**This was a draft I wrote in 2019 but never published – found it in my drafts while cleaning out the site to go static. It seemed important – so thought I would share**
Given the recent success I have had with actually getting my life back, I often get asked how I did it – how I made so many huge changes – how did I manage to loose 50 lbs, quit smoking cigarettes, start exercising daily, get remarried and publish a book ALL within the past twelve months?
My answer – I got off my ass and started moving again.
I stopped thinking about the things I should be doing and I started actually doing them.
I started out with getting off the couch for 20 minutes every two hours to stretch on the floor. Granted I was still stationary for the most part, BUT it was something.
I found the things I could do, and I did them, on a regular basis.
Then I found things I couldn’t do – small things to begin with and I worked on mastering them so that they could then be added to the list of things I can do
For example, I recently posted a video on my social media pages of me standing and balancing on one foot….something that two years ago I said I would never be able to do again. And yet I am now doing it every day as part of my stretching and yoga practice.
I began walking. At first, it was just around the block. Sure, one block, compared to the miles and miles I used to log as a runner was frustrating, but it was something. And I committed to keeping that something going. I walked, every day. And every day I would make sure to walk farther than the previous day, even if it was just one driveway more, I added to what I was doing. Until I got to a loop that was just under 4 miles long, and I have kept up that distance and walk daily.
Realizing just how pivotal muscles are for my health and healing, I began strength training again. As my massively large and strong son points out, strong people are harder to kill. To start, I used light weights and my exercise bands, slowly building up to more significant resistance as my body regained some of it’s lost strength.
Stretching and rolling have also become a part of my daily protocol. Keeping the muscles and tendons loose and the blood flowing helps immensely with my spasticity, spasms and overall pain levels.
This whole experience of pulling out of the downward spiral I was in because of the pain and getting my life and my body back has been extremely humbling. I know – firsthand – what it is like to feel yourself slipping away and I want to reach out and make it better for anyone that is experiencing it, because losing yourself sucks!
I owe a great deal of my sucesss and improvement to the movement that I have committed myself to. Moving my body and getting enough exercise has now become one of my top priorities daily. I am now convinced, more than ever that our number one defense against this disease is movement.
If you used to work out but stopped – get back to it. Start small and work your way up. If you have never worked out, if exercise is a foreign concept to you, I would encourage you to make a change and start moving. Find an activity that you enjoy (or enjoyed as a child) and get out there. If you are looking for help, support or suggestions I would suggest that you reach out to MS Fit Challenge Gym – the people behind this program are fantastic – they get our disease and they are putting together great resources for people of all varying abilities.
Stop putting off and get moving…..it really does make a difference.
**This is my personal blog and all opinions are my own. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one here on my blog. The content here is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is solely intended to inform people of what is working for my body and my disease. Everyone is different and everyone needs to go on their own journey with this disease. THIS IS MY JOURNEY**