Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Pool Time for Me

I have to do all I can in the next 4 months to get myself in as good shape as possible before this hip surgery.

I have done so much over the past few years to try and keep moving and I think I did pretty well but the past year has frankly been very painful. It is hard to move and my leg does not physically move properly anymore. I have become less active and less mobile every month.

The hip and knee surgery orientation program I attended and now the surgeon stressed that exercise is essential to get the hip and leg muscles as healthy as possible. There is a list of exercises, a video of exactly what exercises they want you to do daily plus the suggestion that walking in water was very beneficial. There were also suggestions that losing weight makes a huge difference both now, during the actual surgery and for recovery.

I have been going to a Wednesday water Tai Chi program sessions for the past year and really love it. That is more stretching and balance time and not really a calorie burner. I am now committing to go to the pool at least 3 times a week but trying my best to go 4 times counting the Tai Chi class. I even paid up and got a city pass for 3 months of unlimited access to the city facilities.

I must admit I have not been at all good about the video set of exercises because it hurts a lot and I really don't care for the start-stop style of the video. Tomorrow I start!

As far as the weight goes. sighhhh. I was a heavy 10-year-old and a very heavy adult. I think I was 11 when I was put on my first diet. I have gained and lost so much weight, tried so many diets and received a lot of support but it is still a big issue. I lost a lot of weight, though not enough, when I got sick 9 years ago and thank goodness I have not gained all that weight back but I did gain back way too much.

What I am going to do for the next 4 months is try and keep my calorie count under control and try to have a lower carb diet and increase the protein. I plan to use the SPARK People online app to count calories and for support. They do a detailed report each day of the nutrition and calories you eat that day. I am surprised to see how far off I am with things like magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium.  We do eat pretty high-quality nutritious meals but it is obvious that on a low-calorie diet you sure have to be very diligent to get the macro and micronutrients to stay at a healthy level.

Who knows, by the end of the summer I might be in less pain, moving better, thinner and with a new wardrobe! 

Then we will see about my knees.

5 comments:

Rebecca Dutton said...

Pool exercises sound like a good non-weigh bearing way to prepare.

Rebecca Dutton said...

How do you feel safe about walking barefoot on a slippery, wet surface before you get in the pool? The thought of doing this has always freaked me out.

Linda said...

Rebecca, This pool has a lot of people with arthritis and other issues using it. The floor is not all that smooth and slippery and right where the showers are there is a large rubber mat but you still have to be careful of course. No problem taking a cane or walker to the pool. They even have a little laundry basket against the stairs into the pool just to leave your cane. The very best part is the pool water is kept warm, and there is no shock when you walk in.

I wish you lived nearby so you could go to the pool with me. We would have fun!

Rebecca Dutton said...

When you "walk in" the pool do you mean stairs? Knowing about the floor and basket for my cane makes me feel better.

Linda said...

The distance from the change rooms to the water is very short... about the length of a living room. They have a family change room too (bigger space change room with a shower and privacy) at most of our pools. That is great if you need help from a spouse or other person to help you get changed.
It has a real staircase going into the water complete with hand rails. It feels awesome once you get it the water. Its very freeing and good exercise with the water creating resistance but you hardly notice how much work you are doing because less weight.

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