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getting fitter with M.E

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
Ok, yesterday i had to run about 100meteres for a train, and i realised that i am SERIOUSLY unfit. I want to get fitter, but i need to do it in a very gradual, unstrenuous way, because otherwise my M.E will kick in and i'll be left feeing like shit for the next week. i already horseride occasionally, but as i live in london, it's a bit too expensive to do as a full-time-get-fit exercise! I also have access to a fairly small but reasonably well equipped gym at college. Oh yeah, and i have an old ski injury on my knee, which means swimming can be quite painful. Does anyone have any suggestions to what might help? Thanks!
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'll fill in till the fitness gurus arrive.

    You just wanna get your heart beat going. Walking quicker to college or whatever will do it or even running up stairs can help. You just wanna get out of breath without killing yourself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by TheEgoHasLanded:
    <STRONG>I'll fill in till the fitness gurus arrive.

    You just wanna get your heart beat going. Walking quicker to college or whatever will do it or even running up stairs can help. You just wanna get out of breath without killing yourself.</STRONG>

    Exactly.

    First, I have question of my own. What is M.E.?

    You can get into better shape by just changing little things that you do everyday. For example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking or bicycling instead of taking the tube, like TheEgoHasLanded said, anything that gets your pulse up.

    If you have a gym at college (is this the equivalent of high school in America? College in the U.S. refers to university) I would suggest weight lifting with very light weights to start out. I mean really light, 5 or ten pounds at most. Just do exercises with them until you get tired, then move on to a different body part. You'll notice that even very light weights will get your heart pumping if you do enough repetitions.

    Swimming is painful for you? I've always heard that it's better for your joints than anything else because the water cushions and supports your joints. Well, if it hurts, then don't do it I guess, but swimming is one of the best ways to exercise lightly. Maybe ask a friend who swims to check your technique before completely ruling it out. But don't force yourself to do it if you can't. I partially tore one of the ligaments in my knee in a motorcycle accident (Boy was my Mom pissed off, because she didn't want me to have one anyway) and actually made it worse by trying to carry on normally before it was ready.

    If you have any questions we'll all be here for you. It's not easy to get started, but once you do, it gets easier.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    M.E is CFS/CFIDS as it is known in the USA. College is what you do before going to universtity but after finishing compulsory education. And my technique used to be fine, swimming wise - i used to swim with a club, compete, etc. I actually tore two ligaments in my knee when i had the ski accident, and because there's scar tissue there, it makes swimming quite painful <IMG SRC="frown.gif" border="0" ALT="icon"> I'll try those suggestions when i go back to college - we're on half term at the moment. I'd also quite like to get a bit more toned all over - i used to be quite athletic (surprising, because i don't believe in exercise!) and bits of me are starting to sag. Bleargh.
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