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

24

Replies

  • avatiach
    avatiach Posts: 295 Member
    Please keep posting on this thread so we can check back and see how you are doing? I love your workout plan.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,786 Member
    @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
    Cluelessmama1979 Posts: 129 Member
    @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 :p

    Anyway, thanks for the reply, it's encouraging to see that people are interested if nothing else!
  • LaBellaHarris
    LaBellaHarris Posts: 63 Member
    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
    LifeChangz Posts: 456 Member
    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

    wdr108zb9q83.jpg

    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!
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    Your workout plan with small steps looks great, don’t get stressed if you can’t do it all, but do what you can. Maybe add in “isometrics,” where you lay still but “squeeze” a muscle group while keeping it still for 5-30 seconds (you build up as you get stronger). So, to strengthen the front of your thighs, when laying on your back, you picture pulling your kneecaps up and pressing the back of your knees down into the bed.

    For your core, you pull your belly button toward your spine, without letting your pelvis bone move or rock. Keep breathing while you hold your belly button back as far as you can.

    A physical therapist can really help with reconditioning in this situation, with helping to strengthen your core first and rebuild your strength outward. Do you have access to a PT?
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    And @durden or another moderator might know if there’s a way to change your user name a second time, if you want to.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,283 Member
    We did an exercise in a class the other day that was so simple but I thought it was surprisingly effective.

    Sit on a large exercise ball and gently shift it right and left, squeezing your lats as you do so. (Lats are the muscles in your sides, between rib and pelvis.).

    It’s a gentle move but felt great and really worked the lats. And balancing on the ball is effective, too.

    You could hold onto a table edge if needed.

    Exercise doesn’t necessarily have to be all GRRRR to be effective.

    My favorite exercise when I first started- and one I do prior to every yoga class- was simple hip circles. It helps loosen my back and hip and was very effective for pain management.

    Simply sit on the floor (or chair or bench if needed) cross legged, and circle your upper body to the left, then the right. Recross the other direction and do left and right again. I used to do thirty each in all four directions, and as I got looser the circles got noticeably bigger. Took about ten minutes.
  • Cluelessmama1979
    Cluelessmama1979 Posts: 129 Member
    LaBellaHarris wrote: »
    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.

    Oh, not at all... it was my own as-yet-unrealized hang-ups that made me feel defensive about your totally appropriate (and helpful!!) comment.

    I hope you didn't feel bad about it, it was such a good thing!

    @LifeChangz omg I looooooove that little tracker! I'm definitely printing that out. Coloring it in will be a great motivator lol

    I'm glad you're enjoying the conversation. It's giving me a lot to think about!

    @Cheesy567 I don't think I have ever tried doing those exercises!! I tried the stomach thing while reading your reply and wow, did I really feel that, lol... I think I will look up some stuff on that and try to implement a few things!!

    Unfortunately, in my specific circumstances, my insurance won't cover a PT... or most any specialist, unfortunately.

    I have a social worker who is helping to slowly cut through the red tape so I *can* get real help, but for now it's just general practitioners at a medical group... not even a regular doctor... and my therapist.

    I'm trying not to do anything too strenuous, though, so hopefully won't cause too much damage in the meantime!
  • Cluelessmama1979
    Cluelessmama1979 Posts: 129 Member
    springlering62 wrote: »

    Simply sit on the floor (or chair or bench if needed) cross legged, and circle your upper body to the left, then the right. Recross the other direction and do left and right again. I used to do thirty each in all four directions, and as I got looser the circles got noticeably bigger. Took about ten minutes.

    Hmm... this one is still a bit beyond my abilities... but I've been making a list of movements I can't do *yet* to work up to! This one's going on that list!

    I don't have an exercise ball but I have been thinking of getting one soon! I'll try that when I do.

  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,331 Member
    Cluelessmama1979 wrote: »
    springlering62 wrote: »

    Simply sit on the floor (or chair or bench if needed) cross legged, and circle your upper body to the left, then the right. Recross the other direction and do left and right again. I used to do thirty each in all four directions, and as I got looser the circles got noticeably bigger. Took about ten minutes.

    Hmm... this one is still a bit beyond my abilities... but I've been making a list of movements I can't do *yet* to work up to! This one's going on that list!

    I don't have an exercise ball but I have been thinking of getting one soon! I'll try that when I do.

    If you aren't quite ready for a full blown exercise ball, they have sort of "half balls" that sit on a chair. I use one on my desk chair off and on during the day to switch things up since I don't have a standing desk at home.

    Balance Disc Wobble Cushion
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,786 Member
    COGypsy wrote: »
    Cluelessmama1979 wrote: »
    springlering62 wrote: »

    Simply sit on the floor (or chair or bench if needed) cross legged, and circle your upper body to the left, then the right. Recross the other direction and do left and right again. I used to do thirty each in all four directions, and as I got looser the circles got noticeably bigger. Took about ten minutes.

    Hmm... this one is still a bit beyond my abilities... but I've been making a list of movements I can't do *yet* to work up to! This one's going on that list!

    I don't have an exercise ball but I have been thinking of getting one soon! I'll try that when I do.

    If you aren't quite ready for a full blown exercise ball, they have sort of "half balls" that sit on a chair. I use one on my desk chair off and on during the day to switch things up since I don't have a standing desk at home.

    Balance Disc Wobble Cushion

    Yeah, I have something similar and like it for a variety of things - mostly standing, in my case.

    If money is tight, and you want to try a reduced-motion version of some of the stability exercises, even some pillows (like a rounded throw-pillow type that isn't super-hard), or even a folded soft blanket, can be a way to have a little bit of instability that one can wiggle against.

    @Cluelessmama1979, you've mentioned several times having fairly significant mobility and maybe strength limitations at this point. Given that - though I may be misunderstanding your details when I say this - I think it might be useful to try out some of the movements on some surface that is a little bit less wobbly than a full exercise ball, and see how they feel. Even without mobility limitations, I fall off my stability ball sometimes, or slip and have to catch myself with some abrupt movement . . . I hate to say it, but that happens sometimes even when I'm not trying something all that extreme. I don't want to underestimate what you may be capable of, though!
  • Cluelessmama1979
    Cluelessmama1979 Posts: 129 Member
    @COGypsy oh I will look into that, thank you!!
  • Sinisterbarbie1
    Sinisterbarbie1 Posts: 712 Member
    You are very inspiring.

    A couple of other movements to help with flexibility and circulation and ease pain in your feet for when you do walk … if you can get a tennis ball and roll it around under the arch of your foot towards your toes and back while sitting in a recliner or other chair (maybe while watching tv). The idea is to help circulation, and to get mobility and flexing in your foot and ankle. You can also make circles etc. Do it like you are just massaging the bottom of your foot. Don’t press hard or anything.

    Also spread your fingers and toes apart as far as you can, hold for a few seconds and repeat.

    Put a pillow between your knees while seated and give it a gentle squeeze, hold for a few seconds, release and repeat (same idea as squeezing a ball in your hand).

    When you are standing up (maybe in the shower when you have warm water that feels good on your back and shoulders) pull your shoulder blades back and together and push out your chest, so you are doing an exaggerated straightening of your back. Hold it for a second or two and release and repeat. Its just like a shrug but for your chest/back rather than your shoulders.

    Head/neck rolls - drop your chin towards your chest and slowly roll it clockwise a few times, then switch to counterclockwise a few times. Do it with your eyes closed and feel the little clicks and crackles release as you go.

    All of this stuff is intended to do just whenever you think of it/feel like it/are watching TV or a movie and you don’t need to specifically motivate yourself to switch on a video to follow along with.

    Sending you hugs and strength and good vibes!

  • jwoolman5
    jwoolman5 Posts: 191 Member
    You might also consider getting better advice about pain management. Doctors too often do not pay enough attention to that. But it's a limiting factor when trying to maintain and increase mobility as well in healing in general.

    Sounds like you have plenty of other concrete ideas about ways to get more movement at least. Good luck!

Categories