Exercise = stress relief 2

Yesterday was leg day.  My rest day was Wednesday and my coach sent me a text saying I should up my reps by 2 for each set.  I said, okie dokie smokie!  SHOOT!  What the heck was I thinking?!

Exercise is good for relieving stress, like I have mentioned before stress = flares.

One of the hardest things for me to realize with my workouts and lupus is that it’s ok to pace myself, to listen to my body.  As my coach can tell you, if it’s written on my sheet – I’ll do it.  If it hurts but is written on my sheet, I’ll do it.  I do not fully listen to my body when I work out.

One thing Lupus has given me is some great joint stiffness, from the inflammation.  I have early signs of Lupus Myositis; which is an inflammation of the skeletal muscles that causes weakness and loss of strength.  I am also very tight in my hips, lower back, knees and ankles; I find it hard to get up from chairs, walk upstairs, deadlift, squat and well…. Just about anything involving the area.

Lupus and fitness articles recommend taking things lightly and not pushing the body, however; for me I only feel like a people when I am pushing my body.  There is a strength that comes from doing what you love, but listening to the cues your body gives you when it needs a rest.  Yesterday, my deadlifts sucked – seriously… I could barely hit 165 for 6 reps, so I stepped back and went down in weight to make sure to focus on form other than the numbers.  Form is key, whether you are sick or healthy or just a people trying to get fit.

Form can make or break a workout.  When my body starts to hurt immediately from weights, I reduce them and focus on form.  Lupus sufferers out there will understand what I mean with this; sometimes my body is a foreign person who speaks a different language and does not want to cooperate with me.

The only way that I figure she will listen to me, is if I slow er down, focus on the movement; and reduce the weight.  I refuse to quit a workout in the middle, I rarely quit a workout in the middle…. I’ve worked out hungover, like threw up in the car on the way to gym; hungover.  I’ve worked out immediately after bone marrow biopsies, colposcopies, and organ biopsies.  Like I’ve said before, I ONLY feel strong when I work out.

My coach has had to send me home sick.  Rest days are agony.  Lupus rest days are pointless to me, they make me feel weak and like I am allowing my illness to consume me.   I’ve found my passion, what makes me feel like a warrior and not a spoonie trying to count what I can maybe kinda do for the day.

http://www.resources.lupus.org/entry/5-things-to-know-before-starting-an-exercise-routine