Here's another suggestion. I just ordered the basic workout. I've heard this works really well for people with health issues and the workouts are 15 minutes.
I can't emphasize enough, you don't know what's really going on with you so don't lose hope. Having had a lifetime of back problems I can tell you that absolutely back problems cause problems from the hips down and vice versa. You know you have structural problems in your back and feet so those problems have to be addressed correctly someday (hopefully sooner rather than later).
i'd love to have it adressed. i was supposed to get an MRI at 15, but my dad called me a drama queen and refused to schedule the appointment, calling the doctor a scam artist.
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Originally Posted by ReNew Me
Good sneakers go a long way to fixing a lot of problems! Both of my stepkids have fallen arches. When my stepdaughter got health insurance she went to a podiatrist and he told that her that the Dr. Scholl's orthotics that you step on the machine to be fitted for (darned if I remember what it's called) are nearly as good as what he would provide her with for a fraction of the price.
those are the ones i use :3 the insoles were quite pricey but they do help.
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Originally Posted by ReNew Me
Honey, you're young enough to be my daughter so I'm going to speak plainly to you, the heart issue is nothing to screw around with, you need health insurance. You might need to think of other living arrangements or work something else out with your grandmother. I don't want to scare you but sweetie you need to see a cardiologist. With the problem you're describing, what would happen if, for example, you passed out while riding your bike and woke up in the ER with monitors on you? How much do you think that would cost? If you could address your health problems you could probably get a job that would pay your grandmother what she's deducting in her taxes.
i have no way to get other living arrangements right now. if i went to social services and told them i was homeless, they'd stick me in a motel... and i have no car, so i'd be trapped there with no way to get groceries or go to a job, and it's gonna cost A LOT of money to get my license un-suspended and pay my deductible, and buy the car, and of course with all of my points insurance is over $200 a month.
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Originally Posted by ReNew Me
As for the smoking, good job and I understand about smoking and depression, in fact, every time I went back to smokes it was either stress or depression or grief.
i just honest to god enjoy smoking. the taste, the smells... i love when i just finish smoking and i can smell the tobacco on my fingers. i'll just sit around sniffing my hand.
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Originally Posted by ReNew Me
And take this as I'm saying it, honey, if you can't afford health insurance then you can't afford to be pregnant. Did you think about the fact that being pregnant puts a heck of a stress on the heart or how physically demanding labor and delivery is? And any pregnancy needs to be monitored by a doctor, but one with cardiac issues? That's considered high risk.
oh i know, i've just had this screaming desire to be a mother my whole life. but no worries on that score- i have a 5-year iud and my boyfriend and i are no longer sexually active. i'm sure we'll start up again eventually, but we're both on things that lower libido. he's on supplements (he's a fighter and needs to stay in shape) and for me it's the birth control.
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Originally Posted by ReNew Me
The journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step! You've totally summed up what I'm feeling about myself right now, I've gotta start somewhere and once I start I refuse to stop moving! There are days when bad weather is coming and my joints ache like the devil but I still get on that damnable bike and push the pedals. Usually once I get started I hit my goal, I may spend a crapload of time stopping and feeling sorry for myself, but eventually I get there.
yeah i know that feeling. when i hit my goal for calories burned today i wanted to jump up and down in happiness- so i did ^^
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Originally Posted by ReNew Me
Sorry for the monologue responses ... I talk a lot too I used to type for a living before my tendons blew out.
ouch, that sounds awful. i would love a job like internet live-support, i love customer service and chatting.
well my brand are $8.22 a pack, but i roll my own so i only spend about $4 a week, instead of nearly $25
i'm trying to quit smoking, mostly for the health benefits but the money i save by smoking less and less and eventually quitting is a factor.
I have cardiomyopathy, so know a little about heart issues. It's VERY important to get your heart checked out before exercising. Tachycardia is normal when someone is working out...the heart is just trying to provide more oxygen to the muscles to fuel them. There is medication that can help slow down the heart, though, if it's going too fast at rest (mine was beating at 130bpm just sitting in a hospital bed). Find out what yours should be at rest, get it checked (there are places you can get your blood pressure and pulse rate checked for free...maybe a free clinic?) and find out what is safe when exercising...then just work on keeping it within that limit. There are also monitors you can strap on your arm or wrist that will monitor it while you exercise.
As for the shortness of breath, that can also come with heart conditions. Smoking is not helping your heart, though, so the sooner you quit the better. I'm glad you are trying to quit. Quitting smoking may not take the SOB away, but it can help reduce it. I've never smoked, but can get winded just walking up a flight of stairs.
As for the exercise...do you have to only ride your bike when you are going to the library? Can you get on it every day and take a short jog around the block? Maybe ride it for 15 minutes, take a little break, then ride it back home? Add a few minutes every week as you do better? There is also Tai Chi. It's a great workout for people who get SOB easily. I have a friend who used to be a dancer, but her heart prevents her from doing that anymore...she does the tai chi and it's great for her.
Don't give up, whatever you do. Your body is still young, so the chances of you having flabby skin are greatly reduced. Losing the weight will make it easier to exercise, and don't be afraid to take baby steps. Baby steps may take longer to get to the end, but it's still faster than doing nothing (which will NEVER get you there!)
You're making excuses for yourself. You can change your situation if you really want to. You can make your health a priority if you want to. However, that means that you can't keep doing what you're doing, and sometimes that means changing your behavior in drastic ways. It doesn't sound to me like you're ready to commit to that kind of change.
In another post on the weight loss support forum you mention that you not only smoke cigarettes but "weed" as well. Umm, that's going to kill your motivation, your weight loss efforts, and your wallet.
Losing the weight is not easy, but it is doable. If you want to do it you need to make some changes, not excuses.
I hope that doesn't sound too harsh (it isn't meant to be). I'm just trying to be sincere.
You're making excuses for yourself. You can change your situation if you really want to. You can make your health a priority if you want to. However, that means that you can't keep doing what you're doing, and sometimes that means changing your behavior in drastic ways. It doesn't sound to me like you're ready to commit to that kind of change.
In another post on the weight loss support forum you mention that you not only smoke cigarettes but "weed" as well. Umm, that's going to kill your motivation, your weight loss efforts, and your wallet.
Losing the weight is not easy, but it is doable. If you want to do it you need to make some changes, not excuses.
I hope that doesn't sound too harsh (it isn't meant to be). I'm just trying to be sincere.
i've started walking in the morning on weekdays. it sucks, but i'm doing it anyway.
and i need the weed for the back pain.
Krissy- Just wanted to chime in and say weed does not always kill motivation and it does not always hurt weight loss efforts. I am a daily user and have lost/maintained 57lbs (and counting.) It affects everyone differently. As for everything else you have written, I agree.
Alyssa- I wish you the best of luck with everything. Why does walking suck? It is a great start!!! Just keep pushing through and you will get there.
Krissy- Just wanted to chime in and say weed does not always kill motivation and it does not always hurt weight loss efforts. I am a daily user and have lost/maintained 57lbs (and counting.) It affects everyone differently. As for everything else you have written, I agree.
Alyssa- I wish you the best of luck with everything. Why does walking suck? It is a great start!!! Just keep pushing through and you will get there.
it sucks because it hurts. i only have to walk about 100 feet and the inner arch of my left foot and my right ankle hurt. and sometimes, when i walk, my left knee clicks, and after clicking for long enough it starts to hurt like ****.
Hi Alyssa. You have received a lot of good info here. Keep up the good work on trying to quit smoking. You can do it. I started smoking when I was 11 years old and had finally managed to quit 25 years later when I was smoking close to 3 packs a day. I, like you, really Really REALLY loved to smoke, so I can relate to the struggle that you are going through. I had started so young that I could not even remember what life was like before I had started. The thought of quitting scared me to death. You can do it. Don't look for reasons on why you can't quit (or start up again), just remember why you want to quit. Two weeks after I quit my dog died, and I soooo wanted to pick up another cig. BUT, I told myself that if I can make it through that without grabbing another one, I can make it through anything and not smoke. And thankfully, to this day 17 years later I am still smoke free. And I can tell you that with as much as I loved to smoke, I love being a non smoker even more. I am thankful every day that I had quit.
As for exercising, many of us have our limitations that we have to deal with including me. My C7 disc is herniated and I have 2 more bulging discs in my neck. I also have some degenerative issues with my lower spine. Do what you can. I can no longer ride my bike, which I loved to do, because of my neck and a bad knee. So I walk. I also work on my core by standing on one foot and then switching to the other. I also will stand barefoot and rise as far up onto my toes and hold it for as long as possible. These are not easy at first, but the more you do it the easier and better you will get.
After one of my shoulder surgeries, my doctor had me hold cans of soup and use them like weights. Sounds silly, but it helps. I will also hold my arms out from my sides and do small circles forward and backwards. You would be surprised how much effort that can take. My doctor also had me get the exercise elastic bands and work with them. They are cheap and you can do a lot with them. In physical therapy they would have me stand about a foot from the wall, put my hands on the wall and do a standing push up.
Basically what all this comes down to is, do not focus on what you cannot do, but find what you can do and do it. Exercise does not have to cost money, use what you have around you ie, the wall, soup cans, stomach crunches, etc. When sitting on the couch or chair, sit up straighter, lift one leg at a time. Just move a muscle, any muscle and soon you will be able to do a little more, then a little more. I started being able to do 5 stomach crunches, and now I am doing 3 set of 30. After each set, I put my feet in the air and do the imaginary bicycle.
Sorry this turned into a ramble. Good luck and don't give up.
In another post on the weight loss support forum you mention that you not only smoke cigarettes but "weed" as well. Umm, that's going to kill your motivation, your weight loss efforts, and your wallet.
This might be true for you, but certainly isn't true for everyone. I know tons of folks who smoke weed who are motivated, active, fit, and successful. If Alyssa truly has chronic pain issues, the weed might actually help her be more active.
My husband has deformed feet with fallen arches, and years of prescription orthotics did NOT help him - they only made him weak, slow, and walking became more and more painful over the years. What did help? Barefoot shoes. He's SO much stronger, faster, and happier (now that he's not in constant pain!) now that he's ditched the orthotics. YMMV of course, but it's something to look into.
For quitting smoking, I like Alan Carr's book 'The Easyway to Stop Smoking' - I'm not 100% quit yet, but it IS really helping me.
If you're still interested in yoga, http://www.yogaforscoliosis.com/ might have some good tips for you. My husband also has scoliosis and the teachers at our local studio have been really good at showing him how to modify positions in the way that's most helpful/effective for him, so if you're interested in practicing at a studio you might want to call around and chat with the instructors about your limitations. It's worth noting that yoga DOES hurt - I'm often shaking and close to tears holding some of the more difficult poses. I don't know if it's the case for you, but when I started transitioning to a more active life I had a hard time differentiating between normal, healthy pain and 'omg you're about to be injured' pain, so it helps me to have professional instructors who will push me but also look out for my safety.
Gotta walk before you can run, right? If even walking is an issue, then you need to go even more gentle for now.
Maybe you can look into very gentle yoga and stretching exercises? Yin yoga is mostly seated and very gentle. It won't directly help you lose weight - but it could be a good foundation for getting stronger/healthier for more activity later. If you have access to a pool, water exercise is a great option when you have pain/mobility issues.
That said - you do not have to exercise to lose weight. Exercise is good for you but not necessary for weight loss. You can create the necessary caloric deficit for weight loss through food choices alone - calorie counting can be really helpful for this. Focus on your diet first. You may not be able to do certain things physically right now, but you can absolutely control what you eat.
If you focus on your diet first, and work on strengthening/healing your body with very gentle movement, you'll find it easier to engage in more physical exercise down the road.
I used to type for a living before my tendons blew out.
