Need some motivation

[FireflyX]

I keep trying to start body building but every time I do it the diet makes me ill. I just don't know how I'm ever going to bulk muscle up like this. I was considering getting surgical implants to bulk myself up but I really would rather I had real muscles. However this might be my only option if every diet I try keeps making me like this.

So I suppose I want to know of some people who have crohns, have managed to build muscle and how they did this with a bowel condition. I have no motivation to go to the gym because I just keep feeling like I'm wasting my time.

 

[I Love Lamp]

"Sugical implants" are cheating! If im honest i have found that crohns diet lends itself to body building. Plenty of lean mean and fish. Low fat high protein and 5 small meals. Pretty similar to what many dieticians are asking people with Crohns to eat.

 

[Chuck2008]

What is the diet you're on when you're bodybuilding? You say its making you sick but you didn't mention what it is. There are a lot of people on this board who can give great bodybuilding advice (Ziggy etc), unfortunately I'm not one of them.

It sounds like its the increased calories/protein that are causing you problems and not the exercise itself, so why not just keep eating what you normally do and add the heavy weights? You may not get big but really, who cares anymore, thin and lean is in these days.

Its a lot easier to change your self-image than to eat enormous quantities of food and push around heavy weights for years. Why not look for new role models who are thin and in great shape? Get a 6 pack and some nice clothes and you're all set!

 

[FireflyX]

"Sugical implants" are cheating! If im honest i have found that crohns diet lends itself to body building. Plenty of lean mean and fish. Low fat high protein and 5 small meals. Pretty similar to what many dieticians are asking people with Crohns to eat.

Well... nobody would know I cheated And yes the actual food is ok it's just that I'd have to eat a lot of it.

What is the diet you're on when you're bodybuilding? You say its making you sick but you didn't mention what it is. There are a lot of people on this board who can give great bodybuilding advice (Ziggy etc), unfortunately I'm not one of them.

It sounds like its the increased calories/protein that are causing you problems and not the exercise itself, so why not just keep eating what you normally do and add the heavy weights? You may not get big but really, who cares anymore, thin and lean is in these days.

Its a lot easier to change your self-image than to eat enormous quantities of food and push around heavy weights for years. Why not look for new role models who are thin and in great shape? Get a 6 pack and some nice clothes and you're all set!

The diet I'm on just involves a lot of lean protein and high carbs. I don't think the exercise is bad at all. Anyway you just made me realise that I didn't even mention the reason for me doing this. Thing is I'm terrified of people calling me slim or thin. I am fairly overweight right now and I would be happy with that if the weight didn't go on in weird places. My legs are far too fat, I can't even wear a pair of jeans, so I was planning on getting lipo in that area. I'm also unhappy with how thin I look from the side between my chest and back so that's where I either want muscle or implants. Also I'm 5 ft 8 so being thin would only make me look very small. I used to be about 150lbs and people would constantly mock me for how small and weak I looked. Finally I have gynecomastia from using anabolic steroids last year so no matter what image I was going for surgery would need to be done on that area.

Life is difficult for small people

 

[Mr Bedfordshire]

im in the same 'sorta' boat as you and i think many crohns and colitis sufferers are to.

basically i want to bulk up and for someone to say to me "mm, youve put on weight and muscle' instead of 'god youve lost weight/look skinny' so im in the process of looking on ebay for some dumbells for home use and trying some whey protein powder to see how i get on. not going to bother with the gym as its not every day i have good energy levels so it'll be a waste if money.

 

[happy]

Ok you guys, I just have to chime in. It seems to me that you are talking about body image problems that our culture promotes. It is no different than girls starving themselves to look like models. My son had a form of IBD when he was a young child. He is in terrific health now at age 17. He does a lot of sports- hockey, volleyball, basketball, golf and track and field. He is 5' 10 at 128 lbs. He gets lots of "you're too skinny" comments from many people, including his coaches. He has lots of energy, lots of friends and looks great in clothing that fits him (which is a challenge to find). I tell him that the comments from others are their problems- what is most important is that he feels healthy himself. His father (at 5' 6") was also very slender until he hit age 50.

After a health crisis over 10 years ago, I became overweight. Recently, I have lost 37 pounds due to the onset of Crohn's. Sure it's nice to be thinner now, but what I really want is to be in good health. So please fellas, stop worrying about how you look to others. Do what makes you healthy and helps you to feel good about yourselves, not to please others. You'll attract the type of people that you want to because you're self-confidence will shine through, no matter what size and shape your body is.

 

[FireflyX]

im in the same 'sorta' boat as you and i think many crohns and colitis sufferers are to.

basically i want to bulk up and for someone to say to me "mm, youve put on weight and muscle' instead of 'god youve lost weight/look skinny' so im in the process of looking on ebay for some dumbells for home use and trying some whey protein powder to see how i get on. not going to bother with the gym as its not every day i have good energy levels so it'll be a waste if money.

I will say one thing... don't do much cardio. We need all the calories we can get. Anyway I found it difficult to work out at home because of all the disraction but maybe you'll be more focused than me.

Ok you guys, I just have to chime in. It seems to me that you are talking about body image problems that our culture promotes. It is no different than girls starving themselves to look like models. My son had a form of IBD when he was a young child. He is in terrific health now at age 17. He does a lot of sports- hockey, volleyball, basketball, golf and track and field. He is 5' 10 at 128 lbs. He gets lots of "you're too skinny" comments from many people, including his coaches. He has lots of energy, lots of friends and looks great in clothing that fits him (which is a challenge to find). I tell him that the comments from others are their problems- what is most important is that he feels healthy himself. His father (at 5' 6") was also very slender until he hit age 50.

After a health crisis over 10 years ago, I became overweight. Recently, I have lost 37 pounds due to the onset of Crohn's. Sure it's nice to be thinner now, but what I really want is to be in good health. So please fellas, stop worrying about how you look to others. Do what makes you healthy and helps you to feel good about yourselves, not to please others. You'll attract the type of people that you want to because you're self-confidence will shine through, no matter what size and shape your body is.

I know what you're saying but a lot of people judge others on their looks. It's because of this that I have no confidence. It is important for us to try and keep well but I feel very abnormal because of my body so that is important too. I'm 20 now and I spent the last decade of my life isolating myself from people and wishing I was growing normally like them. I've never been able to do anything with my life like go and work or talk to girls because I've always had a messed up body even before crohns. I've made a promise to myself that this is going to change in my 20s.

 

[Guest9283]

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=14852&highlight=diet

After you read that and try to understand it, then you need to use it and design a diet for yourself. If you skip over this because it is a little time consuming, then workingout is a hopless cause. Designing your diet properly is the ONLY way you will see results. I hope red meat is not a part of your "lean meats". If it is that might be your problem in why it makes you feel bad. Otherewise, a bodybuilder diet should improve your symptoms.

After you have done that, you need to take a quarter of that money you would spend on that lipo, and hire a trainer at your gym (or even to your home) to help you train right, and to build solid workout form and habbits.

I'm not even going to start on the things you mentioned trying at 19yrs old, and now at 20yrs old. However you are justifying these extremes in your head, just know that there is no reason you have to do or try those things. I put on 100lbs of muscle from age 18 - 22 using just the above. There is no difference in me to you. I started at 89lbs 5'8. Just make sure that your crohns is in remission first. That is your main priority, is figuring out what can get and keep you in remission. All food will bother you if the inflamation is bad enough. You can try checking your testosterone levels. That would be the only legitimate thing that MAY be hindering you aside from crohns inflamation. A lot of crohnnies have low testosterone. This can be fixed. Also don't watch the scale when making your transformation. Judge by the mirror. <--- that is a big tip! At 188lbs ripped I would look 220. Quality is key.

Pm me if you have any questions. I will be glad to help.