Today I spent some time with a Yoga instructor who provided me with strategies to adapt my Yoga practice to minimize pain and the possibility of a crash after a session. The past couple of years it has been especially difficult to manage my fibro and fatigue and I have been out of my fitness routine in a big way. It is time to turn that around. I need to start doing something more to get my body back in shape. Luckily, I've always been pretty active and I have never been one to shy away from exercise. I've enjoyed hiking, canoeing, kayaking, walking, biking, dancing, and yoga. I didn't grow up with the concept of getting my exercise at a gym, so I've found other ways to build strength, balance and endurance. I'm starting again with Yoga because it does all of that for me.
I used to walk my dog every day and he was my guaranteed thirty minutes of exercise each afternoon. But after multiple episodes of crashing after a walk, I just couldn't risk pushing myself any more. I did yoga for many years but got away from it because the stretching hurt and the recovery time kept getting longer and longer. Twp years ago I got a new bike for Mother's Day and I didn't get on that bike once last summer. I am concerned that the longer I stay away from using my body the more difficult it will be to get myself back in shape. I want a healthy body and a healthy heart, so I must get back on track - after all, I'm not getting any younger, and the older I get the harder it will be to get back in shape. Fortunately, my weight isn't an issue so I can focus specifically on multiple aspects of fitness as well as what my body can handle.
This time of year starts to get me thinking about possibilities and changes. After all, spring is just a month away! I figure if I can start my exercise routine in a slow and manageable way, by the time the warmer weather rolls around, I can take advantage of it with walks in the woods, swimming at the beach, paddling on a quiet lake or riding my bike and stopping for a picnic lunch. I don't have to do everything in terms of being active, but I do need to so something. There is a healthy balance I must strike between nutrition, sleep, meds and exercise (as well as the spiritual and emotional side of things). I feel as if I have been paying attention to the essential aspects of my recovery, except for setting specific fitness goals. Well, today is a new day and I am ready to take on this fitness challenge.
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