Vune Member

The best cookbook ever is Eat This...It'll Make You Feel Better by Dom DeLouise. There's variety in the recipes he includes, and the stories he tells are priceless.

I have all kinds of hips everywhere, and I've found their appearance improved when I started working out to build overall strength. Nothing special, just more muscle making a better foundation.

My podiatrist recommended Spenco inserts for my loose tendons and subsequent flatter arches.

This is me. Planking warms me up in 30 seconds. I basically spend the winter making abs out of cookies. I wish I could just eat my weight in fish for a couple months, then hibernate, though.

I was on prednisone for a year after having a bunch of food restrictions lifted, and I gained about 2.5lbs because my overall energy intake didn't increase much. You'll be fine as long as you stay the course. Get well soon!

I agree. The right pair of shoes is always worth the investment. Also, I notice that you mentioned ice makes it worse. Have you tried heat?

Tacos are such a good alternative to sandwiches! I get the off brand tortillas, which are 2 for 100 cal, but what I spend in calories, I save in getting 50 tortillas for $2 (Mission is considerably more expensive per tortilla where I live). I eat leftover filling as a salad on the side. I put everything on them, but my…

You have Crohn's, right? (Edit: Duh, just read your other reply.) I do not envy you. I honestly don't know much about the infusion, other than it makes me feel I have a ton of bricks on my chest. I have no idea how close the formulas are. And my ferritin levels now? About 100 points above "normal." It was over 600 ng/ml at…

I'm chronically anemic due to medications, and I've spoken to my nephrologist at length about it. He promises me that a tenth of a point makes very little difference in the grand scheme of things. You're close enough by most standards, and you don't have other health indicators threatening to ruin that for you. Heavy…

I have lost weight without exercise. I am also a (disabled) student, and I recommend 5-10 minutes of body weight exercise and stretching for every hour of studying. It's the perfect study break. Also, while I'm an old pro at calorie counting and food scales (and probably bad at giving specific advice about it), I keep my…

And you can make them with any cereal, not just rice krispies. The day I discovered Life krispy treats was magical.

If you've never done yoga and have specific injuries, I would try Iyengar first because it focuses on using props to make up for your body's limitations. Jumping right into a flow class might not work out so well, depending on the instructor. Any decent instructor will be willing to speak with you at length about what you…

Maybe look up breathing exercises? Concentrating on breathing often helps me erase whatever I'm obsessing about, even if it's temporary.

Blend 1 red bell pepper, 1/4 cup each white vinegar and sugar, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper (to taste) until smooth. Cook in small saucepan, stirring frequently until the sauce cooks down slightly and bubbles are gone (maybe 5 minutes). It's sweet, sour, and as spicy as you want it. I found the recipe in some…

If you're struggling so much, wait until your treatments start taking effect. If you're getting dizzy, your body is screaming to do less.

I avoid intense cardio and do body weight exercises for strength. Lots of props, relaxed pace. This is in addition to being treated with biweekly injections and having my doctor's permission to exercise. Progress has been slow, but definitely noticeable due to dedicating myself to do it for the rest of my life.

No C-section, but I have abdominal scarring from a couple other surgeries, including a 7 inch kidney transplant scar. It's been 18 years, and the tissue still defies planks. Maybe try working on balance, instead? You stabilize all your core muscles in balance work. I've also found that boat pose (yoga) is challenging on my…

Pineapple. I'd get a hearty portion every day of the week for the entire $3 fruit. And it's my favorite.

Fold up a yoga/exercise mat.

I've thought about this a lot. I have a genetic disease that caused kidney failure by 19. I later learned, after 15 years of voice lessons, that it also causes hearing loss. I have a lot of different angles from which I could approach the dying question. I choose: -on safari -surfing in the middle of the pacific ocean -on…

Just for reference, I get an unrelated injection regularly for an unrelated purpose, and I always need a quiet day while my body does its thing. And new medications generally have an adjustment period for me. I think it's probably true of any. I'm glad you're feeling better! My injection also burns! I'll have to ask about…

Do you stretch your piriformis muscles? I developed bursitis in my hips from being confined to a hospital bed. I developed piriformis syndrome those months I decided jogging would be good. Google should have plenty of options. They're free and most can be done in bed.

I have friends who run the gamut of odds stacked up against them. In particular, I have friends with Prader Willi Syndrome and Dercum's disease. Both are extraordinarily rare and require health care beyond the concerns of weight. They're going to be paying more, anyway. I am disabled due to genetics, as well, receive…

If you want to stay there forever, you're going to have to watch what you eat for your entire life. That's another why why slow fat loss is better. Use this time to figure out what you're willing to do to maintain your goal.

The most effective treatment for me was prevention. I have a kidney transplant, so I don't want to take excess meds. Luckily, appropriate portions and meal sizes are free and have no disconcerting side effects! Seriously, keep a food journal (I mean, you're already here), and make notes of when you get pain, as well as the…

I gained 25lbs in 6 weeks when zyprexa gave me vicious sugar cravings, but I went back to the doc for a follow-up and discussed other options. I'm kind of angry at your doctors for either not having a reasonable follow-up appointment or not paying attention to severe changes in your body. By the by, I thought the extra…

I'm 17 years post-transplant, and I also recommend seeing a registered dietitian specializing in kidney disease. I have Alport Syndrome, so, prior to dialysis, I was recommended low protein and vegetarian prior to dialysis because I was spilling so much blood and protein into my urine. On dialysis, I was instructed to…

I bet they even photoshopped her abs away to make her look softer.

I made a push-up goal a couple years ago! I have a lot of scar tissue on my torso from surgeries, so I started with planks and wall push-ups. Now, I have improved enough to do a couple sets of 11 against my bed. Sometimes, I'll get down on my yoga mat and start from my belly, but it's still a struggle to do 10 of those.…

If you're feeling indifferent, try a different style. Yoga is eminently customizable . Want something challenging and fast paced? Try ashtanga or vinyasa. Want to relax and workout the kinks? Try Yin or restorative. Want a spiritual experience? Try kundalini or anusara. Just want to learn the basics and proper alignment?…