Re: Need suggestions for increasing positive movement

[Guest guest]

Hi Eileen,I am sorry to hear that you are in so much pain too. I am in a lot of pain too and sometimes don't do any physical activity at all because it just hurts too much. But, I do try to do some because I notice that if I don't move for too long, it just gets worse. Plus, sometimes I can see gains in mobility or flexibility or even in just a variation of pain level - I can stretch the same amount but with less pain, that I find encouraging. I can understand why fear based isn't such a fun motivator. Maybe you can get some cyberbuddies together to make up a schedule and encourage each other. there are a lot of groups on the net for people in pain, you might be able to find people wanting to do

activities and encourage each other online. For walking for me, on the days I can walk, I put in a Sansone video because I find her encouraging and non-irritating. She has a couple videos for seniors, so the pace isn't too crazy and even if I just do a few minutes, it is still kinda pleasant. The library usually has some walking videos you can check out for free. I try to use my imagination to make the physical activities more fun. So if I am doing stretching, in my head, I could be doing the stretching out on the beach under a gentle sun. I'll burn incense or light scented candles.. Put on music I like that I use just for various physical activities. Reward myself with something like browsing certain sites I like on the internet or taking a long bath with epsom salts and a cup of tea. Put on great smelling lotion afterwards and/or use heat/ice packs wherever either before or

after. Before the exercise I'll put on clothes I use just for that that I like not necessarily just scraggly sweats, lol. I'll just try to make the whole experience more pleasant.Even if I get a little tuckered out setting things up and only do 5-15 minutes of actual exercise I figure it is worth it. Gradually, my perception has changed to it being a more fun and self-soothing experience. - GeorgiaI feel very stuck on getting more movement into my life. My obstacles as I see them are:

I don't have a lot of physical activities that I really enjoy.

I have a lot of physical pain and stiffness right now that makes things I do enjoy (walking and dancing) less enjoyable.

I don't have money.

My companion is disabled and unable to join me and I don't have friends that are at my same low level of fitness.

I still feel like it is something I have to do and not something I want to do.

My motivation for wanting more movement is mostly fear-based. As I get older I don't want to lose mobility, strength and flexibility. I don't want to be constantly in pain and unable to enjoy life. Somehow though, this motivation doesn't seem to really be motivating me.

Anyone else in this place? Anyone who was and isn't now? What has worked, what hasn't...

Your thoughts are welcomed, eileen

[Guest guest]

thanks for your response, Georgia. I think you are right about making it a more

pleasurable experience. I realized after thinking about it a little that music

really helps alot so I am going to try and incorporate that and just go slowly.

I agree with you that not moving is not the answer!

I also wanted to let you know that I found your other post about emotions from

the past and eating very interesting. I've noticed that several people have

talked about abuse in their past and wonder what connection that has. It would

seem like food would be one of the few sources of comfort readily available to

kids to deal with painful situations.

anyway, thanks for your insights, much appreciated, eileen

>

>

> Hi Eileen,

>

> I am sorry to hear that you are in so much pain too. I am in a lot of pain too

and sometimes don't do any physical activity at all because it just hurts too

much. But, I do try to do some because I notice that if I don't move for too

long, it just gets worse. Plus, sometimes I can see gains in mobility or

flexibility or even in just a variation of pain level - I can stretch the same

amount but with less pain, that I find encouraging.

>

> I can understand why fear based isn't such a fun motivator. Maybe you can get

some cyberbuddies together to make up a schedule and encourage each other. there

are a lot of groups on the net for people in pain, you might be able to find

people wanting to do activities and encourage each other online.

>

> For walking for me, on the days I can walk, I put in a Sansone video

because I find her encouraging and non-irritating. She has a couple videos for

seniors, so the pace isn't too crazy and even if I just do a few minutes, it is

still kinda pleasant. The library usually has some walking videos you can check

out for free.

>

> I try to use my imagination to make the physical activities more fun. So if I

am doing stretching, in my head, I could be doing the stretching out on the

beach under a gentle sun. I'll burn incense or light scented candles.. Put on

music I like that I use just for various physical activities. Reward myself

with something like browsing certain sites I like on the internet or taking a

long bath with epsom salts and a cup of tea. Put on great smelling lotion

afterwards and/or use heat/ice packs wherever either before or after. Before the

exercise I'll put on clothes I use just for that that I like not necessarily

just scraggly sweats, lol. I'll just try to make the whole experience more

pleasant.Even if I get a little tuckered out setting things up and only do 5-15

minutes of actual exercise I figure it is worth it. Gradually, my perception has

changed to it being a more fun and self-soothing experience.

> - Georgia

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> I feel very stuck on getting more movement into my life. My obstacles as I see

them are:

>

> I don't have a lot of physical activities that I really enjoy.

>

> I have a lot of physical pain and stiffness right now that makes things I do

enjoy (walking and dancing) less enjoyable.

>

> I don't have money.

>

> My companion is disabled and unable to join me and I don't have friends that

are at my same low level of fitness.

>

> I still feel like it is something I have to do and not something I want to do.

>

> My motivation for wanting more movement is mostly fear-based. As I get older I

don't want to lose mobility, strength and flexibility. I don't want to be

constantly in pain and unable to enjoy life. Somehow though, this motivation

doesn't seem to really be motivating me.

>

> Anyone else in this place? Anyone who was and isn't now? What has worked, what

hasn't...

>

> Your thoughts are welcomed, eileen

>

>

> _

>

[Guest guest]

I've been thinking, I wonder if there's any information on the correlation

between dieting and emotionally distant or abusive parents. I'd also like to

know the association between dieting in kids (and grown kids) and dieting in

their parents. That would be very valuable. Until the idea of dieting as an

emotionally and physically unhealthy behavior becomes mainstream, we're not

likely to see much data like this.

Sara

>

> I also wanted to let you know that I found your other post about emotions from

the past and eating very interesting. I've noticed that several people have

talked about abuse in their past and wonder what connection that has. It would

seem like food would be one of the few sources of comfort readily available to

kids to deal with painful situations.

>