I really want to loose some extra weight. 20 pounds to be exact. I am starting to be much better at watching what I eat. The problem is exercise. I plan on doing it when I get home from work... which is 3:30pm. But, all I want to do is sit down, lay down, just stop moving. I have no energy what so ever.
This week, I planned on getting up at 5 am. I usually get up at 6:30 to get ready for work which starts at 7:30 am. But that didn't work... I was too tired from not being able to sleep during the night. Most nights, I only get about 3 to 4 hours. I know once I get moving I will get more energy, but I can't seem to get going!
Ok. Enough of this. I just talked myself to getting into high gear. Tomorrow, tired or not, I have to do my work out. I nearly gained back all I had worked hard to loose last summer! My jeans don't fit. This summer I want to wear shorts and t-shirts without feeling bad that I have a stomach.
I know some of you exercise. Am I suddenly just lazy, or is this tired feeling something that comes with RA? I have never been so tired before. I used to jog an hour a day with an hour of weight lifting three times a week. Nothing heavy, but I was really getting defined. Now, I get home from work at 3:30, and it takes all I have to stay awake at the wheel on my drive home. I am so happy when I am finally home. The thought of a jog is just out of the question. I can hardly get through supper. But, when I finally get a chance to sleep... I can't. The sheets hurt my ankles or knees. I toss and turn all night. Then this heavy ache settles in, and suddenly the alarm goes off and it is time to start my day again. It is nuts. Right now it is 8:40 pm. Plenty of time to get in a small work out. But here I am in my pj's.
Well that sounds like RA. I was a high energy person till I got this disease. Some days are harder, but I am definitely tired on work days. I got on Ambien for sleep plus Trazadone 100mg as without sleep I simply cannot function. I sleep much better with these as I also can wake with the aches and pains. I think with the deeper sleep I just do not get woken up as easily. Also can do some exercise with better sleep.
Dar, Don't put yourself down. IT IS THE RA. I used to get teased about how much energy I had and I was constantly on the go. Now I hired a dog walker to walk my dogs.
Here's what happens with me. I have start with baby steps. Then I can work up to whimp level. First, it's five reps, then ten, then 20. Then add another exercise.
I've used physical therapy twice now and had a fitness trainer that worked with my RA. This was the most rewarding. He was great. Here I am hardly able to move in this room with all these big guys lifing heavy weights. But he didn't give up on me. I made a lot of progress. I didn't lose much weight because it changed to muscle. It made me feel great about myself.
Then, I had a lot of personal problems come up that kept me from going and here I am back working myself up from the bottom.
The key is start slow. Go only as far as you can. Maybe you can only walk around your house, then only around your block, then to the corner store. It seems ridiculous, especially when you watch how easy little kids move. But your body is ill and that isn't your fault. You can fight back though, a bit at a time.
And, if you fall off the wagon, like me -- just get up and try again.
I would tell your doctor you can't sleep at night because of the pain he will probably call a perscription in for you. My doctor did I sleep a little better and that little bit makes a lot of difference. On exercising, I barely have enough energy to get out of bed and take care of my kids. Im not over weight but I could be firmer in certain areas. Don't be so hard on yourself. I agree with Deanna baby steps take it slow.
Good Luck take your time.
Thanks guys... I have slept on it (well sort of. Ha ha!), and I decided to try to get some walking in on my breaks at work. I am there anyway. I will talk to my doctor about what is going on with me. I was nervous and scared to see him, but now I can't wait to talk to him and see what he says and what we can do. :)Unfortunately guys if you don't use it you will lose it. We have to keep up what mobility we have or we end up losing it. I am working on the pilates machine and I am walking too. Water exercises are good for us and so is yoga, high impact exercises are not. My rd told me I needed to get out there and do something or I may end up losing what mobility I have. Yes I want to plop in the chair and not move when I get home from work, but I am getting tired of that, so I am trying to change my lifestyle a little bit and try it get some more energy in it,again. Take care everyone & xoxoxox meme Maybe I will give it a try, But it hard to find a babysitter I trust. On my husbands days off I try to recover from the fatigue nasea and headaches of the mtx. There defianetly is not enough time in the day.Dar...I understand how you feel. Before this diagnosis and flare I was a triathlete planning to do several this summer. Now I cannot run. I have been able to bike and swim. Lifting weights has been out of the question lately. The flab under my arms is increasingly annoying.
It is very difficult to make the mental adjustment to less intense execise after being someone who works out in an intense manner.
I just signed up for a facility where I can do some water exercise and will start today. I was just diagnosed 3 months ago and was really afraid if I did anything I would damage my joints, but, clearly if you don't they stiffen even more. Also just started joint mobility stretches, etc, I found in a RA book. I agree that movement is important. When I sit down for just a few mins., I get soooo stiff. It takes me several mins. to get those joints to move. I agree with everybody, if you don't move you lose it.