Aerobic Exercise and ET

[Searcher56]

I am ET JAK2+, 62 years old female diagnosed in November 2016. I have lost 3st in weight and still want to lose at least one more stone from my waistline. I have been going for walks and doing a yoga routine daily but the weight is not shifting, so I decided to bite the bullet and add aerobic exercises to my fitness routine. I must say I feel better for it but lately I have been a bit headachy when waking up in the morning. The headache goes as I get up and drink water and eat breakfast. Also I have been craving for sugary foods. Before I managed with very little sugar. Of course it could just be natural to want to have carbohydrates after exercise but all the health advice these days is against sugar. I try to have maple syrup and honey instead of white sugar. Anyone else have ideas on exercise.

[Hollyhedge]

Hi Searcher56, I am new to this site. I have found that since being diagnosed my need for cake and biscuits holds no bounds!!! I am not too overweight but could probably lose half a stone. Stopped my exercise recently due to my fingers and hand numbness and tingling. Was referred to National Exercise Referral Scheme by stroke nurse but currently on hold. I tend to want to eat more of anything after exercising unless I get plenty of sleep and drink plenty of water. Well done on your efforts to lose weight - keep at it and stay well!

[socrates_8]

Hey Searcher56 & Holly...

Welcome to the MPN Voice/HealthUnlocked web site .This is an awesome community, and people are really so very thoughtful & always help where ever they can...

I am MF and on Jakafi, and at times I really struggle to keep the weight off. In my case, I started w/ an intense workout regime, and soon learned that I had to tone it all down... 'Quite a Bit'. I was doing too much at first, and causing myself more problems than I wanted, however, I do also want to lose as much weight as I am able without going crazy about it...

I found trying to stick to a low carb 'keto-genic' diet worked for a while but whenever I am unable to keep my exercise routine consistency, my weight generally creeps back up...

I have also stopped all alcohol, low to no added sugars, and I really do try to avoid anything processed as they usually do contain hidden sugars in one form or another... In my case, it is still a struggle but I just keep trying to persevere...

Best wishes & please do let me know if you stumble upon some ancient hidden recipe for weight loss that really works...

Steve

(Sydney)

[Searcher56 in reply to socrates_8]

I am looking for a recipe for weight loss. I am currently reading a book by Dr Eric Berg called "The New Body Type Guide" which has a lot of interesting information in it. I am taking Chromium Polypicolinate, as opposed to picolinate to reduce my sugar cravings and it seems to have worked. I am working towards starting the low carbohydrate diet suggested in Eric Berg's book. I tried Atkins Diet about 15 years ago but failed miserably, probably because the underlying understanding of body's physiology was not there at the time. The whole world is trying to figure out what is the right way to eat.

If you come up with ideas, please let everyone know. I have lost 3 st but would like to lose another 2st but it is not budging.

[socrates_8 in reply to Searcher56]

Hey again...

Currently, and almost everyday without fail in quite some time, I do not partake in either breakfast or lunches. In approximately an 18mth period, I can count possibly two meals that might have qualified as a lunch.

I also do some aerobics & light weights, however, cycling is what seems to work best for me. Only inclement weather & anything approximating extreme cold prevents me completing my normal exercise regime. Until recently, when I suffered a nasty accident from which I am in recovery from at the present.

The other main part of my dietary regime is 'Intermittent fasting'.

I try to have three or four evenings a week where I only consume circa 600 calories. It does take some practice, however, once being accustomed, hunger cravings largely fall away almost completely thus far...

It does take a steely resolve at first but it becomes easy with practice.

My diet mainly consists of wild-caught fish/seafood, fresh vegetables & fruits, nuts/cashews, barely any dairy just some occasional grilled haloumi & feta in salads, no alcohol, black coffee & loads of pure drinking water. I do like some sparkling mineral water, and struggle with the odd bag of kettle chips... No added sugars at all in anything I eat or drink, & always best to avoid all processed foods wherever possible... I make my own soups/curries in winter & they are always far too tasty...

Summer fruit season starts here shortly: mangos, cherries, pomegranate (juice), stone fruits are always welcome but in moderation. Try to consume fruits that are not yet quite ripe and still have a sour taste rather than overly sweet etc...

Hope this helps...

Steve

[Borage]

Well done searcher 62

I have been doing much the same. I am 61, and I have ET, jak2 pos. I have lost 2 stone doing Gym, Tai Chi, Pilates, Yoga and swimming on a twelve week course at the local sports centre.

I think I would add the low weights training equipment in the gym to your régime rather than aerobics. It doesn’t make you muscley but makes your muscles use up energy, and that continues for the following few days, if I have understood the instructor. The muscle strength you build now reverses the 1% muscle tone we lose year on year after our thirties.

I have used a basic Fitbit to increase my steps to 10K a day.

The greatest help has been the Low Carbohydrate Healthy Fat diet in Dr Michael Mosley’s book, “The Blood Sugar Diet.” It has got rid of my sugar cravings and I am not feeling hungry-all-of-the-time any more. It has been the easiest way of eating to follow, I have just cut out anything with sugar or sweeteners as an ingredient, and cut right down on bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, filling up with leafy vegetables in their place. Salad instead of a sandwich. I have cut out fruit juice and have just one or two portions of fruit a day. I have moderate portions of meat, eggs, fish, pulses, nuts, and full fat dairy produce, olive oil and rapeseed oil, all home cooking with nothing processed.

I had a bit of a dizzy episode after the first week, I lost all the oedema around my ankles rapidly, and my high blood pressure went to normal. We are so indoctrinated to avoiding salt in our diet, my Doctor friend advised me to have hot oxo, or marmite to drink daily, and that solved the problem.