Physical Health & Ptsd

[Trinomial]

When my symptoms get bad, I feel incapacitated. I might not eat for days. I don't even want to move sometimes, or leave my home.

It's hard for me to get into good habits when I feel like that. Lately, I've been concerned about my health. I'm trying intermittent fasting. That is easy since I don't like food. Basically, I don't eat for 18 hours, but I'll drink water. That gives me a six hour window to eat. It's a form of calorie restriction, but there are benefits aside from weight loss. I've also gotten into resistance band training since I've been in physical therapy. I've been doing this for one week and already lost 7 lbs.

Is anyone else trying to get healthier to feel better? I'm just looking for someone else who might feel limited in what they do because of their ptsd symptoms, but want to be healthier: maybe to encourage each other and share tips / success. I don't have much support in this area.

 

[^^FlyingSolo^^]

I'm up for that. I'm the same way as you described in the 1st paragraph of your post. lately I go all day without eating then when I get really hungry at the end of the day I eat.

I also go on fresh home made lemon aid fast like once a week. I'm losing my interest in food, nothing sounds good anymore. But I try to eat healthy.

Solo

 

[Trinomial]

Thanks, Solo.

Do you do any kind of exercise? I'm new to resistance bands, but it is inexpensive and I can get a pretty good work out. I used to practice martial arts, but I don't really have the space to do it properly.

 

[Tinyflame]

I think things like eating have suffered for me, I guess also I also have not much interest in food and usually eat once a day for more than the past 25 years, unless I forget to eat. Or I might eat too much if I'm off or try to quit smoking but can''t tolerate volume.

I used to eat healthier about 12 years ago, better choices.

Seems for me it has to do with also being relaxed or even, Idk? 'Encouraged', sort of? 'Happier' times.

I have a physical job and physical work but would like to start dancing again, or more fun exercise I've neglected, only do so if the moment arises. But lately my body doesn't cooperate.

 

[Anna]

I work out as well to help aleviate the symptoms. It helps a lot. Especially against the anger.

 

[Ted Moen]

Routine is the core of a good recovery program for people with PTSD. We need to develope a healthy routine that includes lots of exercise and social interaction and activities that help us feel productive and worthwhile, then on the days/weeks/months we don't feel like keeping the routine up we need to do it even though all the intense feelings are raging and messing with our perception of our own life. We have to remind ourselves the intense feelings will pass, and participation in our routine will once again feel the way it should, as long as we can get through the period of intense feelings without doing anything stupid or self-destructive.

Building and managining a healthy routine is our alternative to a life of living out our symptoms and the consequences of inappropriate behavior that occurs when we act out the intense feelings in our current situation.

So easy to say :)

Ted

 

[piratelady]

I agree - depending on how my symptoms go, my eating suffers one way or another. If I am depressed I stop eating. If I am anxious I stress eat all the wrong foods. The suggestion was made to me to try spending a day buying lots of healthy foods, like fruits and veggies. Then cut them up and put some in little bags so they are ready to just grab and eat. I don't have to put any effort into it throughout the week. I'm going to try that this weekend when I go grocery shopping.

 

[Trinomial]

Update on the intermittent fasting: I have a restless energy throughout the day that I didn't used to. I've been good about fasting for at least 16-18 hours daily, never more than 20.

On a side note: Does anyone get hungry and cook a meal, only to feel full after a bite or two?

 

[Sheer Force of Will]

I also work out really hard against the pain and the anger. If you are up for something challenging but cheap, you should try body weights. Its tough as hell, but only uses the weight of your body against you so you don't need any equipment. I also do zumba to youtube videos. It feels really good just to sweat.

Solo, If you like lemonaide, try my favsies! Half a lemon and a bunch of frozen strawberries in a blender! It's fantastic.

Also, if I don't work out super hard, every day, I cannot sleep. Lately though, I can't sleep anyway. I have been working out extra to try to get me to sleep, but it hasn't helped. :(

 

[^^FlyingSolo^^]

Wow thank you Sheer force, that's sounds really yummy, I'll definitely try it! I love strawberries. :inlove:

I'm sorry your having trouble sleeping. All that cardio and weightlifting should be helping you sleep. hmm,:confused:

Thanks again :)

 

[freakofnurture]

Eating regularly is a problem for me, too. What motivates me most is the knowledge that, if I don't eat, I don't have enough energy to keep up my workout routine. So I eat, not because I want to eat but because I want to be able to work out. Does the job.

It's hard to keep up the good habits when you're down and sometimes it's outright impossible to do something good for yourself. But we have to keep trying and do as much as we possibly can, every day. It's the only way to get better.

 

[AzureMind]

Yea, I forget to eat sometimes; most times actually because of anxiety...it's hard to keep food down when you're just too upset to keep it down. I've gotten very thin, but I'm muscular because I lift regularly. My bones hurt at times, so I try to remember to take a supplement for that, and I need to remember to drink more water regularly rather than juice.

But as I said before, I feel on the whole better when I lift weights, and eat right...smoking has GOT to go though!