Exercising

[Guest guest]

I'll probably start a tempest in a tea pot with this one, but is anyone

exercising for the specific purposes of building muscle mass, tone,

definition, and to lower pain?

I have many 'stress' points, i.e., painful tendons, muscles, and joints that

protest the exercises, but have decided that in the long run exercise will

be beneficial and ultimately reduce pain as well as stress upon the above

stress points. Believe me, I sure can tell where those points are without

any difficulty because of the protests they make from being used, but I do

think that the protests will be lesser in the longrun than they would be if

I didn't exercise.

I'm currently using Bow-Flex at a friend's home, and the exercise equipment

at my apartment complex. It helps to work out with a friend who is

experienced and successful at strength and body building. It's also an

encouragement to see how another has achieved what you hope to succeed at

doing.

I understand that many of us are reluctant to do any kind of exercise that

causes additional pain. I also understand that pain from exercise will

decrease if you are consistent in your exercising. This is especially true

for those of us, like myself, who have fibromyalgia pain. Yes, even with

fibro the pain does decrease over time with consistent exercise routines.

When I first started on this course of action to reduce weight, build

strength and endurance, and tone and define musculature, I wasn't sure I'd

be able to be consistent due to the pain. Now that I'm seeing results in

all goal areas, I can say that it has been worth the pain to achieve my

goals...and the pain is less overall.

No matter how much pain you are in you should be doing some kind of exercise

daily to maintain your current conditioning, build better conditioning, and

avoid the inevitable decline downward into disability that comes with a

refusal to do any exercise.

Everywhere I go these days I see extremely overweight people in electric

chairs. Many do have physical problems that prevent them from walking.

Many more are simply overweight. Reduction of your weight will result in

improvement in your overall health and ability. It's difficult. But it can

be done. I'm down 65 pounds from my highest weight. Counting calories and

eating a balanced diet has been my method to date, plus increased activity.

Now I'm cutting more calories and beginning a purposeful exercise program to

further reduce my weight and improve my overall health...plus lower pain.

Strengthing muscles and tendons builds better endurance as well as taking

much of the stress (and pain) off of joints and inflamed tendons. It's what

the medical literature tells us to do. It's what our physical therapists

tell us to do. It's what our doctors prescribe. So why not try and see if

it will benefit you, too.

Ray