I'm new here and 21 years old. I have IC, IBS, Gastritis, a severe Carbohydrate Intolerance, possible Fibro, etc. I was bedridden back in 2011 after having an InterStim implanted in my lower back. I've always been a big athlete, so I was too stubborn to just live my life laying in bed all day. My family bought a new Collie puppy who soon became my "Get Better Buddy." I would take her for walks every single day, even though I wasn't supposed to do anything of that sort. I was told I would never be able to touch my toes again, I did. Doctors also told me I'd never play volleyball again (the love of my life!)--I did. They even went as far as telling me that I wouldn't be able to workout strneuously and since the Spring of 2011, I have completed Insanity 4 times, p90x once and can run 5 miles straight! I'm now comitting this entire year to my health and getting off of at least half of my medications with an amazing diet and exercise regimen.

I believe that you have to set realistic goals to keep you motivated. If you can't get out of bed, try doing small stretches laying down. Take a walk to the mail box, then walk around the block another day. Anything like that is a huge achievement! Personally, I've always had the voices in the back of my head telling me I couldn't do this or I couldn't do that and that itself motivates me to prove everyone wrong. If you want to truly lead a healthy and happy lifestyle, sometimes you have to put up twice as much effort to help yourself than you would expect a doctor to help you.

Have you heard of BDNF? Bio-derived neurotropic factors. Essentially we grow neurons when we adapt in doing exercise. The good news is you can skip a day or two of exercise so if you're not motivated - it's ok. It even happens to those of us who have fully overcome fibromyaglia like myself.

BDNF lets us build the good chemicals we receive when we exercise. We have a 72 hour window where we positively adapt and shift things in terms of memory. If we lapse over 72 hours, then we shift away from that memory and we tend to lose the gains we're making. So if you miss a day or two, no worries.

The key as many have said is to keep moving. Any type of movement can be done as exercise "if" it is done consciously. If we mindlessly clean the kitchen, we remain in our sub-cortical areas of the brain which does learned movement and does not create the new happy neurons we want to evolve.

So let's say we do the dishes. Instead of just doing them as always, each time you put a dish or fork away, move in a different way. This mindful awareness now changes things. You may even catch what your habitual movement pattern is - so change it.

Otherwise I've played the kitchen game with some of my clients. We move the dishes and cups and silverware drawers to a new place. Usually the first few time you do the dishes, you'll most likely go to the same old cupboard or drawer - out of habit. So when you have to seek the new drawer or cabinet - the new game begins and the brain has to pay attention as you shift your body differently. No worries if feel confusing at first - this is a good sign of learning. Once you get the game down pat, it may be time to shift things in the kitchen again and again - if this is the type of exercise and games you can enjoy.

So mainly don't beat yourself up - as long as you keep physically activating every 72 hours - things will evolve. It's up to you how fast and deep you truly want them to... and you can always move with and during pain and pay attention to the quality of how you are moving... and if all else fails... just "imagine" you are doing the dishes and the brain will still make the necessary games.

Some days the pain is bad and I can not move. But I do try to put in exercise when I can. I have to take pain meds to really do some type of substantial exercise. It does help me a lot. I would take it 1 hour before exercise to make sure it has kicked in then I am usually ok until later at night when I realize how much I worked out. I know I have to keep moving it helps me out, when I sit too long and not exercise I get very weak and ache even more.

Here is a handy little work out I use on bad days. It is quite gentle and aimed just at those with fibro. On really, really bad days I only do a few minutes.
Sitting for too long makes me stiffen up really bad so I always try to do a little something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpZbDJ6NOL0&list=PL3y7XIAh3iJJg8t6BKNOzwIfSCB2ElV0k

You have to exercise to how you feel. When you feel good & not much pain try to do more but when your body is hurting it is very difficult to move through the pain & I feel it's better to rest. The housework is not that important & it will wait, just do what is most important like doing dishes & laundry, and then you can cut corners by doing one load of laundry a day instead of several loads in one day. On your bad days use paper plates to eat on & cook in the microwave instead of dirtying pots & pans.