Exercise is VITAL to my HEALTH!

One big promise I have struggled with in past, present, and probably future is to EXERCISE!

I know a lot of people struggle with the same problem, regardless is they have CF. We are too good at making excuses for ourselves. I don't have time, I don't feel good, I will start next week. I was on the right track in 2012. I was doing musicals, where I was singing or dancing every night. AND I was coming home to walk or jog almost 5x a week! I started slow and added more distance as I could. I would walk 2x a week with a friend. This is where I focused on distance & length, not speed. Then on the opposite nights, I would jog as much as I could, walk catch breath, and repeat.

I had more muscle, was eating more, gaining weight, and my lung function was the highest it had ever been! 60 - 64% <--- WOW! I was single, didn't have a TV (on purpose) and kept myself accountable through my blog & friend (w CF) Laura.

Since then a lot has changed. Living with another person changes your routine. Sharing schedules, finding time to spend together, balancing my job, his two jobs, our budgeting/bills, cleaning/yard work, plus I'm very involved in 4 organizations right now (and have taken a larger role in volunteering with CF Foundation). I no longer live in a community where I know anyone to walk with, and my friend Laura passed away in 2014. I  just kept telling  myself I didn't have time to work out. I didn't have time to worrying about it.

My Orkambi is FINALLY adjusting. I have been gaining weight slowly without trying. Mostly, my appetite lately has been huge! Gaining weight helps a lot! After putting on weight I have more energy, so I can do more (Orkambi helps with this too).

So this last few weeks I have been trying to find ways to work out. I have handheld weights and ankles strap weights I can use. I'd like to start jogging again (even if it is hard on my joints), I feel accomplished when I finish a 5K. However, I decided to find something more fun and less harsh on my joints! Our local community ceter offers a PiYo class! I have done some yoga before, but those classes were always really long and to be honset, I got bored. I get distracted easy. (Have you ever driven with me. lol) But, PiYo has the muscle-sculpting, core benefits of yoga and pilates. I find it more entertaining, because it is faster paced than regular yoga, it feels like aerobics.  It's a $5 class for 30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time for me. Any longer and I wouldn't able to finish the class.

Andrew went with me to the class last night, he enjoyed it and would do it again with me (if he gets another night off). I'm not sore really either today, we both were after class though. Our TV streams YouTube, so we can always pull out my mat & do a session at home too!

I'm going to keep doing these classes 2x a week and see what else I can slowly add into my routine. Going to an actual class with force me to try harder. We are also trying to get one our our TV's hooked up in the basement for my treadmill. Walking on a treadmill staring at cinder block is not very interesting. LOL. (Picture right: I had to use my computer to play DVDs while walking in the past)

FitBit users: Add me! I have a FitBit account (Cheriz)!

I'd like to do weightlifting too, but this is a good start. I don't want to add to much, overload and then quit. So baby steps! Hoping to see a difference in my Clinic numbers on the 28th!!


Any tips or things you love doing to work out! Ways to help me stay on track? Thanks!