weight perspectives

[Guest guest]

The main issue for me is that I will no longer let my chronic pain dictate

to me how I will live my life. I have determined to do whatever I can to

have a healthy, long life, as pain-free as possible, by taking actions to

reduce my health-risks and increase my physical health as much as possible.

For me that has meant actively losing weight. I despaired for years because

any kind of extra physical activity was torture. I was reduced to staying

inside my home, walking downstairs in the morning, and upstairs at night,

and no stairs in between. Going to the grocery store was almost impossible

because of the walking involved. Lack of activity caused tremendous weight

gain.

It took an incredible amount of will power but I determined to make positive

changes in my life wherever I could. I can control my diet and I can

exercise. Granted I must modify what I do from what someone without my

chronic pain issues might be able to do, but I can exercise! Yes, the pain

issue makes it difficult to carry through, but with an exercise partner who

insists that I do it anyway, I get through and feel better about myself, and

am actually healthier with a nicer body and toned muscles. Plus the

strength training and increased muscle mass has resulted in a lessening of

muscular spasms related to tendon inflammation. And increased muscle mass

means that its easier to lose weight since muscle tissue uses calories at a

higher rate.

If you want a better life, then you have to examine what you do have control

over and then take control. Too many times in the past I gave up before I

examined the possibilities or even attempted any changes. In other words I

talked myself out of the possibilities without ever trying them. That's

giving into the pain, instead of finding a way to overcome the pain.

Another issue for me was interpreting any kind of pain, i.e., the pain of

exercising, as equal to the chronic pain of my disease. That is another way

we allow our pain condition to control parts of our lives that it shouldn't.

All pain we encounter isn't chronic pain of our conditions. Sometimes its

just the simple pain of living and should be understood as such and dealt

with as such.

Fatigue was a big problem in my life...still is. But the only way to

overcome fatigue is to condition your body with strength and endurance

training even in minor ways. I have chronic fatigue issues, just like many

of you, but there is also a difference between the fatigue of exercising or

working, and the chronic fatigue of disease. They are different and you can

learn to tell the difference. Nor should you give up on the possible

benefits of exercise with strength and endurance training because of your

fears of fatigue or a little extra pain. If you do, then you are letting

your disease control you instead of you controlling the disease.

I'm sure this will generate responses, but remember what I'm talking about

is taking positive control of your life and not letting your disease or

circumstances control you any longer. There are possibilities and actions

you can take to make your life better. I'm doing that now and my life is

better because of it.

Ray Neal, moderator

Reactive Arthritis/Reiters Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, etc.,

etc.