Posts Tagged ‘Exercise’

« Older Entries

The 10 Best Stretches for Total Body Flexibility – for Fibromyalgia.

July 7, 2024

We’ve all been told time and time again that stretching daily, as well as before and after exercise, is very important for our muscles – so why is it so hard to commit 10-15 minutes actually doing it? For a lot of us, stretching is, well, boring. When we run a hill sprint or bench press weight, we feel the energy we use to perform such tasks and equate results in the mirror to the time spent physically exerting our bodies.

So why bother with stretching? For starters, it helps prevent injury which should be motivation enough. There’s nothing like a sprained ankle to put a screeching halt on a workout routine and make getting around in general more difficult. When you stretch, you also help your joints move through their full range of motion, which leads to them working more effectively.

No matter your activity level or age, you can benefit from committing 10-15 minutes towards getting a good stretch in every day. Follow these 10 best stretches to work your whole body, performing each one on both sides 1-3 times for 15-30 seconds each.

Disclaimer: Do Not start a new exercise regime without discussing it with your doctor. We Fibromites need to be extra careful. Also, you do not start with a long hold duration or large rep number. If you can only do one, then do one. If you can not get into the stretch without discomfort, don’t do it & discuss with your GP, PT or OT about it..

Quad Stretch:

  • Stand upright and bend one leg back, grabbing the top of that foot.
  • Bring your foot as close to your butt as possible while keeping your bent knee inline with your other knee.
  • Push your hips forward for a deepened stretch.
  • Hold onto a wall for balance if needed and repeat on the other leg

Hamstring Stretch:

  • Stand upright, bending one knee and extending the other out straight in front of you about 6 inches.
  • Make sure you are bending at the hips and keeping your back straight.
  • Lower your chest down until you feel a stretch in the back of the extended leg.

Thigh Stretch:

  • Sit up straight on the ground with knees bent and soles of your feet touching one another.
  • Grasp your feet with you hands.
  • Gently push down on your knees with your elbows to deepen the stretch.

Hip Stretch:

  • Lie on your back and bend both knees with your feet flat on the floor.
  • Bring your left knee closer to your chest and bend it at 90 degrees so your calf crosses over your body.
  • Bring your right knee towards your chest, making contact with the ankle or shin of your left leg.
  • Wrap your hands around your right leg and pull it closer to your body, deepening the stretch

Chest & Shoulder Stretch:

  • Stand up straight or sit on a surface so that your legs are at a 90 degree angle.
  • Clasp your hands together behind your back so that your arms are extended behind you.
  • Lift your hands to the ceiling to stretch your chest & shoulders.

Upper Back Stretch:

  • Stand up straight or sit on a surface so that your legs are at a 90 degree angle.
  • Place one hand on top of the other with arms straight in front of you.
  • Press your arms away from your body.

Bicep Stretch:

  • Lift your arms straight out to the sides of you.
  • Make a thumbs up with both hands and rotate your thumbs down and then back up until they are pointing to the back of you.

Tricep Stretch:

  • Raise one arm straight above you, then bend your elbow so that your forearm is behind your head.
  • Gently push your bent elbow back with your other hand.

Shoulder Stretch:

  • Take one arm and extend it across your body.
  • Gently press and pull your extended arm to deepen the stretch.

Side Stretch:

  • Raise your arms straight above you and clasp your hands together.
  • Push your hands up and then over to each side of you.

I pilfered this from PC Health… All FMS references are mine.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Exercise, Fibromyalgia | Leave a Comment »

Weight Loss – My Exercise Regime

April 2, 2024

Please take into consideration that while I do exercise, my functionality & strength levels are much lower than the average person, so while I am participating in these activities, I am not doing so at the level of a “normal” or “healthy” person.

Please also keep in mind that this is not an exact schedule. The only activities that are almost guaranteed are Cub Scouts & walking on Thursdays.  I also frequently do not have much in the way of other activities as to do so would either exhaust me or send me into a flare. Sometimes I get exhausted or flare anyway.

Monday: I try to get to the gym for a walk & weights

Tuesday: Cub Scouts

Wednesday: I try to get to the gym for arriba for cardio, followed by a short walk & weights

Thursday: Walking with my sister and the pups.  If she is not available, I do have another friend or two I can call.

Friday: I try to get to the gym for a walk & weights

Saturday: Usually a social day. No regular exercise scheduled.

Sunday: Recreational soccer.

Additionally, if I cannot sleep & am restless,  I will hop on my Mom’s treadmill and pace out a quarter mile in 5-6 minutes.  This exhausts the muscles which can help me sleep.

My current daily Fitbit step goal is 7000. This is a goal, not a consistent step count. The default that Fitbit sets up the average person at 10k. When I got my Fitbit from my niece, I immediately lowered it to 8k then further to 6k. I upped it about a year ago to 6.5k and just recently to 7k  Yes there are days when I do more, not typically much more and days commonly that I do less.  There have been a few instances of 20k+. But as I said, a few, in two years and I have paid for those days. There are also days where I only do 1k+.

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Diet, Exercise, Fibromyalgia, Personal, Scouting, Weight loss | Leave a Comment »

Weight Loss – Round 2

March 26, 2024

Now that I stopped the Resulti, I am no longer eating obsessively. However, despite better eating habits and resuming activities (was injured for a few months), I have found it very difficult to lose weight.  I am still hovering at the 40-50lb weight gain.

This really sucks. If anyone has any suggestions I am open to hearing from you.  See my next post about my exercise.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Exercise, Medications, Personal, Weight loss | Leave a Comment »

Battling Weight Gain

April 28, 2023

As mentioned on Tuesday, I have put a good chunk of weight back on and I’m now starting the process of fighting it back off. Here is my plan:

Exercise: I have reached out to the personal trainers at my gym to inquire to see who would be the best fit for me to set up an exercise regime for me to follow. I’m more likely to do so if it’s set out for me. Part of what helped me lose weight last time was running but I hate running.. At least running for running sake.

Comfort Food: I am no longer bringing in food that I consider to be comfort food that is deadly to the waistline. This means no more cookies or pudding or chocolate. It also means no more ordering pizza or other fast food.

Portion control: I have to return to watching exactly how much I eat. So if I make a pizza from scratch I can’t eat the whole damn thing in one sitting. That is no longer allowed.

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Advocacy, Diet, Exercise, Fatigue, Pain, Personal, Self-Care, Weight loss | Leave a Comment »

First Cub Meeting Back

September 30, 2022

For anyone new to my blogroll, I am a Cub Scout Leader in the Scouts Canada program.. Girls & boys aged 8-10/11..

Because of my mental health issues, I had decided that I would not participate in the first few meetings cuz I didn’t want to expose the kids to me potentially having an inappropriate emotional outburst

So, other than parents who don’t read emails that say “Hey! We’re not at the church this week! Dress for outside!” It was good..

The three or four who didn’t dress appropriately, well, they got soaked, cuz it was raining. But in the email I warned them!! Let’s hope they read the next one cuz they gotta bring stuff.. Stuff from the hike.

We didnt loose any kids.

I think I surprised then with the jungle closing.. While Johnathan, a senior Cub, had helped Scouter Ryan, apparently they fell short of my enthusiasm.. lol.

So next week we are at the church making airplanes & painting rocks.. that should be fun. 🙂

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Coping, Off Topic, Scouting | Leave a Comment »

Tips – Avoid Negativity

August 9, 2022

Always try to avoid as much negativity as possible in your life. Most of all, whatever makes you laugh or feel happy, do that.

So there are people in your life who put you down, disregard you, ignore you, are demeaning to you or don’t believe you These are the people you cut out or limit, if possible, from you life.

Activities that you can’t do, don’t want to do but are pushed o you, are having extreme difficulty doing. These are activities you cut out or limit to the best of your ability Unfortunately, single people can not just stop doing dishes or laundry unfortunately. 😅

Hang out with people who truely care and support you. My sister is one of those people. I see her usually twice a week. We go for a walk (yes I enjoy walking) and chat about her, about me, about family, about mutual interests, about friends, Just life.

Do things you enjoy. Sometimes they maybe hard, but if they are worth the effort, do them to the best of your ability. I like to read, so I will grab a book and sit outside (sometimes in the sun, sometime the shade) for an hour or two and loose myself. Something that can be difficult, but worthwhile, is my Cub pack. I admit I do tend to overdo it sometimes, but it brings me & it brings the kids (well 99% of them) joy, fun, exercise, learning and an appreciation or nature & each other.

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Self-Care, Tips Tricks Helpful Workarounds | Leave a Comment »

Tip – Rest, but move

June 28, 2022

No matter what you do, absolutely rest when you need to. *BUT* later, try to keep moving, even if it’s just a little tiny bit. I’m not talking a rub or walking around the block, but maybe walk in the backyard for a few minutes every hour or two, just to keep you mobile & your muscles from getting too lax. .. Do not to overdo it or try not to. Listen to your body..

Tags:, ,
Posted in Tips Tricks Helpful Workarounds | Leave a Comment »

Non-Scale Victories!

April 26, 2022

This is part of a series of various Non-Scale Victories. They are things I’ve noticed over the last few years as I’ve lost weight.

At The Gym – Part I

i have recently returned to the Durham YMCA fitness center. Mom & I going two years ago due to COVID and are going back I’m not doing the same activities as I used to for a few reasons.

The schedule and availability of classes is different and limited, a casualty of COVID. My own personal schedule activities has changed – the times I can go and the timing of what is available rarely mesh.

Arriba– The only organized activity is the Arriba class, the one where I step the the music because my coordination sucks. I do some of the step movements with ease cuz they are steps I used to do in my dance classes all those years ago. I rarely do the arm movements cuz I’m usually too focused on the stepping to get it right or even can’t been bothered to figure them out for the most part.

But here’s the thing, I’m able to do the class and not be completely exhausted afterwards. Yes I will feel sore afterwards, but it’s a good sore. Unfortunately, last week even tho I was taking it super easy, I inflamed my fibro even worse. But generally it’s an in improvement.

Image

Swimmimg – Because I’m still waiting for Koolaid to finish healing again, I’m not allow to get him wet with chlorinated water, I can’t go into the pool. But for the one week I was able to go into the pool for a week, I did and was able to walk the lengths of the pool, back and forth. Yes taking breaks at each end, but I am slowly able to do it When I first started doing water, I would only treat water in the deep end of the pool. Given the high amount of fat in my body then, it wasn’t difficult, cuz fat floats. So a definite improvement.

Unfortunately, there is no Aquafit (bouncing to music in the water) that currently fit in my schedule. I hope it opens up soon..

Image

Towels – I am a plus member at the Y and one of the perks is the towel service. When covid shut us down, I was unable to get the larger gym towels fully around my body, to say nothing about the smaller towels. When I returned I found that I could not only wrap the large towels around me with fabric to spare, I was able to do the same with the smaller bath towels! Wow!!

Stairs – To make it to the workout rooms and the upper studio for the yoga classes, I would have to climb a double height staircase. Sometimes, on bad days, I would take the elevator up. On really bad days, I wouldn’t even both going. Those days I could make it up the stairs, it was a massive struggle. I’d commonly stop at the landing and take a breath.

Now, to stop part way up at the landing means I’m having a bad day. But I can now climb the stairs all the way up. I didn’t notice I had done this until several visits in..

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Exercise, Fibromyalgia, Series, Weight loss | Leave a Comment »

Socializing While In Pain

September 3, 2021

Do I socialize when I’m in pain?

Image
Yup, I socialize, otherwise I’d be a hermit!

Yup! Otherwise I’d be a hermit. Plus, very few friends can identify how much I’m in pain. My bff & my sister can tell by looking at me.. I have other friends & family who have learned the signs.

Mom can tell usually just by looking at me.. not always, but usually.. My sister is pretty good.. Her kids & hubby not so much – ironically I think the kid of hers that would recognize the best is her youngest, because he has seen me the most over the last few years.

My guy friend T has, over the last 3½ years learned quite a bit about how to read the non-verbal clues.

My BFF also has fibro & is sometimes a little too focused on her own fibro to catch my issues. Only reason I can gauge her easily is that she has an emotional response to her issues that I don’t even think she’s aware of.

My second BFF also has his own issues, and usually only sees me on better days.. I don’t think he’s even seen me at mediocre or worse in a long time..

Them there’s some of the Scouters I work with.. Raksha 13th & I have become good friends through Scouting & Rainbow I’ve known since grade 8 or 9, but through guiding & scouting as well. They are pretty good a picking things up.

There are other friends who are less prevalent in my life but even they can recognize some signs if I’m having issues

What I Can Do.

So, there is the basics of who I tend to see most, then the next thing is *what I can do*. Mind you the days when I’m seriously f****d up due to symptoms, I don’t talk to anyone unless I haveta Haveta HAVETA.

Now pain & other symptoms varyy from week to week, day to day, even hour to hour.. Fortunately in the last few years the hour to hour option seems to happen less and less frequently, but for a long time that is how I had to play it.

When my pain levels are super high, any communication is digital.. To everyone. If you’re lucky..

Image
Digital Communication Only on my Worst Days, At Best

Next level down:

  • Mild exercise like walking my dog around the court
  • Have company over for low maintenance visits
  • Socialize for dinner with Mom & Dad
Image
Exercise by walking the Dog Around the Court Is All I Can Handle Some Days.

As my pain levels drop, I can be more sociable in activities that require less interaction such as:

  • Hanging out with selects friends in a quiet environment, such as a campfire, living room, patio, poolside, dock.. This would be BFF’s, & T, for the most part
  • Walking around the neighbourhood
  • Watching the kids’ soccer games
  • Visiting the family cottage for a few days
  • Visiting the gym for a hot tub!
Image
Hanging out with Friends, in Front of the Campfire, or Otherwise, Though we use Chairs – LOL

As the pain levels drop a moderate to low level I can usually do the following:

  • Karaoke
  • General.Cub Scout Activities
  • Marksmanship
  • Hangout with friends in a noisier, bigger, busier location like a restaurant or bar
  • Moderate exercise like the walks with my sister & the pups
  • cub Scout meetings!
  • Glamping at my BFF’s cottage
  • Concerts (depending on who, I may go on a worse day & accept the consequences)
  • Professional sporting events like the Leafs, TFC or The Rock.. & to a lesser extent, Argos, Jays or Raptors..
Image
Concerts with Friends Are Always Fun!!

So assuming my pain level is low, there is a lot I can do. I can:

  • More strenuous exercise such as cycling
  • Visit the gym for Aquafit, yoga, weights, or the track. I had gotten in a few slow Zumba classes in before COVID..
  • I can Camp – not the glamping like at the cottage, but camping with friends, and even my Cub Scouts . In fact we were going to Camp Impressa for a year end camp earlier this month with my senior Cubs & the Scouts (See more in this post).. & I just went camping 2 weekends ago with T
  • Sporting activities like soccer with the girls or golfing with T
  • Some of the more physical activities in Cub Scouts.. Such as teaching how to put up tents, waterproofing the bedroll, setting up grey water, basic orienteering, limited kayaking/canoeing, etc..
  • The Pheonix. – Dancing at the club!
  • Hiking (like fairly flat, fairly short, nothing overnight – Second Marsh near me is a good example)
  • Roadtrip!
Image
Easy Hiking with Friends

What I can not do.

There are so many things now that I would like to do that I just not in the cards. These are activities the I’ve either done or were at one point on the bucket list. This includes activities such as:

  • White water rafting. T wants to go – I can do the camping part, but not the rafting part
  • Backpacking/ Hiking. This includes longer hikes, more challenging hikes, or overnight hikes. I can not lug an air mattress through the wilderness 😄
  • Winter outdoor camping
  • Amusements parks – can’t do most of the rides, and way too much walking.
  • Skiing
  • Horseback Riding
  • Zip-lining (not sure I’d do that anyways)
Image
Canada’s Wonderland, the Prominent Amusement Park in the Toronto Ontario Area.

What would you like to do that you know you will never do again?

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Coping, Exercise, Family, Fibromyalgia, Relationships | Leave a Comment »

RLS then Exercise.. Uh oh!!!

June 29, 2021

On Friday last week, I posted about issues with my RLS, but that wasn’t the end of it.

As I said, on Wednesday night I was having problems getting to sleep, big problems due to restless leg syndrome in all four limbs – very rare. So I went on the treadmill for 20 minutes then snuggled nicely into bed.

Image
Walking on a treadmill can help burn off the restless feeling when my RLS flares.

Thursday morning, I woke up & my legs had felt like I’d run before full marathon with zero prep the day before, instead of just 20 minutes.

So I started with the pain meds, the anti-inflammatories and the muscle relaxers that I do every day when I get up. The unexpected pain did eventually start to lessen more.

But Thursday nights are one of my cub nights with my third years, howlers from both packs. We’re helping them work on their Seeonee Award.

Fortunately, when this meeting was planned we weren’t aware if we were going to be in person or not so we planned a virtual meeting. The kids wanted to play Drawsaurus which is an online version of Pictionary. Lots of fun!

Image
Drawsaurus is an online version of Pictionary! The boys love it!

So I didn’t have to do anything. I did not have to prep much, other than just set up the game which took about 30 seconds. We played 4-5 rounds I believe. We could do this because it was a smaller group, just the four of them tonight.

So as we started we are having fun and I’m relaxing. Silly me, I text my sister and ask her if she wants to go walking tonight after my meeting, which we normally do on Thursdays.. Of course she responded in the affirmative.

I was actually starting to feel better at the end of the meeting – Yay!!

I make it to my sister’s for 9:00pm and we leave shortly thereafter walking the dogs. Our pups were both very well behaved tonight, strangely enough – they usually do not start calm & maintain that for most of the walk.

So our walk was uneventful and we walked the neighborhood just south west of us. There was nothing extraordinary about our walk in the way of physical exertion.

There was a coyote but that’s a different story altogether.

One thing about that walk however was the length. It was almost 11:00pm by the time we got back to her house. In steps that is over 10,000 and about 5½ miles (no clue why my Fitbit is still in miles)

Image
God Help Me! Five miles & 11,000 steps for one casual walk.

So take a guess how I felt afterwards. Horrible! My leggs were very painful. I’m thinking a 6 or 7 out of 10 on my pain scale..

I had a shower and the hot water was lovely- everything seemed to relax under the hot spray. Unfortunately it would return when the heat got moved to another spot. I think I need to go snorkeling in a hot tub! LOL..

So I medicated again, including my MMJ…

Guess how I felt the next day…

I was actually expecting to be in a flare the next morning… Surprisingly, my Leggs were sore.. pain at a 3, 3½.. was expecting 7 or so.

So, Yay! Not as bad as anticipated!

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Exercise, Family, Pain, Restless Leg Syndrome, Sleep Issues/Insomnia | Leave a Comment »

« Older Entries
Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started