Want to Be a Druid

[ChirpyBird]

Hello!

 

I just joined and read through the different things I could join. I think I fit really well with druids, but I'm slightly confused as to how to join as one. It says to "register as a druid for the next challenge" but I don't see where I can do that. 

 

As far as why I want to be a druid:

 

I have two major health problems that are complicating my life when it comes to working out and being in shape, as well as being at peace with myself. I have a heart condition that can only be controlled by beta blockers or surgery. I'm too young for the surgery according to the doctor, so I'm on the meds, but they make me dizzy and feel like I'm going to pass out if my heart rate gets too high, so long bouts of cardio are out. Second, I have been diagnosed with class 3 runner's knee in both knees, and have had a blood clot recently in the left one. This means both knees swell and shoot a lot of sharp pain that continues for days if I do, well, anything. When I can't climb stairs or do body weight squats without this happening, any other workouts I see for lower body seem like they are out of the question.

 

I have been diagnosed with the knees just last year after wondering why I could barely walk after workouts, and have had the heart issue for about three years. After the latter, I switched from doing any cardio and tried doing body weight workouts. With my knees failing as quickly as they are, I stopped working out since May 2016.

 

I cut out red meat, poultry, cheese and milk from my diet. I tried vegan with supplements but ended up in the hospital (long story). Doctors told me I at least need to eat fish, which I do. I don't say no to eggs, but the rest I do not eat. Cutting that stuff out of my diet truly helped me NOT gain weight, but I still feel irritated that I can't tone myself up! It's gotten so bad that I can't look at myself in the mirror anymore, even though I've only gained about 10 pounds since I stopped working out due to the pain and heart. But that doesn't mean I don't see things starting to loosen and LOOK worse.

 

My husband is extremely fit, works out four days a week, is completely vegan, and has like, 18% body fat. Being around someone who is able to do what I want to do but can't is really bringing me down emotionally. 

 

I don't know what to really do at this point, so suggestions are highly appreciated. I want to be tone and fit. I don't need to lift heavy weights, have never wanted to be a bodybuilder or anything. I just want to lose a few extra pounds and look good while being healthy and feeling great. I picked the druids because it sounds like a group that might be able to help me in both areas - physically and mentally - but if there is a different group I should be contacting, I'm open to suggestions.

 

Thanks for listening.

 

<3 Jen

[Uruza the Remorseless]

By posting this here, you signed up as a druid. All you have to do to "sign up" for a challenge is post a new topic in your class. 

I suggest trying everything. Literally. Try yoga, meditation, controlled breathing, chanting, pole dancing, tai chi, piyo, to infinity and beyond.

Always listen to your body and mind, as they are connected. Breathe control can be fantastic for heart conditions.

Have you considered swimming? It is less impact on the knees and can strengthen surrounding muscles. Just food for thought.

Best of luck!

What are your 4 goals for this upcoming challenge? 

[ChirpyBird]

Awesome!!! Thanks for the reply!  

 

I haven't tried swimming because - and this is embarrassing - I never learned how to swim! haha I know I can take classes but I'm afraid it will be me and a bunch of little kids and I'll embarrass myself (yeah, I've got to work on self-confidence, too!). 

 

I was thinking of trying pilates, as I've heard that is low impact. Also, I'm going to try a yoga session tomorrow for the first time. Biking is good because it's a continuous, fluid motion, which the doctors recommend for my knees. Of course, it's like, negative two here right now, so that's a no go for me until it warms up a little more!

 

My four goals for this challenge are:

 

-eat smaller portions

-pay off two loans that are almost done

-zero "extra" spending (books, clothes, etc)

-15 minute walk after dinner every single night

[Uruza the Remorseless]

Girl lots of adults don't know how to swim. I taught my husband and after we had been dating for a couple months lol. Some gyms run adult swim classes. Or try a local pool, if it's something you're interested in of course.

I love yoga. I played roller derby for 2 years and yoga helped my knees heal. Though mine didn't swell like you've said yours have. Just alot of pain.

 

[ChirpyBird]

I'm definitely going to try yoga! Sounds like it will help me out a ton. 

 

I'll totally check into adult swim classes, that's great to know! Thanks!

[Leimanu]

Those are good goals for a challenge. Welcome to the Druids. If u have any questions about anything, just ask here,  there, anywhere. It will probably start a long conversation, lol.

[Stronkey Kong]

Welcome.

 

Are you good at recognizing when your heart rate is too high?

 

Just curious because that could help you push yourself without harming yourself... which is totally druid.

[ChirpyBird]

1 hour ago, Curl Brogo said:

Welcome.

 

Are you good at recognizing when your heart rate is too high?

 

Just curious because that could help you push yourself without harming yourself... which is totally druid.

 

It starts pounding and I get lightheaded, so I have to stop whatever I'm doing at the time. If I'm working out or biking or something, I have to stop what I'm doing and just breathe. It sometimes happens when I'm just sitting there doing nothing, will just suddenly start racing like I've been running although I haven't been. In those times I have to wait it out, but once in awhile, I have to take an extra beta blocker. 

 

I do still try to workout with the heart issue, but my problem now is my knees, which swell like crazy if I do pretty much anything. I need to find something low intensity that will still help me lose weight and tone my lower half, but I'm not sure what that will be.

[Stronkey Kong]

Here's what I would do if I were in your position:

 

I'd get on an elliptical or a stationary bike, one that measures heart rate, or if you've got a fitbit etc., walk... I'd do some low intensity cardio while checking heart rate and mindfully monitoring how I feel regarding the symptoms you get. I'd try to ramp up to a heart rate that was challenging but doable. 

 

For exercise, try to hit your target hr and maintain it for a set number of minutes. As you improve it should get lower, and you may be able to increase the intensity bit by bit.

 

Here's why... I think a common problem with cardio is people get set on doing the same distance and time, the body adapts, and weight/fat loss slows. I think the biggest factor for fat loss is incremental improvements, getting more intense, going for longer, getting stronger. Once you adapt you plateau. So monitor carefully and increase your workload carefully. 

 

And for weight loss the number one factor is how you eat. And I totally second yoga. It really can be a low intensity substitute for weight training.

 

[ChirpyBird]

3 hours ago, Curl Brogo said:

Here's what I would do if I were in your position:

 

I'd get on an elliptical or a stationary bike, one that measures heart rate, or if you've got a fitbit etc., walk... I'd do some low intensity cardio while checking heart rate and mindfully monitoring how I feel regarding the symptoms you get. I'd try to ramp up to a heart rate that was challenging but doable. 

 

For exercise, try to hit your target hr and maintain it for a set number of minutes. As you improve it should get lower, and you may be able to increase the intensity bit by bit.

 

Here's why... I think a common problem with cardio is people get set on doing the same distance and time, the body adapts, and weight/fat loss slows. I think the biggest factor for fat loss is incremental improvements, getting more intense, going for longer, getting stronger. Once you adapt you plateau. So monitor carefully and increase your workload carefully. 

 

And for weight loss the number one factor is how you eat. And I totally second yoga. It really can be a low intensity substitute for weight training.

 

 

I've already cut out red meat, poultry, cheese and milk from my diet. That's what's kept me from gaining weight after I was diagnosed with stuff that made it much harder to workout. 

 

Here's the other snag: we are trying to move to California in two years, so I can't pay for a gym membership. I can walk, definitely, but the cold here (Wisconsin) messes with my joints, especially my knees, and most days I can barely go up and down a flight of stairs because of the swelling and pain. I was thinking of buying a cheap rower and having it at home, but we also can't afford a bunch of workout machines right now (nor would we want to buy them before moving across the country). So I can go out and walk when it warms up and my joints aren't puffed up like oranges, I can row but only after I get a rowing machine, but what can I do until then that is free and won't put strain on my knees? I can handle the heart issue and know my limits, but these knees...

[Stronkey Kong]

Is it the impact that messes with your knees? Or is it movement? Muscle tightness?

 

If its just impact, body weight squats could work. Alternatively, using yoga possess that work your quads and glutes... The biggest muscles use the most energy. 

 

If that's all out... core exercise, pushups, rows (with heavy household objects). There's a lot you can do with just a kettle bell...

 

Just throwing ideas out there. But yoga till spotting then walk all you can.

 

I knot you said its a long story, but you mentioned vegan with sups and a trip to the hospital... can we hear it?

 

PS. You can also ignore me or tell me to shut up. I often find "pet" problems on NF and try to answer questions way beyond or outside my own experience.

[ChirpyBird]

14 hours ago, Curl Brogo said:

Is it the impact that messes with your knees? Or is it movement? Muscle tightness?

 

If its just impact, body weight squats could work. Alternatively, using yoga possess that work your quads and glutes... The biggest muscles use the most energy. 

 

If that's all out... core exercise, pushups, rows (with heavy household objects). There's a lot you can do with just a kettle bell...

 

Just throwing ideas out there. But yoga till spotting then walk all you can.

 

I knot you said its a long story, but you mentioned vegan with sups and a trip to the hospital... can we hear it?

 

PS. You can also ignore me or tell me to shut up. I often find "pet" problems on NF and try to answer questions way beyond or outside my own experience.

 

Yeah, the impact for sure, and any heavy lifting, so leg presses are out of the question. My doctors say I can have fluid motions with no weight attached, so swimming (though I don't know how to swim haha) and biking are good. Thing is, body squats make my knees swell and hurt like crazy, too. However, I am interested in the yoga poses that work my quads and glutes...will that shed some pounds? I'm not heavy - I weight 170 and am 5'11" tall. I just have some excess in my thighs and stomach that I want to get rid of that is building up slowly now that I can't workout. 

 

I can't wait until I can walk everywhere...there's a beautiful trail near my house that I really want to explore, and I just got into Geocaching but it's so damn cold out haha. I know it's just an excuse, and many people get out and walk/run/bike in the dead of winter, but wow, just last night I did a 15 minute walk and couldn't feel my face, fingers and toes. And that's a warm night here. 

 

So when I went vegan, I had already been vegetarian for 7 years, so no red meat or poultry, but I was pescetarian, so I still ate fish and dairy. I attempted to cut out the fish and dairy, too, and felt very exhausted, very unsatisfied after eating anything. I was at a blood draw for something else one week and when I got home, I got a call around 6:30 at night telling me I needed to get into the ER since the doctor offices were closed. They said my blood showed that my platelets were dangerously low, I had low B12 levels (keep in mind this is WITH over the counter supplements) which was apparently causing the platelets to drop. At my follow up after everything was figured out, my doctor told me that while a vegan diet is great for some, it isn't for everyone, so I went back to the fish and eggs, but kept the cheese cut, along with the red meat and poultry. Thing is, now that I've had this knee diagnosis, and all I really eat are carbs to fill me as just veggies don't do it. 

 

Side note, I'll never tell you to shut up haha! I appreciate your help and input for sure! Thank you!

[Stronkey Kong]

I read somewhere, one of the main reasons jogging can be good for weight loss is that it primarily works the quads and glutes, as do squats. being big muscles, they can burn a lot more calories than arms chest and core. Lats are big too. So if you can get those fired up, you should be able to lose more weight than if you stuck to just upper body exercise which I'm guessing are still fine for you.

 

Btw: i sometimes get patellar tendonitis when i squat a lot. The cure for that is deterring the quads frequently. You might be able to find stretches for runners knee. I did a quick google of it and saw a bunch of sites discussing these. And one tagline i recall said runners knee can clear up in a few months. Maybe tap into the scouts' knowledge base for advice too.

 

Also, you may have noticed the strong skew toward paleo diets on NF. A lot of people claim more meat etc has benefits for health overall. And joint problem could be one because you get more proteins and vitamins that support connective tissue development. And some sups are bad. I'm not knowledgeable on b12, but i know that with Mg, a lot of sups use magnesium oxide which is useless to the body, when they should use mg citrate. You see a lot of stuff like that.

 

I'm currently in the middle. I've tried keto and other meat and low carb diets, but currently I'm down to meat once a day if at all. a lot of times when we push into the extremes of the diet spectrum, there are deficits to make up.

 

Do you track your intake?

[ChirpyBird]

3 minutes ago, Curl Brogo said:

I read somewhere, one of the main reasons jogging can be good for weight loss is that it primarily works the quads and glutes, as do squats. being big muscles, they can burn a lot more calories than arms chest and core. Lats are big too. So if you can get those fired up, you should be able to lose more weight than if you stuck to just upper body exercise which I'm guessing are still fine for you.

 

Btw: i sometimes get patellar tendonitis when i squat a lot. The cure for that is deterring the quads frequently. You might be able to find stretches for runners knee. I did a quick google of it and saw a bunch of sites discussing these. And one tagline i recall said runners knee can clear up in a few months. Maybe tap into the scouts' knowledge base for advice too.

 

Also, you may have noticed the strong skew toward paleo diets on NF. A lot of people claim more meat etc has benefits for health overall. And joint problem could be one because you get more proteins and vitamins that support connective tissue development. And some sups are bad. I'm not knowledgeable on b12, but i know that with Mg, a lot of sups use magnesium oxide which is useless to the body, when they should use mg citrate. You see a lot of stuff like that.

 

I'm currently in the middle. I've tried keto and other meat and low carb diets, but currently I'm down to meat once a day if at all. a lot of times when we push into the extremes of the diet spectrum, there are deficits to make up.

 

Do you track your intake?

 

Jogging isn't easy on my knees, but I do walk a lot when it isn't negative one million degrees out here haha. What do you mean by deterring the quads frequently? How do you do that? 

 

As far as the diet, I'm not really looking to add meat more than once a day or even once a couple times a week. I just need to replace carbs with lean meats so I'm still full after meals. I tried something new today and was so full after half my lunch I didn't even eat the rest, and now can eat it tomorrow! But without carbs AND meat in my diet, I eat like crazy and don't feel full and get really weak, so adding carbs back seemed like the only answer until I ran across this Paleo diet. I'm sure I can tweak it like you do and be happy and full and healthy, I just have to find what works for my body, even if that includes adding meat here and there.

 

I don't track my intake because, well, I know it's just an excuse, but I end up forgetting, missing a bunch, then giving up because I can't remember a couple days back what I had to eat (three jobs will do that ugh). I've tried multiple times, but also hate counting calories (tried that twice), so I figure it's just me not wanting to/hating doing it haha!

[Stronkey Kong]

I meant stretching the quads. I'm typing on my phone and my autocorrect just doesn't get me sometimes.

 

Are you at least confident you get enough protein?

[ChirpyBird]

1 minute ago, Curl Brogo said:

I meant stretching the quads. I'm typing on my phone and my autocorrect just doesn't get me sometimes.

 

Are you at least confident you get enough protein?

 

haha no worries! Mine does the same thing to me all the time

 

No, I know for a fact I'm not getting enough protein. Thing is, by cutting fish, beans and rice, (stuff I already eat for protein) means I will just eat vegetables and fruit and grains/nuts. While that may work for many, it will not work for me. That's why I'm eyeing up this Paleo diet.