He is *able* to do most things - I take him snowboarding even, but it
definately has to be on his own terms.  He is motavated differently from
other people.  He is not able to sit at a gym while I exercise (like I did
when I was growing up and mom and dad went to the nautilis) and I think a
gym membership to work out with me would be too much for him.  He can't stay
home alone.  He's Autistic.  During the week, I have to sit and help him do
his homework - this is very difficult and many times ends up with him in
tears and us not finished even though it is bedtime.  When he goes to bed, I
go to bed because I'm exhausted.  I try to wake up extra early and work out
before he is awake.  He's not really a morning person and has to be prompted
or helped to do many things to get ready for school. I commute an hour to
work each way.
I realize my weight has a lot to do with my trying to be superwoman and the
constant advocating for his needs and the fighting the school system to have
him not be mistreated by the teachers or suspended due to a manifestation of
his disability.  Last year, I had to write soo many letters.  He did not
have a teacher who tried to understand him.  Or me.  I love it when a
teacher feels qualified to say, "your child is not autistic, he has a
discipline problem" and etc.  So I decided to stop fighting.  I've enrolled
him in a small private school and I really hope it will make the difference.
He would have been going to the giant megalo-middle school (3000 6 & 7th
graders - scarey) this year and I felt it was time for me to do something
that would take care of me.  It's a bit more expensive, but I hope it will
be worth it.  It is amazing how much food one can ingest when she doesn't
have time to do anything for herself.  I'm trying new things like bubble
baths and reading time for non-food rewards now too.
Take Care,
Jennifer

I knew that<G>  I've always done some type of weight training but I upped
the weight training in the last few months due to osteopenia.  I need to
rebuild the bones and weight training is one of the best exercises for this.

you need pretty much zero equipment to do strength training. You can
get awfully strong using your own body as a weight. Pushups, squats,
situps, pullups etc, they work wonders. Weights and gyms are optional.

i

You don't need to go to a gym to do weight training.  I happen to have a gym
membership but I also have dumbbells at home.

My doctor suggested weight training after a bone scan indicated I was losing
bone density.  All my years of drinking milk, walking and biking had done
nothing for my bones. Guess I should have had that bone scan when I was
younger.

Beverly