Exercise support group

[[La...]]

Things are looking good for folks today and I'm glad. Nothing like getting out and shedding this layer of nastiness off ourselves.

 

I've had a tough day, right from my 2 whole hrs of sleep. This stopping the Benadryl is taking a bit of a toll on me for rest, but I did make it to the gym some how. I remember I was so intent on not missing a day of working out, that I decided I was good enough to go and I did. When it becomes a debate whether to leave or not, I usually choose the latter. While I was working out, one of the guys there who was talking with a couple others, pointed at me and said, "look at him, he doesn't look like he's enjoying himself today." I responded with, "I forgot my headphones in the car today and just not in the groove is all." I must have looked pretty rough for someone to have said that. It really was how I felt inside though. But, I did not let it hinder my workout. I added 5-10 lbs to everything and another exercise as well.

 

However, my day since then has just fallen apart. I'm so tired that I don't feel like doing anything and haven't. I'm not a day time sleeper and have been trying to take a nap when I know better. My phone rang, so I got up and have been up since then. If it weren't so chilly and rainy, I'd push myself to go for a bike ride to get some endorphins kicking in.

[[Al...]]

I'm SO happy that everyone had a successful day of exercising. Has anyone tried rowing? I just started it two weeks ago and the trainer at the gym told me it's a great machine for relieving anxiety and it's supposed to be great for the brain. I'm starting slow and only rowing 20 pds weights but 40 reps.

 

MTFAN-glad you've been sleeping better and sleep will come back. Last night I slept all night and when I woke up this morning at 6:00 AM I couldn't believe it, I thought I was dreaming:) 

 

Wishing everyone a great evening and here's to exercise and Spring!!

Fran:)

[[Wo...]]

I'll tell you what Im longing to do....Sprint. I just want to get outside and run as fast as the wind for as long as I can. BUT, Im gonna hold off for a bit. Im 51, and who knows what may happen?  I just havent worked up the courage to do it. I used to love to spring during a hike, just for seconds. Im going to the beach in a week or so...maybe I will do it on the sand. 

 

Ingrid, make sure you're warm before you sprint! Sorry, I know you don't need a parent, I've just seen a lot of people pull muscles. You should be fine.

 

3 hr surf today. I had noodle arms by the time I was done. Gotta get it while it's good! I didn't think about WD at all while I was in the water.

 

As far as the over doing it thing, I'm sure I've been guilty of that. I'm just too stubborn and sometimes unaware of myself. I think balance is best in all things, but I'm a major work in progress in that area.

 

This thread is so active and that's a great thing.

[[Cr...]]

Skipped a workout, going for a walk....barely hanging on.

[[MT...]]

I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough day, CP. I hope the walk helps. Some days all we can do is hang on and wait for it to pass while we get some support. Hang in there. We're with you

[[je...]]

Just took my 65 pound puppy on a 30 minute walk.... Trying to control him was more of a workout than the walk 

[[Cr...]]

Took my puppy on a walk too....the fatigue is insane today, i feel like i weigh 1000 pounds.

[[je...]]

Crazy-- when I was early off I felt like my legs and arms were weighted down, they felt so heavy it was hard to move. It gets better, hang in there 

[[no...]]

Took my puppy on a walk too....the fatigue is insane today, i feel like i weigh 1000 pounds.

 

CP I had that too and I get it on and off and its not been as bad as it was the last time, as It has been more infrequent than it was, so it does get better 

 

After not being able to go exercising outdoors at all yesterday, today was a big turn around, I Went for a two hour walk in the woods, and while I was over there decided to go exploring in a part where no one goes and hasn't been for many year's. It looks like a place where hobbits and witches are likely to live, its another world away from the normal routes everyone else takes, 'The land that time forgot' . I always try to go off the beaten track as its more fun plus its great for Brain plasticity going different routes as opposed to ones you know well. I also did this to face up to the anxiety state I was in by not giving in to the fear, but I really had a brain work over when I realized I couldn't remember which way I entered.

 

After deciding to stop panicking as an hour later I was still lost i transit I calmed down and worked out that no one goes near where I was, I was not going to call the police on my cell phone and probably end up hysterical and declared '' mentally ill' once again because of benzos?  I had enough of that crap after being misdiagnosed ''Manic depressive' when I went in to the withdrawal from hell after the Doctor pulled me cold turkey off 30 to 40 prescribed Ativan 2mg pills which is the equivalent of 800mg of Valium daily ?  :tickedoff:

 

So that fear became greater than the original fear which then sparked off my inner strength and the fact that only I could help me now and to keep a cool head and get the hell on with finding the way out. I then remembered I had picked up my Compass before I left home, so I found the points that went directly to where my home is and headed in that direction, as you can see by the fact I am here typing this post it was a success hooray!

 

Here's an article about why walking as an exercise rocks!!   

 

Nova xxxx  :smitten:

 

 

“I personally think that brisk walking is far and away the single best exercise,” said Michael Joyner, M.D., a professor of anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and a leading researcher in the field of endurance exercise.

 

As proof, he points to the work of Hiroshi Nose, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of sports medical sciences at Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, who has enrolled thousands of older Japanese citizens in an innovative, five-month-long program of brisk, interval-style walking (three minutes of fast walking, followed by three minutes of slower walking, repeated 10 times). The results have been striking. “Physical fitness — maximal aerobic power and thigh muscle strength — increased by about 20 percent,” Dr. Nose wrote in an e-mail, “which is sure to make you feel about 10 years younger than before training.” The walkers’ “symptoms of lifestyle-related diseases (hypertension, hyperglycemia and obesity) decreased by about 20 percent,” he added, while their depression scores dropped by half.

 

Walking has also been shown by other researchers to aid materially in weight control. A 15-year study found that middle-aged women who walked for at least an hour a day maintained their weight over the decades. Those who didn’t gained weight. In addition, a recent seminal study found that when older people started a regular program of brisk walking, the volume of their hippocampus, a portion of the brain involved in memory, increased significantly.

 

 

 

[Guest [in...]]

nova A walk in the woods is so soothing to me. I love to look up into the tree tops. I am crazy for huge, old Live Oaks with Spanish Moss hanging from them, such you see in SC coastal areas. 

 

I will do my 4 mi hike today. I also wanted to mention how important Balance exercise is for us "older" BBs.  I do a whole set of different balance exercises every day or other day. I also make sure to get in bent knee pushups, along with some other floor work, and I lift 5lb and 10lb dumb bells.

 

I grew up walking all over the place. My mother and grandfather loved to walk in the woods. 

[[Wo...]]

Waves were small today so it was a mellow surf, but fun nonetheless. Got to work on some basics like turning and stuff. The weather was beautiful. Santa Cruz is such a great place.

 

I need to add some lower body stuff. I'm thinking leg strength exercises and maybe riding a bike. We'll see.

[Guest [in...]]

My son is a Powerlifter in college and he's always giving me new things to try with my weights. He's so into proper form, breathing, etc. 

 

So you surf, wonder? I'd absolutely LOVE to do that! I am a die hard ocean fanatic. Just love being anywhere near salt water. 

[[Mr...]]

Love this thread!!! Thank You again Ingrid!

[[MT...]]

Nova, your walk sounds like it was terrifying, exciting and fabulous all at once. You did some terrific problem solving and talking to yourself. I'm glad you made it out OK. Where I walk is in a mountainous park and I love being in the woods like that. It reminds me of all the times I snuck into the woods as a kid--I was always getting in trouble for doing that and now I can go in the woods whenever I want!

 

Ingrid, I agree we older BB need balance stuff. I do some yoga for that. Tonight at yoga I was strangely weak. I kept doing the shaking thing in poses but I was glad I made it there. My balance is improving.

 

Wonder, the surfing sound delightful. I'm so glad you can do that. It's great to hear about your surfing.

[[Br...]]

Here is the other thing, Benzos weaken the cartilages and the muscles and joints, so trying to force then to perform will damage them and this is dangerous as then they  it maybe they can't be repaired and attempted repairs may make things even worse. On an older exercise thread on here one guy who was an exercise enthusiast and did weights and worked out for many aery's  was pleading with some people who were pushing it to stop as he ended up in a mess and agony .

 

Hello Nova 1.  I have never heard that "benzos weaken the cartilages".  Is there a reference for this?

 

I hope it's not the same sort of incorrect statement as what you posted to someone who's undertaking therapy for very disabling fears:  "Doctor Ashton the famous Pharmacologist pioneer Benzo withdrawal expert herself say's that ANY form of exposure therapy, CBT etc, should not be even considered while some one is suffering from withdrawal"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[no...]]

Hi all    I would like to point out I am ignoring the member above this post and have no interest in whatever the troll's got to say  neither on this thread or any other thread, and I am only pointing  this out as I can see her name but nothing else and thats a wonderful thing  as I don't want to once again as I told her on another thread read her crap,  so exercise my right not too do so. 

 

And back on the topic of exercise I had terrible muscle spam and had hardly any rest last night and this morning the pain and anxiety were even worse again and I was going to stay home . But I decided to at least try and do something rather than just sit here obsessing over it so I went off to the woods again and fought against running home ASAP    and did another two hours again.

 

I also got in some foraging and came home with wild Garlic, and an edible fungus named Chicken of the woods which is really tasty and good for you and I found a lot of other food stuffs so I'll get more as I go along. 

 

The other reason I'm pushing myself is as  I've now taken another cut in my Diazepam and I live alone with no help or support so do what I can to keep myself from going under completely and  avoid all stress 

 

 

That means not answering my phone as well and only putting my attention on things I really need to  to what serves me and ignoring thats which does not, and not sweating the small and insignificant pointless  stuff as Its really hard right now. But battling on and will be eating my way around the woods tomorrow

 

 

Nova xxx  :smitten:

[Guest [in...]]

Hi Mr Anderson  Glad you checked this thread out. Do you have an exercise regimen? If not, get going on one, if you are up to it. For me, it's central to my recovery, peace of mind. 

[[Te...]]

Does anyone here have problems with dizziness and anxiety after doing yoga? I've tried so many times to have a regular schedule and finally gave up. Then yesterday I did a very low level of yoga. Once again, dizziness and some anxiety flared up, and I still feel a bit strange in the head today.

 

How do you get beyond that feeling? Do you just keep pushing through? Or do you rest for a few days and try it again? How long does it take for the CNS to get used to it?

 

This has been a problem for me since 2013 when I started tapering.

[[...]]

Great idea for a group Drew!  Thanks for starting.

 

I walked a few miles and hit tennis balls against a backboard almost every day of my taper.  It so helped my benzo depression for sure because I felt better during and after.  I live in a highrise and also walked up the stairs to get some intensity.  I don't know for sure it it helps physical symptoms because I don't know what it would have been without it.  Hitting tennis balls against a back board was really helpful during my worst akathisia. Not that you can really be OK with that but it focused my energy on something and it wasn't as maddening while I was at the backboard.  Sometimes I was out at 6 am after having been awake for hours.  I  starting playing tennis with people toward the end of my taper and League tennis at first very badly and about a month or two before the end of the taper and now I'm winning some.  My team just won its devision.  Not because of me but still Yeah! 

 

Thanks to Longdistancerunner for being such a role model for exercise.  Got me going sometimes when I thought of whimping out.

 

I think I need to exercise more.  Do ya'll think more intense exercise like the stairs helps with sleep.  My worst symptom now is disturbed sleep and sometimes insomina if I have the slightest little stress.  I dropped the stairs regularly after I picked tennis back up solid but I don't think that's as intense.  So tired today from bad sleep last night.  Tomorrow stairs?  Heard that one before right.

[[...]]

LDR I need a kick in the pants to get me up them stairs.  How's the sunny.

 

Kiddo  You are getting close Kiddo.  Congrats on your nice walks.  I'm going with the twitching is just your system trying to get back to normal.  My calves and feet are still twitching all the time.

 

Terry Yoga gave me anxiety before being benzoed.  Am so ADHD.  Can't imagine how stressed it'd make me now.  Maybe some less hyper people will chime in.

 

Wondernova  Surfing sounds wonderful.  Wish I could do that.

 

Nova Hiking in the woods sounds so serene.

 

 

[[lo...]]

Hey Jth, so good to see you here I am good. Enjoying the beautiful sunshine in SoCal. I just got a Fitbit, which I am pretty giddy about! It's fun to be able to tell exactly how much your walk/run/exercise in general. It keeps me motivated in addition to that whole "healthy brain" thing ;-)

 

Congrats to your tennis team on the victory! That's awesome sauce. I have no hand eye coordination, so I can't play tennis to save my life

[[MT...]]

LDR, I like my fitbit too. It's fun when it vibrates with happiness when I reach 10,000 steps in a day. I haven't had that happen a bunch but it's nice to work towards. And I really like the input on sleep too. Enjoy!

 

I made it to exercise class for 30 minutes today but the walk afterwards was not happening. Was rather weak in yoga last night too. Some days are just like this.

[[Te...]]

Thanks, jth! I used to feel hyper after doing yoga before benzos, so it makes sense that it would lead to anxiety now. I'll just have to take it v.e.r.y. slowly. Maybe just do it once a week for awhile.

[[lo...]]

MTFan, I love the vibrating notification. I recently did an uphill run and that got me a "Lighthouse" badge because of all the "floors" I did. Yes, I am excited about a digital badge and I am totally okay with it.

[[Cr...]]

Pushups, curls, kickbacks and ran for 3 minutes, also walked a half mile....doing very bad, trying to stay positive, but think about killing myself multiple times every day...this makes me cry hysterically. Nothing is getting better, im stuck in this twisting writhing squeezing burning cog fogger dpdr hell. Exercise is doing nothing but making me sore and dizzier