Hello!

I’m a paraplegic (completely paralysed from chest down) with shoulder arthritis – I can’t exercise much. But I would like some tips on how to reduce tummy fat.


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  • I think a good exercise physiologist should be able to help you with this.


  • If you can’t exercise, then losing weight is probably all you can do. I’d strongly advise talking to your GP and/or nutritionist, given your medical situation.


  • We follow the healthy mummy plan, hubby me and my 75 yr old mum (due to medical can’t exercise). It’s a great plan! Give it a go


  • Sorry to hear about your condition and that you can’t exercise much.
    Maybe you could like at the type of food you eat. Good nutritious food, no processed food and no sugar could be something to look at. It might be good to get advise from a nutritionist or a naturopath. Success


  • Maybe have a look into I quit sugar. There’s been lots of research recently suggesting sugar contributes to a lot of issues with our bodies including body fat.


  • consult the doctor for ideas. have you seen those mini exercise bikes? you sit them on a table and pedal with your hands. they might be alright for you.


  • Hello, sorry to hear of your condition, I too find exercise next to impossible as well due to disability, AND my diet already is less than 1100 calories a day, even nutritionists tell me that I MUSTN’T reduce it any further, they can’t quite figure out why I am overweight, but then doing nothing but sit after years of walking 20+kms per day even with the aid of a frame up until 8 years ago does make the flab expand.
    I’ve found using a vibrating platform to be beneficial to help with disappearing muscle tone in my legs etc. I first started using it at my physio’s to try to do something about the fluid that was accumulating in my ankles and feet. She suggested I purchase one so that I could use it everyday, before that I had 30 minute sessions once a month at my physio appointments. I’m fortunate in that I can stand with the aid of my walker and can manage to use it twice daily for 10 minutes each session. You can also sit on it, rest it under your legs/feet whilst sitting, do push ups on it (placing your hands on it instead of your feet when doing push ups).
    There are several different programs pre-set in the one I have and it retails for about $300 (vastly different to the one more widely advertised on the informercials and almost identical to the one my physio uses), here’s a link to help you find one http://www.vitality4life.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=vibroslim. As they were out of stock at the time I needed one I purchased mine through the TVSN channel, it’s exactly the same as the more widely advertised ‘free trial’ one but less than a third of the price. It also comes with an exercise sheet that one can put up on one’s wall (or other suitable place). It’s easy to modify the exercises to what one is able to do. My physio is happy with the increased muscle tone I now have after using mine regularly now for a month, and the fluid has stopped accumulating in my ankles and feet too.
    Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further help. I know what it’s like to try to lose weight when one is unable to exercise and one is already eating a minimal diet…it’s not as easy as it seems, but it can be done with a little modification. God bless.


  • yoga is a gentle exercise that will help you a lot,, it is a bit difficult to start but as you get used to it , u will love it.


  • So sorry to hear of your situation.
    Have a chat with your doctor & physio.
    They may be able to suggest something.
    Also contact a dietician who can help with your calorie intake.
    I’m really sorry I don’t have any other suggestions.
    I wish you the best of luck.


  • maybe see a physio about what exercise u can do and eat a low fat diet


  • Check with your doctor first especially if you have a heart condition but I’ve recently lost about 8kg just by upping my water intake and putting myself on a keto genic diet. Teaches your body to use fat stores instead of sugar for energy. Good luck


  • Do you use coconut oil? Do you know that coconut oil is the world’s most weight loss friendly fat? You could try eating one spoon of coconut oil every day. It also helps keeping the hunger under control.


  • So sorry to hear of your situation – therefore, no exercise regime that might help from me.
    The only thing you can do is reduce your food intake, as you cannot physically exercise.
    However, having said that – can you do anaerobics? This is what astronauts used to do as exercise machines don’t work when gravity is insufficient. It requires you to use whatever muscles you have to contract and let go. Pulling in your tummy, then letting go 10 times for a rep. Breathing in, holding, then letting go. Whatever you can do will help, and reducing your food intake is the only other way that I am aware of.
    Best of luck in your endeavours. Keep smiling. Cheers


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