Slow progress

Being back at work has been a bit of a struggle if I am honest.  The first two weeks were so hard and all I did outside of work was rest and sleep.  Exercise has been pretty much non existant for a while.  I did manage to get out for a decent walk last week but that was all.

It's frustrating but my main priority is being able to keep on top of everything at home and stay at work.  I saw my M.E specialist again last week and she recommended more walking and some swimming (maybe once a week on a day off) to gradually increase activity levels without overdoing it. 

I have lost 20lbs altogether now, its taken 4 months so an average of 5lbs a month which I am quite pleased with considering the amount of exercise I have missed out on. 

Fingers crossed things continue to improve and I can get back to running soon, I really miss it which is so odd considering how much I used to hate it.  I am really enjoying reading friends blogs and updates to see how well they are doing, it really motivates me to keep going towards my goals.

Back to work :)

I went back to work on Tuesday and things have gone really well so far.  I am very tired from it but it's been quite a while since I had to do an 11pm finish so it was a bit of a shock to the system. 

I have started going swimming again and that is going really well, I did 20 lengths the first time I went and felt I could have done more but didn't want to push too hard.  I went again this week and did 30 lengths in 27 minutes which gave me a huge sense of achievement.  I have signed myself up for the sport relief big splash mile.  It is 64 lengths of a 25m pool.  It is not until the end of April so I have plenty of time to build myself back up but it is good for me to have a goal to work towards.  Feel free to sponsor me using the link below ;)

http://my.artezglobal.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=369827&langPref=en-CA

I don't quite feel up to adding running into the mix as I have found work very tiring and really can't afford to do too much and set myself up for a fall.  I am seeing my specialist on Thursday so I will take advice from her.

It feels good to be back in the real world with a purpose.

Getting back on track

Firstly apologies for the lack of updates on my blog, I haven't been able to run so I didn't feel there was much to tell.  I have struggled for a couple of months now with my M.E but I am finally on the mend and going back to work next Tuesday.  I can't wait!

I was advised by the doctor I could start back doing some walking and also gentle exercise at home so I have been doing some fitness dvd's and simple workouts.  I feel so much better when I am done so I am really excited that I can start running again in the next couple of weeks.

I haven't put an exact date on it as I want to make sure work goes ok first and follow the advice of my doctor to avoid any more issues.

I feel positive, confident and ready for anything now.  So bring it on!!  I am going back to Week 1 Day 1 as it has been so long since I did any running.  Also I am not going to push myself too hard at first and if I need to repeat weeks I will.  Pacing is so important for recovery in M.E and I know how to do that.

Wish me luck :)

Quick update

So I am still unable to run.  I saw my M.E specialist yesterday and she has devised a walking plan for me to follow to gradually build back up to exercising regularly.  It makes sense and is easy to follow so I am going to start doing that.  I have lost another pound this week taking me half way to my target weight loss.  I am so pleased.  If I don't update before christmas I wish you all a very merry one!

Finally, I have lost a stone!

Woohoo so nice to post a positive blog for a change.  I have finally reached 1 stone weight loss on the scales today yay, its taken since september but that is due to the fact I had to stop exercising, the change in eating habits has obviously paid off.  I have just made myself a nice big pan of soup to keep me going over the next few days especially in this freezing cold weather.

I am starting to feel a bit more human finally!  I am nowhere near fully recovered but starting to see improvements.  I am having a few good days now, a couple of weeks ago everyday was horrendous!  I am all sorted for christmas, cards have been posted, pressies are wrapped and tree is up, you can tell I have had a lot of time on my hands, I have been doing most stuff online this year and it really took the stress out of it.

There are some ongoing family issues which I dont wish to discuss and are out of my control but they are pretty stressful and haven't helped my recovery but I am staying positive and focused on what amazing things 2012 might bring and looking forward to the day the doctor says I can start running again!

Thank you for your continued support x 

Just a quick update

Sorry I haven't posted an update for some time, I have been out of action unfortunately.  As you know my last blog post was quite a negative one.  I have since then suffered a blackout and had a relapse of my M.E.

I am currently off work and trying to rest up and recover but I am still feeling positive that I will make a recovery and get back to exercise as soon as I can.

For those who don't know much about M.E, I found this good summary online

http://www.nmec.org.uk/menonsuffererguide.html

Thanks for all of the support so far, hope to be back "up and running" soon!

Week 4 Day 2

It didn’t go too well today but I know why.

I haven’t mentioned this before on my blog but I feel now is the right time to talk about it.  I have been battling with M.E also known as CFS since I was in my teens.  I have been through many highs and lows with the illness and right now I am doing really well.  However I do still have a low immune system which means I pick up every cough, cold and bug going.  I have been suffering a little bit with a head cold the past couple of days, nothing serious but I have to be careful as when I pick up any type of infection if I don’t pace myself it can get really complicated and take me a long time to recover.  I also have a history of blackouts when I am unwell or stressed out.

I woke up this morning feeling pretty rubbish but determined to carry on and go out for my run which I did.  I got through the first half with no issues and again managed the 5 minute run which I was really pleased with.  On the walking section between the 5 minute walk and the second 3 minute walk I felt a bit light headed and when I started running my legs felt like they couldn’t carry on.  I have always been told by doctors and specialists to listen to my body and pace myself so I decided to just walk for the rest of the podcast.  It is very frustrating however if I don’t do this I could end up pretty poorly which I really don’t need right now.

I have had times in my life where I haven’t been able to walk at all and have ended up in hospital so comparing that to how I am now I am still really proud of what I am doing.  It might take me longer than others to get through the 9 week plan but if I can actually do it and achieve something so huge it is going to feel incredible! 

Crossing the finish line at the race for life in July after “walking fast” and completing the course in 50 minutes felt great so imagine if next time I can run it.

It’s very important that I focus on what I can do and NOT what I can’t do!!  So onwards and upwards, time to rest up and enjoy a quiet day and my homemade shepherds pies for tea J