C5 quad for 20 years. Got a little chubby after 10 years of marriage. Haha. I've always kept a workout regiment. 30 minutes of hand cycling on a Saratoga everyday and then I work out 3 to 4 days a week on an upper tone machine. Even with that I gained a little weight. Noticed my clothes weren't fitting as well as they once had. Switched to the keto lifestyle and the weight just melted off. Still have a little quad belly but my clothes fit a lot better. Dropped 40 lb in like 6 months and all I have to do is maintain now. Keto doesn't mean just eat fatty shitty foods either. It's healthy fats, protein and vegetables. It's a sacrifice of a lot of good foods but your energy levels will increase and slimming down just comes with it. Best decision I've ever made, especially after 20 years of being in a chair. It revitalized me.
Thanks for the information. We are similar in a lot of ways. It sounds like you found something that works well for you. I'm at the point where I need to make a change. I gained some weight and it's harder to do the things I do daily like dressing and transferring. I love food, but energy and independence are far more important. I think clean eating is key on many levels along with consistent exercise and strength training. I will look into Keto. Take care!
I'm a little late to the party but glad I came across your video thanks for the information. I'm a C4//5 quad post 37 years and I turn 56 this month. I'm worried I screwed myself many years ago and are now paying the price. My quad gut (in my opinion) gets to my destination 15 minutes before I do. I want so badly to make a change and see if it will shrink even just a little! I'm definitely going to look into that website you mentioned about nutrition if it's still online. Unfortunately I also have genetics against me all the males in my family have potbelly's.
Hi Chris. Thank you for your comments. Even though are injuries are all completely different I still believe you can make progress and improve your quad gut. I would start by looking at what you eat/drink on a daily basis and writing that down. What you put in the gas tank many times will tell why you are struggling. At the very least I think a change in diet, nutrition and movement will improve your quality of life. Please check out paralysisnutrition.com/. Fatimah is a registered dietician and she's married to a quad. Best of luck Chris and keep pushing forward!
I appreciate you addressing the issue; quad Bellies. I was c4,5,6 in 1980 and I've heard various remedies, most of which I never tried. Maybe things have changed...the Bret Farve endorsed back-brace(s) - the Scooters for everyone business got cut-off selling scooters thru medicare/ medicaid - a good thing. There's no money in the used whlchair/ scooter business so the copper weaved braces are the 'come-lately' gimmic. lol Some quads have tried waist girdles with little luck, hard to breath, allegedly. My Primary Nurse warned about easy weight gain and it's all about being in control of your appetite; think in ounces, she said...and keep exercising. I appreciate you explanation; the middle muscles getting stretched, the intestines, ect,. Things I never thought about, and, yeah; the chest atrophies and sinks some, I find very plausible. Enjoyed your explanation and another facing this life head-on; gratifying to listen to normalcy in the spine-injury world! Keep 'em comin'!
Thank you Bill for your comments! It's a crazy life, but we push forward and share our own experiences. I love hearing how others manage their spinal cord injury related outcomes. I agree a sense of normalcy with a SCI does help me cope with the things that at times are out of my control. Take care.
Great video, fantastic explanations and ideas around the quad belly down to that pesky fold in the shirt! I turned 45 this month, been a C7 quad for 26 years! My bad eating’s contributed to my belly the most as I was one of those skinny boys in my teens and always could eat what I liked…not anymore! I’ve been very interested in aging and spinal cord injury recently…I’ve turned my eating completely around…2 meals a day with severely limited carbs, which has worked surprisingly well for me already… it is kind of the reason I found your video as I wanted to know whether it was realistic to get rid of my quad belly by losing weight… Two thumbs up for this great episode!
Thank you for your comments. It's funny we are very similar. I turned 44 in June and I will be 26 years post injury in August. I too have been very interested in aging with an SCI and have made changes to address that. Aside from switching to power assist wheels about 10 years ago, I got a colostomy 2 years ago and just recently purchased a sleep number bed with an adjustable frame. I also joined an adaptive crossfit group (www.stayingdrivenlive.com) that has really helped with my strength and energy. Eating healthy has been somewhat of a challenge as I have a 9 and 6 year old that prefer to indulge in all the foods I liked growing up. But as we prepare more meals and eliminate the packaged foods things have started to get better. I'm glad that you found a meal plan that works for you. It comes down to quality of life and putting the right fuel in your body definitely helps. You should follow @paralysis.nutrition on Instagram if you get a chance. There is great information about nutrition and bowel health. Hopefully I will put out some new videos soon. I have a lot more to share. Take care!
@@abilitease Ha! That’s indeed a wild coincidence, thank you for this additional info! I, too, have been using a power chair for the last couple of years and it‘s really been an absolute revolution for me, because (while also using public transport) I was then able to really get anywhere quick in my city…I’m from Germany BTW! I have not only changed what I eat, I’ve also started to work out again. But that is, of course, like you mentioned in the video, within the cardiovascular restraints a cervical SCI imposes. Great about the CrossFit group…I’ll definitely look into it! Hehe…that’s funny about your kids tempting eating habits…I see it with my 6-year-old nephew, who basically subsists on white bread and chocolate! Anyway, really looking forward to more videos you‘ll share…I‘m a new subscriber for sure! Take care! 😊👍🏻
Great video! I’m lucky to not have much of a quad belly. Before my injury I weighed 185 lbs and woke up in the hospital weighing 150 lbs. I’ve been able to maintain my weight since my injury. I don’t take any muscle relaxers, don’t eat fatty foods, and do stand daily in my standing frame.
Nice Mason! Yeah you have been really good about taking care of yourself and addressing a lot of issues head-on, which is impressive. Life sometimes gets in the way and we forget that with a SCI we need to be mindful of our body and how it changes over time.
Mason Ellis did it stop a lot? I'm worried because one person wants me to have backlifin pump but was told I don't really need it. My family believe I'll be better off with out medication... I'm c7 incomplete quadupegic and in my 3rd year...I get upset sometimes but I work through them...I just really don't want the pump I'm going to be 30 this year and will be 4 years on October...I hate the thought of surgery every 5 years.
Hands down best treatment to keep the quad belly to a minimum is to use Functional Electrical Stimulation. stick the pads on in the morning and use the stim intermittently throughout the day as tolerated. If you have a good standing routine and eat well that usually does the trick as far as bloating is concerned.
My son has been a c5-c6 quad for 34 years. Has not had any intestinal issues until recently. Having gas and not being able to sleep because of cold sweats. There’s pain causing sweats at night but don’t know where coming from. Doctor appointment in three weeks. Has anyone experienced this and what do the doctors do if you can’t tell them where you hurt. Most of the time Only happens when he’s lying down.
I noticed after 25 years that what I could eat and how my body digested certain foods changed. I don't have cold sweats, but the gas and bloating was a direct result of the food I was putting in my body. Long story short I had to change my eating habits to settle my stomach. One of the other things I did was get a colostomy three years ago to get rid of the lengthy bowel program and combat the numerous upset stomach accidents I was having. Not sure if a doctor will know the reason of the cold sweats, but controlling my diet helped me considerably. Best of luck.
C5 quad for 20 years. Got a little chubby after 10 years of marriage. Haha. I've always kept a workout regiment. 30 minutes of hand cycling on a Saratoga everyday and then I work out 3 to 4 days a week on an upper tone machine. Even with that I gained a little weight. Noticed my clothes weren't fitting as well as they once had. Switched to the keto lifestyle and the weight just melted off. Still have a little quad belly but my clothes fit a lot better. Dropped 40 lb in like 6 months and all I have to do is maintain now. Keto doesn't mean just eat fatty shitty foods either. It's healthy fats, protein and vegetables. It's a sacrifice of a lot of good foods but your energy levels will increase and slimming down just comes with it. Best decision I've ever made, especially after 20 years of being in a chair. It revitalized me.
Thanks for the information. We are similar in a lot of ways. It sounds like you found something that works well for you. I'm at the point where I need to make a change. I gained some weight and it's harder to do the things I do daily like dressing and transferring. I love food, but energy and independence are far more important. I think clean eating is key on many levels along with consistent exercise and strength training. I will look into Keto. Take care!
Ah yes… The quad belly 😖 C4-C5 here. My belly jiggles like jell-o with the spasms 😆. Thanks for the upload.
Subscribed ✅
Awesome information. Thanks
I'm a little late to the party but glad I came across your video thanks for the information. I'm a C4//5 quad post 37 years and I turn 56 this month. I'm worried I screwed myself many years ago and are now paying the price. My quad gut (in my opinion) gets to my destination 15 minutes before I do. I want so badly to make a change and see if it will shrink even just a little! I'm definitely going to look into that website you mentioned about nutrition if it's still online. Unfortunately I also have genetics against me all the males in my family have potbelly's.
Hi Chris. Thank you for your comments. Even though are injuries are all completely different I still believe you can make progress and improve your quad gut. I would start by looking at what you eat/drink on a daily basis and writing that down. What you put in the gas tank many times will tell why you are struggling. At the very least I think a change in diet, nutrition and movement will improve your quality of life. Please check out paralysisnutrition.com/. Fatimah is a registered dietician and she's married to a quad. Best of luck Chris and keep pushing forward!
I appreciate you addressing the issue; quad Bellies. I was c4,5,6 in 1980 and I've heard various remedies, most of which I never tried. Maybe things have changed...the Bret Farve endorsed back-brace(s) - the Scooters for everyone business got cut-off selling scooters thru medicare/ medicaid - a good thing. There's no money in the used whlchair/ scooter business so the copper weaved braces are the 'come-lately' gimmic. lol Some quads have tried waist girdles with little luck, hard to breath, allegedly. My Primary Nurse warned about easy weight gain and it's all about being in control of your appetite; think in ounces, she said...and keep exercising. I appreciate you explanation; the middle muscles getting stretched, the intestines, ect,. Things I never thought about, and, yeah; the chest atrophies and sinks some, I find very plausible. Enjoyed your explanation and another facing this life head-on; gratifying to listen to normalcy in the spine-injury world! Keep 'em comin'!
Thank you Bill for your comments! It's a crazy life, but we push forward and share our own experiences. I love hearing how others manage their spinal cord injury related outcomes. I agree a sense of normalcy with a SCI does help me cope with the things that at times are out of my control. Take care.
thanks for sharing this
Great video, fantastic explanations and ideas around the quad belly down to that pesky fold in the shirt! I turned 45 this month, been a C7 quad for 26 years! My bad eating’s contributed to my belly the most as I was one of those skinny boys in my teens and always could eat what I liked…not anymore! I’ve been very interested in aging and spinal cord injury recently…I’ve turned my eating completely around…2 meals a day with severely limited carbs, which has worked surprisingly well for me already… it is kind of the reason I found your video as I wanted to know whether it was realistic to get rid of my quad belly by losing weight… Two thumbs up for this great episode!
Thank you for your comments. It's funny we are very similar. I turned 44 in June and I will be 26 years post injury in August. I too have been very interested in aging with an SCI and have made changes to address that. Aside from switching to power assist wheels about 10 years ago, I got a colostomy 2 years ago and just recently purchased a sleep number bed with an adjustable frame. I also joined an adaptive crossfit group (www.stayingdrivenlive.com) that has really helped with my strength and energy.
Eating healthy has been somewhat of a challenge as I have a 9 and 6 year old that prefer to indulge in all the foods I liked growing up. But as we prepare more meals and eliminate the packaged foods things have started to get better. I'm glad that you found a meal plan that works for you. It comes down to quality of life and putting the right fuel in your body definitely helps. You should follow @paralysis.nutrition on Instagram if you get a chance. There is great information about nutrition and bowel health.
Hopefully I will put out some new videos soon. I have a lot more to share. Take care!
@@abilitease Ha! That’s indeed a wild coincidence, thank you for this additional info! I, too, have been using a power chair for the last couple of years and it‘s really been an absolute revolution for me, because (while also using public transport) I was then able to really get anywhere quick in my city…I’m from Germany BTW!
I have not only changed what I eat, I’ve also started to work out again. But that is, of course, like you mentioned in the video, within the cardiovascular restraints a cervical SCI imposes. Great about the CrossFit group…I’ll definitely look into it!
Hehe…that’s funny about your kids tempting eating habits…I see it with my 6-year-old nephew, who basically subsists on white bread and chocolate!
Anyway, really looking forward to more videos you‘ll share…I‘m a new subscriber for sure! Take care! 😊👍🏻
Great video! I’m lucky to not have much of a quad belly. Before my injury I weighed 185 lbs and woke up in the hospital weighing 150 lbs. I’ve been able to maintain my weight since my injury. I don’t take any muscle relaxers, don’t eat fatty foods, and do stand daily in my standing frame.
Nice Mason! Yeah you have been really good about taking care of yourself and addressing a lot of issues head-on, which is impressive. Life sometimes gets in the way and we forget that with a SCI we need to be mindful of our body and how it changes over time.
abilitease I agree.
Mason Ellis when did you stop taking medications
katiehanners77102 After I got an EasyStand standing frame.
Mason Ellis did it stop a lot? I'm worried because one person wants me to have backlifin pump but was told I don't really need it. My family believe I'll be better off with out medication... I'm c7 incomplete quadupegic and in my 3rd year...I get upset sometimes but I work through them...I just really don't want the pump I'm going to be 30 this year and will be 4 years on October...I hate the thought of surgery every 5 years.
Hands down best treatment to keep the quad belly to a minimum is to use Functional Electrical Stimulation. stick the pads on in the morning and use the stim intermittently throughout the day as tolerated. If you have a good standing routine and eat well that usually does the trick as far as bloating is concerned.
Thanks for the tip Jordan!
!00% agree! lots of $ and time but humans go together w FES like peas and carrots!
Jordan, can you refer me to where, how, you're getting FES on the tummy?
My son has been a c5-c6 quad for 34 years. Has not had any intestinal issues until recently. Having gas and not being able to sleep because of cold sweats. There’s pain causing sweats at night but don’t know where coming from. Doctor appointment in three weeks. Has anyone experienced this and what do the doctors do if you can’t tell them where you hurt. Most of the time Only happens when he’s lying down.
I noticed after 25 years that what I could eat and how my body digested certain foods changed. I don't have cold sweats, but the gas and bloating was a direct result of the food I was putting in my body. Long story short I had to change my eating habits to settle my stomach. One of the other things I did was get a colostomy three years ago to get rid of the lengthy bowel program and combat the numerous upset stomach accidents I was having. Not sure if a doctor will know the reason of the cold sweats, but controlling my diet helped me considerably. Best of luck.
I thought I'm allone who finds the quads belly look terrible :D I'm c5 from Germany
Yeah they are not the most appealing :)
I'm a male weighing 60 kg and look thin everywhere except for my belly, it sucks.