the beauty of exercise

[Lunar*Fey]

As some of you may have heard, I have been afraid and discouraged of exercise for a while now....with everyone telling my mom that I am basically not alowed to move and that I could have a heart attack even though I am healthy now. I felt horrible after a while of not exercising. really physically horrible and had a hard time concentrating. So yesterday I decided I just couldn't stand it any more. I took out my brother's very pretty bike (hehe), strapped on my helmet, and went for a nice bike ride. I love to go as fast as I can and then cruise a bit and repeat lol. feel the wind in my face, ahh it feels like I'm flying. it was discouraging that I got out of breath rather easily, I have always been a very in shape kid without even meaning to be, just naturally love to be active. so this was rather depressing. But I just let that fuel my desire to get better. Anyway, I took nice bikeride. I live in a beautiful area and love riding past the lake, oh nature is so gorgeous. Ok wow I need to stop babbling. My point is, after only two days of getting just this bit of exercise I already feel a bit better. I passed by a mirror and my face looked much healthier and vibrant. It seems odd that I could already feel better after only two days, but I do. It's wonderful :).


on a side note, does anyone find it odd that all the blood tests and such my doctor takes on me are all really healthy and no one believes I am healthy until I am the weight she wants me to be? If I remember correctly she also said that at my age she was about my weight. I just find this weird. any thoughts?

[MaddMelon]

My thoughts...she's an idiot! Other than that, I'm glad that you're enjoying exercise. I just got back from a bike ride, in fact. I have a searing headache from it too. I've been doing some form of exercise everyday, and it really does help. I should build up some immunity to bike rides though.lol

Can you ask your mom to take you to a different therapist? Explain to your mother that your therapist is making you miserable, and you don't feel she's talking with you, but AT you.

I've had bouts with idiot therapists when I was younger, 13-14...and they really did turn out to be idiots, especially when I compare them to some of my later therapists. Even with the great therapists, after a few months of appointments, therapy sessions were unproductive. I didn't need them anymore.

I hope this helped some.

[dreamrawalwz]

Me too! After my obsessive exercise for months I just stopped cold turkey and became really depressed. I'm sure lack of exercise/endorphins didn't help the situation. Anyway, now I find walking up 3 flights of stairs gets me winded! I was exercising and I felt better. I need to get the courage to ride my bike though. I live in a beautiful area as well and I love flying past the forest with the wind in my face.

Your therapist is dumb, lol...see how mature I am!? :p

[Sharon in Colorado]

Maybe you can take walks and slowly increase your activity.

IMO telling anyone to not do any exercise, unless they are injured or have a severe condition that endangers their life, is insane and ridiculous. In the olden times, they used to tell people who had heart attacks not to move, and that was the very thing that caused the heart attacks. They stuck them in bed and put them on total bed rest. The heart is a muscle and needs exercise.

But let me say this. You can over exert yourself. My father had a heart attack and died when he was folk dancing and over-exerted, so it is possible to over do it. Keep in mind though my father had high cholesterol and chest pains so there were signs. If your heart rate goes too fast, you definately NEED to slow down.

So my suggestion is to look up what your peak heart rate should be and take a watch with a second hand, then check your pulse during activity so you stay in a safe range.

[jimi]

well, at least they are not recommending blood letting ;)

[Lunar*Fey]

thanks for the suggestions and such :)
Actually it was my medical doctor who said this and pretty much everyone agrees. My therapist even said, its not important for you to get muscle or anything, just to gain weight. riiight.

Wow Tracey, thanks for saying this, I thought I was the only one like this. Its depressing not exercising at all. I don't think I was ever an obsessive exerciser, but I used to be SO active when I was younger.

[ljcoolj]

I just started working out again this week myself, not because of any medical reasons, just simply because I've been lazy for the last few months. Anyway, YES, I feel MUCH better after only 3 work-outs. Heck, I felt better after the first one. Its amazing how wonderful exercise can make you feel. Listen to your body, take it easy...your body will let you know when you're over-doing it.

[Sheryl]

I would think some exercise is important, so you are putting on muscle, not fat. Doug Graham talks a lot about people who are told they are too skinny on raw, and them needing to build muscle. I think if the excess fat melted off many people in our culture, what was left WOULD appear too skinny to most.

Movement helps our bodies be healthier! And helps direct extra calories towards building a better stronger body. May increase your appetite too!

Maybe you should talk to the doctor again... the not exercising advice may be from before you gained back the weight you have... maybe your family would feel better about it if they didn't think it was going to hurt you. They may have also been concerned you'd exercise too much to keep weight off, which really does not seem to be the case (I just love the joy you describe your ride with - gorgeous!).

Glad you enjoyed your ride so much!
Sheryl

[Lunar*Fey]

awesome ljcoolj :) so we are sharing a similar experience...only you are probably actually working out while I am only taking a bike ride :o lol

Sheryl,
ohh thank you. :) i definately agree with you about exercise being important. I think that pretty much anything you do to loose weight (healthily!) can be done to gain weight. Because either way is simply a stride to become healthy. I think that exercise and healthy eating (raw or mostly raw) and positive outlook and attitude are the ways to reach your own personal healthy body weight. I think I will talk to my doctor again :)

[Sharon in Colorado]

I would think some exercise is important, so you are putting on muscle, not fat. Doug Graham talks a lot about people who are told they are too skinny on raw, and them needing to build muscle. I think if the excess fat melted off many people in our culture, what was left WOULD appear too skinny to most.

Movement helps our bodies be healthier! And helps direct extra calories towards building a better stronger body. May increase your appetite too!

Maybe you should talk to the doctor again... the not exercising advice may be from before you gained back the weight you have... maybe your family would feel better about it if they didn't think it was going to hurt you. They may have also been concerned you'd exercise too much to keep weight off, which really does not seem to be the case (I just love the joy you describe your ride with - gorgeous!).

Glad you enjoyed your ride so much!
Sheryl


Sheryl makes a good point here. If you can convince your doctor (via lots of printed out articles) that your goal is to build muscle and strengthen your bones, you may get the gren light to do some weight bearing exercises.