Exercise - a different perspective

[Joel]

Folks:
I noticed when I took a month off from exercise in June, I actually FELT better. But--I also noticed that it became gradually harder to walk, and I also gained about 5 pounds. Now that I am back on my daily workout routine (making sure I don't push myself too hard), I find I'm cramping up more, my joints hurt more, and it takes several hours to recover. BUT--I am walking more like I used to now and I've lost some weight. So, maybe you need to do some easier workouts, to reduce the recovery peroid. Bananas help with the cramping. I didn't mean to be so flippant about exercising earlier, but a glass of wine in the evening might also help let you sleep better. Finally, talk to your PT or GP about this too.

[bethann]

Oh My!! I have been having a glass of wine (or two) or a beer almost every night! Then I worry that maybe that was not a good thing (I do allow for the points on weight watchers and have still lost 30lb when doing this). I keep telling myself it is better than taking medication that has side effects. Now that I see almost everyone else on this site must do the same I wont feel so bad Just raze my glass to a toast to you each night .

I find that riding my recumbent three wheel bike is the best (with least pain issues) type of exercise I can do. Walking jars my shoulders. I am thinking about going to the gym with my son and working out. I am going to talk to my physical therapist once again and get some ideas. At this point he laughs when I start doing this because he knows me and I do not last long with any kind of exercize....the wine is much better I think!!! And a good Book!
Beth

[sophieruth]

I need an advice or maybe just a reassurance. As some of you might remember at 75 I am probably the oldest member of this board. I underwent very successful removal of the intramedullary schwannoma in September 2007 and I had an amazingly painless recovery. My progress however stalled in the last few months. I tried to speed it up by increasing exercise (both strength and aerobic). It did not seem to help and recently I started experiencing frequent buckling of my knee that I did not have before. It scares me - is it caused by the progressive nerve damage or is it something I brought on myself by too much exercising? I will soon have my routine semiannual MRI and visit with my neurosurgeon and will ask about it, but in the meantime I could use some reassurance from the members. You were extremely helpful in the past - please do it again! Thanks, Sophie

[drummer904]

I've heard from a personal trainer that sometimes that your progress can temporarely stall when your strength training, and may take a little while to start improving again. Hopefully thats the case and you'll keep "raising the bar"