I used to post here some years ago (early-2000s?), and here’s my forum comeback. I loved the internet forum medium BACK IN THE DAY!
Long story short:
I’m almost 37, and started working out at age 16. I was lucky. I had tremendous peers and access to knowledge and learned a lot of good information (technique, programming, nutrition, etc) early on. Worked out medium-to-hardcore 'til age 24-ish.
I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 24. I surrendered and resigned to my obstacle.
Fast-forward about 10 years, across which I’ve probably worked out 50 times? I regressed. Terribly. I was in awful shape and hating myself.
I burned through tons of medicines across the years, with limited successes.
I was facing a colectomy about a two-ish years ago, got desperate, and went low-ish carb and began working out. The only way I could get to the gym with some level of confidence that I’d not need to run to the bathroom was by eating all of my day’s calories within a 4-ish hour window. I did this for about six months, every day, without exception.
As I lost body fat and reclaimed muscle/strength over the next two years, my ulcerative colitis symptoms essentially disappeared. I’ve been asymptomatic for probably about a year.
I think those with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease (OR ANY OBSTACLES!) should never surrender. Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good and do the best you can with what you’ve got.
Yes, I’ll have this illness forever, but I hope I can keep it in remission in perpetuity.
Cheers.