Update inc my low impact routine.

[euryleia]

I have just finished a GP referral course at my local gym, where they give you an exercise program and diet tips and review you every six weeks, but for some reason I got extra weeks due to my consultant being replaced. I've lost 2cm on my waist, but nothing on my hips, and my body fat is down by 1%. The scales at home say 17.1; the scales at the gym say 17.4. Either way, there's a difference. I feel like I've made progress so I'm booked in for a very light weights session next week.

On the other hand, the back issues that have been lurking on and off have properly come in for the attack, to the extent that I couldn't move for pain after taking four steps and was stuck in the kitchen doorway for five minutes trying to put my leg down. Prodded the GP, told him it wasn't fibro, honest, 'cause I know fibro pain, and the X-ray revealed sacral joint inflammation. Which pretty much reduces it to either Rheumatoid Arthritis, or Ankylosing Spondylitis - which, weirdly, a good friend of mine has just been diagnosed with. It's not been too bad over the last few days, but still very noticeable when I have to go out and about in town.

But, at least, the advice for managing that pain (as if I didn't have enough with the fibro!!) is gentle exercise. Somehow I have to get a decent amount of exercise in without overdoing it so I spend most of the day in bed, which is the worst thing for that.

My low-impact routine at the gym has been:

Tuesday: 15mins marching on treadmill since I can't run, 30-45 mins on the crosstrainer (yesterday I did it while watching The Crystal Maze on Challenge :D), and then I either go off for 20 lengths in the pool if it's not taken over by swimming lessons, or do 20 mins on a recumbent bike and spend 10mins in the jacuzzi.

Friday: 30 lengths at my local pool after walking up the Hill of Evil.

Sunday: crosstrainer, 45 mins at home while watching an episode of something. This is the one I fail at most because of work and general apathy.

I am slowly creating a little quiet space in my room where I can do yoga on the other days and shut the cat out for a while, but the apathy/fatigue/distraction is still strong and life has been too busy to establish a routine. However, I just got a high-backed beanbag delivered today which should help with the pain from sitting still to meditate. I'm getting there, slowly.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

WOW!! I'm impressed! For someone that has debilitating medical conditions, your exercise routine puts a lot of us to shame! Well done you, because although you feel the apathy and fatigue, you don't let it stop you.

Keep up the great work and keep us posted

[euryleia in reply to moreless]

Thanks It gets adjusted for flares but I need to do something other than sit around the house with stiff muscles since I also work from home. Helps with the cabin fever too XD

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to euryleia]

Good for you!

[SlimmerSue62]

What a fantastic achievement with the exercise plan. That's fantastic I admire your dedication with your back pain etc to contend with.

[euryleia in reply to SlimmerSue62]

Thanks Don't really have a whole lot of choice as I live alone and need to be functional lol.

[lucigret]

Just a thought, I used to suffer with a lot of back pain for years and then I did a Pilates class. I kept it up for 2 years, would still do it but the instructor left and I don't like the way the new one does it. Anyway, I don't have anything like the pain I used to and if it starts to feel bad I just do some Pilates. It is very gentle and a good instructor will always give you an easy and hard option for each exercise. They will also talk to you individually to make sure you are getting your posture right during the exercise. Good luck you deserve to do well with all your determination.💐

[euryleia in reply to lucigret]

I actually have a Pilates DVD here that I'm going to try at some point. I've been doing yoga on and off since I was a teenager so that's my go-to thing, but yeah it's worth a shot, thanks

[Hidden]

Well done, for getting your exercise up to that point, particularly in the face of a hostile cat, who looks like a terrible saboteur

I think some light yoga would be just the ticket.

[euryleia in reply to Hidden]

I'm just thankful he doesn't jump on me during yoga like the cats in some of the videos on YouTube but he is very "WHAT IS THIS I MUST SNIFF IT" and "WHAT ARE YOU DOING FEED ME I LOVE YOU"

[Hidden in reply to euryleia]

My friend's cat is just the same!