Exercise is great for all of us! It has even been proven to reduce MS symptoms, improve mobility and benefit our mental wellbeing. 🙂
Doing exercise can be hard though, and difficult to start, especially when living with a chronic illness. Most days Dizzy and I just want to stay in bed, especially when it starts getting cold in the winter!
Recently, Dizzy has definitely noticed a decrease in the amount she has been doing (and I have been doing even worse…). But Dizzy have come up with a couple of ways of helping to increase our fitness levels going into the Christmas and New Year period. 🙂
- Exercise Little and Often
It is really important to not over do it. This is something to be really careful with when you have MS, as an increase in body temperature can lead to an increase in symptoms temporarily. But even little segments of exercise can make all the difference! From light stretching to running, it is just finding the right balance for you. 🙂
2. Invest in Equipment
You can also consider buying fitness equipment for your home, such as a weights, a treadmill or yoga bands. (Sid keeps going on about the benefits of the incline treadmill). But they can be great for gently increasing fitness levels. 🙂 We have also invested in light weights and yoga bands, after my physiotherapist got me to use them a few years ago.
3. Walk more, drive less
If you are able to, another simple way of improving and enhancing your health and fitness is to walk more and drive less. Or just go for little walks! 🙂 These can be to the local park or round the garden. 🙂
4. Continuity is Key
When it comes to increasing and improving your fitness levels, it’s important to know that continuity is the key. 🙂 Although, the odd day off is also fine. 🙂
When it comes to aiding fitness and increasing your fitness levels, it’s not always easy to know where to start, especially with a chronic illness, but by doing even a little, it can make an extraordinary difference. 🙂
What are your top tips for keeping for? 🙂 xxx
Hey Dizzy! What do you use the weights for? Any exercise examples? This little donkey might try it (y)
Hey Jess! I must admit that Dizzy uses the weights more than me! I only do little ones, and only with the light weights. 🙂 I do the bicep and tricep curls/extensions, and also sometimes use my legs to lift them to help build up the muscles a little. 🙂 What exercises do you do? 🙂 xxx
really good suggestions. I’ve reached the stage now where I am almost a full time wheelchair user, but what I do, is every time i transfer into my chair (which is a lot!) i try to lift my own legs up onto the footplate, I give it a couple of tries before i give in and use my arms to lift them on, but it gives me a tiny bit of physical exercise every day!
Also, when sitting watching tv, I try to do upright crunches i guess you’d call them – going from leaning back in a comfy chair to sitting up. Just during the advert!
Finally, I still use a manual wheelchair. Moving around the house on carpet is hard work!
It sounds like you do more than me and Dizzy! I love your idea of doing upright crunches during the adverts too, as that is something we can all fit into the day. 🙂 xxx
A little and often is definitely the best advice !
I don’t have MS but I have had surgeries, my most recent being shoulder surgery and I can tell you after having every color in rainbow in resistance bands, they are simple but effective for arm work. All you need are some sturdy doorknobs to attach them to.
Also, people talk about workout buddies or exercise partners. Yes, it probably is good if you have MS or other health issues. However, when you feel up to it, do what you can in the way of exercise on your own. You won’t regret it.
I have a couple of resistant bands too, and they are great! 🙂 xx Are you recovering ok after your shoulder surgery? xxx
I’m as good as new! During the pandemic, I’ve been working out at home and I can even do girl push-ups without it hurting.
Woah, that’s amazing! I can’t remember the last time I even attempted a push up! 🙂 xxx I hope you have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow. 🙂 xxx
Not the regular push ups but it’s something!
Thanks and you too.
Not overdoing it is important. If you do too much then you can get soreness the next day and you do not feel like doing anything . I also agree with having an exercise buddy . It helps to keep you on your schedule.
Luckily I have Dizzy, but she can get easily distracted by ginger nut biscuits… 🙂 I imagine Biasini is an amazing exercise buddy though. 🙂 xxx
Yes he is. I have to keep fit because if i get tired while riding then I start to give him signals that are not clear . Then he does the wrong thing and it isn’t his fault. So I have to be fit enough to keep going and not get too tired.
Hope you had a happy thanksgiving and pain free🤗
Thank you Garfield. 🙂 Are you all ready for Christmas? 🙂 xxx
Too busy at work to feel the Christmassy mood!😩
Those are great suggestions and, as you know, I’m all for walking. I know it is easy for me to say “walk more” to my pals Heather and Dizzy, but it good to get out in the fresh air, and leave the confines of the home, away from the news of the day, especially in 2020. Walking does have its disadvantages as we head into Winter and going to crowded malls is a definite “no no” these days. I don’t mind a walk in freshly fallen snow, but once it gets slick, I scurry back indoors. Those are really cute mitts and socks Dizzy and if you’re going to try and warm up, they are definitely your best bet. They look like they are polar fleece, my personal favorite.
We’re the same. I really like a walk in the snow, but it gets a little scary when it starts to turn icy, so we quickly head back indoors with a cosy blanket then. 🙂 xxx
Yes, that ice is scary. I bought a pair of ice cleats, but you cannot walk on cement with them or it bends the “teeth” so if it is that icy out, I won’t wear the cleats either. It has been so icy at the side of the house that it is worrisome to go out and run the car sometimes. I run it every day and this year I bought a couple of large containers of kitty litter because the porch and sidewalk get bad and that ice melt that is safe for cement, grass and pet’s paws, does not melt the ice very well. It is nicer indoors, but I do go run the car every day to keep it in good shape.