Advice/Tips

Mental Mickey

Hi

I am looking for advice/tips on what exercise(s) I could do to help get rid of my belly. I am a disabled person(I have Spina Bifida), so I can't really do proper sit-ups as I'm paralysed from just above the waist. Are there any other exercises that I could do?

Duck's hoop

Hey Mental Mickey,

People are going to tell you it's not about exercise. It's about diet. The belly fat you have is best shifted through adjusting and cleaning up your diet.

So doing crunches or sit ups wouldn't help to lose your belly, even if you could do them. You need to consume less calories than you are consuming at the mo. At its most basic.

Exercise will help of course, but you can probably drop 500 cals a day off your diet handy enough and that could be 2 hours exercise depending on intensity. So the main battle is in the food consumption area. Good food, cut out sugars etc.

Look at the stickies.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

Hey Mental Mickey,

People are going to tell you it's not about exercise. It's about diet. The belly fat you have is best shifted through adjusting and cleaning up your diet.

So doing crunches or sit ups wouldn't help to lose your belly, even if you could do them. You need to consume less calories than you are consuming at the mo. At its most basic.

Exercise will help of course, but you can probably drop 500 cals a day off your diet handy enough and that could be 2 hours exercise depending on intensity. So the main battle is in the food consumption area. Good food, cut out sugars etc.

Look at the stickies.

I found this: http://www.sbhi.ie/health-body-healthy-mind.html#5. I think a visit to a nutritionist may be of use to me too?

Duck's hoop

I dunno man, it's your money.

Most of it's not that complicated unless you've allergies/intolerances. Like I said, look at the stickies and the Nutrition board. A nutritionist will only tell you similar stuff for a fee. And that will also delay things.

Start today and you could be half a stone down by September!

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

I dunno man, it's your money.

Most of it's not that complicated unless you've allergies/intolerances. Like I said, look at the stickies and the Nutrition board. A nutritionist will only tell you similar stuff for a fee. And that will also delay things.

Start today and you could be half a stone down by September!

I've already started in a gym, and I feel a lot better already - after a couple of sessions. I am not falling asleep in front of the tv like I used to. I printed that sheet off for myself, so I'm going to have a proper look at it. I need to change my diet - I know that myself. I eat too much of the same stuff all the time - there's very little variation in my diet. I'm not a heavy eater though, I only eat when I feel hungry. The belly I do have is only there from sheer inactivity.

Duck's hoop

The belly's there from consuming more cals than you're expending man! You could sit around all day and lose weight, you need to understand that basic fact.

But being active is an imperative imo. You've felt the benefits already and it should only get better, physical and psychological.

As a chair user (I'm presuming), you might feel the range of activities available to you are limited, which to an extent they are in this country. But it's getting better. Have you tried chair basketball? Or tennis? Racing? Field events like discus or shot? There's archery too and I think fencing. Even a good strong push about clears the head and provides a wicked workout.

I'd say contact IWA Sport in Clontarf to see what options are available. They've a good range and regular(ish) 'try days'. You might surprise yourself at what you're good at and what gives you that buzz.

I don't know if you're competive, but once you get a taste for it you're sure to like it. There's also the all important social side of it and learning new 'stuff'.

A relatively new sport in this country is handcycling. It's massive in Europe and the US. I highly recommend checking that out, for many reasons. Freedom, independence, HUGE fitness benefits, can be 'mainstreamed' with AB (able bodied) cycling.

Contact Cycling Ireland. They've one or two bikes you might trial. You won't look back.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

The belly's there from consuming more cals than you're expending man! You could sit around all day and lose weight, you need to understand that basic fact.

But being active is an imperative imo. You've felt the benefits already and it should only get better, physical and psychological.

As a chair user (I'm presuming), you might feel the range of activities available to you are limited, which to an extent they are in this country. But it's getting better. Have you tried chair basketball? Or tennis? Racing? Field events like discus or shot? There's archery too and I think fencing. Even a good strong push about clears the head and provides a wicked workout.

I'd say contact IWA Sport in Clontarf to see what options are available. They've a good range and regular(ish) 'try days'. You might surprise yourself at what you're good at and what gives you that buzz.

I don't know if you're competive, but once you get a taste for it you're sure to like it. There's also the all important social side of it and learning new 'stuff'.

A relatively new sport in this country is handcycling. It's massive in Europe and the US. I highly recommend checking that out, for many reasons. Freedom, independence, HUGE fitness benefits, can be 'mainstreamed' with AB (able bodied) cycling.
Contact Cycling Ireland. They've one or two bikes you might trial. You won't look back.

That sounds cool. I think I'll see how the gym goes for a while before I try anything like that.

Duck's hoop

It's not BASE jumping Mickey!

Don't wait, ring 'em up and see if you can trial a bike. It's the summer and you sure as shyte won't do it in November.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

It's not BASE jumping Mickey!

Don't wait, ring 'em up and see if you can trial a bike. It's the summer and you sure as shyte won't do it in November.

PMSL The summer's crap too!!!!!

EDIT: E-mail sent.

Mental Mickey

Received some information today(by e-mail)about Para-Cycling(Handcycling). It's a huge document, so I will take a good look at it over the weekend.

Duck's hoop

Good man Mickey, get stuck right in. Give their Para-cycling officer dude a shout.

I can wholeheartedly recommend it as a very worthwhile para sport. Competitive as hell or just for recreation. Gets you off the couch and into the fresh air. And arms/shoulders/traps and lats of steel (possibly) .

Mental Mickey

The info that I received is basically outlining what the sport is about and the rules etc.

I would really need to see it for myself to know what it is like. Any suggestions where I could go to see it?

Duck's hoop

Cycling Ireland have a dedicated Para-cycling officer/team manager. He's responsible for the coordination of all events, trials etc for disabled (vision impaired, amputee, spinal etc) athletes.

From their website;

"Paralympic cycling competition is open to male and female athletes with physical disabilities such as amputation/limb loss, blindness/visual impairment, spinal cord injury/wheelchair-users and cerebral palsy/brain injury/stroke."

(01) 8551522 - Call this number and ask for his number.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

Cycling Ireland have a dedicated Para-cycling officer/team manager. He's responsible for the coordination of all events, trials etc for disabled (vision impaired, amputee, spinal etc) athletes.

From their website;

"Paralympic cycling competition is open to male and female athletes with physical disabilities such as amputation/limb loss, blindness/visual impairment, spinal cord injury/wheelchair-users and cerebral palsy/brain injury/stroke."

(01) 8551522 - Call this number and ask for his number.

If this is the same guy, I think I have sent another e-mail to him asking for more information? Thanks.

Mental Mickey

Spoke to the guy who is responsible for training the paracycling team today. There is going to be an event taking place in the Phoenix Park tomorrow afternoon.

However, I did explain to him that I am unable to straighten my legs out fully, especially when lying flat, so this may prevent me from doing it at all.....?

Duck's hoop

Was it Dennis? In the Phoenix Park you say?

That should be a good intro, give you an idea of what it's all about.

I doubt you'll be lying flat, that's a fairly specific and advanced racing bike, and there's adjustment anyway, so footrests etc can be configured to suit most people.

Tell us how you get on. I say you have a blast. And sore arms, shoulders etc.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

Was it Dennis? In the Phoenix Park you say?

That should be a good intro, give you an idea of what it's all about.

I doubt you'll be lying flat, that's a fairly specific and advanced racing bike, and there's adjustment anyway, so footrests etc can be configured to suit most people.

Tell us how you get on. I say you have a blast. And sore arms, shoulders etc.

No, it was a guy by the name of Frank O'Leary. He trains people afaik. I told him that I can't straighten my legs out. He said I'd be lying flat on my back while on the bike.

Duck's hoop

Go and have a look. You won't be lying flat, guaranteed, reclined yes, think laid back car seat. Footrests adjustable to accommodate a bent leg, not meant to be straight anyway for steering purposes.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

Go and have a look. You won't be lying flat, guaranteed, reclined yes, think laid back car seat. Footrests adjustable to accommodate a bent leg, not meant to be straight anyway for steering purposes.

Cheers. Am wondering what the weather will be like tomorrow afternoon(early)? Don't fancy going round the Phoeno in the p*****g rain tbh.

Duck's hoop

Look at it this way, you won't melt.

Duck's hoop

Have cheap shades w you for spray. Wear old runners, maybe a trackie bottom and a dry change. You'll be grand. It's only a shower.

metamorphosis

Don't look for endless ways to get out, go, it's fear but once you go the first time, you won't look back.

Duck's hoop

metamorphosis wrote: »

Don't look for endless ways to get out, go, it's fear but once you go the first time, you won't look back.

Spot on. Mind you today wasn't the ideal weather for a first time! A wetsuit might have been a plan.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

Spot on. Mind you today wasn't the ideal weather for a first time! A wetsuit might have been a plan.

Event was cancelled due to the bad weather.

Duck's hoop

Wusses.

Just as well, it really was very wet and not a good way to pop your cherry.

Mental Mickey

Duck's hoop wrote: »

Wusses.

Just as well, it really was very wet and not a good way to pop your cherry.