You Can't Take a Holiday from Good Health

That's what my trainer said the last time I said that we couldn't work out because it was a holiday. I grumbled and called him names under my breath, but he was right. I can't take a holiday from working on improving my health no more than I can take a holiday from having lupus. I have to deal with having lupus every day which means I have to work to keep my flares to a minimum every day.

I hate exercise. I got a trainer about three months ago as an experiment to see if it would motivate me to exercise more. Not only has Phil, my trainer, motivated me to exercise more, he encourages me to eat right. It was my New Year's resolution to exercise regularly, so I got a membership at L.A. Fitness. I explained to the fitness counselor my assortment of health issues, and he assured me there would be no problem. Unfortunately for me, he was wrong. The woman who worked with me, had no idea about lupus and pushed me way too hard. I got sick at the work out and was in bed for a week.

A month later, I went to Equinox. The fitness counselor there explained to me how their trainers were trained. She set me up with Phil. When I met Phil, he impressed me with his knowledge of lupus and Marfan's Syndrome. He had me get a heart rate monitor so that we could keep track of my heart rate while I worked out. He pushes me hard but not too hard. We review classes at the gym together to pick appropriate ones for me.

The first few weeks I worked out, I felt so exhausted, but now, I feel really good. Every morning I wake up to work out, I'm so cranky and stiff, but after working with Phil, I feel great. I told Phil I want to be able to surf by my 40th birthday which is in December. Phil assures me that there's no reason I can't make that goal. If I do, I will be so happy.

If you're a lupie considering exercise, take it slow. Make sure to talk to your doctor about acceptable exercises. Also make sure you have the appropriate workout attire. If you all recall from previous posts, I broke my foot walking in the wrong shoes once. If you decide on a trainer, make sure they are trained in working with people with chronic conditions like arthritis and lupus. Good luck and live lupie!