Getting stronger slowly

[Guest tearose]

-Steph, I cringe for you and what you have endured. I admire your positive spirit in light of it all and knowing you have yet more surgery before you! I'm sending you a warm hug and much respect. I am with you in spirit as you begin your physical therapy and begin getting stronger. I bet you will see the extra weight melt away as you make and stick to a plan of manageable activity! Yes, little by little it will happen!

I'm glad you are with us in this slow, steady, unraveling adventure to better stamina!

best regards, tearose

[EarthMother]

You are amazing Tearose. Your compassion is unparralled and your memory ... you amaze me.

I am also at 11 on the cul d'sac. I think I'll walk counterclockwise. I started today, by first walking for five minutes in my bedroom. In "mindful meditation walking" they take two steps per inhale and two steps on the out breath. Each time our foot touches the ground we think of it as kissing the earth. All of our attention is on just that movement. If our mind wanders, we gently bring it back to our next breath and next step. We are not trying to "get anywhere" (which is good because I am just walking in circles) we are just being mindful of walking. Sounds appealing.

I tried four jumping jacks tonight ... just to see what it feels like. The picture you described was wonderful and inspiring. Four was my limit. But who knows maybe I'll jump again tomorrow. I really like the idea of floor excersizes too. Deepak Chopra has some good floor moves in his Chronic Fatigue program. I should pull that out and try those again. When I did them before I really loved it.

Thanks for inspiring all of us to explore the perimeter of our POTS.

EM

[Guest tearose]

Hey there Jan, don't allow yourself to compare to others plans, we all are doing different things depending upon our uniquities! How about creating a plan designed just for you! You know you are in such good company with the exercise intolerance!!! We can't let each other go there!

What do you think about giving your body a surprise to "jar" it a little and re-program it? Maybe do just ten minutes of a totally new type of exercise. I learned that when the body keeps doing the same thing, it hums along not burning fat. We have to shake it up a little to kick the metabolism into a higher mode. Also, cut down the total time to ten minutes then increase it, then cut it down again. Make it less formal and more a fun thing if you can. For example, since you have been walking, can you walk for five minutes run for one, walk for two, run for one and then end with a cool down. Am I helping at all? I sure don't want you to feel like you can't see the change you want to see. Tell me what you are thinking.

EarthMother, are you really walking in circles?...or are you spiraling? breath through that thought!

When you like the movement of jumping jacks but don't feel like flailing in the air, lay on the floor and do them...like snow angles without the snow!

...your kind words...thank you for the compliment. I don't remember what I remembered that makes you think I have a good memory!

best regards, tearose

[Guest tearose]

-Steph, you do have a unique situation. I guess you don't have any fat storage to melt!!! I have throughout time been slender, my problem recently was that after relapsing, my muscles decreased and my fat % went up tremendously. I was overfat not overweight. You though, don't even have the fat!!! so...

How are you building yourself up? Are you increasing your calories? I do remember when I was pregnant I ate really well but I ate a lot! Like two sandwiches, two helpings of cheese, or whatever... and sweets did not appeal to me. Can you supplement with a muscle building protein powder? Are you able to eat higher caloric things?

wishing you loads of healthy tasty calories today!

warm regards, tearose

[Merrill]

I just wanted to say (belatedly) to Geneva ... Of COURSE you get a cookie--two, in fact--for braving the wildlife! And how fascinated and jealous I am that you live in a place where such adventures--especially winged ones--await you if you open your front door! I've been thinking about your post for several days...

I have heard tell of hawks nesting in my neighborhood, but I haven't seen them. I did see a peregrine falcon right outside my 20th floor office window in downtown Chicago several years ago. Gorgeous. And I snapped a great picture of a possum eating birdseed in my backyard a couple weeks ago; sure wish I could post it here--it's worth a laugh.)

Have I strayed far enough off topic yet?

I'm happy that my tanita scale purchase got everyone's butt in gear. Last night I actually did my stretching/neck exercises and a few yoga poses and even lifted my 3-lb weights up and down a few times. Felt good--and tiring.

Best to all,

m

[kristinp29]

Michigan Jan,

Don't compare your exercise program to anyone else's!! We all go through our rough patches when we aren't feeling quite as well or are extra fatigued. I wasn't able to be extremely regular with my exercising the past 2 weeks because I was fighting a virus and my body gets a little more tired when it's fighting something.

Just take heart in the fact that we all hit bumps in the road--and we perservere.

Love,

Kristin

[blackwolf]

tearose-thanks for asking, sorry about the slow reply, i'm a little more than one bubble off today. as in, i'm kind of out of it, mentally. i must have missed more threads than i thought earlier.

my driveway is about 100 feet long and falls away from the house about a 15% angle. I am also using free weights, 5 lbs., my usuall weight for arms. i have several stretches from about a year ago in pt that i do daily, pain or not. my trouble is fiinding a land equivalent to water excersing. i just have to big a drop in bp to handle the laying down excersizes or anything to long. bp control is again an issue as the proamatine is causing more trouble than it is worth.

i just got a "sit down on chair" tape (old lady style) that i will have to try. i am thinking about using my mom's "total body" gym thing as she doesn't like it very much and you can adjust the height. i am hoping to borrow it this coming week, i need the other van to get it, it (the van) needs antifreeze, budget issue.

one good thing, my pain is almost to a good level, again, except my neck. neurontin has really done the trick, i'm at 300mgs 2-3 times a day.

going gluten free (nearly there) has been nasty work, still looking for bread that tastes good and that i can afford.

thanks,

blackwolf

[Kite#7]

Hello All,

it is good to see that chat has turned to action.

remember - small meals are the way to go but they to must be complete ie. carbs , proteins & fats. it is important for people in our position to maintain energy levels and to avoid gastric problems post meal - try to eat complex carbs - its like throwing hard wood on a fire- It will burn longer and not raise blood sugar levels basically. Its more important ,for this reason , to watch the glycemic index when making food choices.

With exercise begin with CORE strengtning this will help to BALANCE your whole body . Inturn allowing you to work on smaller stabilising muscles while working the larger muscle groups. Swiss Balls ( the big blue stability balls) and some small medicine balls are a great start for begining and to supplement advanced programs. What you want to do is lose body fat by increasing LEANMUSCLE mass . this will help in several ways First it will increase metabilism which should help to maintain weight . Secondly it should help to increase blood flow and Oxygen exchage. third it should help it creating a generally more efficient bodily system were your organs can work to there full potential.

Don't forget that it is ok to break up an execise program into several sessions and that it is the intensity during not the time spent.

while losing the FAT weight you should be putting on muscle weight SO it is body composition and function that we strive for ( I know we all already look great). thus weight may not change but clothing will fit differently , more energy etc.

Small steps lead to big changes. You don't need alot of equipment or diet books . Just common sense and sticktoitiveness. Anyone with dysautonomia has that.

Once you start its Ok to have a bad day too I have clients that I train who come to me as a wake up for their bad days.because Iwill still train them on mine but I don't do myown i just rest and do my best . that's why they made tomorrows

HAPPY TRAINING KITE#7

[Guest tearose]

Hi all! How's everyone doing? Anyone need a pat on the back? A kick in the caboose?

We love you just the way you are...but...want you around for a loooong time...so let us help each other!

I really want to meet you hard working folks this summer. It is part of my motivation for getting stronger and having more endurance! I will have to try and see who all is interested and where a central place is. Maybe in the mid-USA area? Any suggestions or interest?

I wasn't able to do any treadmill this week but was able to do floor exercise. I even managed my first sit ups in a year! This from flabby but, little me, who needed a power lift chair just 6 months ago cause I could not pull up out of my chair! Come on pals, join me in sensible small steps...

with understanding and hugs, tearose

[blackwolf]

hey tearose, i'm working on a really good almond flour cookie, still dinking with the recipe but getting close, will be gluten free and made with splenda. it is modeled after a chocolate chip pudding cookie recipe of my mother-in-laws(now passed on).

so for not to bad, still doing weights, but not so much on the drive way-too cold right now, but did get to the store a few times. did do one big job, cleaned and got a large number of books in our "library" downstairs put where they belong, need more shelves, lots more.

keep on moving all,

blackwolf