Teleidoscope

Wed, Dec 26, 2007

Yoga and Other Exercise

Posted at 4:25 pm MST to Exercise

For several years I exercised regularly: yoga, walking and free weights. Even when I started living in corporate housing in far away places (and gaining weight) I tried to keep up with the yoga and free weights. Then I had some surgery and radiation treatments, and between the loss of range of motion and the weight gain, the exercises I was used to became too awkward and painful.

In the year I've been home, my weight seems to have stabilized: I haven't lost any weight, but I haven't gained any either. I haven't been trying to limit my intake particularly, either, and my exercise patterns have been about as minimal as they can get for someone who isn't bedridden.

I've noticed in the past that scars seem to take about two years to settle down: my throat looked like Frankensteins's monster for about two years after my thyroid surgery, and then the scar faded and flattened out. It's now over two years since the end of the radiation treatments.

I've been trying to use my right arm to stretch and reach for things (high shelf in the baking cabinet for example), and I think the range of motion coming back.

Today I got out my favorite yoga DVD and a strap and mat, and the result was very encouraging. I was stiff, especially where the scars are, and the fat that wasn't there 6 years ago still got in the way, but I was mostly able to attempt the abdominal twists. And my right arm was able to do its share in downward-dog, unlike the last time I tried.

I'm going to try to get back in the habit of starting my day with yoga stretches or some other exercise. If I exercise at least as often as I update this blog, my over-all health should improve and I may have fewer problems with arms pain and leg cramps. I'm adding a new blog category for exercise data.

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