Progress is slow but it's progress.

[Jeffjones297]

Whilst my walking has improved, both in distance and confidence, it remains a up and down affair. Good days no problem, bad days problems, problems.My hip and leg exercises have improved beyond recognition, exercises I could barely do, now get easier and my range of movement has increased enormously, I will add an additional set to each exercise next week.

Very light weight training, with dumbbells, I'm up to three sets of 10 reps on each exercise, weight will increase next week.

May progress to pyramid sets, if things go well.

All of the above are packaged into 6 daily sessions a week, alternately. So leg ex's n flexibility + walk, one day, weights n exercise bike the next, repeat.

Probably accounts timewise, to no more that 45mins if that and that's taking it slowly and gently.

But the walking, is the thing ! Confidence seems to be everything, if I'm feeling good on my feet (hip problem) then I can walk and push myself. But any sense of imbalance, or concern about how far I'll get and I turn around early and come home. Patience I guess, improvement will come but it won't come overnight.

[CBDB Administrator]

Amazing progress!!! Just reading this is so inspiring! Well done for sticking to your workout routines and getting those walks in.

The balance thing can really knock one’s confidence. I don’t have it as much with walking (but a tiny bit) , but much more with cycling. I used to cycle daily, and my pregnancy and subsequent stomach muscle injuries put a stop to it. That was more than a decade ago. I seldom cycle now, and I’ve never talked about it much, but the main reason is that I’ve lost my ability to balance when turning my head. So I feel for you with the balance issue.

I should give cycling a serious attempt again, as in the last 3 years I’ve made immense progress to my balance doing running, walking and all their associated exercises.

I wonder if sometimes we just got to stay with it, persist, have patience and slowly but surely work at getting stronger in our bodies.

Well done! You are doing great! Keep on keeping on!

[Jeffjones297 in reply to CBDB]

It's amazing the difference these last six (short) weeks have made. It's had knock on benefits to other areas, my energy and enthusiasm has increased. By seeing improvement, I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I was in a dark place and felt trapped by my body and getting older, I no longer feel that way. I'm starting to feel I can do better and achieve more, if I just progress slowly and methodically.

I'm getting back some of the old me and some of the enthusiasm I used to have.

I would say, I have somewhat of a depression prone, psychology.

But when I was younger, exercise was always the one constant and one thing, that pulled me out the other side.

It truly does have many benefits, even as and when you are older.

[CBDB Administrator in reply to Jeffjones297]

That is so great to read! It’s brilliant! Yes, walking and working out really helps also with mental health. I find when I don’t run, walk or work out, I’m more grumpy! 😂

💪🏽👍🏽

[Annieapple A30min a day]

Jeffjones297

🍏you are doing well Jeff….building confidence is not as easy sometimes as building muscles! Keep on doing what you are doing & hey presto the magic will happen one beautiful spring day! 😊 ☀️

[GoogleMe]

I wonder if you might find a 'barefoot' or minimalist style shoe helpful? Certainly I've found for running that I need to be able to 'feel the ground' and struggled to maintain my balance in a shoe that wasn't.

Do you have routes available to you with lots of benches? That might help too... as might walking with someone else. I also found when my balance was worse than it is now that pushing a pram was really helpful - but I did have a baby to put in one back then.

[Jeffjones297 in reply to GoogleMe]

Talking of baby's n prams, I find the same with shops ! I'll go in shops I can push a trolley around, it gives me confidence n support.

When myself and my daughter go around the diy store, to get what she needs for her house, first thing she does is find me a trolley to push lol 😂

I can rest when I need and feel confident I'm not gonna fall over, with nothing to hold onto to.

With just my stick, I feel very vulnerable.

[GoogleMe in reply to Jeffjones297]

Yes! People used to offer to push the trolley for me - no thank you, I need it!

[Jeffjones297]

Ps I got my consultants appt letter Fri, for my hip replacement ! Another step on the way. Get that done n it's just the looooong wait for the op.