[Mrsandmrdalton]

Hi all! Was wondering if anyone out there is in the same boat!
I try and work out everyday, but some days its so hard to just get out of bed. I've changed my diet and have lost some but in 3 weeks have only lost 6 lbs. Granted I'm happy with the 6 I have accomplished, but what I'm wondering is... Does it get any easier? And does anyone have any tips on good excersises that will be beneficial? Thanks so much ahead of time

[LindseyLou]

Hi there! First off congrats on the 6 pounds!

I've had fibro for almost 5 years and have had a hard time with pain and low energy. I never felt rested so for me to workout, it seemed impossible. Of course, eating whatever I wanted and never working out, landed me here.

To answer your question it DOES get easier. For years I would go to the doctor and they would tell me I needed to exercise and I would become frustrated because I was in so much pain and I was so tired, how did they expect me to do this?! They explained to me that if I exercised it would help my pain and energy...seemed like an odd concept to me. BUT, they were right! I started out slowly, I would go on walks for 20 minutes, not a real fast pace or anything..and built my way up to walking several miles. In this time I didn't even focus on my pain...heck, I didn't even notice it anymore! I felt refreshed when I woke up - another new for me!

In the last 4 months or so that I've changed my diet and exercised I've many had a couple days (out of 127) that I've had pain, but it was minimal. Now, I run. NEVER thought I'd be able to do that. My suggestion is find something that you like and start out slow. I would suggest pilates, yoga, swimming, walking - all of which are low-impact. Lifting weights...I really like Jillian Micheals no more trouble zones and 30 Day shred. I've noticed doing a combo of all that has helped a lot! I always had pain mostly in my knee and hip joints, building up the muscles around these joints helped with the pain. I never had the "muscle" pain everyone describes Fibro as.

Best of luck to you!!

[Initiative]

It does get easier. It's still not the greatest getting out of bed in the morning or constantly using a heating pad, but it's much easier for me to get around and for that I can do more than I was able to before. Walking is always a great way to great circulation going and because I don't like going outside when it's cold I do a lot of sit ups. Doing anything that you are comfortable with is the best medicine. Don't hurt yourself but try to go that little extra bit. Sometimes I even feel the adrenaline force the sensitivity of my skin away. Pretty weird feeling but it's a nice one.

[osaunt]

Thanks LLLH and Initiative! I've been struggling with a chronic pain condition for several years. Though doctors and various web sites have suggested that exercise can help reduce symptoms, I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I mean it makes sense that exercise is important for improving general health. But as I am now, every step is a challenge - both in finding the energy and pushing through the pain. So doing any more than was actually necessary to just get though my day felt impossible! So I instead I focused on improving my diet and planned to add exercise in as I got better. But that day has yet to come - the achey-ness always gets the best of me. But you two have given me hope that if I can push through, there is a possibility for pain free days ahead.

[LindseyLou]

Originally Posted by osaunt

Thanks LLLH and Initiative! I've been struggling with a chronic pain condition for several years. Though doctors and various web sites have suggested that exercise can help reduce symptoms, I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I mean it makes sense that exercise is important for improving general health. But as I am now, every step is a challenge - both in finding the energy and pushing through the pain. So doing any more than was actually necessary to just get though my day felt impossible! So I instead I focused on improving my diet and planned to add exercise in as I got better. But that day has yet to come - the achey-ness always gets the best of me. But you two have given me hope that if I can push through, there is a possibility for pain free days ahead.

Hi! I know what you mean...I thought my doctors were nuts! I would get so upset with them and felt like they have NO idea how I felt on a daily basis. I was in pain all day, everyday. I slept poorly and therefore, was very tired and lacked energy. I believe changing my diet also helped. I'm not sure if it was the actual diet or it gave me the boost of confidence to TRY and exercise. But, exercise has without a doubt helped my joints. I have only a few "pain days" a month now, and it's minimal at that. It is possible! There is hope! Best of luck to you!

[kimmieval]

Sometimes I am lucky if I get in three times a week, other weeks only once . Some months, when I am not in a flare, I exercise 5 times a week for up to one hour a day. I looove my Wii as it allows me to use Sports Active, Wii Fit and Wii Sports to mix up my exercise; I do yoga, aerobics, strength training ( all depending on how I feel that day!). On my strong days I try to accomplish more and on my weaker days, I do walking.

6 lbs in less than a month is a good number as it is probably more sustainable in the long run. Over the last 11 months I have lost 29 lbs, I have done it slowly but you know what, it is a plan that I can keep on and without fad weight loss plans, I can be on it a while. If you are on meds it can affect your weight loss plan. Lyrica for example made me put on back 10 of of what I had lost and then I had to lose it over again..bummer, however Plaquenil dims my appetite and so I am losing weight faster because I am not really hungry (lol..its about time one of these nasty pills did some real good!).



Good luck on your weight loss journey.

[Allen5]

Hi,..
The true secret to weight loss is this: Make small changes each and every day and you'll slowly (but surely) lose those extra pounds. The key is to forget about instant results and settle in for the long run.
I hope this will best one,..
thanks,..

[kaplods]

There should be no "only" about losing 6 lbs in 3 weeks. that's amazing loss.

I'm on disability for fibro and other health issues. Off all the 88 lbs I've lost, very few of it came off in more than a pound a week. My "average" weight loss still isn't even 1 lb per week. If I try to lose much faster than I am, I end up in a severe fibro flare.

For me, any drastic change, triggers a symptom cascade. Drastic changes in weather, diet, sleep, activity, stress... result in drastic symptoms. Even changes that are "improvements" cause a flare. For example consistently bad weather is less hard on my fibro than sudden improvements in the weather.

When it comes to weight loss and health habits, we're taught to see slow progress as almost as discouraging as no progress. Sometimes a small weight loss feels as dsappointing as a gain (it's no wonder we give up so easily, when even progress feels like failure).

Since I can't do drastic changes anymore, I've had to make modest changes and be happy with modest results. The changes have been so slow, that the weight loss has been and seemed nearly effortless (only because I worked very hard at choosing not to be discouraged by slow progress. I only committed to changes I was willing to make whether or not weight loss resulted).




As for tips, I strongly recommend water exercise (ideally warm water exercise). Your local department on aging and disability services, Arthritis Foundation, United Way, should be able to tell you if there are local warm water programs (or call the pools to see if they keep their water temp in the mid 80's. Many YMCA's do, or other pools that do Arthritis exercise programs).