Resistance Training and PMR

This may not be for everyone but in my case it has been a life changer.
I'm a 73 year old male and I've had PMR for almost 5 years wth many tapers and flares so firstly I changed my diet to eating only whole foods.
Absolutely NO added sugar and fruit juices with high sugar content.
I dropped 50 lbs (from 230 to 179 today) and the inflammation reduced significantly.
I did this through intermittent fasting and walking a minimum of 1 hour per day.
Resistance training was too painful...until recently.
That's when I changed the fasting regimen to 36/12 which means 36 hours with no food followed by 12 hours of being able to eat however much I want. I still adhere to the no sugar diet of course during the eating period.
The results have been miraculous for me.
Within a week, yes, I said a week, I had full flexibility in my neck and shoulders. That's something I hadn't had for years and the pain in my hands, hips and knees was insignificant.
I was then able to do some mild resistance training 3 days a week using bands.
Dr Jason Fung, a nephrologist, was my inspiration throughout this journey.
Through his medical practice he was able to reduce obesity and reverse type 2 diabetes in his patients using intermittent fasting and the side effect of reducing inflammation was the kicker for me.
He is now a authority of the benefits of intermittent fasting and you can find him on YouTube.
BTW. He doesn't promote any products. His channel is purely about information and the results he has seen in his patients.

I wish that I had the discipline to try what you are doing. I am relying mostly on exercise to lose my prednisone acquired weight. My endocrinologist is helping me and I'm making progress. I have dropped 30 lbs but 30 lbs more would be better.

I took Prednisone for 12 years to treat PMR. My endocrineolgist blames long term prednisone use for the 'metabolic syndrome" that I now have.
https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/news/corticosteroids-linked-to-increased-metabolic-syndrome-risk/#:~:text=HealthDay%20News%20%E2%80%94%20Use%20of%20corticosteroids,to%204%20in%20Orlando%2C%20Florida.
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My endocrinologist thinks some of my problems may be irreversible or it will take a long time. Getting off prednisone was a good first step.

What is metabolic syndrome? Sounds exactly the same as prednisone side effects to me.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351916

Just to be clear as far as the fasting goes, I started with a 16/8 plan
which meant I could eat during an 8 hour period every day and fasted for
the rest of the day. You can choose the time frame to suit your schedule.
Once the body got used to that and the emotional hunger dissipated I
switched to 20/4 and found that to be pretty easy.
About 6 weeks ago I started the 36/8 regimen and that's where I really
noticed the reduction in inflammation.
I know it takes certain mindset but we are capable anything.
P.S. I meditate daily and being able to stay in the moment really helps to
stay focused .

Just to be clear as far as the fasting goes, I started with a 16/8 plan
which meant I could eat during an 8 hour period every day and fasted for
the rest of the day. You can choose the time frame to suit your schedule.
Once the body got used to that and the emotional hunger dissipated I
switched to 20/4 and found that to be pretty easy.
About 6 weeks ago I started the 36/8 regimen and that's where I really
noticed the reduction in inflammation.
I know it takes certain mindset but we are capable anything.
P.S. I meditate daily and being able to stay in the moment really helps to
stay focused .

I think calling it fasting gives the wrong impression, when all that's being done is eating between certain hours, in my case between 12noon and 7pm. I've never really eaten breakfast, so the main difference is not snacking after 7pm. I'd heard about what was being called fasting and was put off investigating what it was for years, just because fasting sounded like starvation and not eating for long periods.

Cutting the carbs/sugars right down and removing gluten and processed foods have resulted in me losing 2stone just before PMR struck, and losing a further 2stone+ after starting prednisolone. I've maintained that weight loss by sticking to the 7hr eating window and the same no-junk nutrient dense diet.

My blood pressure dropped from high (despite being on meds) to normal within weeks of starting low carb gluten free and my chronic overnight reflux went away within days. I've halved blood pressure meds & beta blockers and dumped statins. I now know that what we feed our bodies impacts our health enormously and in most cases can reverse or greatly improve metabolic syndrome. It's hard for some people to accept they're making themselves sick with what they eat. They either don't believe that food has such an impact, or they think it's just easier to take a drug (with its own side effects) to remedy the harm they cause with a poor diet.

I think calling it fasting gives the wrong impression, when all that's being done is eating between certain hours, in my case between 12noon and 7pm. I've never really eaten breakfast, so the main difference is not snacking after 7pm. I'd heard about what was being called fasting and was put off investigating what it was for years, just because fasting sounded like starvation and not eating for long periods.

Cutting the carbs/sugars right down and removing gluten and processed foods have resulted in me losing 2stone just before PMR struck, and losing a further 2stone+ after starting prednisolone. I've maintained that weight loss by sticking to the 7hr eating window and the same no-junk nutrient dense diet.

My blood pressure dropped from high (despite being on meds) to normal within weeks of starting low carb gluten free and my chronic overnight reflux went away within days. I've halved blood pressure meds & beta blockers and dumped statins. I now know that what we feed our bodies impacts our health enormously and in most cases can reverse or greatly improve metabolic syndrome. It's hard for some people to accept they're making themselves sick with what they eat. They either don't believe that food has such an impact, or they think it's just easier to take a drug (with its own side effects) to remedy the harm they cause with a poor diet.

Jean, first and foremost, we and our conditions are all different. Even the docs don't really know exactly what's going on in our bodies from day to day. So, this is really not a one size fits all issue. I have worked out regularly and heavily for over 40 yrs. When this problem started in Jan, it began in my thighs, so I decided to call a halt to exercise. Take a break from both strengthening and cardio. The condition progressed into my arms, etc. I saw a Sports Med dr because I thought since I had recently stepped up my program to strenghten my thighs more, my problem was due to that. He spent no time except to send me for a hip xray which showed nothing significant and on to PT, which I quit almost immediately as it was just too painful, mainly after I got home. I know my body and I knew this was not muscular pain that results from exercising new muscles. It had worsened the pain from the PMR and you know what that kind of pain feels like.
I saw a rheum, who felt I didn't have pmr because the US did not show enough inflammation, however, she did tell me not to do anything that caused pain.
I have just begun to walk for 30 min every other day. It does not seem to be making things worse. I am not medicated, only 1 Advil per day, well aware that it might not be a great idea but trying to get docs to do labs and check everything regularly. What regularly means, varies from person to person, I've noted. Again, it depends on one's condition and what they're dealing with besides possible PMR.
I am also doing some mild strengthening and stretching. Just started those and so far, so good. I warm up first, do 10 bridges for back strengthening, 10 leg raises. ( I am adding clam shells for hip strength and sit stands soon as well as increasing the numbers of sets I do of the 2 I'm already doing). That's it for now. then I stretch afterwards.
At first, the walking really increased my leg pain, but now, so far, it's much better and I feel better doing it. I put on the news but turn it down and play music! LOL. If I see something I can stand to hear, I'll switch modalities!
BTW, I also have untreated osteoporosis, so all my exercises are osteo-safe to the very best of my knowledge.
Let me know if you want links to any of these exercises.
Best to you.

I wish that I had the discipline to try what you are doing. I am relying mostly on exercise to lose my prednisone acquired weight. My endocrinologist is helping me and I'm making progress. I have dropped 30 lbs but 30 lbs more would be better.

I took Prednisone for 12 years to treat PMR. My endocrineolgist blames long term prednisone use for the 'metabolic syndrome" that I now have.
https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/news/corticosteroids-linked-to-increased-metabolic-syndrome-risk/#:~:text=HealthDay%20News%20%E2%80%94%20Use%20of%20corticosteroids,to%204%20in%20Orlando%2C%20Florida.
---------------------------------------------------
My endocrinologist thinks some of my problems may be irreversible or it will take a long time. Getting off prednisone was a good first step.

What is metabolic syndrome? Sounds exactly the same as prednisone side effects to me.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351916

Metabolic syndrome affects how we metabolize calories. Many diabetics have it, as do many people who are overweight. Criteria:

Elevated waist circumference
Elevated triglycerides and blood pressure
Low HDL cholesterol (the Healthy one, vs LDL, the Lethal one, get it?)
Elevated fasting glucose.
Insulin resistance (we make our own, but people with metabolic syndrome can't use it properly)

About 1 in 3 people in the US have it; overweight and diets with a lot of processed/refined carbs are a big factor.

I'm pretty average weight, but I'm doing a mostly Keto diet and trying to follow the Autoimmune Protocol Diet in hopes it will help with my strange pain, which I think might be PMR but docs don't think so.

I'm ordering keto dinners from a company called Factor. They're delicious and I'm losing weight (about 10 lbs in a few weeks, which is closer to what I'd like to be). A few problems with delivery, but I love the food. (not a plug, just info).

I try to eat just protein and non-starchy veggies before dinner - smoked salmon/arugula salad, salami or pastrami and pickles or olives, stuff like that. I drink espresso in coconut milk with fake sugar in the morning instead of coffee and half-and-half, and I like it just as much.

ANY processed carbs we eat trigger a need for insulin to process them. If you're insulin-resistant, that triggers to body to store the calories as fat. The keto diet is very low in carbs, but delicious because of all the meat and fat you get to eat. 🙂

The AIP diet excludes LOTS more than a Keto diet - mainly you can have meat and veggies and a little fruit. No legumes, dairy, nuts, seeds, eggs. It's a little tough to stick to but I'm trying to stick pretty close. We'll see. . . I think just sticking with a keto diet helps with weight loss and MAYBE pain related to inflammation, which comes with metabolic syndrome.

Congrats on losing 30 lbs! That's no small achievement!