My activity level is nearly back to normal four months after surgery and I'm kicking my exercise program into high gear. It was very surprising to find that it takes a lot longer to regain strength after surgery than I had supposed it would.
It is just this past week that I have felt as though I could pick up a bit of speed in my walking. I have been lifting (light) weights for about three weeks now and I can feel the difference already!
WEIGHTLIFTING - IT"S NOT JUST FOR MEN ANYMORE!!!!!!!
My regimen is fairly simple. I started with 2 pound hand weights and I do six exercises with the hand weights 10 reps x 2. Next I do three exercises with ankle weights (4 pounds on each ankle) Then I do 20 chair stands and 20 toe raises. I follow this with a few simple yoga poses for balance and flexibility.
I learned weightlifting technique from three books by the same author. I highly recommend them to anyone interested in weight training for strengthening or weight loss. The main difference between getting strong and losing weight is the number of days you devote to weightlifting. Twice a week is fine for strengthening. For weight loss - it is three times a week.
The books are 'Strong Women Stay Slim,' Strong Women Stay Young,' and 'Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis,' written by Miriam E Nelson Ph.D.
I have been walking pretty consistently since the week I got home from the hospital and it was a shock to me that it took several months for the feeling of weakness to go away. I am up to three miles now and have just begun to pick up some speed. My walking pace has been a modest stroll until a few days ago. (I think the weight-lifting has helped me in this.) My plan is to walk 60 minutes a day five or six days a week, walking a bit faster each week. At this point I would rather count minutes than miles!
It is just this past week that I have felt as though I could pick up a bit of speed in my walking. I have been lifting (light) weights for about three weeks now and I can feel the difference already!
WEIGHTLIFTING - IT"S NOT JUST FOR MEN ANYMORE!!!!!!!
My regimen is fairly simple. I started with 2 pound hand weights and I do six exercises with the hand weights 10 reps x 2. Next I do three exercises with ankle weights (4 pounds on each ankle) Then I do 20 chair stands and 20 toe raises. I follow this with a few simple yoga poses for balance and flexibility.
I learned weightlifting technique from three books by the same author. I highly recommend them to anyone interested in weight training for strengthening or weight loss. The main difference between getting strong and losing weight is the number of days you devote to weightlifting. Twice a week is fine for strengthening. For weight loss - it is three times a week.
The books are 'Strong Women Stay Slim,' Strong Women Stay Young,' and 'Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis,' written by Miriam E Nelson Ph.D.
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| The woods where I do most of my walking |
I have been walking pretty consistently since the week I got home from the hospital and it was a shock to me that it took several months for the feeling of weakness to go away. I am up to three miles now and have just begun to pick up some speed. My walking pace has been a modest stroll until a few days ago. (I think the weight-lifting has helped me in this.) My plan is to walk 60 minutes a day five or six days a week, walking a bit faster each week. At this point I would rather count minutes than miles!
I felt like my regimen needed a theme song so I chose "Movin' Right Along' from the original Muppet Movie. Although Kermit and Fozzie are in a car the song just makes me happy enough to lace up my sneakers and get moving!
Things I learned after surgery:
Be kind and gentle to yourself.
Be patient - the weakness does go away.
Start walking immediately - even if it is only a few laps around the house.
Barbara--loud, loud applause for you!! I'm so excited to hear about your progress, great news :-) It is amazing how surgery can set you back. So happy you're back in the swing of things. Weight-lifting is wonderful---I've been doing it for years and I love feeling strong. Yoga is a new thing I've included and am amazed at how it helps with posture and strength too. Go Barbara!! :-)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work Barbara.
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