The exercise thread

[sunkacola]

Greetings all,

I am starting this thread for all of us.
I mentioned starting a thread for encouraging each other to get exercise, and some people responded that they thought it was a good idea, so here it is. We'll see if it turns out to be useful or not. :grin:

The idea of this thread is to write what exercise you got today....or this week....however often you want to post. The purpose is to have a place to keep track for yourself, and to see what others are doing, and most of all to give and receive encouragement for what you do no matter what level it is.

This is not intended to be a competitive place, or a place where anyone would feel they are not doing enough!

We all know that exercise helps with the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia. It doesn't matter whether what you did today was hike a mountain or walk to the end of the driveway and back. Every little bit helps.

Let's use this thread to record our triumphs, disappointments, and challenges, mark our progress, and give each other support.

 

[vickythecat]

I had a good day, so I am quite happy, also because I got some fun and useful exercises in. Being able to move, relatively pain-free, feels so good.

For me today the key was good music. I turned on some fun songs, from all genres, mostly ones I knew the lyrics of, and I was cooking, singing along, dancing, sitting down, getting up, cleaning up some, sitting down again, then dancing around for about 40 minutes. It felt real good! I had been in a flare since last week Friday, so a week later, being able to do all this make me hopeful again. Ups and downs....

 

[medicmurphy]

Proud of you vickythecat. 40 min is awesome, especially during a flare. I'm applauding you.

I ran 7.3 K today. A new goal reached! I'm now watch Beauty and the Beast sipping tea.

Thx for starting this thread.

 

[Sagey]

Thats great Vickithecat,

I love music !and it gets me moving too.Glad your flare passed and U could enjoy the day!

 

[Sagey]

Wow MedicMurphy,

That's great that u can run!
I'm not sure what the 7.3 k is equivalent to but it sounds like a lot!!!! lol

Sagey

 

[Sagey]

Hi,

Still in flare, but got up and made some cornbread because there was nothing else to eat that wouldn't upset my stomach.
Took some pictures of the birds outside eating the suet on my tree.I enjoy bird watching when I can't do much.


Not great excercise but at least a little something

Sagey

 

[medicmurphy]

I also enjoy watching birds. This summer we erected a hummingbird feeder. They are so much fun to watch. I find it peaceful. We also had a back deck built so now I can spend more time soaking up the sun and listen to satellite radio from the 70's. Takes me back to when I was a young teenager. Ahh, the good ole days

The conversion from km to miles that I ran is= 5 miles

I'm shocked I can run at all. I've been training for 5 weeks now.

 

[vickythecat]

I also love watching birds - I was the only one among my friends and colleagues when I started watching/observing birds, and they thought I had gone mad. Well, those of us who know how amazing birds are, also know that they are the actual mad ones!!!

I love watching nature, and any animal really. It takes away the focus away from me, my little world and proves to me that there is so much out there. Great exercise for the soul!

7.3k - wow, I actually did not know k stood for km! That is amazing that you are now enjoying running, must feel so good to achieve each km!

 

[Marvis]

This is a great idea! I didn't manage exercise perse. I did manage to get out and do the grocery shopping after a long day of errands yesterday. I'm having dinner out tonight, so I'm not going to risk the arm exercises the physio recommended until tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes. It's great seeing a good positive thread going on here! We need some encouragement.

 

[medicmurphy]

I agree Marvis. It is good to have the safe freedom to vent about our health issues but it is important to have a positive slant as well. We need to be encouraged for the positive accomplishments we achieve. When it comes to physical exersize we especially need the kudos as we need to dig deep. I'm glad to have this thread as it balances nicely what our lives are all about.

I'm excited to say I bought snappy new trainers for running trails. A nice reward for hard work.

 

[sunkacola]

I think that I am going to try to do some of the weight lifting exercise that I used to do. It's harder right now because I am out of practice, in pain, and it is over 100 every day now and I don't cool my place down that much because the electric bill is high enough already


But I wanted to write about it because I want to recommend to everyone that if you are the least bit interested in trying weight lifting, give it a try. The thing is, there are hundreds of inexpensive DVDs that you can buy, and you can work out at home with no one watching or interrupting, and you can do it whenever you want without having to go anywhere to do it.
Takes a space about 6 feet by 4 feet maybe to do everything. It is SO much better than going to a gym, and costs a lot less too. You can start with one pound weights, and still do the same exercises. Work up to heavier weights...or don't!....and it would still be beneficial.

There's a place online called Collage Video that I have used for many years. they have every kind of exercise video you can imagine: weight, walking, aerobics, dance, yoga and so on. You can preview a 30 second clip from the videos, and then if you get it and don't like it you can return it. Most are under $15, and they have for super-beginners up to super-achievers. Some of them are designed to be done from a chair, or specifically for people with back trouble. You can call them and get advice, too. It's a good resource. (and just in case you are wondering if this is an ad, I do NOT work for them! I have bought a lot from them over about 17 years and always been satisfied)

Anyway, I am going to try to get back to using my DVDs.

 

[medicmurphy]

Awesome sunkacola, you go girl! Keep us informed about your progress! It is so reshreshing to see someone doing something instead of deciding they can do nothing. People with Fibro CAN move. They CAN perform some sort of exersize. It may be little but it's moving. You will feel good about yourself.

 

[Marvis]

Great advice sunkacola! You can also use therabands, which is what my physio is recommending and super cheap. Did my arm exercises yesterday. This morning watered the plants in the garden, which involves lugging the big watering can around. Today I start my neck exercises, so we'll see how that goes!

 

[sunkacola]

My first day of trying to go back to working out with weights regularly.
I have to do it around 6AM because it's too warm later in the day.

Did a half hour combination upper and lower body using a step and the lightest weights I have (3lb), and stretch before and after, of course.

Trying really hard now to feel good about having done it rather than depressed about the fact that I am in such poor condition that I am using 3 lb weights when I used to use 10, 12, and 15 lb dumbbells, and my flexibility isn't what it used to be either.

I am fortunate in that I am not a person who ever puts on weight, so I am still very slim, too thin really, and need to put on some muscle,
But my muscle tone is very poor compared to what it once was.
It will be hard to keep myself going, trying to build back up to a condition I can feel good about.

 

[diamond]

Well done sunkacola !!!!