| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 6/30/2009 3:53:18 AM | | Hi all, just looking for some health and wellness advice, and apparently this is the place to get it!! A little bit of back story first- 2004 while pregnant, I had a stroke and was diagnosed with something called a Cavernous Angioma. I recovered and all was well, then in 2007 it started playing upp again, I had some more strokes and had to have a partial excision of the CA in my brainstem. The surgery left a few residual effects, mild right side weakness, nystagmus, zero balance etc, but overall I'm now doing fine! Having recently been okayed to exercise by my neurosurgeon I'm now joined up at the local gym. Excepting weight lifting and endurance training, I'm allowed to do anything, and I'm just looking for some tips on improving my fitness and body.I'm 5 foot 8, and weigh about ten and a half stone, so not massively overweight, just looking to tone up and hopefully drop a few pounds as the steroids left their mark! I'm currently doing ten minutes on the bikes, the treadmill, the cross trainer, and the arm trainer (Sorry I don't know the technical name for it lol!). Has annybody got any suggestions, tips, or advice please?? Much appreciated in advance!Thanks. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 6/30/2009 5:28:43 AM | | Hey! Glad you have done well...and God bless you for going through all of that. It seems to me, you are probably off to a good start. I would just make sure it is all okay with your doctor first...and just keep doing what you are doing. And of coarse, watch what you eat. For me personally, what I eat has been 80% of how I ahve managed to get to a new body. I eat a ton of meat, and only 20 to 30 carbs a day from veggies. I know how I eat is not for very many people, it is not easy and gets old (what doesn't?) but it works. E mail me if you want some food ideas. :) | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 6/30/2009 5:55:57 AM | | Thanks ImaHotMess! Yeah the neurosurgeon is happy with me exeercising as long as there's no mad weight lifting etc, no strain on my neck etc. Food wise, I'm being strict with myself, from having always eaten lots of unhealthy nonsense, I'm now eating a lot of meat n veg, and minimal carbs.Fruit too. I've never really dieated or exercised before, so i'm a total novice, just looking to improve my fitness, body and balance. Are there different machines I should be using? I'd really like to tone my bum n thighs, and stomach too. Thanks again. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 6/30/2009 5:59:33 AM | | I use 90% free weights. Some of the machines are okay...the best thing I can advise you to do is go to your gym and ask someone who looks like they know what the hell they are doing to help you. Those are few and far in between. I have found most of my help from bodybuilders and members who are obvious physically...lol For my bum I do a lot of dead lifts, squats, and a few other fun things for an overall leg and bum workout. I will say in all honesty riding my horse has given me a nice tight ass (do not run out and buy one though, they are NOT cheap)...lol Tummy, crunches, abs machines you name it. It is one thing to be told here what to do, it will be another and more affective to actually go into the gym and be shown. Good luck!! :) Again, hunt down the men or women who you can physically "see" they know what they are doing. Most people do not mind helping out. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 6/30/2009 7:40:18 AM |
...I've never really dieated or exercised before, so i'm a total novice, just looking to improve my fitness, body and balance. Are there different machines I should be using? I'd really like to tone my bum n thighs, and stomach too. Thanks again...
It is impossible to spot reduce fat (ie. tone areas of your body)
You can work certain areas and increase your strength and maybe even increase your muscle mass but until you reduce the fat you will see no difference and you have no way of controlling how or where your body will lose the fat.
Just eat right and exercise regularly.
Do not exercise if you want to look a certain way, only exercise if you want to be healthier. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 6/30/2009 8:10:00 AM | Building back muscle after the cortical steroids should be important since they do a good job of breaking it down...more muscle=higher metabolism....Of all of the people that ask questions on here, I think you would be the best one to get a personal trainer that could help you with a program to prevent you from hurting yourself...
Also, did they taper the steroids...you might have bit of a time losing weight until your body adjusts...
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 6/30/2009 8:13:40 AM | ouch, I feel a bit told there! As I stated earlier in the thread I'm looking to improve my balance, co-ordination and fitness, as have been unable to exercise for two years. While I appreciate that exercising isn't a method to "spot reduce fat", I expressed my intention to imrove my fitness and health. If you'd read the thread you'd see that I am eating more healthily and exercising at the gym regularly (5 days a week). The part you quoted referred to which additional machines I should use to specifically tone those (for me) problem areas. I appreciate that exercising is a passport to a more healthy lifestyle, but I don't feel that its wrong to exercise to look a certain way either.
I'm not hugely overweight, so increasing the strength and muscle mass of certain areas is for myself, probably the way forward. Thanks for your help. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/1/2009 3:03:26 PM | number one: speak to your doctor and get specific info from him about working out, and whether or not going to seek a dietitian.
For balance and coordination: (do you go to rehab or is this all post rehab)
I suggest core training,
check out: power centering: http://www.powercentering.com/
Dr Pete has excellent easy to follow videos.
About
Dr. Peter A. Gratale is a human performance specialist, committed to empowering people of all ages to achieve their highest inborn potential for optimal health and quality of life. His philosophy of natural healing, wellness development and peak performance is transforming the lives of the people he touches through his revolutionary program, PowerCentering Focused Fitness.
Dr. Gratale is also known to America as “Dr. Pete” from ESPN’s popular TV fitness show, Bodyshaping, where, for the last 20 years, he has instructed the public on health, fitness and exercise. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a creator of “Straighten Up America” a spinal exercise initiative of the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations. In 1999, Dr. Pete was named the International Chiropractors Association’s Outstanding Sports and Fitness Chiropractor of the Year. His wife, Lisa, a certified Authentic Pilates Instructor and licensed massage therapist, runs the Pilates programs and trains other instructors for certification and advanced training.
Dr. Gratale is the founder and director of Energy Wellness and Fitness Inc. located in Teaneck, New Jersey since 1986. The facility caters to people looking for the finest in Chiropractic, Pilates and exercise programs. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Upsala College, Dr. Gratale graduated from New York Chiropractic College with his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree. Dr. Gratale is a post graduate educator affiliated with Parker Chiropractic College, Life Chiropractic University and Cleveland Chiropractic College. He also served as Director of the Chiropractic Exercise Unit at Preakness Healthcare Center, a long term care facility.
After you have built up your core and balance I would then add weights back into the mix. Keep the cardio training going throughout...
I hope this helps,
Sincerely,
Louis J. Bianco | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/3/2009 9:39:03 AM | | I was medically on steroids; and it takes a long time; before the fluffy effect from the steroids starts to come off. I had more medical steroids prior to surgery this spring; and I fluffed up a bit again. This time; I understand; it is time that takes the steroid fluffing away. Drink water; lots of it; and be as active as you can; without over doing it. Good luck! Cheers | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/3/2009 3:01:58 PM | Go seek a Personal Trainer who specializes in extreme atrophy rehabilitation. There are alot of exercises that can be very demanding of the nervous system.
Seek a proffessional. That is honestly the best advice. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/3/2009 7:22:27 PM | | hey lynn redgrave. look into fish oil supplementation at about 8-10 grams a day. dr daniel amen uses spect scans(they chart blood flow in the brain) to test patients pre and post treatment. these scans have shown that fish oil supplementation, along with blood-pumping exercise and vitamins can actually improve blood flow in the brain.people that have done serious brain damage in the past have been shown to improve brain function on this regimin. if you can find his books in the uk, check them out. he treats all kinds of brain disorders as well. the scans prove that the treatments really work. why not fix the problem if you can. ps ten and a half stone at 5'8 sounds good to me. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/4/2009 4:32:30 AM | Thanks everyone for all of the advice. In terms of the steroids, I've been off them for a year now, so no worries in that respect. The main problem I have is where I wasnt permitted to exercise for so long I have literally, no fitness. In terms of balance and co-ordination, that's not a strong point for me either! Nerve damage wise, the only residual effect I have is mild right side weakness.
I'm currently working on building up my cardio fitness, but really wanted to know any suggestions for machines/ exercises (excluding weights, as I cannot strain my neck) that I could do to tone up and achieve more. At t he moment I use mainly the cross trainer, the treadmill and the bike. Thanks again people, it's lush to have so many wise and inspirational folks out there!! | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/5/2009 3:17:23 PM | Hi there, I think as a general rule the cardio machines (treadmill, cross trainer, etc) will help you to lose weight and basically get a healthier, fitter heart. In terms of toning then you need to look at weights exercises, be they free weights of things like crunches, press-ups, squats etc, where you're exercising against your own body weight.
I know everyone and everywhere is different but if I were you I'd be a little bit wary of asking another gym-goer how to exercise. Find the fitness trainer who seems the most knowledgeable and go for them. Good luck with everything. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/8/2009 5:39:33 PM | Firstly, don't over extrenuate during the hot summer days, and listen to your M.D.'s
Secondly, a routine that I found out about through a blurb on Halle Berry's short work-out is as follows...
10 minutes warm up cardio.
10 minutes of weights (due lower weights & higher reps until you are "comfortable" and it is getting easy)
10 minutes of cardio. (bike, stairmaster or walking-whatever keeps that heart rate at optimal levels for burning fat)
then switch back to alternating cardio and weights until you have done 30 minutes of each.
It's a tough workout, sort of like an obstacle course, but it's different and good when you only have an hour.
Don't overextend that heartrate. keep it age/weight/proportional. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/21/2009 1:29:55 AM | Thanks again everyone. I'm just concetnrating on cardio at the moment, and that seems to be helping- I definitely feel better, both overall and specifically in terms of my balance etc.Off to see my neurosurgeon next week, so will be using some of your advice as basis for my queries.
PS>Ali Im removing my restrictions so hopefully you'll be able to contact me now!! | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/21/2009 2:03:46 PM | It might behove you to find yourself a trainer/therapist that specializes or teaches functional fitness and kinesiology to regain the balance and strength in your right side. Doing exercises and cardio are all good but you don't want to be overdeveloping the left side of your body and those muscles doing all the work. If that happens your left side could weigh significantly more than the right side thus altering the way you walk and move.
If you can't find a therapist/trainer that teaches functional fitness one of the next best things would be to do exercises in a pool where you would be able to use full range of motion of your right arm/shoulder and resistence exercises w/o putting unnecessary stress on the rest of the body. You may also want to look into the arthritus foundation for pool classes...they are geared more for passive joint mobility.
One other thing that might help on your recovery would be to see a naturopathic doctor to find a detox that would work on the cellular level to clear your body of toxins. I hope this info helps. Good luck. | |
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| Brain surgery- getting my body back!!!
Posted: 7/23/2009 10:33:54 AM |
detox that would work on the cellular level to clear your body of toxins
I always have to smirk when I hear the D word. It's such a flashy trendy word that's an easy money grab. | |
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