Do you exercise at all? Once a month? A few times a week? Is there that one sport/activity that helps you to find your balance? Do you lie when you see your doctor and she asks if you are getting 30 minutes of excising in each day?
I used to be one of those somewhat active folks. Run for 45 min and then take an aerobics class, then write a paper – sure no problem! Take a 2 hour bike ride while pulling the toddler behind me – sure no problem! Jog around the soccer field while my son had soccer practice – sure no problem!
But over the course of 20 years I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and POTS. All that energy I had disappeared. Not my desire to be active, but I physically had a hard time keeping up with those types of activities without paying for it the next few days. A Tae Kwon Do class will put me out for 2 days. Taking a 30 minute run/walk will put me out for 1 day. Finding that balance – in coordination with weather (for outside activity), in coordination with my work schedule and Mommy schedule, well, it’s become really hard.
Until this past month. My TKD studio began offering a Power Yoga class. My grandmother did yoga my whole childhood. Traditional yoga – odd poses and breathing and chanting. This is not what I considered an efficient use of my busy time to burn as many calories as I could. That and I’m not really into the sit, mediate and breathe kind of sports. I like the move around and burn calories kind of sports. But since this was POWER Yoga, I decided to give it a try. The first class was free, so what did I have to lose, right?
One month later and I’m addicted. There is no chanting. We only do 2 min of slow breathing in the beginning and at the end. The rest of high powered yoga poses. Twenty minutes into the class I’m sweating as if I had been running in the sun! I’m working all 4 limbs and my core. I’m stretching and flexing all those muscles and joints that have been used during the week and are starting to act achy. I may not be moving fast, but I can tell I’m burning calories while toning my body. But the best is that after class I’m not tired. I feel re-energized instead. They way exercise is supposed to make you feel.
I still love TKD, running, biking, and some Jillian Shred. Don’t get me wrong. But these power yoga classes? I could do them every day! For the first time since being diagnosed with the chronic illness I feel in control of my exercise program, instead of the chronic illness controlling me.
Now to continue the ever ending quest to find more me time during each day so I can enjoy it even more!
When not busy with her new favorite sport, she can be found blogging at MyLifeAsItIs.
