Getting "started" with chronic disease

I think what helped me most when I started was finding activities I enjoyed. It's really hard to start a daily routine when the exercise you do is boring, unfulfilling, or painful. I also started moving more in the small bits of time between other activities. For example, I'll often do squats and counter pushups when I'm waiting for something in the microwave.

For diet, what helped me most was finding lower calorie versions of the foods I love, and also adding in more filling foods that stick with me longer. That combination helps a lot, as does eating extra protein when I can. Blogging helped too, it helped me straighten out my thoughts. So did reading forum posts and realizing I wasn't alone, and other people worse off than me were achieving their goals.

I wish you the best!

I have had thyroid issues since a surgery when I was 21 blew it out, and I started having non stop chronic hives that were only controlled by prednisone. ((hugs)) I also had pain issues, and of course insomnia because I was bedridden a bunch of the time and my body got real confused when it was supposed to be awake or asleep. I think the anemia also contributed a bunch to the lack of energy since I also have fibroids.

At first, I had to go full spooney. I just couldn't find the energy to exercise, well, if I did I was bedridden for a month and that helped nothing. So if you are able to do something small and simple, that is very nice. I had lost 80 lbs the slow and counting calories way - with weighing my food. This year, I got cancer and I lucked out in that I was able to get IV iron, so now I can walk!! This is a nice boon, but who knows if it will last and if I will continue to have energy etc.

It is not fast doing it the food only way, but it is legit if you are unable to move. Be patient. (((more hugs))) I know the prednisone is not helping your state of mind either for food and for depression in general. Maybe start with .5 lbs a week instead of going full bear. There is nothing wrong with going slow, the tortoise wins the race. When I started my main goal was "To not gain weight" granted it took me longer than a normal healthy person, but I am now 105 lbs down. I am not at maintenance yet, I have, 25 more lbs maybe? I am now at maintenance because I got sick, and I always give myself permission to go on maintenance when it gets a little too difficult to go to deficit.

I also have a strong prayer life, and I like to ask for these virtues specifically: temperance, diligence, fortitude, and patience. There are a number of us around, but for reasons you can imagine we don't always post consistently. That is important, but you know how it is... I would tell you, "You got this" or "If I can do it anyone can do it" But I absolutely detested those sorts of things when I started out. I didn't think I could do it, and I didn't think I had anything in the bag. But, if you respond to that sort of talk, I say it!! Friend me

Needing to lose weight and knowing that diet alone doesn't work for me, I simply started walking. If it is too hot or too cold outside, I walked inside my house. My first walk was about 5 minutes so don't be discouraged by the length of time or distance you can achieve. I would try to walk every day for just as far as I could and still be able to walk back home. I also got support from a Healthy Eating group through my medical provider, so I learned how to manage my eating as well as had others to talk to about challenges and to get encouragement. I learned to reward myself for every little accomplishment, which increased my confidence and ability to believe I could succeed. I also learned that to maintain weight I need to manage my eating/food, exercise daily and to weigh daily. I have been doing that since November, just trying to maintain what I have lost so far. Now that the holiday food pressures are done, I am ready to step it up and have added Youtube exercise videos to my day. I really enjoy Sharona's Hill videos. There is a great variety of videos to choose from. Some just walking, some adding more aerobic-type movements, and modifications are given too. Music from different eras and genres and best of all for me, she doesn't talk! And keep coming in here and talking and sharing your experiences. There are a wealth of information and helpful people available to you!

I have overlapping autoimmune conditions (RA and some other thing they can't really nail down so the diagnosis changes year to year).

Best advice I can give you to get started:

1) Be consistent, but listen to your body and know that recovery takes priority over all else. For me that means if joint pain is greater than baseline (I always have joint pain), fever over 100 degrees, or any pain at muscular attachments (hard to explain, but if I touch a point where a muscle attaches to bone and it hurts, or it hurts when loaded with resistance, I skip it).

2) Give yourself some grace and understand you're working with limitations that most people don't have to deal with (but we're all dealing with something for the most part). If you miss a day, with or without excuse, forget it and move on.

3) Lately there has been a lot of discussion around demonizing foods (gluten, dairy, etc...) and macronutrients (carbs). For me the only trigger I've found is alcohol, which is a shame because I love wine. But I know for a fact that when I don't drink, my pain levels go down close to zero. If I drink two days in a row, I'm hurting. It may be that sugar is a trigger for me, but I don't really eat it so I can't say. If you haven't tried to seek out triggers lately, that may be worth doing. There's lots of information out there on how to do it.

Not sure about your doc situation, but if you're looking find a doctor who understand your goals, and doesn't lump you in with the general population. Many will say to limit exercise to walking and maybe water aerobics with resistance exercises. I had to go 1,200 miles to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN to find one who "gets me". I'm still doing barbell deadlifts with RA. Some days I'm not... haha. But on my good days I'm lifting iron.

Best of luck to you!