurement that a weigh scale because strength training and sodium intake can increase weight, but it would still cause a smaller body size. So I'm taking that as my measurement and I'm not even going to pay any attention to the pounds lost.

    I wish you best of success!
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