Looking for any small Movements (even if not "exercise") I could do every day?

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

I'm partially physically disabled. I'm on a 5 lb weight restriction. I have serious back problems that began when the doctor hit a nerve in my spine when trying to give me my epidural 13 years ago. I've had diagnosed fibromyalgia since I was 19.

I used to be reasonably functional. However my pain has gotten worse pretty constantly, and I am sure that my weight is also contributing to my inability to... well... do almost anything.

Currently I am ~270lbs at 5'1" (female, 42yo). My bmi is over 50.

I almost never move around.

Once every 2 weeks I go grocery shopping. It usually takes about 2 hours once inside to traverse the store. I am honestly incapable of standing/walking that long without a shopping cart to lean on, but so far I *do* manage to stay on my feet in the store.

After my shopping trips, I can barely move my legs to stand up at all. Making it to the bathroom (about 10ft from my bedroom) is nearly impossible, so I have to wait as long as possible.

After 3-4 days I recover enough to move a bit more. So...

Typical Day:

I get up, walk to the living room and sit on the sofa. I get up only when I need the restroom. My daughter is an aspiring chef and does all the cooking but I can't even get back and forth to the table anymore, so I even eat in the living room. At night I get up, walk to bed, lay down. Recently I have even had to ask my daughter to help me adjust the pillows so I can sleep.

I need to move more or I'm going to lose ALL mobility. I'm really scared that's going to be soon.

Someone yesterday suggested chair exercises or something and I tried to follow this workout video on youtube... it was only 15 minutes but I was in tears after 5. It was seated chair exercises for seniors! Very discouraged.

If anyone has any ideas how to implement some small movements throughout the day so I can build up to these videos? Or... anything really.

I'd appreciate *any* ideas.

AnnPT77 · April 2022

Honestly, I don't have much . . . we're in very different situations. But I do care, recognize and appreciate your determination, would like to be able to help, however imperfectly. I think you are very brave and bold. Anything you can do is a good thing.

I'm going to link a thread where very many people talk about what they've done to increase daily-life movement. Most of them - like me - are in a different spot from you. Many of the ideas in the thread will not be suitable for you. I'm hoping that a few might spark some ideas, maybe.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

If nothing else, maybe the creativity could be encouraging (I hope not discouraging!).

I think you are doing wonderfully, trying the chair exercise videos. Any added movement is a plus. Can your doctor refer you for physical therapy? Can you squeeze a rubber ball in your hands? Do some yoga-type neck exercises, shoulder raises? Even deep breathing, expanding the diaphragm and ribcage slowly, may be a plus.

You sound so determined, so strong (in your intentions, compared to a lot of people with fewer physical challenges). I admire that. If I could send you extra strength, I would: Hugs!

Wishing you progress, success!

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@AnnPT77 My "doctor" varies ... the clinic covered by my insurance sets your appointment with whichever doctor is available, and they've been singularly unhelpful with anything weight related. The basic answers I get are "eat less and exercise" lol. Been trying to get a referral for a dietician or something for a couple years.

Thanks for the thread link! I will check it out for sure. I scrolled through a bunch of topics but must have missed that !!

I hadn't thought about squeezing a ball or shoulder raises. I'll start both of those things today!! Thanks somuch for the reply, it's very sweet and super helpful and encouraging!

Hiawassee88 · April 2022

Swimming. Our rec center has a class for disabled veterans and others. You'd be amazed how healing the water can be for injuries. We have people paralyzed from the waist down who benefit greatly from movement in the water. Our rec center has 5 pools with graduating temps for therapy. Find a pool, our town is small.

Check into advocates for disabilities and public transportation to help you get to the pool. Make some calls so you can get out of the house. You will feel so much better about everything. That weight will be literally lifted off your shoulders.

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@Washboard12 There's a pool not far from here! It's outdoor so it doesn't open till summer, though, but that could be a huge help! Thank you!!

Hiawassee88 · April 2022

@Cluelessmama1979 For me, support is the name of the game here. Stay accountable with transparency for the big WIN. 💖

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

Lol yeah... I think the lack of accountability has contributed a lot to my past lack of success.

Hopefully I will find some people who I can be transparent to lol!

LifeChangz · April 2022

Sherry Zak on utube has some very gentle chair movement videos that help with flexibility and range of motion. If you watch one video, other suggestions pop up. Here is her Somewhere over the Rainbow one; just 3 minutes.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mKkGoUYruEo

It's ok to start small - pause as needed, small ranges of motion, small amounts of time, several times a day, increase as stable & able... even just doing movement while sitting - you can raise/curl up arms withouth anything - doing the motions. later, add a can of food or water bottle, for example - there are other little things like point toes, then raise to cieling and and ankle circles. make fists then straighten hands and spread fingers. repeat a few times. when seated, small knee/foot lifts from the floor, or small arm circles...

I also used to like the tv chair exercise program on pbs (free tv public broadcast station) called Sit and Be fit... I could only do a few minutes, but gradually increased... the show had a good variety of ideas and used a variety of tools (which can be adapted from things at home)...

for me, it is always hardest to get started... sometimes I start by promising myself I can quit after 1 minute ~ your fear of becoming bedridden recognizes how hard it is right now - when we start moving, it can seem like we will never feel better or make progress, but, we can and we will - we are worth doing it for ourselves ~ you have that urge bubbling up from deep down inside, grab it, hold on and go! onwards

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@LifeChangz

OMG
Thank you soooooo much!!! I just watched the vid you linked and actually managed to finish the whole thing!!! I'm literally crying rn, my daughter thinks I've lost the plot lol.

I couldn't do all of the leg movements and had to stop those halfway in, but I managed to keep up with all the arm movements, even the double rainbow one (tho my shoulders and back are pretty sore now).

I'm going to try to do the whole vid every day and work in all those little movements sporadically throughout the day.

Thank you so so so much, this is more than I'd hoped for. You are legit my new hero

DawnWyrick1 · April 2022

I'm kind of in the same boat as you. For the last 3 years I have suffered with debilitating chronic fatigue and muscle weakness which has affected my mobility immensely and then leading to depression and stress eating. But I am here now and ready to retry. I didn't watch the chair exercises yet but I was going to offer simply stretching. I haven't done much of anything except garden when I can. I am afraid of hurting myself doing too much. I go to physical therapy which is very helpful. Simple movements make all the difference so why not just start with a good stretch for each area of your body. Tomorrow begins my restart. I wish you all the best. You can feel better. Just take baby steps and appreciate the small wins first.

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@DawnWyrick1 the exercise video @LifeChangz posted was amazing helpful for me... my back is a lil achy but not sore, if that helps. I'm starting my small movements plan tomorrow too (bedtime here!) so maybe we can work through it together!

emmamcgarity · April 2022

You’ve already receive great advice. I just wanted to post to say I’m cheering for you!

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@emmamcgarity thank you! Have actually been feeling pretty down on myself this week. All the praise and encouragement here has been a bit if a shock. Thought I was going to get all the lectures lol. Pleasantly surprised, and finding it very motivational!!

corinasue1143 · April 2022

@LifeChangz thank you so much for the video. Just what I needed once upon a time. She also had a balance video which I still need. I will use it a lot, I’m sure.
@Cluelessmama1979 ive been where you are. One of the worst parts for me was other people (doctors) just not taking me seriously. They thought I was a drama Queen and dismissed me.
I wore a cheap pedometer and was walking 12000 to 15000 steps per day. Then one day I couldn’t. I moved as little as possible because every movement hurt. I couldn’t cry because the salt in the tears hurt my skin so much, but yet I couldn’t stop crying.
Sound familiar? I was later diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.
The 2 best pieces of advice I got.
Use that cheap pedometer to get an average of how many steps I took each day over 10 days. I started with 300. Try very hard to walk that many steps every day—even your bad days. When it starts to get easier, add a step each day=301 steps for a week or two. Then add one more step, etc.

It’s up to you. Other people can tell you what to do, advise you, help you or not. Ultimately you are the one who must get up each morning and put one foot in front of the other. You’re gonna cry. Keep going. It’s up to you.

I started with 300 steps each day. 15 years later, I’m up to a consistent 6000 steps a day. I can do 8000, but then have to do 4 to 5000 the next 3 days or so. It was worth every bit of the effort. I would have cried anyway. The time would have passed anyway. Life is so much better now.

Good luck on your journey.

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@corinasue1143 I'm sorry your doctors didn't listen. I used to have a really good doctor, but since I moved here ( been a lil over 11 years now ).

I'm glad you were able to work something out that helped!

It's also good to hear from someone else who understands what the pain is actually like. Pretty much everyone thinks they get it, but, well, equates it with that one day their back ached or something lol. "Just work through it!" ... sure, will do.

Anyway, I like the idea of starting with my steps baseline. Obvs on flare days I can't walk at all, but for the rest of the time I can just try doing a lil more each day!!

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

So I added up what I do in a typical day and it looks like about 530ish steps per day IF I need to use the bathroom a lot. BUuut.. to do so, I basically just walked from like... bed to where I sit in the living room, or living room to bathroom or bathroom to my bed, etc.

Just counting steps for each path since i don't have a tracker. Then tallied up how often i usually make each trip.

But that means I just walked all those trips at one time and now my back and ankle are screaming.

Which tells me 2 things. One, I am physically capable of taking those 88 steps all at once. And two, ...I probably shouldn't be doing 88 steps all at once.

Trying to decide if I should try to build up more steps like... each time I get up, or more for the day overall, or if I should try to build up just once per day doing as many steps as I can *safely* all at once. Not sure yet lol.

avatiach · April 2022

These are the ideas I really like: 1) swimming. Even if you just float a bit you use a lot of muscles; 2) asking to see a physical therapist (the pitch to your doctors is so that you can move more); 3) adding just a few steps a week; 4) the videos people have suggested. I'll also add that there are a number of youtube yoga videos, and some of them are very low key (others are really hard!). Look for chair ones, ones that say meditation or slow yoga. You also might try some breathing ones, breathing exercises could maybe help.

LifeChangz · April 2022

waves hello ~ so glad the Sherry Zack video was doable.

when I read the original information, I thought walking through the store, leaning on a cart is tough, no wonder it could take days to recover!

for me, this year, I started doing 'intentional consecutive steps' one time in the morning, usually before lunch. I thought I would start with 75 steps but was able to do more. I add 5 or 10 or 25 steps when I feel I can and now I have been at 300 steps for the last several weeks...

i often wonder where I will be by end of year, maybe 500 steps, maybe more. the hard part for me is doing it every day..
. come heck or high water, I don't ea lunch until that walk is done... I use the walk to do things like carry folded laundry to the dressers or put away life clutter. when I am at the computer, I'll pop back in with a little tracker I am using. it is kinda fun to see it fill in...

hang in and keep going... this is for you... you don't need to explain, defend or justify it to anyone... it is ok to carve out time for your own essential needs, and that is why we're all here... go you

)

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@avatiach thank you!

I'm taking down all of these ideas in a notebook and going to implement as many lil things as possible!!

@LifeChangz yeah, i definitely shouldn't be walking through the grocery store but like...

As my disabilities and my weight have progressed there's all these little things...

"If I ever get to that point I *have* to fix it"

That sort of thing.

And, well, the only two of those I have not hit are "needing to use the lil scooters in the grocery store" and "completely bedridden".

My social worker (who takes me to the store) and the last doctor I saw have both told me that I physically cannot walk through the store and I need the scooter but like...

I don't think it's a problem when other people use them... different things mean different things to different people... but for me, that would signal that I have entirely given up. Next step is total immobility.

But I barely made it last week so ... here we are.

I think I am going to borrow your 75 step initial idea, and the "before lunch" bit. 75 sounds reasonable for me for now, given I could do 88 yesterday but probably shouldn't have. (Ankle and back still hurt this morning).

I'm also going to make sure to do that video exercises every other day, and incorporate as many of the small movements people have suggested here as I can while sitting and binging netflix or youtube, lol.

Am already losing those first several lbs of water weight very rapidly, so it should be getting easier every day.

I can't begin to express how helpful everything posted here has been. I think every comment has had at least one thing which either I can do, or can work up to within a reasonable amount of time!

I think I will be posting my "workout schedule" here when I finish writing it up lol.

Thank you everyone who already had suggestions. I'm still open to more suggestions too! But happy I have a lot of great ideas to choose from already too!

wakegrrl · April 2022

I mentioned this on your other thread, but I like Justin Agustin on YouTube. Very gentle "absolute beginner" seated workouts. I hope you'll find that helpful.

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

wakegrrl wrote: »

I mentioned this on your other thread, but I like Justin Agustin on YouTube. Very gentle "absolute beginner" seated workouts. I hope you'll find that helpful.

Thank you, I will check those out now!

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

I finished writing up my "workout" for anyone who is following! (Well just for my own accountability really)

Anyway, here it is:

springlering62 · April 2022

There was a wonderful thread here a while back by a woman who challenged herself to add a little every time she was able.

She made it to the door, next day to the mailbox. Each day -as she was able- she added a little more. Next mail box. A fence post. First telephone pole. Second pole. Until eventually she was walking several hundred feet, and finally around the mailbox.

Combined with weight loss, she’s ultimately walking a couple miles a day, but it took her several months to get there.

We all have our own Everests to climb. I sincerely hope you conquer yours. Weight loss has made such a difference in my life. Carrying our burdens on our back, literally, sucks. Shedding them, whether figuratively or physically, is life altering.

LaBellaHarris · April 2022

Cluelessmama1979 wrote: »

My social worker (who takes me to the store) and the last doctor I saw have both told me that I physically cannot walk through the store and I need the scooter but like...

I don't think it's a problem when other people use them... different things mean different things to different people... but for me, that would signal that I have entirely given up. Next step is total immobility.

My sibling's wife had this hang up, too, especially when they got her wheelchair (she broke her spine as a kid, and no one ever caught it or fixed it, so now her back is just a constant source of pain). It took her a while to be willing to take the wheelchair to different places, because she felt like it was a reminder that one day fairly soon she wouldn't be able to walk or stand at all. But when she uses the chair, she is in less pain. She can be out longer with less pain. She moves more, because she moves the wheelchair with her arms, so overall, she is getting more movement over time than she would be if she was using her cane and, I cannot stress this enough, she is in less pain.

If you have chronic pain, allow yourself the grace to use the aids that will help you better enjoy your life. Not having to be bedridden for a full day following a grocery trip is really freeing, and it will help you to keep a habit if you don't have to take breaks. You're basically eliminating a future High Symptom Day you regularly have. That's awesome!!! You deserve that!! Don't feel guilty about using mobility aids!! They exist to help you 🫂

avatiach · April 2022

Please keep posting on this thread so we can check back and see how you are doing? I love your workout plan.

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

Had shopping today .. 3 hours 27 minutes door to door; 20 minute trip each way so.....

2 hours 47 minutes walking around Walmart.

Didn't realize people were still wanting updates! I'll try to make sure and post individual replies tomorrow if I can move around enough to type, but I am literally shaking at the moment so... just replying so no one is concerned!

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

Quick update:
Like I said last night, I went shopping again yesterday. It *is* better already. About an hour ago (11am) I was able to get out of bed and move to the living room. Normally the day after shopping is a stay in bed day.

The small movements are working... maybe? I'm definitely doing a lot of them. I haven't been able to do more of any one movement all at once, but I'm sort of doing reps?

Just constantly doing my limit of one movement or other, then switching to one that uses a different muscle group and doing that and switching again until I have done all of them and sort of cycling through them all, over and over again until either I'm too sore all over or it's bedtime, lol.

I didn't think I would be able to do any today because of the store trip, and I definitely can't do most of them (my back is screaming) but squeezing a ball doesn't use back muscles, apparently. I can't move my legs/feet much, but I have been wiggling my toes for like 20 minutes straight. It felt weird and then finally stopped feeling weird and now it's just kinda like background noise.... only started noticing again because I am talking about it lol.

Also... I posted this elsewhere, but... usually I "reward" myself after shopping with a Mtn Dew and fast food.

I did have a Mtn Dew, breaking my streak of a week without, sadly, but!!! I didn't get fast food. We had more of a delicious baked spaghetti my daughter made on Tuesday... with brocolli, and had a brownie for dessert... and I stayed in my calories.

Pretty stoked, ngl. My weight is down 10lbs since I started logging 1.5 weeks ago? (Will be 2 weeks at the end of the day on Sunday).

Also they *actually* had a dress in my size at Walmart. They usually don't. And I bought it. And it fits. And it has pockets! I haven't bought any new article of clothing for myself in 5 years, lol.

So far, the week, even with grocery shopping, is a big win.

Not sure if I'm actually achieving more mobility, but it feels good to be trying!

@springlering62 I think I saw that story somewhere! I hadn't internalized/applied it to myself, though.

Or I did without realizing it... cause... that's kinda what I'm trying to do, but with other muscle groups too. That's a pretty inspiring story. Hopefully I can get similar enough results to keep up with my newly-minted teenager lol.

@LaBellaHarris I've been thinking about your comment all night. It made me feel really defensive at first and I wasn't sure why. You were saying essentially "you shouldn't have to be in pain and then incapacitated for days if there's help available" and that's true, and typically I don't feel any shame in needing to ask for help... so why am I feeling defensive.

And I finally figured it out. There's pain in your reply... your pain and your sibling's from watching their partner struggle. I hadn't thought that it could be something that affected other people around me. My defensive feelings were all "I'm not hurting anyone else."

But I talked to my daughter this morning. And she admitted she's been scared and concerned. She's upset seeing me struggling and scared I will fall or get stuck and unable to move. I cried. A lot. Probably burned a few calories crying, lol.

We made a deal. Usually I am in pain just walking in to the store. From now on, as long as that's the case, I will use the lil scooter cart when I get inside. When/if I can walk into the store without pain, I will walk on my own. If it gets too hard while we're shopping, I will go get the chair.

I genuinely hadn't thought about how this might affect other people.

I still feel like using it is a sort of sign for me but... maybe it's not giving up on my weight and more... accepting the limitations of my disability. We'll just have to see, as I lose the weight, if this will improve.

Either way I genuinely appreciate the different perspective. Thank you.

@avatiach sorry! I'd thought this was a dead thread ... had made my plan and didn't know anyone was waiting for updates lol. I will keep yall updated!!

AnnPT77 · April 2022

@Cluelessmama1979, I'm appreciating your updates, too.

I hope this is not inappropriate, but I'm going to say that I'm finding your approach to this really inspiring. I've been struggling a bit myself recently - not quite ready to post specifics about it, as it's not a full-bore crisis and I'm still formulating a "problem statement" 🙂 - but I'm learning useful things from your structured and motivated approach to your different circumstances.

Thank you for that!

P.S. Thinking you should change your user name to TooCoolForSchool2022, or something like that. 😉

Cluelessmama1979 · April 2022

@AnnPT77 unfortunately I used my 1 free username change to yknow... NOT be my email address, lol... but I read your username suffestion to my 13 year old, who has assured me I am definitely *not* too cool for.. anything. 😆

I'm glad you are finding some inspiration in my organized chaos lol.

I finally decided that if I keep waiting for a full-blown crisis to seek help .. I am essentially going to keep reaching full-blown crises.

My current method is kinda "I have to share all my thoughts and ideas" because obviously something has gone wrong with my way of thinking so... I need other people's input, at this point. And I'd rather say something embarrassing than gain another 100 lbs and end up bedridden.

Doesn't mean that process will work for everyone. Or even for me. But it's all I can do for now.

I will try to keep updating... though my issues are spread across several posts at this point, and I'm thinking of consolidating... maybe a "my journey in progress" style thread in Getting Started or something... idk.

I will say, I've also noticed your posts pretty much everywhere and you seem to have the math and science down, and to bevery sensible about everything. I'd be very interested in your feedback on ... whatever I happen to be eating/doing at any given time. Don't ever worry about appropriateness or hurt feelings, I tend notto be bothered

Anyway, thanks for the reply, it's encouraging to see that people are interested if nothing else!

LaBellaHarris · April 2022

Cluelessmama1979 wrote: »

@LaBellaHarris I've been thinking about your comment all night. It made me feel really defensive at first and I wasn't sure why. You were saying essentially "you shouldn't have to be in pain and then incapacitated for days if there's help available" and that's true, and typically I don't feel any shame in needing to ask for help... so why am I feeling defensive.

And I finally figured it out. There's pain in your reply... your pain and your sibling's from watching their partner struggle. I hadn't thought that it could be something that affected other people around me. My defensive feelings were all "I'm not hurting anyone else."

But I talked to my daughter this morning. And she admitted she's been scared and concerned. She's upset seeing me struggling and scared I will fall or get stuck and unable to move. I cried. A lot. Probably burned a few calories crying, lol.

We made a deal. Usually I am in pain just walking in to the store. From now on, as long as that's the case, I will use the lil scooter cart when I get inside. When/if I can walk into the store without pain, I will walk on my own. If it gets too hard while we're shopping, I will go get the chair.

I genuinely hadn't thought about how this might affect other people.

I still feel like using it is a sort of sign for me but... maybe it's not giving up on my weight and more... accepting the limitations of my disability. We'll just have to see, as I lose the weight, if this will improve.

Either way I genuinely appreciate the different perspective. Thank you.

I'm so glad you talked with your daughter, and that you've found a compromise that works for you both. My sibling's wife and I have been friends for a long time, and I know that I sometimes put my foot in my mouth still with regard to talking about disabilities and accessibility, so I'm sorry for putting you on the defensive. Good luck on your journey!! It sounds like you're doing great so far

LifeChangz · April 2022

waves hello ~ glad to see the ongoing discussion going, I had been wondering how the checklist was doing... and meant to get back here earlier to drop off the little steps/goal tracker... ran into a little life interruptis... lol

the conversations are interesting ~ i think the most powerful part of the discussion boards is sharing encouragement, information and different ideas and points of view ~ i can look back and see profound changes in my thinking which led to profound changes in my doing and self-care... which evolves and grows as we practice new2us ideas, skills and self-care actions - and it always helps me to hold onto my whys - and then get up each day and do... it's easy to talk and ponder... for me, the doing is sometimes the hardest - when motivation evaporates or I don't feel well or whatever - so it helped to realize that it is ok to adjust for real, actual things - like how we adjust rest and eat different on sick days... I think that goes to adapting for recovery and rest after super big movement days - and we figure it out by adjusting and practicing... and thinking through our ideas/attitudes, what we always did before and turn forward and figure out the next possible step(s) then take the steps... for me, it's small things - like increasing a few more intentional steps as I am able... I look forward to confetti happy dances when people reach new milestones - and that's why I really have enjoyed this discussion! woot!

Looking for any small Movements (even if not "exercise") I could do every day?

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