Getting Up/Down Safely with Lipedema

The following is a compilation of posts and videos I have shared with my Lipedema Fitness Facebook support group; each showing various methods of how I get down to, and back up off, the ground. 

Safely getting off the ground is a big deal in later stage Lipolymphedema patients, our balance becomes more and more challenging as we advance, and carry more fluid in out bodies.

Some cannot manage getting up, 

A big part of my workouts include getting down (and back up) from the floor. Which was my initial goal when starting to train after my Lipedema diagnosis and after listening to wrong advice being given to us about exercise being bad for our symptoms early on in my diagnosis.

When I began training again I had lost nearly all my mobility and could barely stand. I am grateful to the strength training and improved core strength that allowed me to achieve this goal, and I try to do some ground work as often as possible, to keep being able to do so.

Tried a new getup from the ground, using no knees (after watching the Dr. Jo video I posted earlier today, my brain was like “I wonder if I could do that?”)... and my body said YES WE CAN!

This is seven years in the making, lots of core work, and lots of pushup progressions - from doing standing pushups against my kitchen sink, to gradually going lower in what I used to modify (table, bench, stacked mats to finally being able to do them on the floor, which also started me on my getoff the floor work). 

Then I started being able to hold a plank, and worked up to how long I could hold it, which involved lots of walking out with my hands from a piked position, then walking my hands back in.

This is not a move I’m suggesting people do, you can really hurt yourself, it is a post to show progression, and how important the body weight moves we do are, especially for functional fitness. 

Being able to move our bodies through space is such a gift, one we need to continually work on and try to improve, especially as we age, and/or advance in our Lipedema. I use my upper body strength so much in moving my body throughout the day.

Last video of getting up off the ground from a seated position. I typically turn over and use my knees, but have been working on other alternatives. Learned I could do this after Turkish getups last year. Love learning new things.

What is Your Fitness Focus

What do you focus on when doing cardio? 

Distance? Time? Intensity?

I used to love cardio; I would spend hours at the gym using the treadmill, the elliptical, and the bike; plus weight machines (which I always liked, but was not so familiar). 

I would put my headphones in and spend 2-3 hours enjoying the time to decompress and be active. 

I felt strong, I felt coordinated, and I had fun.

Since my Lipedema has progressed, cardio has become more and more challenging, and something I don’t feel strong in any more. 

Add to that the balance issues that come with later stage Lipolymphedema, and I’m surprised it took me until today to solve the cardio puzzle.

I was baffled why it has been hard to get into a regular cardio routine, when I used to love it. 

But today was an aha moment, in talking it out with Coach, I realized the emotional aspect, the feeling vulnerable in the work. I no longer felt strong doing cardio, like I do lifting weights, flipping tires, swinging sledgehammers, etc.

Now that I have verbalized it, recognized it, I can begin to navigate cardio with a new understanding.

Lipedema Fitness Product Review: Cubii Pro (under desk elliptical)

Recently a member of the Lipedema Fitness support group shared that Good Morning America had a Cubii Pro ergonomic elliptical on their #dealsandsteals segment for $218.

Since ankle pumping is a great way to move our lymphatics it peaked my interest. Not to mention working from home can create challenges for staying active.

I purchased it, because I am the Queen of trying things for my group. To see if something our Lipedema bodies can do, and if I find it helpful for caring for our condition.

This was a great deal, as the Cubii Pro lists for around $350. The Cubii Jr. runs around $250. Pro comes with Bluetooth connectivity that wirelessly connects to a mobile app to help you keep track of your progress. Please note that this post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and purchase the item (at no additional cost to you). It does in no way alter the review I provide for any item.

The Cubii came well packaged, included a screwdriver and 4 small screws to put it together (which took under five minutes). It has a handle and weighs about 25 pounds. The deal I purchased came with (2) Therabands, which you can feed through the handle on the Cubii to add in arm movements (again, great for moving our lymphatics and reducing swelling).

It fits under my dining room table, and my knees do not hit the table when using it, although the center support beam on my dining room table does prevent the Cubii from sliding back as far as I would like - an easy fix is to move my chair back, but ideally I would not have to adjust my chair, so I could use effortlessly throughout the workday.

It definitely pumps your ankles, which is great for moving our lymphatics, which reduces the swelling in our legs. It also targets your core (use good posture), calves, quads, glutes and hammies.

Try pedaling forwards and backwards for targeting different muscles, as well as varying your foot positions (having your foot further forward vs. further back on the foot pedal - each will engage difference muscles and parts of the foot). I was surprised at how quickly my muscles felt the movements, especially my quads, I could tell my body was not used to moving in this direction, similar to a seated knee lift, and it was nice to feel those muscles getting a good workout.

There is a resistance dial on the front (goes up to an 8), the higher the number the more resistance, and it is pretty challenging on 8, I am using at a 5 most of the time, and bump up the resistance if I want a more challenging experience.

I began using Cubii while checking emails, then when watching TV (after work) I would use during commercials. Fitting in small increments keeps you active.

PLUS: it really helps move those hip flexors! Key when you have a desk job.

I have not charged it once, I just use it manually. Mainly because the cord does not reach the Cubii while it is under my table, so I would have to move it out and charge it, then move it back in. Not a too heavy thing (again about 25 pounds), but more a convenience thing, and I don't have a need to track my friends on the bluetooth, but I would like to know stride, mileage, time, etc. So eventually I'll plug it in and give it a go.

The bonus on the weight of the machine, is it doesn't seem to move while you are using it, the weight keeps it stationary, which is a good thing. It is built solid.

There were (2) other pieces in the box, 2 wheel stabilizers, if you use while seated at a chair that has wheels, the front two wheels would sit in the stabilizers and thus not roll when you pedal. Smart!

Summary: I think this is a good option (if in your budget) for those with limited mobility, like many with later stage Lipedema, or if you are just starting to get active, or recovering from an injury (knee, hip, ankle). It is very easy on your joints, especially those knees. But if you are looking to replace gym (cardio) type workouts (treadmill, bike or standing elliptical), this will probably not give you what you need. This is a seated option only, they include warnings to not stand on it.

I am dealing with some plantar fasciitis (heel pain), and using the Cubii does not seem to cause any additional pain, like standing seems to do.  

Whole Body Vibration (WBV) for Lipedema - foot positions

When on vacation I use a traveling whole body vibration plate. I don’t have access to my main high end model, so this less expensive option has really come in handy for traveling.

Today I noticed the marking on the platform...

Running / Jogging / Walking

Meaning if you place your feet to the outside of the platform it simulates running (you feel the most vibration). Bring your feet a little closer inward and it simulate jogging (feel less vibration). And bringing your feet closer to the center of the platform simulates walking (feel least amount of vibration).

This is a great way to turn up (or down) the intensity of your self care treatment. It is also a way to help with balance. A wider stance (especially with wider hips of Lipedema) can feel more stable. As with everything we try, you have to experience it for yourself and determine what feels best to you.

Do you use a vibration machine? And if so, do you play around with your feet position?

Tip: if you are concerned about balance, try placing between a door opening or next to the wall and hold on, or sit down and just put your feet on it.

Lactic Acid is NOT the Enemy

Myths and misconceptions are not only frustrating, but they can make living with a chronic and progressive  illness like Lipedema even more challenging.

Even though the myths and misconceptions about Lactic Acid were debunked 40-50 years ago, it is still being used as a scare tactic.

It was one of the reasons those of us diagnosed with Lipedema were told not to exercise early on.

We had to go against what we were told, we had to try various exercises to find what worked for us, and thankfully we changed that advice!

New patients are far less likely to be told not to exercise out of concern their condition could get worse because of it, but some still are being told this incorrect info.

So do your research, if something doesn’t make sense, dig a little deeper. The human body is so incredibly amazing at all it can do, we just need to learn to listen to it better.

I Look up George Brooks, he is a UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology and an exercise physiologist, and one of the people who debunked the lactic acid role. It is quite fascinating stuff, and I wonder how we might be able to dig deeper to find out why our bodies behave the way they do with Lipedema.

Food Sensitivity and Lipedema: Week 4 Elimination

And just like that the 4 week elimination of highly and moderately intolerant foods (based on the hair test I took in July) is done.

Basically I ate the same meals from week to week, and lunch was usually some combination of a Ground Chicken Stir Fry. I would saute the chicken in olive oil and various things on my non tolerant list, like: baked potato, onion, jalapeño peppers, bell peppers, kalamata olives, etc. and I would sometimes add Kimchi (huge fan) and more recently found spicy Wholly Guacamole, a great topper (I use as a sour cream substitute)!

Week 2 went very similarly to week 1, I kept my focus on the positives, the things I could eat, especially the things I had not been eating by following a low carb way of eating, things like potatoes and apples.

Week 3 was going along well, but by the middle of it, I was DONE WITH CHICKEN!

That was my concern from the beginning, I'm not a huge chicken fan, and I was about to crack when my lovely husband pulled out a blast from the past; something he had made me when we were dating, homemade, best I have ever had, Sweet and Sour Chicken. 

Did you know pineapple is a great source of bromelain, and bromelain is good for reducing inflammation and swelling? Very good when you have Lipedema!

It saved me for real. It was delicious, it brought back amazing memories, and kept me on track with the things I could have.

It gave me the boost I needed, and then the last week went back to being very tolerable.

So what does that mean, when you finish the 4 weeks of elimination? It means you slowly start to add in (one item at a time) from your moderate list and keep track to see if you notice an intolerance. 

Can you guess what my first item was? 

If you said a big juicy steak you would normally have been correct, but I opted instead to try to help out my hubby/chef, and the item I added back in was GARLIC. It just makes cooking easier and opens up more options for meals. And honestly, who wants a steak made without garlic?

So what did I notice?

• I didn't miss dairy as much as I thought I would - a huge shocker
• I did miss butter and cheese, but nearly as much as I thought I would
• I did find myself feeling guilty eating carbs that I had grown used to not eating
• I did see a 5.6lb. loss, but I hated having to weigh myself every morning
• I did have more gas (bloating) than eating low carb, didn't love that

I think this was a huge eye opener for me, especially combined with fasting (18:6 - I would eat between 1pm and 7pm); I have learned so much about my body.

Physically and emotionally. I liked feeling empty right before my first meal, I liked being able to feel what drinking a cold glass of water felt like going into my body and how it really cooled me down from the inside. I liked being able to understand food as fuel. That is something coach/hubby has talked about a lot, but something I got a much better understanding of after this experiment.

I might go back to a more low carb way of eating and eliminate those high tolerant foods (so no dairy, etc.) on a more regular basis. As I am curious to see how my body would respond. I have become very interested in experimenting to learn more and more about my body.

Another big change I have seen is a real improvement to my skin texture. I have seen my fibrosis softening, so now I can literally see the Lipedema beads and larger nodules, and realizing I have them in places I didn't realize I had Lipedema; and while I don't think it was because of the elimination way of eating alone, it might have played a part.

I am curious. Curiosity about our bodies is good. I am looking forward to keep learning more about how my body responds to different foods and truly looking at it as fuel for my wonderful Lipedema Body.

Food Sensitivity and Lipedema: Week 1 Elimination

Fresh Mango Salsa

So I am at the beginning of week 2, so let me do a quick recap of how week 1 went.

The biggest surprise so far, I have not killed anyone.

I'm only half joking about that, asking someone to totally flip their way of eating is asking a lot; so if you choose to go this route, be gentle with yourself, and be patient as you try something new.

The second biggest surprise, my husband didn't kill me (he's the chef in our family, and at the same time I mentioned I was going to be switching up my own way of eating, our daughter decided it was a good time to go vegan, too). Yes, my husband is a saint, and one hell of a cook.

As I mentioned last week, my focus was going to be on the things I can eat, and I would start from there. Here are some of my green light foods...

Apple & Peanut Butter

Most Fruits (with the exception of Bananas) seem to be good for me, and I started with an apple and peanut butter for my lunch and so far that has been a life-saver. I love peanut butter but had foregoing it and apples on my prior way of eating. This combo is healthy and satisfying and so far this week I have not had any issues show up, so yay for that!

Most Vegetables (with some exceptions); those exceptions start off as bummers (moderate sensitivity to every type of mushroom, and tomatoes - both I love, and corn, which I like, but haven't eaten due to low carb lifestyle I was following), and end with a pain in my heart (garlic - WHAT??? How does one not use garlic).

Meat - the only meat I can eat, that I like, is Chicken. Chicken was always my least favorite meat, I prefer Beef and pork over it, but I'm making due. A way to help out with only eating one meat is get it in various preparations (grilled breasts or thighs, ground as a burger or in soups, etc.)

I say meat I like, because of course my test results say I can eat almost every fish/seafood out there, with the exception of Shrimp and Prawns. I like lobster and crab, but I like it with BUTTER, something I also cannot have during my elimination WOE. I do like it with fresh lemons, so we are planning a lobster/crab night soon. I wish I liked fish, it would make this a lot easier, but I just don't like the taste, trust me, I've tried.

I'm such a texture person when it comes to food, so finding crunchy, creamy, savory, and spicy, etc. are all super important to my satisfaction.

So what did I actually eat, here are some ideas...

Grilled Chicken, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup with Quinoa (left), and

Ground Chicken Taco Salad (right) with a Fresh Mango Salsa.

     

When I began to think about Taco Salad (one of the meals our family enjoys most) and how was I going to eliminate Cheese, Salsa and Sour Cream (all on my highly sensitive food list) and still think of it as a Taco Salad? Well thankfully my husband worked his spice game into the normally bland ground chicken, and I reached out to the Lipedema and Food Intolerance Group with a question about ideas for a no tomato salsa option and the words rang out... MANGO Salsa!

It was perfection and so delicious. I chopped up the following and then squeezed the juice from one lime into it and woo hoo was that delicious (would be amazing over grilled fish, too, if that is your thing)...

• 3 ripe mangoes (we used 1 bag of frozen, as no ripe mangoes to be had) - frozen can save a step, they are pre cut into chunks and was super easy to microwave for a minute at a time until they softened up and then pretty easy to more finely chop them. You could also sub in strawberries, peaches,  pineapple, or even cantaloupe would be tasty.
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper - remove everything out of the pepper to keep the flavor more mild, then dice finely
• 1 red onion (we prefer vidalia so went with that).
• Cracked black pepper and pink Himalayan sea salt to taste.

The members in that group steered me to many other options I'll be trying, here are some links...

Watermelon Salsa: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/watermelon-fire-and-ice-salsa/

Pineapple Salsa: https://thrivingonpaleo.com/pineapple-salsa-paleo-whole30-aip/

Creamy Jalapeño Salsa: https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/creamy-jalapeno-salsa/

This one is very good with chicken. Try with canned Chipotle and you can use cashew yogurt (notes from one of the members)...

Chipolte Sauce: https://www.laylita.com/recipes/creamy-chipotle-sauce/amp/

Good option when making tamales, enchiladas or chicken for tostadas (another note from a member of the group)...

Guajillo Sauce: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/guajillo-sauce/

This one looks like a quick option for a red salsa sub using canned carrots and beets...

Nightshade Free Salsa: http://hewontknowitspaleo.com/recipe-items/nightshade-free-salsa/

So not much else to report, I tried staying focused on the good stuff, and I really am not pulling my hair out trying to not eat the things on my highly and moderately sensitive list. I'll keep updating as I go along.

I did try pasta one night as is on my green light list of foods, but immediately my stomach was not happy with it, has been years since I had pasta, so that will stay out of my way of eating for now.

If you decided to try the hair test, what have you found to be the most challenging?