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Gym on Monday! Anyone else?

BuddhaBar
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BuddhaBar Collaborator
BuddhaBar
Posted

It's not because it's a new year. It's because I want to do something new now that my life has changed due to Celiac disease. 

I'm eating way less junk nowadays and I miss it a lot. Never been a health interested person before, but I thought I need something more to do now that I have a "new" life. And I thought that if I get more interested in my general health, I will not miss the junk so much.

My goal is to get physically stronger. I do have a quite good start. I'm a big and tall woman by nature so I'm pretty strong as I am. My last blood tests were pretty good too. Still struggling a bit with the vitamin D and the magnesium, but I'm getting there. Very interesting to see how much stronger I will get! 

Anyone else who started going to the gym after diagnosis? How has your progress been? 

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Ennis-TX Grand Master
Ennis-TX
Posted

Never went to a "gym" always felt on edge there and only used hotel ones at 4am when no one else was.
What  invested in a few years after I got diagnosed was a set of resistant bands, a stationary bike (late got a under desk elliptical, and I found a Bowflex Home Gym Extreme 2 for 250 on ebay in great shape. Started daily HITT in the mornings and various other exercises doing each muscle group 2 times a week. I started off low weights with more reps going more hypertrophy training, I work up and twice a week now do strength training with higher load less reps. Nothing extreme just up to my body weight.

Few weeks ago I invested in a pair of 20lb dumb bells from walmart, for when I was out of town, ended up trying some new routines out and feeling it more then I have in a while.

BuddhaBar Collaborator
BuddhaBar
Posted
  • Author

Ennis_TX:
Did you notice any difference in strength and endurance after you went gluten free?

NNowak Collaborator
NNowak
Posted

You will DEFINITELY have more endurance now that your diet is appropriate for your body. I began distance running once I had recovered a sufficient amount. The energy I had after eating gluten-free and regaining some level of healing was significant. I grew up a farm girl and had previously quite a bit of muscle, but had muscle wasting  while waiting for the docs to figure out my issue. With more endurance comes more strength and the ability to build muscle. I quickly regained my muscle and thoroughly enjoyed moving without pain and exhaustion. 
 

I’m happy you are feeling better and want to immerse yourself in fitness. Have fun with it!

Ennis-TX Grand Master
Ennis-TX
Posted
(edited)
2 hours ago, BuddhaBar said:

Ennis_TX:
Did you notice any difference in strength and endurance after you went gluten free?

I was already quite low with little endurance, it slowly improved over the next year, do note before getting diagnosed I was going through hell with random issues on different days ranging from full motor control loss, being driven mad by my brain not working right, random bouts of pain leaving me in the fetal position for full days.....I was running a bucket list thinking I was dying before getting diagnosed.
After when I started feeling better one of the issues I ended up with is fear of sitting still or being stuck somewhere in pain or my body not working. It is why I am always pacing, walking, or on a stationary bike or elliptical now....so while my intestines will not let me run without kicking me I can power walk or pedal 12 miles a day average and working out for hour long sessions are no big deal now days. You have to build it back up from being knocked down the bottom but you can do it.

Edited by Ennis_TX
BuddhaBar Collaborator
BuddhaBar
Posted
  • Author
1 hour ago, NNowak said:

You will DEFINITELY have more endurance now that your diet is appropriate for your body. I began distance running once I had recovered a sufficient amount. The energy I had after eating gluten-free and regaining some level of healing was significant. I grew up a farm girl and had previously quite a bit of muscle, but had muscle wasting  while waiting for the docs to figure out my issue. With more endurance comes more strength and the ability to build muscle. I quickly regained my muscle and thoroughly enjoyed moving without pain and exhaustion. 
 

I’m happy you are feeling better and want to immerse yourself in fitness. Have fun with it!

I've noticed the increased energy too. After a day at work I still have some energy left to do laundry, go for a walk or maybe go to the shopping mall. I didn't have that before. I had just enough energy to work and then I crashed in front of the TV for the rest of the evening. And my mental energy has increased too. I'm much more patient and tolerant. Pre-diagnosis I snapped and got violent fantasies just because someone walked too slow in front of me or someone didn't understand me the first time I explained something. A few more years of that I would probably have become a danger to society, haha.

My plan is to start with the weight training just to build some strength and regain some of the muscle mass I've lost. Later I will do some cardio as well. I will start out with full body weight training 45 minutes, 3 days a week and just doing basic stuff. When I feel I can and want to take it to the next level I will, but for now it's pretty basic. When it comes to nutrition I won't change much to start with. The diet I'm on now is pretty high quality, basic and clean because most processed foods makes me sick anyway. 

Keight Enthusiast
Keight
Posted

Hi. I'm only four months into life post diagnosis, but have been lifting weights since I was 18, on and off over the years. Been serious about it since 2010 and I am now 46.

I sought medical help for myself when I found my weights at the gym were declining rapidly and I literally cried even stepping foot in the gym early last year. I could not put weight on my body for years and it depressed the heck out of me. 

Things are improving health wise. My strength comes back in waves, but my endurance is still shot. I am taking the gym one day at a time and not rushing my health recovery. 

Everyone's story is different, I guess. I wholeheartedly support you taking up resistance exercises. Doing something is better than nothing! As others have told me, repair the body first, then aim to pursue goals. Our bodies are way smarter than we are, so it'll tell you if you are going beyond your current capabilities. 

Good luck, enjoy whatever exercise you choose and know that staying gluten-free is one's best health insurance. 

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NNowak Collaborator
NNowak
Posted

Keight,

Be very hopeful and expectant of your ability to build once you recover. I was diagnosed in 1995 and began running after 6 months of recovery. After 18 months I was cut and could run 15 miles no problem - I became bored after 10 miles so I usually ended it there. I became certified in yoga and spinning, and obtained a third degree from college so I could pursue a career as a wellness specialist. After a short time in that profession I was extremely built and very cut - back, chest, arms and legs. I went from 104# at diagnosis to 140# with all that activity.  Over the past few years, I’ve had a flare and dropped back down to 111#, but I know the gluten-free lifestyle is healthier than most, so I will get it back.
 

I am so excited for you to experience this in a year or so!  Glad you are getting back in the gym!!  Keep us posted on your recovery and progress. 

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