“Everyone has been asking me ‘what changed?’ because I’ve been smiling so much the past two weeks”.
This was what a patient said to me today at a follow up visit.
Her response to them was “My workout changed! I am no longer in pain when I wake up! It feels so good to not be in pain!”.
When we spoke two weeks ago, this highly motivated woman preparing for weight loss surgery was exercising five days a week, three of those with a trainer. The trainer had just taken the program up a notch because she was not losing weight.
She described constant back pain and muscle soreness, but continued to go to the gym. “I just have to lose weight” was her justification for the pain. “It will be better when I lose weight”
We discussed why weight loss was important to her. “I want to be around for my kids. I want to be able to play with them and have fun with them again”, she said without hesitation.
Clearly, she is motivated to lose weight and her reasons are very value driven. She was doing everything she was told she was supposed to do to get to that goal. She had changed her whole diet and was very careful to stay on it. She paid for the month with the trainer in advance to keep her accountable so she would be sure to stay motivated to go to the gym.
The results… pain and fatigue. She was too tired to play with her children and the frustration was written all over her face.
When she described the workout she was doing at the gym, I was concerned what she was doing was not right for her elevated blood pressure and putting her health at risk. I proposed a different kind of exercise challenge; to let go of what she though she had to do and try a different way to exercise. I challenged her to try it for two weeks using the online programs we offer to patients and see how she feels. She agreed.
Today was the two week mark. The smile on her face said it all! She has been consistently doing strength training, treadmill walking and yoga at home. She said it feels so much better and has more energy and is happier all day long. The best part though is that her kids have been doing it with her! “we have so much fun doing the videos! they love them!”.
She is not only exercising regularly without pain, she has accomplished her goal for weight loss – to be able to play and have fun with her kids again!
“I want people to know you can workout and not wake up in pain.” She said to me. “It’s a miracle”.
Really it’s just the way our body is designed to move.
If you are in pain from exercising, please know you do not deserve to be in pain just because you are carrying extra weight. There is another way to exercise. Take the challenge and see for yourself.
Keep Moving, Be Well
Janet
Keep Moving Weekly 