Cerebral Palsy Support Group

Cerebral palsy or CP is the most common childhood physical disability. It is a permanent physical condition that affects movement. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but various forms of therapy can help a person with the disorder to function more effectively. If you or a loved one has cerebral palsy, join the group to share your experience or get advice from others.

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Overweight and really need help!

Justkirarenee
Justkirarenee
I've always been a big girl. I look back at photos from my childhood, and I was so thin, but I have a wide frame. A couple family members destroyed my self esteem by telling me I'd end up fat like them, and there was no hope of me being attractive and thin. I guess I took it to heart, because here I am 26 years old and 275 pounds.

I have a baby to look after now, and I hate that I can't just pick her up and play, or get on the floor and romp with her without getting out of breath. But I have had an extremely hard time finding exercises I can do on my own that are effective. All of the websites and DVDs are geared toward 100% able bodied individuals. Can anybody help me find some things I can do to regain some strength and tone up my middle, that a slightly less abled person can do? Thank you for any help!
deleted_user
deleted_user
sparkspeople.com is a great site for people trying to loose weight. it give you a personalized diet and workout routine based on your needs. and its free!
i used it to get in shape for the usmc and it really helped!
mmoss5986
mmoss5986
Swimming, stretching, & walking. Start slow & work your way up. Also, drink a lot of water.
greeneyes1128
greeneyes1128
Try something like the elliptical. That allows for low impact running/ jogging/ walking. I do that for 15-20 minutes. Then I would do some low weight training to start. That will allow you to burn fat and gain muscle tone. 3-4 times a week with a healthy diet, you should begin to see results soon.

Best wishes girl
Grimmc
Grimmc
I would also try aquatic therapy. It allows you to stretch your muscles and being in the 93-96 degree water really helps to take the pressure off your joints. If you work hard at it and also get on a good healthy diet the pounds will fall off.
walksindarkness
walksindarkness
Grabbing a used elliptical is a great way to go. The elliptical machine is one of the only things that doesn't beat up my bad knee and hip. Like mmoss said, even if you have to work up to it 1 minute at a time - keep doing it - every day. If you can only do short runs, then try to do it a few times a day - that may be the best way to raise your metabolism anyhow.

Remember that for some of us with CP, every day is like that movie "ground hog day" - seems like you wake up and you are stiff and weak again. But then climb back on, it is the only way to beat it.

Oh, and it goes without saying: processed carbs are your ENEMY!