My PD diagnosis two years ago was a wake-up call. I look after myself assiduously these days: I try and eat well, rest properly and, of course, I exercise. I'm not terribly fit because I didn't exercise until the last five years (three years before diagnosis, I lost a ton of weight on purpose and joined the gym). I've not got much stamina or endurance but I'm much fitter than I was.
The last couple of weeks have been very busy and I've allowed bad habits to creep back. I work part-time but I did extra days, with some late nights at work hunched over a keyboard, junk food and no exercise. By the end of last week I wasn't in great shape and my mobility really deteriorated. I was shaky and wobbly. So, taking myself in hand, I made exercise the priority over the last three days and the change has been rapid. My drug of choice in the gym is fast cycling to get my heart rate up, followed by some work on the mat. Today, my mobility is nearly back to as normal as it gets for me again - a bit slow but steady and I feel much better. But lesson learned: PD doesn't take a day off. But I will: I'm not going back to work until Wednesday!
Sue
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stevie3
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It is great that your pd responds well to exercise. For me the exercise needs to be varied from day to day. It keeps your body off guard and makes it use all of it's ability to keep up. I believe your exercise should include weight lifting, yoga to keep you loose, and aerobics to to increase your stamina.
Hi Stevie. I don't know where to start answering your questions and reacting to what you are telling us. Just some advice, don't overexercise! The best exercise for Pd is FAST WALKING! If you want to get the best results then walk on an uneven surface, outdoors if possible. If you walk for 15 minutes, as fast as you can, every second day for 2 weeks and then add another 5 minutes on for the next 2 weeks and every second week add another 5 minutes until yo get to 1 hour. Then concentrate on walking faster and faster until you are at your limit. Reda more about it on my website - reverseparkinsons.net. You can talk to me on the website.
Thanks John. I don't think I asked any questions - I was just sharing what works for me! It has to be something I enjoy or I won't do it. Walking, fast or otherwise, doesn't do it for me, although I have, of course, read your information about it. My point, if I had one, was that what I'm doing clearly works for me because when I stopped for a bit, so did the rest of me! I felt lousy for a few days last week but I've woken up this morning feeling ok again.
I've had similar regressions when not exercising, eating poorly and getting little rest. A good one hour workout (fast walking) seems to make me feel great again!
Just do your best, and keep fighting for as long as you can. That is the best advice I can give. We all know that fatigue and motivation are big probems, don't beat yourself up. Exercise is important, but just like "normal" people we always have different views on how much we feel like doing.
For me, it's not about fighting, Andy - I see it more as accommodating. Adjusting. I've always been someone who works round things rather than goes through them. We all have different ways of approaching this, don't we, that's the beauty of this forum. What works for you may not work for me, but I might give it a go, just to see. I certainly don't best myself up - I think my point was to try and illustrate that exercise really has an impact.
Walking "fast" might be the best exercise for P D but there are some of us who have gait , balance, and other mobility problems that prevent "fast walking"- I now use a "theracycle" and find it very useful.
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