For a better life with Fibro...it's that "E" word again...

Dear Fibro Friends, I'm bring up the "E" word again....as in, Exercise.....

I can't stress the importance of it strongly enough. I am, after all, having suffered with this illness for over 15 years, a veteran.

When I was first told to exercise, I all but cursed at the person who advised it ...  my brother! Actually, I would NEVER curse at him, but I wasn't happy when he told me it would help. He was less my brother, at that time and more of a DOCTOR. I also felt that he didn't really know what he was talking about because, if he DID, he wouldn't even suggest it! 

How dare he? He NEVER had suffered this much pain and weakness! I asked him if he would exercise if he had the flu. He said emphatically, "NO!...However, you DO NOT have the flu!". Well, all I could think was that he still didn't understand it and NEVER would.

Well....then I tried it. I was starting to find it difficult fitting into my clothes again and at 40 something, felt well, aside from sick, just plain heavy! I didn't feel like myself, or anything even close. I didn't feel like I was supposed to be the weight I was. Now, I'm not going to get into a discussion on weight. I believe that we all have a "correct" weight for us, a healthy weight. But I was not trying to be "skinny". Don't even get me started on the models in magazines, etc. Makes me angry. It's a whole different article for a different day, maybe tomorrow! :)

So, back to the exercise, I decided that I should TRY to walk and I did. The rest is history. 

Now, I KNOW some of you want to slap me, but I'm here to say, MY BROTHER WAS RIGHT! 

A body in motion, tends to produce hormones called "endorphins", these are the "feel good" chemicals that increase that feeling of "well-being" and lessen depression. 

We are all different and I know that what you enjoy, someone else may hate, as far as exercise goes. So, the following link to Web MD mentions some tips and ideas on how to start an exercise program and the best exercises for Fibro. To me, walking, yoga, "light" weight training, and tai chi all sound good!

I will give you one small piece of advice however, as they mention "warming up" in the article. I have found that if I do warm up before walking, I have ended up with more pain. I used to work in a pretty reputable gym and more than warming up, cooling down should be your focus. 

In other words, if I'm going to go for a brisk walk, I would start my walk a bit more slowly and then work into a brisk walk after a few minutes of the slower walk. After my walk is done, I would cool down with stretches. Please remember too, stretches are just that, stretches...not bounces. 

I see so many people "warming up" on the track (which drives me nuts to begin with) by bouncing down on their lunges and bouncing into a toe touch. Rather, you should stretch to a comfortable position, and feel a "bit" of a pull, then hold that position for about 20-30 seconds. Gentle stretching for 20-30 seconds will not injure you. Bouncing will hurt your muscles and tendons. Please avoid "bouncing" when you stretch. Take your time. Give yourself time to enjoy what you're doing. Don't rush through it. 

Bottom line is this...find an exercise you enjoy. Some people hate walking and find it boring. I bring my Ipod shuffle and really enjoy it, with the music or inspirational talks moving me forward. Maybe you'll prefer swimming, or yoga. Whatever it is, take it slow, enjoy the moment and be patient. Do it with a friend, OR do it alone. I prefer the "me" time. It's up to you...point is this...."Just do it!".... :)

Give yourself the "free" gift of exercise and you will reap rewards you've never imagined! Try me on this! 

Here's the link....

Fibro Friendly Exercises

Blessings......


Mo M.