Living with fibromyalgia is hard at best most days. This morning I woke up sore because I over did things cleaning and organizing my office and writing area. When I feel like this the last thing I want to think about is exercise. Well, if you have fibromyalgia, the first thing you need to think about is an exercise program. Now, before you close this post thinking I am completely crazy and don't understand let me elaborate.
I am NOT talking about high intensity interval training (HIIT), or preparing for a Tough Mudder or Spartan race! I am talking about starting with gentle movement, exercise such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Pilates, Swimming, or walking from one end of the house to the other. In an article by the Mayo Clinic titled, "Fibromyalgia: Does Exercise Help or Hurt?", they advised that moderate exercise is beneficial in lessening pain and improving function, and it is crucial to stay active.
I am the Queen of not pacing myself in the gym and forgetting I'm not in my 20's anymore. It takes conscious effort on my part to remember to lift lightly and watch my sets and reps when I am doing weight bearing exercise. It's even harder for me to stay at a walk during cardio when I love to jog. If I don't remind myself though I will be done for days and sore. So, if you're like me you have to be conscious of what you are doing.
As I've gotten older I have found Yoga and Pilates to be two of my best friends when it comes to working out and keeping my core strong. I am not talking about advanced Yoga poses, I am referring to gentle stretching and held poses to help with muscle strength and endurance. When I need guidance for specific areas that are giving me issues I will turn to Yoga with Adriene on YouTube and find a workout that fits my needs that day.
Swimming or walking in a pool are also great exercise and low impact and if the pool is heated that's even better. For cardio I try and stick to walking or the rowing machine because I can control the speed and intensity of both easily, and am able to take breaks if needed.
For those that still want to do weight bearing exercise, which is wonderful for muscle strength and bone density, I would suggest starting slow and light. If you haven't worked out in awhile start with 1-2 pound weights and work up to 3 sets of 15 reps. I know it doesn't sound like much but you will start to notice a slight difference. I would also suggest starting with light weights on machines to help you with ease of movement and not having to hold all the weight all the time. For example, you might start with 20-30 pounds on the Lat Pulldown machine and work up to 3 sets of 15 reps before increasing in weight, sets, or reps.
Another question my clients frequently ask is how often do they work out. If you are just starting out I would suggest 2-3 days a week. For cardio 20-30 minutes each session mixed with stretching and light weight bearing exercises. As you become stronger and used to working out you can choose to increase your days at the gym up to 5-6 days a week. Based upon your body's response to exercise make sure you give it a day or two each week to heal.
After a workout go easy on yourself and make sure to take a warm (in my case HOT) bath and add epsom salt and essential oils to help you relax. I also like to sit on a heating pad or under a heated blanket as well to help the muscles relax. We have a small red light therapy pad I will also use to help my muscles heal and relax.
If you are looking for supplements to help recover there are many recovery drinks out there and I would strongly suggest you research whatever one you choose to use. I use Xtend BCAAs Intracatalyst drink for myself which can be found at bodybuilding.com. This has a tendency to help my delayed muscle soreness if I use it during or after a workout.
There are many options for exercising with fibromyalgia out there and we are all different in our response to exercise so find what fits you the best and stick with it. Some days are going to be easier than others but the hardest part is always showing up. If you have any questions reach out and ask and I will happily help you.
Until next time make sure to stay safe and healthy!
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