This page is for HSPs who need support in starting to exercise–you can do it with me!

THE IMPORTANCE OF CORE STRENGTHENING EXERCISES:

As highly sensitive people, exercise can be easy or hard depending on how we were made to feel about our bodies as children, or, it can be that we learned to always put ourselves last.  For myself, I was always too busy to stop and dedicate myself to physical fitness.  Afterall, I was getting by all right, so I thought.  Now I know that by not strengthening my pelvic muscles after childbirth, I had set myself up to injure those ligaments and my back with any flurry of activity or lifting.  I had been going to a chiropractor for years for my back and neck, and although exercise was always encouraged, I didn’t get the message until I injured myself so severly it woke me right up to the importance of having core strength.  I am mentioning all this again because I really want to prevent anyone else from going through what I went through.  And I don’t ever want to forget.

One of the great things about having core strength now is that everything including household chores and gardening seem so much easier. Now I use my leg muscles and squat down rather than bending over the wrong way. I also didn’t realize that having core strength makes all other exercise seem easier now too.  Dancing and hiking and playing frisbee do not wear me out near as quickly as they did before. Also I am not needing to go to the chiropractor as much anymore which is saving me a lot of money!

The core exercises I do were the ones given to me by my physical therapist, gradually to recover from my injury (sprained pelvic ligaments which affected my sacroiliac joint) .  If you are interested in finally getting into shape and are inspired by my progress, I found a website online that has 9 exercises similar to the ones I do (many are the exact same).  Here it is: back_exercises.html. (Oops this link stopped working so here is a substitute link for now:  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323204.)

Even if you are not injured or you just hate exercise, you can do these if you start gradually, and do them daily (or at least 5 times per week) adding 2 new exercises per week. All it takes is 10 minutes a day, at least 5 times a week and you will begin feeling stronger. Add biking or walking after a month of getting core strength and you will feel like a new person with more energy and more confidence and better overall health!

With love, Roxanne

(Please skip to the bottom of the page to read my updates from the beginning. 🙂  )

August 20, 2012

Hi everyone!  Yes, I have been exercising!  But I am so consistent with my bike riding that it has been a little boring to write about–I didn’t realize that I didn’t update this page the entire summer!

I am having the best summer of my life!  I am thrilled to be riding my bike twice a day for 15-20 minutes at least 5 times a week. Some days I ride for 30 minutes and I am no longer avoiding hilly terrain.   I LOVE riding my bike so this will be MY LAST UPDATE about my journey to get in shape.  Because finally  it happened! :D–It took me about a year but I am now officially in shape for the first time in my life!  I actually look forward to exercise everyday and miss it if I don’t bike, hike, walk or do something that is strengthening my muscles!

I would not have bet money that this could happen to me.  I think part of it was my chiropractor fixing my scoliosis once and for all, healthy habits that completely healed my adrenal fatigue, and having a job that is so fulfilling and that keeps me excited for each new day.  Mostly I am grateful to have my life back without chronic pain (2011 was scary with some ailments and injuries that WOKE ME UP) and I will never take my body for granted again!  Also I find nature to be so recharging for me, I really have a new appreciation for the healing powers of being grateful for my spiritual connection to the Universe (God) .  Also, I feel beautiful sunny days are a gift and I don’t want to miss one and not say “Thank you!”.  Biking helps me say thank you for my new PATH in life too–I make it a point to focus on the beauty of nature all around me when I ride–I look at the sky, trees, and flowers, and I find it is like meditation and I feel refreshed and always come back with some new inner guidance for my life.

I will always do my core strengthening exercises or Just Dance to the Wii when the weather is not good for biking.  I no longer have the goal of Jazzercise that I used to have–I think in January and February I might join a yoga class instead.  I am already looking forward to the warm summer mornings and evenings for biking  next year!  My husband and I put a bike rack on our car and even rode our bikes together on our vacation to the beach–it is so fun and creates special memories to ride bikes with loved ones.  I hope you will give it a try!

I hope that this year of updates on my journey to get in shape (summer 2011 through summer 2012) inspires you and helps you get started to do the same.  I finally did it!  I believe in you, HSPs–You can do it too!

With much love, light, encouragement and support, 😀 Roxanne

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May 1, 2012

Hi everyone! 🙂 The dancing plan didn’t work out too well, it was sporadic and occasional at best during February.  But March was a great month for my exercise because the warm weather made it easy to ride my bike–my favorite way to exercise.  The first time I got it out from it’s winter storage I was discouraged because I could not go very far before getting worn out.  But each day I rode it a little farther around my neighborhood and by the end of the month I was up to 20 minutes pretty easily so don’t give up–that was with riding it several times a week and not even every day.  Then with April 1st some colder weather came back, my laptop died, and with an onslaught of new clients my exercise plan fell by the wayside.  I really just forgot to exercise for about 4 weeks!  😦  This happens to all of us now and then so never fear– I started back up at the beginning yesterday doing my handy easy core strengthening exercises and I am going to be doing them 5 times a week again. Don’t be hard on yourself when this happens–just get down on your back on your carpeted floor with a pillow for your head, take a deep breath, forgive yourself, and start doing the exercises on the link above that I gave you. These exercises are great startups for all highly sensitive people–not just those with back and hip troubles!  Do it while you are watching your favorite tv shows or music if that helps–whatever works for you!   It feels so good to start back up again!   Building strength is important to a long and healthy independent life!  If I can do it you can do it too!  Let’s do it together! Leave a comment of YOUR ups and downs with exercise–it will help others who are discouraged about starting back up again. 🙂  Happy Spring!!!

February 4. 2012

Hi everyone, I know you may be wondering, “What happened, did she stop exercising?” No, I kept it up but because of the holidays and then in January adding more Coaching clients I was only doing core strengthening 2 or 3 times a week–which is really a bare minimum.  I learned something about myself–I have to make it a priority in the morning or it won’t happen.  When my health problems got better and I was able to do more things and then started doing more for others (shopping for gifts for my husband and children, and trying to make the holidays as wonderful for them as possible) my exercise fell farther down on the list.  Also the cold temperatures stopped the bike riding–and dancing and wii fit videos 🙂 were easier to forget to do. The core strengthening exercises for me are kind of meditative so I do them more–you are laying on your back on the floor and counting a lot and it is a nice break from a busy day.  But it really is just basic–I really want and need to do more than just the basics. My husband and kids got me 2 Just Dance videos for the wii game console and it is very fun and we all did it together over the holidays.  This is my new exercise of choice to start to get moving again.  I am going to put in the DVD and do it right now!  Wish me luck than I can do this for 10 minutes 3 times per week to start and work up gradually.  Do it with me.  I will be posting my progress monthly.   With love.

October 13, 2011

Hey everyone!  I am still exercising! I am still doing core strengthening 5 times a week with varying intensity. (I take it easier when ailing or stressed.)  The great news is that I am now up to 20 minutes on my bike!  Also, my grown children visited us recently and we all took a hike together at a beautiful park and my daughter noticed that I had so much more stamina.  It’s true!  I do!  Yay!  It was so nice hiking with my family and keeping up with them.  When the weather is too wet and cold for biking, I put on my favorite dancing music and dance for about 8 minutes at a time (so far). Some favorite dance songs are Let it Whip by Dazz Band, and My Prerogative by Bobby Brown (The words to this last one are a great fit for those of you with a narcissistic parent! except for the getting girls line haha).  Try them out! 🙂

September 2, 2011

Hi everyone. I have gradually gotten my bike riding up to 12 minutes once or twice a day 5 times a week. I really look forward to it and miss it when I  can’t ride my bike at least once a day. Core strengthening still 15 minutes 5 times a week! Feel free to comment or ask questions on this page.

August 10, 2011

Hi everyone. Exercise update: Yes, I am still exercising and I believe this week I am finally over the “hump” as they say. For the first time in my life I look forward to exercising. I know! Shocking isn’t it! I think the key to it was just strengthening the core first and sticking to that and taking it slow so I wouldn’t quit from the pain. In the last week or two I started feeling stronger at my core (body-wise!)  And now I have more stamina! I kept up the core strengthening for 15 minutes, 5 days a week. Rather than adding minutes of new exercises to this I just increased my intensity. So I am still at 15 minutes of “core” but have been able to increase my bike riding to 5-8 minutes twice a day now. I am more active and feel better. I look forward to  riding my bike, walking, or hiking with my husband more now without fear of overdoing it. It’s great to feel strong for the first time! And I don’t get as sore as I used to. Gradual is the key for HSPs! If I can do it so can you–believe me! 🙂

July 15, 2011

Hi everyone. Exercise update: I get SO SORE when I do too much and then I take a day or two off which is not good. So this week I found the perfect balance and kept it up every day! I just do 15 minutes of core strengthening exercises and 5 minutes on my bike each day. I’m sore but not too sore–it feels good. I am getting stronger! Yay! Next week I will increase. The key is to increase GRADUALLY. I am not ready for Jazzercise yet but that is my goal. Got myself a new bike and I love it–my neighborhood is flat so I feel like a kid again riding around my neighborhood. ha ha Forgot how I used to go for rides on my bike to get away and recharge when I was a kid. Love it!! Feel so free! Highly recommend a bike for the highly sensitive who are out of shape–FLAT areas to start :).  With love and warm thoughts to all of you.

June 23, 2011

Hi everyone, The pain from my injury is now gone! And summer is finally here! Yay! This is my season to finally get in shape. I am exercising daily and right now my muscles are very sore! I don’t like it. But I am not going to let it stop me this time. Wish me luck. I am determined to get strong and stay strong! Let’s do it together!