Living with A.S.

[Germanamazon]

I am sitting at home, once again sick. This time with an infection. I was looking at my bullet journal an flipped it back to last month and had a realisation. I am sick very, very often.
I was sick almost the total of November, I have been sick the last two weeks now in December. I called up my doctors office to ask if this is normal, and if there is anything I can do to help my immun system or strengthen it. That was a very quick call. The Doctor that I had on the phone said, well it would help you to loose a few pounds until then you need to suck it up. (Not word for word but that was the message) Then she hung up.
Wow I miss my family practioner. He unfortunantly is in the middle of retierment prep.

Well after a few hours of being pissed off and coughing up a lung I started to think. Then I started looking the one or the other thing up. Then I stopped after realising I am doing the same thing over again. Looking things up, reading about them, but not putting things into action. I was pushing off again.

Reaseach is good! Don't get me wrong, but I already know so much! Not everything, but a lot.
Fruit and Veg are good for you and your immun system.
Too much sugar intake bombs the immun system.
Drinking enough water keeps you full and washes the junk out of your system. Including viruses.
I already know what to eat to keep my flares stay away, so why am I lagging in health otherwise? That one I can't look up. That one is where my food journal come in handy that I haven't been using regularly.

So as of today I will make the consious decision to stop putting off and start pulling through!

 

[Fremen]

Welcome

 

[aku-chan]

Good luck!

 

[mavie]

Welcome, good luck and healing vibes

 

[BrigidForged]

Welcome!

 

[JohnStrong]

Welcome @Germanamazon

 

[Anek]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Germanamazon]

So trying to figure this out, I think this is the spot to keep writing here. . .

So I have been doing my research, and checking out some recipes I have never tried before. The Lentil loaf from darebee is good, but I would change the marinara or tomato sauce for a good quality low cal BBQ sauce. Loved the mashed cauliflower and peas with it. It is going into my do again cook book.
I have started that too. A do again cook book. It's just a binder with printed recipes that I want to try or make again. I have a total of 20 recipes in it so far. 19 to try and 1 to make again. I'm starting slow, but I am starting.
I have been looking at makros, WW, tone it up etc. So many ways to do this it is overwhelming! I wanted to choose something to help with the start, since I have no idea where to begin. To bad darebee doesn't have a weight loss book. I would buy that in a heart beat. For now I have chosen to use the WW system of calorie counting, the darebee site for workouts, and the darebee training guides. I am split between Gaurdian and Amazon.
Since I still have to take my meds for another 2 days and I'm not supposed to work out until they are done I am going to look through the WW food guide I have and make some notes about the foods I eat the most. Supposedly a person eats the same 100 foods on a regular basis. Let's see if it's true.

 

[Germanamazon]

My mind is in a funk tonight. Just recieved the news that my freind's stomach cancer is not operatable right now and she will start chemo instead. The hard kind of chemo too. Only plus point of that is she is able to do it here in the hospital instead of the one 100 km away.
I take news like that pretty hard to heart. I truly love the people I call my freinds with all my heart. I am the one who wishes she has a magic wand to make all the sick and hurt they feel, just go away.
Unfortunantly I can't. I just give them the support that I can.

I am usually a eater with bad news, good news, or just news. I eat emotions.
I started that tonight too. Peppermint chocolate was my choice. Everyone knows the british thin mints don't they? Well they are very dominant tasting, so I closed them and went to the kitchen for something else. Well my eyes fell on something else and now I'm sipping italien lemon tea.
I put up my vision board and challenges in the best places. I know that now. I looked at them when I went into the kitchen. Instead of chocolate I did my power walk challenge that I chose yesterday, to start today, so I did that instead. I am sipping tea cause I started the First water challenge this morning. Plus I realised I can not help and support my freind if I fall sick or if my health declines.
Not only my freind needs me, what would I be teaching my girls? That eating solves problems? No not true. Instead I am writing about things and letting go.

 

[Germanamazon]

My bestie was at her appointment in Munich. The specialist there said they can't operate. She needs to do chemo first. The hard kind not the soft kind. Her cancer has spread some.
News you don't want to hear from loved ones.
What did I do the next day after hearing that? I went into a cleaning mission. I cleaned and sorted out the junk in two kids rooms. I sorted.out toys no longer played with, broken things into the trash, sorted out papers no longer needed, etc. I cleaned for 5 hours. Did day two of the power walk challenge in the kitchen while cooking.
I gave myself a trophy sticker for it.
I feel better today. I can be her go to person again. I need to take care of myself too. I am doing this because I love her. Not because I have to.

 

[Germanamazon]

Asking the darebees about a shieldmaiden trainingplan and workout gave me so much to look at. Amazing getting so much support. I am not used to it.
I have been looking at all the suggestions trying to choose what to use. I keep going back to the Spartan trials. It makes me feel nervous and excited at the same time. Does that mean it would be a good choice? The other suggestions look good, but don't cause the same feelings.
Yes I am nervous. I don't want to let myself down again. I think that would just break me this time.
I think I will have to set up some ground rules for me to follow.
Like: not following it daily is not a failure, don't miss two days in a row, follow the training plan you choose. Surround myself with healthy options to eat, nothing is forbidden, and remember you are doing this for yourself, your health and your girls.
I need to put these rules up in the same places I put the two 30 day challenges. So that I can see them when I look up.
For today I finished my two challenges already. It is new years eve so I might not be home tonight to donut at my usual time. So I did it this morning. I gave myself a trophy sticker for it. My inner kid loves it. I have five days completed. Doing a good job so far.

 

[Fremen]

Happy New Year

 

[Germanamazon]

Happy New Year

I wish you a Happy New year and a good healthy start.

 

[Germanamazon]

Ok I'm sore.
Looking at the Spartan trials workout I was thinking, ok I got this. After I have finished today I'm like geez why this one!
In all honesty I feel great, just sore. I haven't done any workouts since summer. So I should expect soreness. I'm ok, very proud of myself that I didn't talk myself into starting tomorrow.

On another note, one of my drugstores offered a 1+1 deal on flavor drops. I checked it out, the specific brand only had two flavors. So I got one of each, and from the other brand I got strawberry cheesecake flavor. That one is the bomb! Had it as a dessert in some yogurt. Tomorrow I will try butter cookie.

 

[Germanamazon]

Dear me,
doing an exercise in a different way than on the Plan does not mean you didn't do it well. An Exercise Alternativ is still an Exercise! They are still intense.
Day two Spartan Trials, I could not hold a plank on the floor, but I was able to hold it for the total time leveled up. And boy am I feeling it. I did the elbow normal, elbow leg raise and side plank all leveld up on my bench. I held them all, took a break inbetween sets and everything. Yes I even remembered to breath! LOL
I have my power walk challenge day 8 done and water challenge same day checked. I will do the rawr workout to stretch things out a bit.

I've hat 2 liters of water, 3 servings of veg, only one serving of fruit but that's ok I will do better tomorrow. Forgot my fruit at breakfast today and was full after my protein oatmeal. I brought my luch to MILs, big success for me. She looked at me and said I have food here you know. I told her, yes mom I know but I made this before I realised I had to leave before picking up the kids. It would be a shame to throw it away. She actually said I'm right and went about the day without bickering at me.

I have a dentist appoointment towards the end of the month. I'm getting a tooth pulled. The morning before my appointment I am doing my daily workout. The day after I will have to take a break. I'm hoping the second day after I can go again. If not it is not a fail! I have to remember that. I can keep going on day three aterwards. I will write it down in my appointment book/ daily reminder dairy so I won't forget it.

I'm trying to plan (un)expected things beforehand. To help me have a plan I can turn to. What else should I take into consideration?

 

[Fremen]

I always have some quick and easy workouts for when I really don't have the time or desire, so I don't feel guilty for not doing anything at all
I think it's important to keep in mind that unexpected events are the norm in everyone's life, so you have to be a little flexible without giving up completely.

 

[Germanamazon]

I always have some quick and easy workouts for when I really don't have the time or desire, so I don't feel guilty for not doing anything at all
I think it's important to keep in mind that unexpected events are the norm in everyone's life, so you have to be a little flexible without giving up completely.

I will take this advice to heart and look through the workouts here and pick two or three for those days. Thank you.

 

[Germanamazon]

OMG I am on day 10 of the Power Walk and Water First home challenges! I have never gotten so far on a challenge except the hug yourself one.
I am PROUD of MYSELF

I have completed day 4 of Spartan Trials. It looks so easy doesn't it? I wasn''t for me. My right side is so wobbely. I think it has a little to do with my soft tissue rhumatism. I have been favoring that side too much. My left side is more stable and stronger. So I have to work on getting them back to balance.

Food wise I am doing good. I am eating better. It is far from great, but it is so much better than it was. I am using a food diary. Track every sip and bite. Evaluating my eating before bed, making tweks that I can stick with. Never though that changing from fizzy water to tap would do me so much good. I feel fuller for longer. So I will keep that up. I have upped my veggie intake. From almost 0 to at least one daily isn't bad. I will up it more one bit at a time. I'm still not much of a fruit fan, it makes me hungry, but berries are ok. So I add them to breakfast.
I wonder if protein pudding and yogurt is a thing all over the world or just here in germany? I like the taste of the ones here in lidl, so I will have one for afternoon coffee time or dessert every once in a while. Satisfies the sweet tooth.
All in all I will keep up with my changes so far and look into others I choose.

 

[Fremen]

OMG I am on day 10 of the Power Walk and Water First home challenges! I have never gotten so far on a challenge except the hug yourself one.
I am PROUD of MYSELF

You are right to be proud of yourself
Now you know for sure that you can do it because you have already done it

 

[Germanamazon]

Yesterday was a half busy, half lazy day. At the end of the day I clocked over 19000 steps and a total of 1500 calories burned.

I loaded chopped wood out of my voyager, did errands on foot, grocery shopped, did more walking errands. By the end of the day I haven't done my power walk challenge or my Spartan trials. I was saying I'm going to at least do the challenge and just take a Spartan rest day.
Sat down for a hour and a half looking right at the Spartan trials. It's across from my couch hanging on the wall. I stretched my body sitting, kept looking at the Spartan.
My mind went oh bloody hell let's go. Then I did it. 20 minutes before bed time. . Oh well put my bed time off for a bit and did the stretching afterwards too. It was after all Friday night.

 

[HellYeah]

... caution, habit incoming...
Well done with Spartan Trials...

 

[Germanamazon]

Today is halfway mark. Day 15 of my power walk challenge and water first challenge. Amazing.
Yesterday was a bad day for me . My whole body was hurting. It was wet, rainy and cold. Not good for me. Soft tissue rheumatism sucks sometimes. I kept slipping into bad eating habits too. I need a positive affirmation for that one to hang up.
Cause of my bad day I "only" did my power walk challenge. Otherwise it was a rest day. Today I feel better. I'm going for a city walk, I am going to do my challenge and let's see how I am doing. If I still feel good then Spartan Trials

 

[Germanamazon]

Today is an Episode day. My rheumatoid is acting up and causing me pain if I so much as want to move, let alone when I move.
I have it under good control thanks to nutrition and exercise. The only thing I can't control is the weather. It's been rainy the last three days and cold too. Right now all I can do is slow movements, some walking but not too much and stretching.
So I will do just that. Power walk challenge day 16, some standing yoga and lots of TLC

 

[Giant48]

Healing vibes

 

[Germanamazon]

Healing vibes

Thank you

 

[Fremen]

Healing vibes

 

[Germanamazon]

Healing vibes

Thank you

 

[Froud]

You have all my sympathy. Joint pain is a nasty one and difficult to get rid of

 

[Germanamazon]

You have all my sympathy. Joint pain is a nasty one and difficult to get rid of

Thank you. It is hard to get rid of, luckly for me I am usually pain free unless it's rainy and wet.
It was a long trial and error journey to figure out what to do get this far

 

[Froud]

Courage!

 

[Germanamazon]

*sigh*
My joints and I are still fighting each other. It hurts to do the bare minimum. Spartan trials have been pausing for almost a week already. I just can't do it right now even though I want to.
I will look at other programs with a difficulty of two. I think that will be better for me right now. Difficulty 1 is too easy even with my rheumatism.
I did keep up my power walk challenge. I have 9 days left .
I never gave up, I paused, I rethought everything and I am doing all that I can.

 

[Germanamazon]

I am proud of myself and rightfully so. I have completed my two challenges today, Water First and Power Walk.
I have caught a case of the sniffles, bad runny stuffed up nose. So I will rest today. Hopefully it won't get worse.
I will be looking through darebee for two new challenges. Plus I will be looking for a new program. I have to admit that Spartan trials is a little too tough on my joints. Thank you rheumatism . I will have to work up to it. I will look at programs with one or two bars.

 

[Germanamazon]

Oh dear, I have been slacking. I got sick with a cold at the end of January. I have been back to health for a little over 2 weeks now. I haven't started any new challenges or keeping up with working out. I have not been writing my meal plans.
I am not going to put myself down (like I used to), but I reread my goal. I am reminding myself about what I want to accomplish. I am reminding myself that all of the challenges, workouts and good natural eating makes me feel like a million, and keeps the pain away. Big plus right there.
I can hear my inner child whining how cold it feels. I get that and it's true. Winter stays way to long. The other side of it is it is so much fun stomping on frozen Gras, it crunches. I don't have to go outside to workout. We can stay indoors and work on the muscles. When I exercise I get nice and warm too. So I am not the ice queen.
You know what, I promise myself this: pick a challenge for every month till June, pick out 4 workouts from the RPG collection. Do your workouts 4x a week and daily challenges until the end of June and I will buy myself a crown. And I will make a shield.

 

[Germanamazon]

Well here I am.
Still functioning, still moving, still walking upright. Still in a ton of pain on some days. I didn't know what to do. Still don't know exactly what to do. My doctors keep telling me to keep up an active lifestyle, but not to lift more than 3 kilos, no lots of lifting, no over doing it. Except they can't tell me when it's going towards overdoing it. Soo. . . Yeah talk about being confused.
So what did I do? I froze. I didn't do anything. Hey it's the truth. Then for some reason three days ago I woke up from my frozen state and started doing little things. A walk, resistance bands, a workout with my physical therapist, darebees haunted hive. I am having a blast!!
I wanted to go bike riding today, was looking forward to it. BUUUUTT. . my A.S. acted up in my gut. Oh well, postponed is not canceled is what we say on Germany. I will go for my bike ride hopefully tomorrow, if not tomorrow then as soon as my gut is ok again.

I wish darebee could/would do a thing like haunted hive once every two months. I know it's hardly possible since it takes so much work. I appreciate the haunted hive that's going on right now immensely!
So looking at the programs darebee offers and the levels I think zero to hero might be for me. Don't have to do it daily is all I have to remember. Definitely on my Goodison days though

 

[WolfDreamer]

I am having a blast!!

That's good to hear!

I wish darebee could/would do a thing like haunted hive once every two months

I think in the winter months (winter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere) they do a "snowball fight," which might be like so many reps = so many snowballs, etc., and I think you have to do a certain number of burpees to "dodge" the snowballs.

I think zero to hero might be for me

That's a really good one! I'm glad you're here. You'll find a lot of amazing, supportive bees here to cheer you on!

 

[Anek]

Hello!

 

[Germanamazon]

You would think living im Germany with a chronic illness is all help and no hurdles.
Yeah. .no.
Doctors help you a lot don't get me wrong, but just like all over the world they are human and don't know everything. I watched a documentary from the Ernaehrung docs from the 28th of this month with my chronic illness as a topic. I wish I could go see them, but they are a few hours away and my health insurance won't comp me for gas. Lol
Anyway has anyone ever heard of the confetti diet? I hate using the word diet for a way of healthy eating, but for lack of a bett word I'm using it.
It's basically concentrating on eating mostly veggies and fruits to use the anti oxidation in them. (ok my English has reached a wall not sure if I used that correctly.) Along with green tea, specific supplements and nuts it should help reduce inflammation and pain. Sounds solid since I always believed food can be the best medicine or the greatest poison.
Change in eating habits is tricky and tough. Luckily we darebees know of darebeets . When it comes to eating more veggies they are a treasure trove of recipes.

I participated in the haunted hive boss battle today. 200 over head punches in total. Proud that I was able to do it. Sad that I won't be able to do anymore than that. Anything overhead does more harm than good if I do too much. I can already feel the tightening of muscles that will give way to pains and aches. Stretching is called for. Then breakfast. Yeah good plan.

 

[Germanamazon]

When you have a halfway good day. . Use it!!
I had a halfway good day today when I look at my pain and stiffness level. I definitely used this to my advantage. I did the starting point workout, 5 rounds. I did the level 2!! I'm usually at level 1. I told myself that if I can go to level 3 I will find a new workout. Almost made it!
Then came anywhere abs. Oh man my back! I feel good, did something for me and my mommy pooch. I might have to look for a different workout though. Any workout that agrivates my back is a no go in my book. I will wait an hour and then see how I feel.
Food wise was ok. Not the best, not the worst. Burgerking for lunch wasn't necessary, but hubby was hungry and I caved. Dinner tonight is a bell pepper skillet and chicken
Still figuring out this confetti diet I was recommended. I think first I will concentrate on adding more fruit and veggies to all meals and snacks. I have to check if darebee has a challenge for that. If not admins How about creating one? Pretty please.

 

[Germanamazon]

Life in autumn sucks right now. Pain management is almost next to zero. A dry autumn with no fog would be wonderful, but for that I would have to move. Germany and fogless autumns? Not happening.
I am putting in great effort to exercise. I did 2 rounds of 10 back and side leg lifts. Helps the pain in my hips a tad. Getting in my steps, trying to keep up with walking. Trying to sleep the night. The usual.

Tomorrow I plan to do the workouts starting point and band it.
Anywhere abs on wednesday.
Then I will have to see how I am doing. Darebee has so many good programs. I will look into the easy ones. Maybe follow a 30 day program. I will keep posting here. One day it will show me.what helps and what hinders

 

[Germanamazon]

The lovely queit Sundays are the best!
It is foggy today and I was already on the go. Got myself a used mini stepper. With attached resistance bands. Looked up workouts for it and found about 25 youtube videos for the thing.
Pain management is bearable at the moment. I so miss the days where I can just get up and go. I so took those for granted. Then again I did not know what was coming. This is my first year with this diagnosis. This is also the year AS has decided to really show me how it can be, and I know it's not even at it's worse yet. Talk about your body giving you a wake up call since you have ignored the warning shots.
My morbid humor has not left me yet so all hope is not lost as of yet.

So let me focus a bit on what I would like to accomplish.
My birthday is literally just around the bend. I want to gift myself a hapoy, healthy and if anyhow possible a slender body. Since that is something I can't unwrapp and get now I know I have to really work on it. So it will be a gift to myself that will truly last in more ways than one.
I hate gyms. Mostly because I have having to go out to another building, see people that I have no idea who they are, just to be completely uncomfortable and slightly bored. I already tried that and I turned into a gym deadbeat.
So
With that knowledge. No gyms.
I like being outside when it is warm, I hate the cold. Exceptions are when I go to the woods to walk, go shopping on foot or go to the library cause parking is a bit away.
So I will use that knowledge as use it for me. That's why the stepper. No getting out of the house and no excuse for not doing something. Should help me build strong leg, butt, and back muscles too. Perfect for me especially for later in life.
Now to put all this together in a routine for myself that fits me.
Just kind of wish I could see what it would look like if I keep this up now as motivation.

 

[neilarey]

Happy Birthday!

 

[Fremen]

Happy Birthday

 

[FlowersandPetals]

Happy birthday!

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Wilkommen , Amazon, and happy birthday! I live with a quite different type of chronic issue, but can understand the frustration of freezing / wondering if you're overdoing it. Hugs, and may you find some fun and joy jere!

 

[Germanamazon]

@neilarey, @FlowersandPetals, @Fremen, @PetiteSheWolf
Aww thank you guys!

 

[Saffity]

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Happy Birthday @Germanamazon !

 

[Germanamazon]

Happy Birthday @Germanamazon !

Thank you!

 

[Germanamazon]

Thank you!!

 

[Obsinosterous]

Happy Birthday! :cake: