Oh My Word!

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

I've joined the gym! Just over 6 months post total hip replacement (left), I'm trying to increase my fitness....slowly.

I'm over 2 years post DS and in a rut so since my hernia op was recently cancelled, I joined a gym out of angry defiance lol. I can't put my life on hold anymore until this goddamn hernia gets sorted. I just have to get on with it! So I am.

I can't do much yet. I have started with 45 mins non-stop on the recumbent bike. This is kinda awesome and a NSV as I could never ever go more than 20 minutes before I had to stop and rest my legs or got cramps. So even not getting any physical exercise and barely moving 200 feet a day, I was able to start out with 45 minutes. I felt damn proud

Today will be my 4th day, had a rest day yesterday as I was feeling it, oh was I feeling it! I want to do ALL the things....but will stick to the bike for another 1.5 weeks before I brave the elliptical that not only works out my body but challenges my coordination.

Now, since starting to exercise I've put on 10lbs. I know logically this is water in the joints (and its the week before my girly time) so I *KNOW* why the scales says that, but damn it's disheartening! :/ Oh well. The strength I feel after a workout is priceless and I have noticed a certain perkiness about me that I'd like to keep up.

I really hope the scale catches up soon as I'd like to start my No-Weight May on a good note!

 

[Clematis]

Yay! Good for you! 45 minutes is awesome! Try not to be disheartened about the weight gain. Many many years ago, I took up jogging and five days later I could barely get on my pants as my thigh muscles had swelled. It took about 2 weeks for the fat under those muscles to burn up and the size of my thighs to go down.

Does this gym have a trainer who can help you with a free weight program? You could alternate a day of bike work with a day of arms and upper body. Alternating exercises is supposed to be better for you. (I think. Exercise philosophy changes frequently.)

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Yay! Good for you! 45 minutes is awesome! Try not to be disheartened about the weight gain. Many many years ago, I took up jogging and five days later I could barely get on my pants as my thigh muscles had swelled. It took about 2 weeks for the fat under those muscles to burn up and the size of my thighs to go down.

Does this gym have a trainer who can help you with a free weight program? You could alternate a day of bike work with a day of arms and upper body. Alternating exercises is supposed to be better for you. (I think. Exercise philosophy changes frequently.)

Sadly, not. I have used the weight machines before, but my plan for now is increase mobility and stamina. I know cardio SUCKS for weight loss lol but right now my goals are simply mobility and stamina. I have a plan to hit up the weights once I've had my hernia op and all healed up. I do have hand weights I could use at home....but Im FULL of excuses lol thus, I had to join a gym...somewhere to GO to lol.

 

[Clematis]

Oh I hear you about having to GO to exercise. I have dozens and dozens of exercise DVDs but don't have the motivation to play them. I also don;t work as hard without others around or a class to make my competitiveness kick in. I have done 3 minutes of a DVD and then sat in the chair and WATCHED the rest. (Zen exercising does not work, BTW.) Right now I do daily Jazzercise classes as I like the camaraderie and is more interesting to me than machinery.

Stamina and muscle mass go hand in hand so keep those free weights nearby. I keep them next to my chair and during TV commercials *try* and do bicep curls or tricep drops behind my head for the length of the ad. (But now I DVR so much and just FFW through the commercials.) Once upon a time I had a treadmill in my family room and only allowed myself to watch TV if I was walking on it. That didn't last long. (I don't like to use the weight machines at gyms as I always pick up some serious illness from the combination of someone else's sweat and viruses on the handles or pads.)

Hope you get your hernia all straightened away. I can imagine that is limiting and painful.

 

[southernlady]

Good for you, Roo!

 

[Munchkin]

Sounds like a good thing! I found the best for me was anything that involved moving that I would do consistently. Anger helps too!

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Sounds like a good thing! I found the best for me was anything that involved moving that I would do consistently. Anger helps too!

I have no idea why, but negative emotions motivate me a hell of a lot more than positive ones. It's weird and backwards, but I embrace it lol.

 

[duh_Mom]

As alway you inspire me! 45 mins on the bike! man...

 

[DianaCox]

And you inspired me to take a 20 min walk (gotta start somewhere) around this RV park where I'm staying by myself, just to get myself MOVING because I've been a lazy slug. I've spent many days over the last few months without getting out of the house at all, so I'm going to follow your lead and get my flabby self back in shape as we prepare for our RV adventures.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I need tagamet follow Roo and get my ass to the gym and start building back some muscle, but it will probably be 8 weeks before I can do that. I am too weak and too much gut distress at the moment and I think I read I will have a 6 week no lifting anything over 10 pounds restriction.... But after that I should have no excuse.

For the last 2.5 years I have been too damn weak most of the time and afraid to do much at the times I felt okay, because I was afraid I would make myself lose more weight/tank my nutritional numbers by burning the limited calories I actually absorb. I am so ready to begin my climb back to strength and feelings by well.

So Roo you inspire me with your awesome attitude and the will be back in the gym by mid summer. BTW I enjoy reading your FB posts. Are you originally from the States?

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Thanks y'all! Im happy this morning as the scale is playing nice lol. Dropped 5lbs of my 10lb gym gain. Ugh. Dodgy joints LOVE to retain water!!!! The scale shouldn't rule me and Im the first to say stay off the scale the first 2 weeks of gyming it, but I never take my own advice lol.

It's so true Diana, we gotta start somewhere. Im dying to do ALL the things but know for a fact I would burn out or hurt myself....more likely hurt myself lol as 6 months post THR isn't that long according to my PT lol. I just want to be able to be mobile. From where I have been, I feel like a triathlete haha. I mean I can stand up the entire time I make scrambled eggs!!!! Thats such huge progress for me

Yeah Scott, Im a yank in the UK Born and raised in Cali, spend some time in Idaho but fell in love with an English bloke so I am an immigrant Good times! I love it here.....the weather is utter shite, but everything else is pretty great!

 

[Charris]

Go Roo..get it girl.