porchcricket13

Yoga with Adriene on youtube has some great beginner lessons. Check out Groupon as well, most studios offer packages there and learning the basics in a class can be important to get your form correct. Most poses are able to be modified with blocks, straps etc. as well.

I love your post title first of all, and relate to so much of what you said! Food has been my comfort for my entire life, but I'm learning that I love healthy food just as much as junk and I'm binging less on the bad stuff now. My boyfriend is kind of like your husband, except he has hit an age where his lifestyle is starting to catch up. So, after 7 years of him saying he would never go to the gym with me or eat healthier we are finally in this together! Congrats on your little one, that is such great motivation to get healthy!

Thanks, I will totally check that thread out! I'm a little lost on how exactly I need to start training for the warrior dash. I know it's not as straight forward as like couch to 5k and stuff. Our trainer is focusing on high intensity workouts so that should help and I'm going to do interval training on the treadmill as well.

Hey all! Hopping back on the train for oh, let's just say the millionth time. This time is a bit different. This time, I'm not doing it alone. My boyfriend and I joined a gym, and signed up for personal training together. Something that too 7 1/2 years for him to agree to do with me, but now he's finally understanding that I need a partner in this fight not just a cheerleader. The story so far: I have been overweight all my life, and have lost the same 50lbs or so over and over again. I crash dieted, took diet pills, ate right and exercised...basically did it all. My ability to lose weight has never been in question, my ability to sustain it has. I am hopeful that with my wonderful boyfriend by my side, and the added accountability of our trainer I can figure out how to make this a life long success. There are some challenges in my path due to my health that may make this a pretty rough fight, but I'm tough. I am exactly 1 year out from brain decompression surgery, and I am finally starting to feel like myself again. No one really explains that depression after a major surgery is a large concern, and that if you have complications like a dvt ( like I did) it can just make you feel even more useless. I lost 55lb before my surgery at my surgeons request, and have since gained it back and then some. I have post thrombotic syndrome in my leg from the dvt which causes fatigue, swelling, and pitting edema which is not only incredibly uncomfortable, but makes me very self conscious. I have an undiagnosed connective tissue disorder which goes hand in hand with the chiari (the reason I had brain decompression surgery), that causes my joints to subluxate and be in pain constantly, and I still get exertion headaches, dizzy spells, and have polyneuralgia. All of that being said, I have started a weekly yoga practice that has literally saved my life. I am crushing the gym, and training...granted it's been less than 2 weeks, but I am killing that shit! Some goals: Lose 100lbs total - Already down 5! Warrior Dash next summer Get out of prediabetic status Start a blog So, um....that's what i've got for now. Thanks for listening, er reading!

I have vit D, B12 and Iron deficiency anemia, and likely have sleep apnea. The sleep deficit is a freaking nightmare. I'm scheduling my sleep study soon, because I'm starting to fall asleep any time I'm sitting quietly for more than 10 min. But, I only sleep in less than 4 hour intervals. It's nuts. And even after full sleep (though broken) I'm still exhausted. You should definitely look into it if you feel like something is wrong.

20lbs down and going strong. Thinking about seeing a nutritionist since the bariatric surgeon isn't recommending surgery due to my RA, and GERD. I wasn't thrilled with the nutritionist from his office, she wanted me on an incredibly strict plan that just screams failure to me. I'm doing well on my own but I want someone in my corner to speak to in person. Still working on the cardiology tests but so far nothing major on that front. Still just attacking this from a nutrition standpoint.

No kitchen at all? As in no fridge/ freezer? I only ask because I've got no kitchen, but I have a full size fridge in my living room. I use my tiny bit of counter space for a double burner hot plate, and an end table for a microwave that has a toaster oven stacked on top of it. I was also gifted a crock pot. Pretty much covers everything but baking. An oven would be lovely because I do miss the ease of 4 burners but I've become very adept at one pot meals. It's do able, all of my things can technically be put away after use...even if it would be pretty annoying.

No particular songs but artists in general that are always in my head are Nahko and Medicine for the People, Trevor Hall, and Xavier Rudd. I'm kinda dealing with a lot these days and need a spiritual pick me up.

Went to my cardiology consult yesterday, which eas supposed to get me cleared for brain surgery. Wound up being scheduled for a shit ton more tests. He said there may be evidence of prior silent heart attacks...and altbough he seems unconcerned and believes this may be a false positive result, I'm kinda freaked out. All I can do now is continue what I'm doing to better my diet and move as much as I can and try not to worry until my tests are completed. As of now I've lost 15lbs and I'm still strong in my convictions. One day at a time.

I've learned about EDS since my Chiari diagnosis, because they are common comorbidities. Looking back I would have scored high on the Brighton scale when I was younger, an have since developed severe arthritis (clinically diagnosed RA) which changes that score. Though, my hips and shoulders all subluxate, and have tendonitis in both knees and both elbows. None of my joints are without pain or weakness. Hoping as I lose weight through diet change I can start moving more. Cause right now, my body is just not there yet.

First, I am so sorry for what your family is going through. I truly understand how hard it can be to find the right neurosurgeon, especially when finances are a concern. I'm dealing with that myself, though mine isn't an alien...my own body is a mutant. The one thing I can tell you is that I am seeing results for myself with simply changing my diet. Cutting out all fast food and soft drinks, cooking 90% of my meals and eating 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks a day. I track all my calories, and have been losing 2-3lbs a week consistently without exercise. I know that eventually I will need to start moving more, but right now my body won't let me. Maybe, just starting there will get you on the right track.

Ever so slowly getting my house in order. It has been increasingly difficult for me to give a shit what my apartment looks like when my head is constantly in a vice, or my nerves are misfiring, or my joints are on fire...etc, etc, etc. But, I've come to realize that this is only adding to my issues. So, I'm doing the best I can in small doses. I also know that I can't have surgery and come home to my apartment the way it has been. That is a huge source of my motivation. It will get there, at a snail's pace...but it will get there.

Eating super salty foods will cause a gain for a day for sure, but never longer than that in my experience. That's why even though I weigh daily I only log weekly, and even then I would say monthly is most accurate for me over time.

I can gain up to 6lbs like 3 days before then drop back to normal the day of. Every single time. I'm 5lbs lighter than I was yesterday. Hooray for being a girl! When it's a regular thing it's not quite as frustrating.

Successfully avoided the free pizza fairy at work today, and I'm officially 10lbs down! Best motivation there is! Heading to bed early after a grueling day, hoping to feel up to a bit of adventuring tomorrow should the weather permit it.

This is why I personally can't do absolutes. If I don't allow myself any, ever, I will break and eat all the things. I just need to be smart about it. No white bread slices or heros (my kryptonite), but pitas are cool. No white rice, but brown rice is alright every once in a while. Natural sugars are ok, but minimal refined stuff.

I used to be the same way. I grew up in a househole where my mom would cook very basic foods and never introduced us to anything exotic. Any time anything was presented to me that seemed different I would always assume I wouldn't like it and refuse to even try it. For me, I just had to suck it up, wrinkle my nose and just go for it. Worst case? I actually didn't like it and spit it out. That honestly has very rarely happened! I even started trying things I didn't like as a kid, only to find out I do like them now. The other thing is, if you try things with really flavorful sauces like thai or indian dishes, you can kind of hide things in there you wouldn't normally eat.

Welcome! As my neurosurgeon pointed out to me, any activity will improve your joint health over time as long as you go slow and build muscle I can't do the cycling thing myself because of my nerve issues, but it was highly recommended as low impact for my knees and ankles. Maybe a stationary bike? Swimming would also be good if you like water.

I have always been the type to push myself too hard, I also have a bit of a stubborn streak and it has taken me a long time to start admitting that I need to slow down. My body has kind of forced that upon me. I'm sure pushing through the pain many times over for years hasn't been good for me. I now know rest days are just as important, though they always trigger me to eat way more than I should so that's what I've got to fight.

I had a particularly good week physically, I broke out my hula hoop a few times. My headaches were minimal and my nutrition plan was on point. Today, however, I feel like total shite...and I want to eat all the things. Days like this where my body says stay in bed are the hardest. All I can think about is snack food, and I'm not even a snacker in general. But, my legs are full of edema and sore, my shoulders are killing me, my arms are burning, and a major chiari headache is brewing. I just want to lay in bed and watch netflix eating crap until it's acceptable for sleep. I don't feel very strong today. On a good note: still had a healthy breakfast, and not giving in to my soda craving. I won't leave the house at all so a healthy lunch and dinner are on the horizon as well.

Thanks guys! I'm all in and hoping to keep it that way, my biggest struggle will be being active enough. I'm hoping to take small steps forward and build on it. It would be easy for me to over do it.

I won't beat myself up for one moment of weakness. If it extends past that something's up. I had a great first week, but I ate a pint of ice cream...I still lost 5lbs. If I berated myself over the ice cream I probably would have fallen into the "Oh, well this week's a loss. I'll start over next week." You're human. Think of strategies for next time. Mine would be, don't go into 711 after a night of alcohol and video games and you won't buy ice cream.

So just looking at that image up there, 30 is adequate. I was under 10.

I have absorption issues due to microscopic colitis so my vit d was dangerously low. I'm ok now but I need to take it every day for life. It has to be d3 btw we don't actually absorb the d2 sold in stores so don't waste your money. You can also get too much, but it would be pretty much impossible unless you overdosed on the prescription pills that I had that were 50000 units each. He also suggested a tanning bed...but no thanks.

So, technically my respawn point was 2 weeks ago. One week after my second neurosurgery consult. That's when reality set in. I have been fighting my body every day for years, not giving myself what I need to make the best of what I've been given. Was I born with a defective body? Yes. Have I given it the care that it deserved to work to the best of it's ability. No. It's time to fight for myself, not against myself. I will never live a life free of pain. I will have days that I may want to give up, but I'm fighting for more good days. Now that all that has been said, the things I am currently working on are: 1. Portion control- I have a tendency to eat whatever is in front of me, whether I am hungry or not, so I am pre-portioning all of my meals and tracking my calories each day. 2. No soda- I can not have just one. This is something I NEED to accept. I have given up soda more times than I can count, and have done so for months at a time...then just one becomes a landslide. I swear it's crack. 3. No fast food- This is simply a matter of being prepared, and eating before I go out for the evening because my boyfriend eats like crap. So far, it has been pretty easy but the first few months for me always are. I'm not setting exercise goals at the moment due to my medical restrictions but I am getting in low to medium impact activity on my really good days, and my job kicks my butt. Down 5lbs week 1, 2lbs week 2. Total of 7lbs. I am going to speak to a bariatric surgeon a the request of my neurosurgeon, because he feels I may not be able to lose the weight I need to lose in an adequate time frame without a hardcore exercise plan that I can not endure in my current condition.