It’s Halloween 🎃. The night’s are darker earlier & the weather is colder. Plus it’s the last day of Lupus Awareness Month (incurable chronic autoimmune illness).
So staying active is gonna have you doing more workouts/exercise indoors. If you live by an outdoor gym (free) even better for convenience & also the equipment tends not to have weights attached. So even better if your in recovery & using your bodyweight on machines to build back strength (target muscle groups).
With limited daylight hours. In general fitness terms. Having exercises which can be done indoors such as cardio jog on spot or jumping Jack’s, press ups etc. Can still maintain or boost levels of fitness & health throughout the colder months.
Achieving a active lifestyle throughout any challenges that may arise.
With Lupus SLE adaptations to fitness routines is standard to achieving/maintaining a consistent active lifestyle regardless of outside factors for example a flare-up: joints + skin + lungs inflammation (pain + reduced mobility) etc. triggered by a virus caught from someone with flu.
Yes it is that deep. Those with Lupus SLE like myself can have upto 4 episodes of pneumonia in a few months because of been in contact with others who are carrying a flu or cold virus.
As you cannot or shouldn’t lock yourself away in the chance of avoiding viral or bacterial infections.
Which in the grand scheme of things is unrealistic & not healthy for your wellbeing. Avoiding the world outside preventing human interaction & the benefits of natural air + sunlight. Deprives us as humans the natural elements to survive.
So whether your recovering. Like in my situation having had surgery where I was prevented from strenuous exercise for two weeks🙄😩. Because of general anaesthetic & having medication stopped 5 days before surgery to eliminate any complications such as internal bleeding or blood clots (warfarin tablets). Also tablets for aneamia.
It was more than just having post surgery to consider. It was that my immune system was totally unprotected from fighting anything that came across it’s path.
So as well as fatigue (aneamia) the potential for a flare-up was high. So stretch exercises which were productive not only because it meant keeping the muscles & joints actively stimulated. But also reducing the risk of blood clots forming due to the lack of mobility.
The benefits in maintaining tone & Strengthening was another factor. So when back to regular more strenuous exercise or workouts it wasn’t going to be as challenging.
That in itself was motivation to be consistent in doing some sort of exercise & allowing the body to heal in a sensible & productive way.
It is so easy to feel defeated because it’s like retraining the body to get back to level it was before any type of situation where you are affected either physically &/or mentally.
Being aware of the physical & health challenges Lupus SLE can cause is just one element of lupus awareness. There is also the mental health. As Lupus can in a physical sense affect the psychology of an individual, causing mood swings.
This can be hormonal imbalance due to medication. Just like a female who experiences mood changes during a monthly cycle as an example.
Emotionally it can be the illness itself. Dealing with hospital appointments, procedures, blood tests & medication. Taking longer to heal from procedures etc. Whilst fitting that into a daily life routine, working & maintaining relationships socially. Plus the lack of understanding the complexities of Lupus Sle by a lot of people in general & some health professionals can be frustrating which can be overwhelming.
Having a release. A go to such as taking a walk or basic yoga stretches is enabling your physical & mental health to be active in a positive way. Not to mention the positive chemical effects exercise & fitness has on the brain.
The opportunity to create goals & build on your self motivation. Focus on your own abilities rather than lack.
Witnessing your own progress & celebrating every achievement no matter how small. For example even thou doing 100 aerobic steps was easy for me pre-surgery. After two weeks the first time had me panting harder because the heart had not been used in this way for a period of time. But the fact I did it was testament to been consistent with choosing to be active on a daily basis. So the transition to obtaining my optimal fitness level was not lost or unachievable post surgery. As it’s the fear of the unknown.
The confidence & strength that you gained subconsciously will be apparent once your in the situation. That your present self will be thankful for your past self for investing in a active lifestyle.
So whether your in recovery, have Lupus &/or ill/sick. Older or younger. Fitness is for everyone to invest in. Deciding if material goods are more important than using that money to hire or seek professional advice is a personal choice.
As before I became a professional I had little funds but it was a choice I made that my health & fitness was more important. As it makes a big difference to long term muscle joint health getting professional guidance & techniques in exercise poses & positions. Than self taught via videos which are great when you know what your doing correctly.
Should you want to live a sustainable healthier life.
I believe in working on & providing solutions not just about the focus on the issues.
Commit To Get Fit & Motivated.
#health #fitness #generalfitness #lupusfit #recovery #exercise #workout #fitnessmotivation #mentalhealth #lupusawarenessmonth 💜 #fitnessprofessional #educationandhealth #sportscoach #lupusadvocate #invisibleillnesses #dyslexiaadvocate
G.ElliottServices 