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A Journey Through Arthritis and Goals of Fitness

This article tells the story of a Reddit user who struggled with weight and arthritis, and how she overcame those struggles.

Article by Madeleine Smith

A before and after photo of a 5'7" female showing a weight reduction from 185 pounds to 140 pounds. A total loss of 45 pounds.
F/37/5’7” [185 > 140 = 45lbs] a boat load of hard work over the last few years to get here. My goals have changed from weight loss to muscle gain. I have autoimmune arthritis in most of my joints but it hasn’t stopped me yet.
Originally posted on /r/progresspics

Introduction

Struggling with weight loss can be mentally and physically exhausting, and adding autoimmune arthritis to the mix only makes things tougher. Reddit user butstronger shares her weight loss journey in a post, outlining her struggles with psoriatic arthritis and the hard work that led to her muscle gain goals.

Finding a Starting Point

A user, Marsbars1991, commented that their mother has rheumatoid arthritis and is hesitant about gaining muscle. Butstronger suggests that her mother begins with bodyweight exercises and bands to identify her limitations. She also suggests that her mother finds a physical therapist and starts with low reps to prevent further inflammation.

Diet and Workout Routine

Butstronger's diet involves oatmeal, eggs, fruit, chicken, fish, vegetables, nuts, rice, sweet potatoes, cheesecake, and wine. Her workout routine consists of lifting six times a week, working each muscle group twice or thrice. She also shares that lower body workouts can be challenging due to joint pain but insists on pushing through to strengthen her muscles.

The Benefits of Pushing Through

Overcoming obstacles in the path to weight loss is hardly easy, but butstronger refused to use her arthritis as an excuse. User [deleted] also shares that they had arthritis yet found working out to help reduce their joint pain. Butstronger's routine has also helped to keep her inflammation in check as she shares that she drinks less compared to her previous habits. Taking accountability of one's health can be a significant factor in working through one's journey.

Conclusion

Butstronger's journey is awe-inspiring, and their success story is one of hard work, perseverance, and not letting arthritis come in the way of their goals. Maintaining moderate to high-intensity exercises and diet can be the key to a healthy lifestyle. Everyone's journey is unique; therefore, it is imperative to find what works best for you, but it is always recommended that you speak to a healthcare provider when starting a new workout or diet routine to discover what will suit you and your goals.

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Madeleine Smith

Content Lead at MyProgressPics.com

Madeleine is passionate about empowering individuals with the information and tools they need to transform their bodies and lives.