I've been exercising daily for the last 2 months, and I can tell a difference in my pain and sleep! (YEAH!) I've been doing walk aerobics with a video by Leslie Sansone, which is great - but I'd like to vary my routine a little. The trouble is that Sansone's videos are the only ones that seem to be easy on my joints, and are fun and easy to do. It's much too cold here for me to go outside and walk, and it's miles and miles to the nearest gym. Has anyone else used any good regimens or videos, or have any ideas?

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Sujenke

Su- What do you do with walk aerobics? It sounds interesting. I'm just doing my exercise bike and some stretching daily and then strengthening exercises 3x a week. Not very exciting.

In these walk aerobics videos, you basically march to music and do very simple arm movements and some basic steps. It's designed to be easy on the joints. They are really easy to do, but surprisingly, I do work up a sweat and get my heartbeat at a good rate. I wish I could find more videos like this. The videos I've seen that are "low-impact" still have alot of jerky motions and some bouncing which hurt my ankles and knees. I've never had any discomfort with the Sansone videos!

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Sujenke

Hey Su, thanks! That looks like a fun tape, I'm sorry I couldn't help you but I bopped right over to Ebay and bid on one of these. I also have a problem with getting bored exercising and its too cold here now to go out to walk.

Su, it looks like it's just you and me on the exercise front. I would also like to know what other routines people use since it does get boring really fast. I'm a garage sale addict (since it's my job) and I was going to watch for used exercise equipment over this summer. I'm really clueless though, this is the first time I've exercised in 20 years!!! ICK! I've been pretending I like it and hoping that I could convince myself but so far it's not working!! I have noticed though that I'm less stiff and that I'm not as gaspy as I was,I can go up a flight of steps and talk at the same time. I've also gotten some nice firmness in my legs.....now if I could just do the same with my "mommy pouch" then maybe I'd start to like it! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wink.gif

I hope you enjoy the walk aerobics videos as much as I do! It's a great idea to get them on ebay - I think I'll browse around there too and see what I can come up with. So far, in the winter, my exercise routine consists ONLY of the walk videos, plus regular "mommy" chores. I also have a stationary bike (hurts my rear end too much) and a Norditrack ski machine, which I do like to use, but I find it boring to do it for more than a few minutes(it is nice and easy on the joints, though). In the summer I'm much better about going outside and taking real walks or going swimming, but the cold bothers me too much this time of year.
I guess I'll stay with my walk aerobics for a while - especially since I've already worn down the carpet in front of my TV! hehe!

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Sujenke

Hi sujenke AND cioc1212,

I'm with you two, exercise is a MUST. I can go out most of the time, so I do alot of walking. I have a favorite for indoors, too. I like to use an exercise ball. You can get as aerobic as you'd like or as slow as you want, and it still works. Fun, too

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Copper
Let Miracles Replace all Grievances

Copper, how big? I don't know if I've got the room for the ones I saw in PT! LOL! I do want to get some of the walk aerobics tapes, I tried regular aerobics a long time ago but, FM aside, I'm not the most coordinated person in the world and I kept falling down.

>>I'm not the most coordinated person in the world and I kept falling down.<< http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

oh, cioc1212, that's funny! I normally don't take that statement from people too literally, but, my neice makes the same claim, and she HAS been known to walk straight into street lamp posts....

um, I think the ball I use is a 55cm. The ball size depends on your height, and I'm a giant 5'1". Yep, it's the kind you see in PT. Our house is REAL small, so the ball sits in front of the TV (and rolls around terrorizing the dog - teehee), which is good incentive to use it. Even my kid likes to sit on it and bounce (good for the thighs and calves) while zoning on the tube. when company comes, we just toss it in a bedroom, or whatever child comes over bounces on it.

I thought of another daily exercise I do. Due to meds, I have the Saharra Desert living in my mouth, so I drink LOTS of water. When I'm on the computer, I set my water mug on the other side of the room. I can't go too long without drinking, so this FORCES me to stand up, walk, and I usually throw in a stretch or two on the way.

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Copper
Let Miracles Replace all Grievances

You're a kick Copper. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif I'm 5'7" so I would be getting the BIG ball! So far I'm doing alright with my bike and just haven't been able to get motivated to do much else. I've been astounded at the difference in how much I can do when I get good sleep vs. how little without it. In as short as the space of one day, I can go from being able to do an hour of exercise, including the bike,light weights for arm ex. and strengthening/stretching my back ......to ONLY being able to do 2 1/2 min on the bike and barely able to do the rest!!!!! Even at PT they noticed it but I hadn't made the correlation to sleep then. It's so hard to believe how drastically the stage 4 sleep can affect me and I'm sad to think of the past 4 years when I've been a walking zombie and beating myself up over it. I think that's why I'm so angry, I kept asking for help and getting laughed at. But the anger is motivating me so I guess I'm ok with it for now. It's not a burning anger, more of an "I'll show YOU" thing.

And I like your idea with the water. The movement/exercise book I was raving about suggested the same things. One was that if you normally park 2 spots from the entrance at the grocery, start parking 4 spots away so you walk a little extra. Now THOSE kinds of suggestions are great for me! Over the years I've become more and more sedentary and you don't always realize that you're doing the easiest thing possible till someone points it out! It doesn't take a huge effort to walk a few extra feet across the parking lot!! Or get up and take a few steps when you are thirsty!

How are you making out with the smoking Copper? I'm at 47 days.

PS, I really do snag my own feet and trip. It's sad.

[This message has been edited by cioc1212 (edited 02-19-2001).]

The ball exercises sound like fun! I've seen the balls, but I have no idea how the exercises are done. Is it more strength and flexibility than aerobic? Hmmm...wonder if they have the balls at ebay?

My sister-in-law used the ball when she was pregnant, and she said that it really helped her.

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Sujenke

Su, they have EVERYTHING at Ebay!

I'm a seller but I don't sell those. Imagine trying to pack one!! I did find some great massage oils on Ebay, really cheap for sample packs. I bought several auctions from a bunch of different companies and I found one company I like and can now buy their products off the web. My husband has always liked to give me massages but we never used "real" oils before and they are super. The scents are relaxing and the oils really warm your skin (you can even heat them ahead of time in hot water) and make it tingle but they don't totally absorb like other products do. Massage has been one of the better pain relieving techinques that I've found, I scheduled with my "masseuse" for tomorrow night and am really looking forward to it! I've probably mentioned this a zillion times already but I'm always so thrilled to find something that helps me feel better! And the added bonus is that it makes my husband SO happy in the process http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wink.gif