[Kez82]

So, hospital is our home for the next 4.5 months. I sit on my butt and eat comfort food all day. It's not healthy physically or mentally. I'm welcoming suggestions on how best to manage this in a hospital, restrictive, setting?

[qak]

Sorry to hear that. Are you mobile at all? If you ate thaw patient you can ask the hospital dietician.

[Jenflea]

Is it possible to do laps of the hospital at all? A bit like those groups which walk around the shopping malls early in them mornings for exercise.

[amabanana]

I don't really have any advice I just wanted to say 'that sucks!' Are you able to get some stuff from the supermarket (healthy snacks like bananas, apples, trail mix, carrots etc with bought hommus)
I hope the time flies and you are home with Ella real soon.

[countrymel]

Your daughter isn't going to mind if you get a bit on the chubby side while you are there holding her hand.

There is plenty of time to get super fit chasing after her when she's all better again.

I'd just try and remember not to binge on the comfort foods - but not beat yourself up if you do - and just concentrate on doing cuddle reps. and keeping your 'Mum loves you' smile muscles in tip top condition.

[elmo_mum]

been there and put on weight!!
sorry!

try and keep snacks with you.. but we werent allowed to eat at the bed side (nicu) so had to be in our bags..no storage facility

try and go for a walk each day

[Lausii]

I've been following you on facebook. Glad Ella is getting better.

Is there a gym in the hospital or nearby? If you look at you tube there are heaps of short exercise programs you could do in the room.

As for the dietary part, that would be hard. Breakfast should be fairly simple? Cereal and fruit? Lunch a healthy sandwich? Dinner would be the difficult part. Good luck!

Eta- look at My fitness pal, takes the guesswork out of it for you with calories plus if you have a smart phone there is a handy barcode scanner.

This post has been edited by Lausii: 10/02/2013, 04:31 PM

[minimae]

If you ate thaw patient you can ask the hospital dietician.

I think eating the patients will certainly lead to weight gain lol
I've also been following your beautiful daughters journey on Facebook op, you guys are such an inspiration.

[SCARFACE CLAW]

I too am following your journey on Facebook

Whenever I've been in hospital, what I missed the most was fresh fruit, as hospital's idea of fresh fruit is a cup of two fruits! So maybe start by getting a big basket of fresh fruit for the room - I'm sure your gorgeous daughter would love that too!

[PatG]

I hope your DD's treatment goes well.

Suggestions:

Make sure you have healthy snacks available all the time so you don't resort to the unhealthy vending machine ones.

Include a treat (chocolate, cake etc) every day.

I second PP suggestion of My Fitness Pal to track what you eat, set it up for "maintenance" rather than weight loss - you have enough to worry about without trying to lose weight. It is really good at highlighting the difference in calories of, say, a couple of arnotts biscuits (200cal) or a nice filling banana (90cal).

Take the stairs when possible - hospitals are great for big long corridors and multiple floors. See if you can devise a circuit of sorts - e.g. along the corridor, down the stairs, back along another corridor, up the stairs, back to your daughter. Even if it only takes 5 minutes it will help clear your head and give a bit of exercise.

Walk visitors back to the entrance every time if possible

Drink lots of water, get a decent water bottle and keep it topped up.