Diabetes Community

I'm with you on it lifting my mood and helping me handle stress. I also drink a lot of water throughout the day.

I've been doing my physiotherapy exercises but also just generally very active lately with much to do.

To everyone: I'm wondering if your exercise routine changes (increases/decreases) on weekends? And if so, how/why? :-)

Caprice, what are physiotherapy exercises? What do you do during those exercises? Do they help your core?

I was talking to my therapist friend that I drive with to do zumba.
Today we did it at our local gym. She was feeling blah coming into the class, but after we worked out, she felt GREAT. There's something about exercise that DOES lift your mood, even if you're feeling down during the holidays. Sometimes I have to force myself to get out of bed, throw clothes on to workout at the gym. Yes, it is easier being retired, BUT it's also easier to just lie in bed and skip it. Some days my body aches from the exercise, but once I exercise again, I feel so much better. I had a sciatic pain down my leg yesterday, but I worked through it, and it has gone away today. Some mornings my fingers ache from the beginnings of arthritis pain, but again, swimming and working out help a lot. I don't OVERDO though. That's bad, and I listen to my body if I'm hurting. I found my knees starting to ache, so I backed off for a day, and then didn't do any twisty movements. That helped and they feel great now. So people have to take medicine for depression, but if you got them into an exercise program, they probably could get off their medicine. I really believe that.

Yes, as I have said many of the pains disappear with exercise, but then you do have to listen to your body!

Well tonight I did something I haven't done in a long time, ballroom dance. They were having a Christmas party with ballroom dancing. I danced a good amount, but I didn't break a sweat, not as much as when I do zumba. They had some beautiful Viennese Waltz dancers tonight in flouncy ballgowns and hair with long curls like the olden days. It was great to see, and worth the night out. I still like my zumba and Ujam classes more, though. Ballroom dancing is stiff sometimes. I like to move much more, and use creativity when dancing. That's why I like west coast swing dancing. You can play. You CAN get a workout though, so it's another way to exercise for some people who are looking for something fun to do and like to dance.

I have had a rough couple weeks and have been in a mental funk. Therefore, my exercise routine has been neglected though I know if I FORCE myself to get out there and walk I'd actually feel much better. Of course the cold isn't helping me want to get out there and walk. I'm at work right now with two of the best co-workers one could ever ask for and I've been laughing so hard I couldn't even talk. I'm feeling better already. I must lift myself up and get back on the right track.

I am working 10-hour night shifts and juggling family life and had strep throat earlier this week. I did manage to completely clean out and rearrange three rooms of my house; moving furniture, boxes, and other heavy items. I am lucky if I can see straight on the five hours of sleep I'm getting while playing taxi for my family. Four and a half more weeks and then I get to flip back over to day shift. Now that the weather has warmed up 40 degrees (to 13 above zero) I may get out for a walk when I wake up in the afternoon.

By the way, greetings!

Hi Ruby!

Don't discount the power of laughter! Did you ever laugh unitl your ribs hurt? Guess what, you were exercising those muscles. I hope tonight was a turning point for you and you are able to get some lift.

di

I hadn't been out walking this week due to very bruised and sore knees from my car accident this past monday. Yesterday morning I got out for a short walk and felt pretty good so I am putting on my shoes right now and will start my day back on track. It should be warm this afternoon so we will get out with the dogs later.

di

It sounds like everyone is doing great so far! Diane, so sorry about the car accident. Did your car get totaled? Are you renting a car right now. The great thing about having dogs is that it DOES get you out walking!!!

Rubystar, we all have those kind of, I call it, "funky" times. No one is ever happy 100% of the time. You're right, laughing is amazing, and helps me a lot. I LOVE to laugh, and often my friends and I joke about little ordinary things in life. If you can get in some exercise, it will make you feel even better.

Thistledown, you are working very long hours. I can't believe all you're doing with family, AND getting strep throat, too. That in itself is enough to wear you down. Cleaning house and organizing IS exercise. At least I count it as exercise. I wish you a peaceful, relaxing holiday, at least one day of rest. If possible take time to take a quiet 30 minute bath, put on music and candles. It's amazing how just that one thing can help.

Betaquartz, you have a firmly set exercise routine. I NEED to do more with weights. There is a body pump class starting up at our gym. I'm a little concerned about that, (with my bad neck and back), but I thought it wouldn't hurt to try it out one time. It's free. I'm so scared of hurting again. I feel so great right now, but I do have oseopenia, and need to do weight training, too.

Today is UJam at the gym. It's actually a little like zumba, an hour of dancing.

Hope you all have a great day and get at least 30 minutes of exercise in!

thanks for asking Photo!

The other guy did admit fault and his insurance company is in charge. I do have a decent rental and so far they have been ok to work with. They have been a little slow with the estimate on my car so it will likely be Monday or Tuesday before I find out if my car is totaled or not.

I am a little torn over wether I want to see the car fixed or not, I really loved the car and I won't be able to replace it for what it is worth but I don't want to ever second guess the road worthiness of the repairs.

This mornings walk was good so I am planning on getting out again this afternoon. To answer Caprice's question, yes I do exercise more on the weekend because I am home during daylight hours and have more flexibility with my schedule.

Diane, I hope you get the results you wanted with your car.
It's so hard when it's someone else's fault, and it alters your life.
I'm glad you weren't injured more seriously. That always plays as most important in my mind, and I'm sure yours.

I did UJam this morning. She put in some more hip hop routines which were a little hard to follow, but it works my mind, so it's all good. I feel energized. I did meet my friends for lunch afterward, and now am putting in laundry and cleaning house soon.
Have a good day, and good luck with your car.

Well, I just got invited to try out another health club's zumba class tomorrow. I don't usually do any exercise on Sundays, unless I'm going west coast swing dancing. I think I'll take her up on it. She's getting me a pass for the day. She's been inviting me for months now to try it out. So I will have worked out every day except Thursday this week.

Thistledown, I work four 10 hour nights, too, but the difference is I love it. I don't have much family life to juggle as my kids are all grown and off on their own. They are all nearby and visit often but I don't have the carpooling, etc. to do anymore. I do spend a lot of time with my granddaughter, though. We have so much fun together.

And Diane, if it weren't for the power of laughter, I don't know where I'd be at this point in my life. Laughing with my friends has carried me a long way through some rough times. Yes, last night we were all saying how we had sore belly muscles from laughing. My laughter was so hard it was just that wheezing, silent laugh. Tears rolling down the face kind of laugh. I love my co-workers. I couldn't have special ordered a better group of friends to work with. Lucky, lucky me!

Rubystar, you're SO LUCKY to have a job you love and co-workers you enjoy and laugh with so much. How perfect!

I loved much of my job as an elementary schoolteacher for so long, and had many belly laughs with the children, some which caused tears in my eyes. They laughed, too. You can learn so much more when you're happy. I would tell them that they had to listen to my lessons, so they could catch my jokes. I would do double play on words, which my "top" students would catch. They'd start giggling. Sometimes that was a clue to which child had a higher level thinking ability.

I also would type up holiday, animal, or other jokes on a piece of paper to take home to tell their parents. They were reading AND having lots of laughter with their parents. I had a great one for Thanksgiving to read to their grandparents and others.