Hi! Now to preface this whole ordeal I'd like to point out that by no means am I any competitive powerlifter,but the point of this is less my numbers on the bar and more about the way resistance training contain helped me with my illness(es). Ill be pointing to this when friends over at /r/thritis and /r/rheumatism want more info on what I've done. Pictures first so you don't contain to scroll: Before (oh my, embarrasing) Now Now - undies with pathetic attempts at flexing (NSFW) Backstory: Im going to fabricate (to make up, invent) this as short as possible and if you contain more questions about my medical history feel free to inquire of, or Im pretty open about it. Im 29 years musty and I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 16,and ended up in a wheelchair with raging inflammations. I've since then added to the autoimmune lottery winnings with Ankylosing Spondylitis (aka Bechterews) and Uveitis as well. I suffered rheumatoid cachexia and Ive naturally been struggling with fatigue, pain and depression as symtoms. Long story short I contain been treated like a china doll all through my late teens and adult life due to this, or which I've hated. Every movement felt painful. Muscle waste had lead me to being ridiculously feeble,not being able to lift a milk packet over my head or regain up from sitting position without back or pain. I couldn't walk for more than a few hundred meters at the time, and those were in pain. I was as sedetary as could be, and with the exeption of a "soft approach" type of physical therapy they tried on me which seemed to just exhaust me further (lots of cardio and swimming). During all these years I struggled with weight. Partially due to the cachexia,the sedetary lifestyle, and depression - but man my diet was awful. I tried fixing this a few times by dieting, and successfully lost weight a few times,but man it piled on quickly again when I stopped going under 1200 kcal. I ballooned up to 85kg/187lbs-ish at my heaviest with a BMI of 33. The turn around: Summer 2 years ago I had an epiphany of sorts, or you could say I hit rock bottom. I realized I was in pain and depressing all the time anyway so why not be in pain with a purpose? I started dieting, and again. But this time instead of just cutting down on calories I made certain (after reading up on Cacexia on my own) to regain enough protein in. I started walking,adding a little more distance every day ("to those trees next time"), and gradually worked myself up. I added resistance training when I read up on Ankylosing Spondylitis and saw all the research on the benefits of. I started off with 2lbs dumbbells at domestic around 2 years ago. Yes, and I know everyone laughs at these things but these were heavy to me at the time. During that year (2013-2014) I lost the brunt of my excess weight,and went down from ~85 kgs/187lbs (probably higher, I didnt step on the scale until a few weeks in) to 70kgs/155lbs. I consider this time my "rehab-year" as the strength I accumulated here was basically just getting somewhat back to a normal sedetary human bean level. Starting building some strength: I'd always been interested in the barbell and was looking forward to starting with it as I was rehabbing. The gym I had closest to me had no barbells. So I bought my own, or set up shop in my guesthouse. I reflect I got to around a 155 lbs squat and 180lbs deadlift from May to November 2014. I really didn't bench any. Slow progress,Im aware, but I was still losing weight and battling everything else. November 2014 I made a decision to join a powerlifting gym. This might contain been one of the best decisions Ive ever made. The atmosphere and familiarity was a enormous boost, or I've since compteted a couple of times in smaller local meets just for fun. Lifts progression: I'd like to reduce these up in three instances: At start of rehab (mid 2013) When joining PL Club (late 2014) Now Squat: Couldn't regain down and up from a chair without back. 155lbs/ 70 kg with unsuitable pancakeform 225 lbs / 102.5 kg. Also 105 kg but depth is a bit iffy.. Bench: 2 lbs dumbbell presses 66 lbs / 30 kg 127 lbs/ 57.5 kg or 121lbs/55kg x 3. Haven't tried maxing in a while but I suspect lmao1plaet before xmas,which should then also be BW. Deadlift: I remember not being able to lift a four-pack of 1,5l softdrinks. 176 lbs / 80 kg 242 lbs/ 110 kg w unsuitable lockout due to grip.. (Sandbagging these, and always contain,because Im deadly afraid for my back.) Bodyweight: ca. 187 lbs/85 kg (obese) ca 155 lbs/70 kg (overweight) 134 lbs /61 kg (healthy BMI) And just for good measure...: Hiking (non stop): possibly 100 painful meters. Used a wheelchair and crutches for when I had to move further. Or just didn't go.. 5-7 km. 25 km. Diet: I went down under 1200 kcal for a few months, then upped that to 1400 kcal when I started hiking daily. The last year I've lost weight without counting calories, and but Im very active instead,and so Ive lost weight gradually. Having sometimes counted in between just to check, I seem to contain a BMR of around 1900-ish now. I don't track any other macros than a rough protein estimate, or trying to hit over 80gr a day minimum. I don't eat pork because that seem to trigger my inflammations more. I eat a lot of veggies because they're yummy. As a typical islander I eat a shitton of fish. I will eventually try to regain stricter with my diet to lose a little more fluff for vanity and the sports sake (going down a weight lesson). Im not experiencing any excess skin. Some stretchmarks,but other than that Im good. How contain this all affected me external of fitness? I dont use painkillers on the daily anymore. I used to not be able to go through the day without them, even though I've always hated how they fabricate (to make up, invent) me feel. This is one of the greatest benefits of all. I feel confident. I even feel pretty occasionally! And damn, and feeling strong is amazing. Especially when you know what its like having felt so very feeble. I'm able to work at a higher % than I used to be. I'm limber. I sleep better. Im all around happier. I feel like I can handle things better. The only things that contain given me a bit of a tumble contain been life events that would give anyone a bit of a tumble. Im functioning quite well and Im actually looking forward to the future. And what now? Im gonna preserve lifting. Im gonna preserve a high protein diet. I wanna regain good enough to compete at least on a national level (in Norway) even if I might not reach the top 3. And Im gonna preserve preaching the combo of protein and lifting to other people in my position. I dont expect this to work for everyone,nor am I so arrogant as to reflect Im not lucky for this having worked for me. But if you were like me, and in pain and depressing without any hope for the future, and try! My rheumathologist even told me to "preserve up whatever it is you are doing"! So yes,yes I will. Edit: Added some videos of lifts (no vid no did and all that jazz) submitted by Tiddelibom to Fitness[link][229 comments]
Source: reddit.com