[redemptionsongs]

Oh wow, from one of the contortion pages: # that if you suffer from hyper mobility or other health issues like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a disorder of the connective tissue, you will most likely get results much quicker than a healthy person, but at the same time feel less of the symptoms. If you or other members of your family have suffered from one or many dislocations you’re most likely having similar health issues and should
learn to do controlled dislocations and fully master the exercise schedule. How people are built also decides how far it’s possible to go or how much, but most can do all of the exercises. Many times it only means that it will take longer to learn to do some things while others come easily. Most important is to practice daily. For me practicing yoga and contortion sport has meant stopping the progress of EDS completely with all of it’s symptoms.

I have EDS and have suffered from it from the time I was 8 years old, with more than a hundred dislocations and finally a major, major knee surgery. Stretching is not something that my orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist ever recommended as a way to prevent symptoms. I have no desire to do controlled dislocations, but stretching to avoid more EDS related injury could be a good thing.

[redemptionsongs]

yes, I mean one leg front, one leg back. I just tried oversplits using a ream of printer paper and it did help me get a stretch. I cannot kneel (long surgical scar), but will try twisting on the pole standing up. I’ll try looking up some contortion moves. Thanks!

[redemptionsongs]

I have combined good diet with working out (30 min cardio/90 minutes weights 4-5x/week plus about 30-40 minute pole sessions 3-5 times a week and have lost 28lbs and 39 inches in 10 weeks. It is hard work, but it is possible to lose the weight quickly.

[redemptionsongs]

I use something called oxypowder and there is no cramping or uncomfortable movements. I know that you need good bacteria in your colon, but a few days of oxypowder really helped me break the sugar/carb addiction and I felt great!

[redemptionsongs]

Yesterday was the end of 9 weeks since I started dieting and exercising and I have lost 27lbs and over 33 inches! I’m feeling great aside from a couple broken toes (poling accident, oops)

[redemptionsongs]

I’ve been doing well with the challenge. I’m down another few pounds, even with this being the week before my period where i would expect to have a couple pounds of water weight. At the gym I have decreased my cardio from 45 minutes to 30 minutes and I am doing more high intensity weights- harder sets with only 30 seconds-1 minute in between sets. I’m usually at the gym for about 2 hours which includes cardio warm up, weight training, stretching then getting my kids from the childcare place. I feel good.

I bought some goal jeans a month or so ago and yesterday I was able to put them on and button them. They looked horrible- way, way too tight with a muffin top like woah, but it was still an improvement over not being able to pull them up completely! I’d say another 5-10lbs and they will look fantastic on me. I have taken my BMI from right under "obese" to the high range of "normal" and plan to get even lower https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[redemptionsongs]

Have your considered stevia instead of sugar? My mother works at a weight loss clinic (after dieting to lose more than 100lbs!) and they recommend Stevia as a 0 calorie sweetener because it is blood sugar stable. You can get it in granulated form just like sugar or in liquid form- I have Sweet leaf brand flavored Stevia and it is good to add a couple drops to water to have a "soda". http://www.cookingwithstevia.com/stevia_faq.html

[redemptionsongs]

I had that happen in physical therapy after my knee surgery. My IT band and quad were the tightest that my physical therapist had ever seen, but with massage (using an arnica cream and sometimes a rolling pin!), moist heat and a lot of stretching, they eventually released and allowed me to get my range of motion back.

[redemptionsongs]

Today was my weekly weigh in and in the past week I lost another 4lbs and 3.5 inches https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

punkroc, I have noticed about myself that I am extremely sensitive to sodium. I was eating small portions of beef jerky as a snack because I figured that being high protein and low carb it was perfect, but on days where I ate the jerky and got less than 100oz of water I would hold on to 2-3lbs of water weight.

I too prep a lot of my food on the weekends- cook 10lbs of chicken breasts, then portion into 3-4oz and vacuum seal those portions. I keep what I can use in 3 days in my fridge then freeze the rest, defrosting more as needed. I wash and cut veggies in bulk. I really don’t eat a lot of "meals" as much as I eat components of meals.

Example:
breakfast- 4 egg whites (boiled) and a raw bell pepper
snack activia yogurt, small handful of almonds,
lunch turkey deli meat w/ avocado and alfalfa sprouts rolled and sliced, handful cherry tomatoes
afternoon snack 2 mini cucumbers, protein shake
dinner 4oz chicken breast, steamed broccoli

I try to pair protein with fiber and keep my veggies low glycemic to prevent a lot of blood sugar spikes and dips.

[redemptionsongs]

I completely understand your frustration. I had a horrible pregnancy (hyperemesis gravadarium, I was on home IV and medication pump), had a lot of muscle wasting and balooned up after my baby was born. In his first year of life I had two major knee surgeries that I am still not fully healed from. Anyway, I would suggest taking measurements. I have lost 22lbs in 6 weeks and 27.75 inches overall. Last week I was discouraged because my weight was up 2lbs until I did my weekly measurements and I had dropped 3.5 inches that week! Surprisingly, with my amount of weight loss my shirts fit much better, but I have not dropped a pants size yet.

My diet right now is pretty restricted- lean protein+ low glycemic veggie 5x/day, very little grains, and very few other simple carbs (I eat a yogurt in the morning that has 20something carbs from sugar) 100+ounces of water per day. Try not to get discouraged, it sounds like you are doing great!

[redemptionsongs]

I am down another 1.2lbs today! I have to skip the gym today because the childcare is closed, but will do some poling later this afternoon. My hamstrings have been super sore so I have been stretching a lot.

[redemptionsongs]

Today marks my 20 pound weight loss! Obviously not since, the start of this challenge, but in 5 weeks 2 days I have lost 20lbs and 25inches. I have 30 more pounds to go until I reach my final goal.

I don’t count calories, but I do follow a strict diet. Basically, I eat lean protein paired with a low glycemic vegetable to try to keep my blood sugar stable. Since I have a lot of weight to lose, I don’t eat a lot of carbs or fruits, don’t drink caloric drinks, etc.

This is a typical day for me.

* 4 boiled egg whites, raw bell pepper
* post workout protein shake with flax, mini cucumber
* turkey, avocado, alfalfa sprouts (just rolled up and sliced), handful cherry tomatoes
* raw cauliflower, small hand full almonds
* 4oz baked chicken, steamed broccoli

I stagger calories +/- a couple hundred calories every couple days. Ex. add a slice of wheat toast with breakfast or sub. salmon for the chicken for dinner, add a slice of cheese or wrap to the lunch. Not sure if all of this is the best because this has been the first time that I am working out and dieting since my previously awesome metabolism crashed, but my results have been good so far.

[redemptionsongs]

I usually do my weekly weigh in and measure on Thursday mornings. Today I was actually up 2.2lbs from last week, but I lost 2 inches from my waist, 1 inch from my hips, .5 from my thigh and .5 from my arm. That brings my total loss in 5 weeks to 16lbs and 24.25 inches!

I am very sore today, so I just did an hour of cardio at the gym, some quick abs and torso and lots of stretching.

[redemptionsongs]

I’m in! I am almost 5 weeks in to a 90 day challenge on another (not pole related) forum and am down 18.5lbs and 20.75 inches so far!

Goals:

*continue to drink enough water- important because if I don’t I hang onto 2-4lbs of extra water weight!
*continue clean eating- currently 5 servings of lean protein+ low glycemic veggie and not much else
*continue workouts at the gym to burn fat and add muscle strength. I am currently doing 30-45 minutes of cardio and 45-60 minutes of weight training 4-5 times a week

I am 167 today and my final goal is to be somewhere that looks good on me, which I think will be between 130-145. I bought myself a pair of really hot jeans that I am working to get in to as a goal, not sure how much more I need to lose to meet that mini goal.