So, yesterday (as I posted earlier) I joined a gym.
I did light exercise, 20 minutes on 'easy' on a cross trainer. About 5 minutes doing some rowing on the rowing machine and then a couple of lengths swimming, jacuzzi time and then steam room.
I felt amazing. I expected to be a little sore today and I'm pretty happy to report that I'm only ever so slightly more sore than I usually am.
After I did a blog post, I decided to go for a walk into town to purchase some gym appropriate clothing. I found what I wanted, got some food and came home... where I promptly crawled into bed. So, although I felt really pumped and awesome, I'm certainly paying for it now. I'm exhausted and worn, but it is not going to put me off. My body hasn't been worked in a very long time and I'm determined to see this through. (I have a 6 month contract!)
Bring it on.
Tuesday 15 January 2013
Officially a gym member!
Shock horror. A girl with ME/CFS has joined a gym.
It's absolute madness I know, so hear me out;
Yes, I am constantly fatigued, in pain and all the fun symptoms that you have with having MECFS. However, before (and the first few years that) I was unwell I was also incredibly... dare I say addicted? to exercise. I absolutely LOVED dancing. I even took up martial arts (had to drop it quite early on however...). I used to compete nationally in a team. I'd be dancing three days a week and then practice when I wasn't at the studio! I used to go on long walks, help muck out stables, I even (last year) took up horse riding but unfortunately money and Perrin treatment collided and I had to stop.
So anyway, I've always been an exercise nut, I enjoy the workout, the feeling you get after pumping your body. Especially if it's dancing, or with animals. Heck, if I had a dog you could count on me doing agility trials with them!
The exercises I'm doing at the gym are quite light. Least resistance, short times etc. Mainly walking exercises, such as the cross trainer. I'm also quite taken with the rowing machines and used that for the first time in a very long time yesterday!
So overall, my gym work outs are going to test me, but they're going to be incredibly 'laid back' work outs. I just feel that I need to get fitter. I can climb a set of stairs and then be out of breath and I honestly don't think it's helping my MECFS with me being so unfit! So I'm hoping I can hit just the right amount of balance for me to not kill myself at the gym, but to get fitter and improve my symptoms.
There is also a pool there which is fantastic as it helps ease the pains in my joints etc. After the pool you can also use a jacuzzi... the warmth is SO SO soothing after doing a work out... and the finally a steam room. My boyfriend said I was practically glowing after being there.
I've signed up for 6 months for a whopping £38 pcm. Eeek! So my pay slips are taking quite a bashing. But I'm thinking that it will be worth it. It also gives me and my boyfriend a chance to do something together away from the house; we struggle to find time for each other at the moment so it's nice to set a few hours aside for us to work out side by side (occasionally ignoring each other for music!). It's great so far and I love it.
I just need to invest in some real gym clothes as mine arn't really that appropriate!
It's absolute madness I know, so hear me out;
Yes, I am constantly fatigued, in pain and all the fun symptoms that you have with having MECFS. However, before (and the first few years that) I was unwell I was also incredibly... dare I say addicted? to exercise. I absolutely LOVED dancing. I even took up martial arts (had to drop it quite early on however...). I used to compete nationally in a team. I'd be dancing three days a week and then practice when I wasn't at the studio! I used to go on long walks, help muck out stables, I even (last year) took up horse riding but unfortunately money and Perrin treatment collided and I had to stop.
So anyway, I've always been an exercise nut, I enjoy the workout, the feeling you get after pumping your body. Especially if it's dancing, or with animals. Heck, if I had a dog you could count on me doing agility trials with them!
The exercises I'm doing at the gym are quite light. Least resistance, short times etc. Mainly walking exercises, such as the cross trainer. I'm also quite taken with the rowing machines and used that for the first time in a very long time yesterday!
So overall, my gym work outs are going to test me, but they're going to be incredibly 'laid back' work outs. I just feel that I need to get fitter. I can climb a set of stairs and then be out of breath and I honestly don't think it's helping my MECFS with me being so unfit! So I'm hoping I can hit just the right amount of balance for me to not kill myself at the gym, but to get fitter and improve my symptoms.
There is also a pool there which is fantastic as it helps ease the pains in my joints etc. After the pool you can also use a jacuzzi... the warmth is SO SO soothing after doing a work out... and the finally a steam room. My boyfriend said I was practically glowing after being there.
I've signed up for 6 months for a whopping £38 pcm. Eeek! So my pay slips are taking quite a bashing. But I'm thinking that it will be worth it. It also gives me and my boyfriend a chance to do something together away from the house; we struggle to find time for each other at the moment so it's nice to set a few hours aside for us to work out side by side (occasionally ignoring each other for music!). It's great so far and I love it.
I just need to invest in some real gym clothes as mine arn't really that appropriate!
Wednesday 9 January 2013
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year everyone;
Feeling a mixture of positives and negatives about this year. Lots of things are going to be changing, so fingers crossed it all works out for the better.
Our housemate is moving out which is both good and bad. It's the start of a new chapter for all involved. Finally me and Andrew will have a family home to ourselves, making it as we would like. Personally I'd rather move and start afresh, as it makes me uncomfortable to be moving things into his room when he's left. But we have to make do with what we've got at the moment.
So far my new years resolution is to try and have a more positive attitude about what I CAN do instead of what I can't do. I'm tired of restricting myself and so want to try and be as non restrictive as I can in the things I do. Obviously I know I have limits, but I'm working on that.
At the moment I'm currently not doing any volunteering or my college course, so that has made my life a lot easier over the past few weeks. I still have some work to finish off however, which is stressful. I look forward to going back, but at the same time it's nice to have had a break from another stresser.
I've started doing my back stretches more and more to help increase my flexibility. It was something I was taught during my Perrin Treatment; I might not be able to do the entire treatment right now, but I'll do what I can when I can :)
The stretches involve putting your hands grasping near the back of your neck with your elbows forward. Whilst doing this you should try and turn your body, waist upwards to the left as far as you can (without hurting yourself!) and then again to the right. Do this three times then change position of where you hands are.
Next hand position is with them crossed across your chest, holding onto your own shoulders. Turn your upper body left and then right again, 3 times over. Third hand position is having them crossing your body and holding on to your sides. Repeat with the turns.
I'm also doing some shoulder rolling and shrugs. All this is to help loosen up my back which eases the pain a little. I'd recommend it as it doesn't even take 5 minutes :)
I've also invested in a Lumie Clear, which is a light treatment for spots. I've been feeling incredibly down about my appearance recently and my stresses haven't helped my spot outbreak. It cost a fair bit but I'm hoping to see progress soon. If this seems to show to work, I'll invest in a Lumie brand lightbox too. (Priorities Cat... priorities...)
Anywho, signing off for now, will post some more later :)
Feeling a mixture of positives and negatives about this year. Lots of things are going to be changing, so fingers crossed it all works out for the better.
Our housemate is moving out which is both good and bad. It's the start of a new chapter for all involved. Finally me and Andrew will have a family home to ourselves, making it as we would like. Personally I'd rather move and start afresh, as it makes me uncomfortable to be moving things into his room when he's left. But we have to make do with what we've got at the moment.
So far my new years resolution is to try and have a more positive attitude about what I CAN do instead of what I can't do. I'm tired of restricting myself and so want to try and be as non restrictive as I can in the things I do. Obviously I know I have limits, but I'm working on that.
At the moment I'm currently not doing any volunteering or my college course, so that has made my life a lot easier over the past few weeks. I still have some work to finish off however, which is stressful. I look forward to going back, but at the same time it's nice to have had a break from another stresser.
I've started doing my back stretches more and more to help increase my flexibility. It was something I was taught during my Perrin Treatment; I might not be able to do the entire treatment right now, but I'll do what I can when I can :)
The stretches involve putting your hands grasping near the back of your neck with your elbows forward. Whilst doing this you should try and turn your body, waist upwards to the left as far as you can (without hurting yourself!) and then again to the right. Do this three times then change position of where you hands are.
Next hand position is with them crossed across your chest, holding onto your own shoulders. Turn your upper body left and then right again, 3 times over. Third hand position is having them crossing your body and holding on to your sides. Repeat with the turns.
I'm also doing some shoulder rolling and shrugs. All this is to help loosen up my back which eases the pain a little. I'd recommend it as it doesn't even take 5 minutes :)
I've also invested in a Lumie Clear, which is a light treatment for spots. I've been feeling incredibly down about my appearance recently and my stresses haven't helped my spot outbreak. It cost a fair bit but I'm hoping to see progress soon. If this seems to show to work, I'll invest in a Lumie brand lightbox too. (Priorities Cat... priorities...)
Anywho, signing off for now, will post some more later :)
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