Fibromyalgia and Strength Training

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jmom376
jmom376 Posts: 234 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Good morning, I am new here and just getting started on a healthier lifestyle. I need to lose 100+ pounds so I have a long journey in front of me. I have Fibromyalgia so exercising might be a challenge for me some days. I have started walking already, but would like to do some light strength training too.

Does anyone else have Fibromyalgia and can recommend some light strength training that I can start? My worse pain spots are my shoulders going down to my underarms. I also have a lot of issues with my calves and hips. I am hoping that I can use stretching and strength training to help with the pain.

I will be away from the computer a good part of today, but thank you in advance for the advice.

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  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
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    I have M.E. which has very similar symptoms in relation to pain. What I have found may not be the same for you, so you should listen to your body, take it slow, and put your health first.

    When I first started exercise I used a physio. She had me doing lots of exercises to build some strength that most people normally have and take for granted. Such as - sitting on a gym ball. (Seriously I could not do this for even 1 minute) I built up to 30 mins at a time (watching TV). Similarly I would lie on the floor with my feet in the ball and roll it towards me and back out.

    After a while we tried a few more bits and pieces - bridges, foam roller for stretching. Walking (lots of walking, starting with 1 minutes out of my front door and then back then building up by 30 secs a time)

    If you have access to a physio (free in the UK on the NHS)

    After about 6 months I started doing 'normal' exercise. Using body weight workouts - squats, wall press ups, crunches and so on.

    Another 6 months and I picked up the 'pink' dumbbells that get so much stick on here. IGNORE ALL CRITICISMS. You can only do what you can do. Those people have no idea what you are going through.

    This was the time I really started to see results - and for the exercise to start helping my symptoms. I have built up from here and now can do more than most people on a good day. On a bad day I stay in bed still, and I do not give myself grief. I need to rest, thats just how it is.

    Two things that really helped me - pacing. Something like this:
    http://www.fatigueanswers.com/cfs.html
    (I just did a very very quick goole search for this. You need to research it fully until you find something that sounds good to you)

    Second - Mental attitude. This is essential. I am of the opinion - my body hurts me ALL THE TIME, so after exercise it still hurts me, but ITS FOR A GOOD REASON. Now I have pain about 30-40% of my life. Its a huge improvement.

    Finally - diet has been extremely important for me. Yes calories are important, but I have found my health has been much improved by concentrating on WHAT I eat, not how much. White carb type foods are bad for me. I concentrate on protein, veggies, good oils. Look up Montignac or Fiona Kirk if you are at all interested in this (if not I'm not offended! Only sharing what has worked for me!)

    Montignac took me from 12 months off work, bed ridden, to looking normal. I lost 20lbs in the process over 6 months. So not huge losses, but not bad either.

    I really really hope you find something that works for you - feel free to add me as a friend and I will help in any way I can

    Jo
  • jmom376
    jmom376 Posts: 234 Member
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    Thank you so much for your post. This definitely helps and I will check out the websites you posted. I went to a Physical Therapist a couple of years ago and I think I will start going again this year. My insurance does cover it, but I need to pay $35 every time I go, so the cost adds up. But if they can get me started on some things that I can do at home, that would be great. Plus they do deep tissue massages that hurts like heck but seem to help afterwards.

    Luckily I am still able to work full time and get around, but I do have my bad days and end of sleeping a lot. My number one goal is to prevent this from getting any worse than it already is and to get healthier. I am one of those people that are all or nothing. I tend to go heavy on the walking one day and then can barely move several days afterwards. I just need to learn to pace myself better.

    I am also working on eating healthier like you said and in the last 2 weeks do find that I am feeling a little better. I will continue down that path and see what works best for me.

    I will friend request you as soon as I figure out how :)

    Thank you again for your post.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I will friend request you as soon as I figure out how :)

    Click on the name below the profile picture, and then click on the big green ADD AS FRIEND button. :smile:
  • jmom376
    jmom376 Posts: 234 Member
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    Thank you. I have added both of you as friends.
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
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    My insurance does cover it, but I need to pay $35 every time I go, so the cost adds up. But if they can get me started on some things that I can do at home, that would be great. Plus they do deep tissue massages that hurts like heck but seem to help afterwards.

    If you can afford it I would highly recommend you have a session, and then maybe another in a couple of months. And the massage will certainly help!
    I am one of those people that are all or nothing. I tend to go heavy on the walking one day and then can barely move several days afterwards. I just need to learn to pace myself better.

    Me too - this is the hardest thing to sort. Especially as you will be surrounded by people who are able to do so much more in the beginning than you can. (Particularly if you join a gym for example). It took me ages to stop myself from doing too much constantly on day 1 and then not being able to move again until day 8 or 9! Even now my mental toughness is such I am likely to push too hard!
    I am also working on eating healthier like you said and in the last 2 weeks do find that I am feeling a little better. I will continue down that path and see what works best for me.

    I am really glad you have seen even a small improvement. I found in the early days keeping a food diary helped (and I noted how I felt the day or two after). Experimenting is lots of fun too!
  • gxm17
    gxm17 Posts: 374
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    Great comments and advice! The hardest part about working out with Fibromyalgia, IMO, was learning to listen to my body and *understand* what it was telling me. To this day, I sometimes confuse the signals. It's a very delicate balance between pushing your limits and pulling back. IMO, the pulling back is just as hard, if not harder, than the pushing because it takes so much self control (which apparently I'm lacking).

    I have been working out with Fibromyalgia for about six or seven years now. It has been a long, slow process. There is no quick fix, just slow and steady to win the race. Currently, I'm doing the ChaLean Extreme workouts because I felt I was finally strong enough to step it up a notch. So far, so good and I'm really enjoying the program, and am on my second round now. The great thing about this program is that she has a modifier using lighter weights and she constantly emphasizes that "heavy" is what is heavy for *you* and that may be only 3lb. or 5lb. weights. For a beginner, I would recommend her Turbo Jam series, try the Booty Sculpt workout, it's a total body workout and she has a modifier who doesn't even use weights which is a great way to learn the moves first so that you can comfortably add weights when you are ready.

    Oddly, one aspect I love about strength training is the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) because it takes my mind off the "bad" pain and allows me to focus on the "good" pain. I know it's just a mind trick, but it makes me *feel* healthier.

    And let me echo what others have said: Do not listen to the folks who make fun of "pink" dumbbells. They are CLUELESS. Go at your own pace, listen to your body, and enjoy the journey. It may be a rockier road for those of us with chronic health issues but, all in all, it makes the journey that much sweeter.

    I have a ton of workout DVDs and searched through to see if I have anything that might be good, if you are interested in "Losing It and Keeping Fit" (http://www.amazon.com/Valerie-Bertinelli-Losing-And-Keeping/dp/B002KLA9FS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359830858&sr=8-1&keywords=losing+it+and+keeping+fit) or Total Body Toning (http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Body-Total-Toning/dp/B001KQS3UM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359830719&sr=8-1&keywords=total+body+toning), send me a SASE and I'll send one (or both) to you. (Just private message me.)
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
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    Oddly, one aspect I love about strength training is the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) because it takes my mind off the "bad" pain and allows me to focus on the "good" pain. I know it's just a mind trick, but it makes me *feel* healthier.

    THIS so much THIS!!

    I am so glad I am not the only one who feels like this. (My friends hate me a little too as I love having a hangover because I have a reason to feel bad!!)
  • jmom376
    jmom376 Posts: 234 Member
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    Thank you gxm17 and jo2926. You both have been so helpful and inspirational. I am glad that I have found others on here that know what I am going through. I didn't realize what I was experiencing had a name (DOMS). When I am walking I feel so good, even though my legs and shoulders hurt. It definitely takes my mind off the pain when I am outside and enjoying nature. You guys are right, if I am going to be in pain all of the time anyway, it helps a little bit to know that some of it is the results of me working on getting healthier.

    I think it will definitely take me a while to really be able to understand my body and what it needs and how much pain is acceptable. The pulling back is already a challenge for me, but hopefully I can find a happy middle ground. In the past I have used the pain as an excuse not to work towards losing weight and getting healthier. I am really trying to work past that.

    gxm17: thank you for the offer of the video's. For now I think I am good, but will keep that in mind. I am going to look into seeing a physical therapist this week and then look into getting a gym membership with my son and husband. We have a gym that is close by that has a pool and hot tub. I will see if they have a water aerobics class that I can join. I love how I feel in the water :)

    Thank you again!
  • sparklyball
    sparklyball Posts: 93 Member
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    hello, i was diagnoised with fibromyalgia a few months ago, i havn;t been able to exercise but am keen to learn how to get started


    i'm female, late 40's, uk based

    i'm not overweight but very untoned with a large belly

    any help appreciated, please add me if you have fibromyalgia


    thank you

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