Tomorrow I Move On to "Baby Steps 10+3"

Baby Steps 10+3 = 10 wall push-ups, 10 sit-ups, 10 leg lifts (using Don's weight bench), 3 arm lifts (each), 3 minutes on elliptical machine.

I've spent about 3 weeks, off and on, on the 10+2 stage, because I was having so much abdominal pain, diarrhea, and feeling like a Mack truck wreck for much of that time. BUT, since I've finally rebounded out of that IBS flare (until I find out otherwise, I'm considering it a severe IBS flare), I'm right back on track with my workout routine, and I think it's been very beneficial to me overall.

Although the weight of the abdominal trouble has finally been lifted and I am still kind of high on the feeling of NOT being in abdominal hell on a constant basis, I do still have Fibromyalgia and the pains and symptoms that go along with it.

Pacing is still an issue: I have spasms in my back if I sit too long at work without getting up and moving around, and the bones in my left arm and both legs have been very achy lately. I am dealing well with these symptoms lately, because, as I mentioned, I'm riding the high of finally being relieved of the digestive wreck that has been taking over my life since August. But I acknowledge that I'm still a chronically ill person and need to take special care not to forget and cause an unnecessary flare up.

So, I am maintaining my promise to myself to continue to slowly progress with my strength and endurance, so I can do more without triggering a flare, feel better about myself, and hopefully (eventually) manage to lose of some of this extra weight I've put on since last year. By going slowly, I've been able to feel good about achieving my daily goal every day, which is a nice feeling, and I've been able to take care to keep within my own abilities without overdoing things.

So, I've moved up from 1 wall push-up and 1 sit-up per day, back in November, all the way up to 10 each every day. After that, I added other types of activities to exercise other muscle groups and add stamina. So, I maintain the wall push-ups at 10 each day and the sit-ups at 10 each day, but now I've added leg lifts (with a very light weight), arm lifts (again, using a very light weight), and minutes on the elliptical machine that I used to use so much more before I got sick.

I've started at 1 each for these three new exercises, but a few days ago, I thought I'd see if I can do 10 of the leg lifts, since it felt too easy to do just 2 every day. The next day, I woke up with both legs feeling this awful ache, deep in the bone, all the way from the hips to the toes. I couldn't even lie in the bed comfortably, no matter how my legs were positioned. BUT, I made it through the day and am doing better. No real flare-up. I'm still doing 10 leg lifts every day now, while maintaining the gradual progression on the arm lifts and elliptical minutes.

Tomorrow, I am starting a week of 10+3. It's been several weeks since I've been able to progress much (other than the crazy step-skipping I did with the leg lifts), but I'm excited to keep increasing and maintaining. I feel stronger and better able to deal with the daily routines than I did before starting the program. I can walk at a pace that doesn't scream "granny" and hold up a crowd (as badly as before) and can more easily handle the daily routine as well as the variable tasks or events that are added to the day now and then.

I'm kinda proud.

In fact, sometimes, after getting all the exercises completed, I give myself a little pat on the back, just to make sure I remember to feel good about something as I start my day. No matter what else happens, I'll know that I, at least, was able to get my workout in.

Success! :)