Weight Loss Wednesday

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/chasity/

Exercising and Physical Challenges AND Recipe Calculator

I was born with Cerebral Palsy. This in itself has presented many challenges over the years. I was told early in my life that I would never walk, or amount to anything intellectually and that I would most likely end up in an institution. Later in life I was told I may be able to walk but that I would be crippled by the age of 30 (passed that date!) and that I would never be able to have children. (I have four blessings) I spent my childhood in 13 foster homes and learned how to do things in a world that said I could not.

As I aged I did indeed develop arthritis in most joints. My feet are that of an 85 year old woman.  But I am not crippled. Just slower than most!

The arthritis and unusual gait cause by the Cerebral Palsy lead to fibromyalgia. This is a difficult disease to live with. I am just now learning how to cope with it. It took years for a proper diagnosis. Just knowing that I had it was a relief as I indeed had something wrong with me and it was not in my head! Go here to understand fibromyalgia:   http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer

I now feel that through proper nutrition, rest and correct exercises I am gaining control of fibromyalgia.

So what’s all this have to do with diet? Well good nutrition and portion control are only half the battle when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off.  The human body is a machine that is meant to work. It runs best when it is working! I cannot do a lot of the typical physical stuff such as running, cycling, step classes ect. I must do different types of fitness. Below are some sites that may be helpful in guiding you to exercise if you suffer from fibromyalgia. (exercising through the pain is difficult!)

http://www.acefitness.org/FITFACTS/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=89

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/treatingfmscfs/a/exercise.htm

http://www.fibromyalgiaexercise.net/

It is so important to have an exercise goal and make it part of your daily routine.  The best place to start is by talking with your doctor about your limitations. No two people with Fibro have the same symptoms or reaction to exercise. 

Another form of exercise that works for me is isometrics.  You can read more at the sites below.  I actually learned to do this in high school.

http://www.howtodothings.com/health-and-fitness/a3974-how-to-do-isometric-exercises.html

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/isometric-exercises.html 

Pilates. These seemingly non exercises strengthen your core muscles.(the ones around your vital organs) I took free classes at our local YMCA a few years ago. I recommend a class if you have never done Pilates before.  http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesexercises/Free_Pilates_Exercise_Instructions.htm

I also have enjoyed this site from Sparks. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_plan_generator.asp  You can plug in the type of fitness and the level of fitness you desire and it comes up with many choices.

So my goal? To ease back into meaningful exercise as I am able. To strengthen my core muscles and gain more muscle mass. And to continue to lose weight by eating a nutritionally and portion balanced diet. This is not a quick do it and get it done goal. It is a lifestyle goal.

I hope this encourages you to look at how your body works, what you need to do to help it work better, and to set realistic goals for a better you!

Nutrition Calculator

I have found this neat recipe nutrition calculator thanks to Chasity! It can be found on Sparks. http://www.sparkpeople.com/ 

I just plug in the ingredients of my own homemade food and get a nifty printout of the nutrient value per serving. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!! Give it a try.

Here is an example of my Tuna Noodle Casserole.

	Nutrition Facts       12 Servings Amount Per Serving   Calories 208.2   Total Fat 10.9 g       Saturated Fat 5.1 g       Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1 g       Monounsaturated Fat 2.8 g   Cholesterol 80.7 mg   Sodium 489.0 mg   Potassium 98.7 mg   Total Carbohydrate 12.6 g       Dietary Fiber 0.3 g       Sugars 0.7 g   Protein 14.0 g     Vitamin A 5.7 %   Vitamin B-12 5.6 %   Vitamin B-6 2.2 %   Vitamin C 0.0 %   Vitamin D 2.7 %   Vitamin E 3.1 %   Calcium 16.0 %   Copper 5.5 %   Folate 9.9 %   Iron 8.2 %   Magnesium 4.1 %   Manganese 6.5 %   Niacin 6.1 %   Pantothenic Acid     4.1 %   Phosphorus     15.8 %   Riboflavin 12.4 %   Selenium 20.1 %   Thiamin 11.1 %   Zinc 6.7 %   *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.