From my Eating Coach (this is good!)re: Exercise

Creating a meaningful emphasis on dose

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:06 AM PDT

I've spent the last couple days in a Medical Exercise Therapy class designed for physical therapist and my brain is FULL of fabulous new ideas for helping my clients! 

The single thing that I thought was most helpful (and everything built off this) was that exercise is all about dosing.

Too little and it will do something (it always does something) but it may not have the effect you want it to have.  Too much and the body tissue you're working on will breakdown -- then the exercise is doing more harm that good.

Here's the thing -- many people I work with feel they are in too much pain to exercise.  Now I'm not talking about overloading a stress fracture in the foot with a high intensity spin class -- that would be above the ability of those healing tissues to withstand.  I'm talking about the chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia pain that can flare up when people exercise.

The instructor of this course contends, if dosed right, exercise will actually help that person manage their pain, increase blood flow to the muscles and nerves, provide other stimuli so a person's sense of pain is reduced, and a myriad of other benefits.

But all of those benefits hinge on finding the proper dose of exercise.  And many of us think we need the horse pill equivalent of exercise before it does any good.  I'm here to tell you that is not the case.

Sometimes, taking 3 steps more than you did yesterday or making it half way out to your mailbox is just the right dose of exercise to help and not hurt you.

After a few days of doing that, you may be able to make it 3/4 of the way down your driveway and back.

Over time, you may end up doing things you never thought possible (there are a few of you reading this that should recognize your situation right here!)

But the point is -- we get so caught up in what we can't do (can't hop up off the couch and walk a 5k), that we don't see any point in trying to walk half way down the driveway.  But everyone who walks  has to be able to accomplish the 1/2 of a driveway before they can move on to greater distances.

So, what does this have to do with mindful eating?  Well, here's the thing -- if you are one of those "can't make it to the end of the driveway so I might as well not try to walk half way" kind of people, chances are you are going to struggle and get frustrated with mindful eating because you're not going to lose weight as fast as you would like. 

So you may not try to journal your food intake.  You may not try to reduce your soda intake by one soda a day.  You may not think it is worth investing the effort to make one small change in your behaviors because you think one small change isn't enough to make any kind of difference in the 100 pounds you have to lose.

You're wrong.

It's all about the dose of change.  Maybe you only have enough stamina for a small dose of change right now.  But -- if we get you working on that change, your mindfulness muscles will get stronger. 
As they strengthen, we can get you doing more complex behavior changes.  But much like physical therapy or exercise in general, if we do too much at once and overload your mindfulness muscles, we'll do more damage than good -- and you'll end up at home on the couch feeling bad.

It's all about dosing the change to maximize the positives and minimize the risk of negative outcomes.  You can make a change -- it just might be much smaller than you'd really like.
 

Debbie....I am trying to do the best with exercise that I can.  Since I broke my hip I cannot jog anymore much less walk. I was jogging 3 miles every morning, seven days a week. I was getting ready for a marathon. In fact now,  I can't even walk 2 miles without severe pain. My surgeon said it will probably never get any better then it is right now. He doesn't want me to pu**** as he said without the rod in there it will be much easier for that bone to break. He said it will be really bad if it breaks again. They will have to replace the bone. I am so angry and frustrated with myself. I shouldn't have been running in the rain in high heels!!
I will not forgive myself for that!! Walking and jogging was something very special for me....now I blew that too!!

This is a really good post...every little bit of extra effort helps so much.

Love and hugs....connie d

Oh Connie, I know the feeling of being frustrated when you can't do something that will help you feel better, especially exercise. Concentrate on the things that you CAN do and stop kicking yourself about running in the rain with heels on. We all do spontaneous things like that. Then BAM! Something happens. I think it's called life!!! Yep, it's life all right and we are living it.

So just  do leg lifts, arm lifts, work with light weights. Swimming and just smiling.
You my friend didn't blow anything.

I went walking yesterday, a very fast walk, got over heated, came back home dizzy and nauseated. Tomorrow I will walk in the early AM. I just went walking yesterday too late and I paid for it...but I'm not kicking myself over it. Lesson learned and I will push on damn it!!!!

Went to the dentist today for my 6 mth. checkup and he now has "digital x-rays" very cool. No cavities but he wants to replace a crown, can't afford it right now but maybe next visit. I want to get Crest whitening strips first to see if I can lighten my teeth b/4 I get the crown. Hugs Debbie

Hi Debbie,
Small changes is exactly how I've made a slew of changes in my life the past two and a half years.  Of course, I got sober overnight, and detoxed in the hospital.  Other than that, I made a lot of little changes, which have worked to help me lose 30 pounds since then.  I'm not totally sugar free yet, but I'm not taking in as much as I had during my relapse.  

My caffeine intake is minimal, because I had a caffeine withdrawal migraine in the hospital when they put me on fluid restriction.  Now, I only have two cups of coffee, and some low caffeine iced tea during the day.  I still drink soda when I am away from my apartment, unless I'm in a restaurant where sugar free iced tea is offered.  I do keep caffeine free diet Coke on hand for when I have an upset pouch.  For some reason I find diet Coke settles my pouch down before I lose my meal.  It's not from overeating, just sometimes my pouch acts finicky and I get the dry heaves.  I have not ever vomited since my surgery.

I've been making wiser food choices since getting sober too.  Nothing too radical, just being smart about what I keep in the house.

When I was in the hospital for two weeks, in January, I had a sort of Spiritual experience that radically changed my thinking about my body.  I became extremely cautious about everything I do concerning my physical, mental and Spiritual health.  I used to be reckless in a lot of my behaviors, and I sort of grew up in the hospital.  That recklessness now seems so childish and I'm a Grandma, and I want to be a good role model for all of my children, but especially my grandchildren.  I don't ever want my daughter to be ashamed of me.

Hugs,
Trish

Great post Debbie!

I was a no walker. Started aqua therapy with a PT six weeks before surgery to start building my core and have been in. The water ever since. I still cannot walk far, but am up to 70 minutes in the pool almost daily now, seven months later.

I did hop on the treadmill last Friday and was able to do 30 minutes, and survived,

Baby steps...

Sue, congrats on being a fellow water person. I love water aerobics and use to do that 3 times a week but since I work 3-11's the classes they offer isn't the right time for me and I have to drive 35 miles to the gym. So it's gotta be working out at the gym b/4 I go to work and no classes are at the right time! I paid for the gym and didn't go for a whole year so I let it go. I just worked out in my little pool at home and even in my hot tub! I love to walk, always did. Now I'm need to buy a new bike but I think I'll wait til next year.

You are doing great! Keep up the pool and kudo's doing the treadmill. Whhhoooo!!

I would be happy to share my routine with you if you are interested. Just PM me.

Trish I'm so proud of you, you have over come a lot of issues in your life and I don't believe one minute your daughter was every ashamed of you. Now you can be a "model grandma"!!! Have fun with your grandchildren and celebrate your new lifestyle.

I smiled when you said you drink diet Coke cuz it settles your pouch. Me too. Don't know how it happens but I too don't vomit and I also get dry heaves not often only once in a great while and man my gut hurts after having dry heaves. Ugh! So God Bless Diet Coke!