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Reason Needed (longer Post)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 208503
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Deleted member 208503

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i need a reason to continue doing my exercise
im seeing absolutely no benefit or
improvements in any way
if anything just more leg pain

i presently am doing 20 minutes indoor
cycling at a perceived light effort
began at 5 minutes and am working up
to 30 minutes as my first goal
some weeks i do 6 days but mostly every day

and ive investigated other forms of exercise
but at this time this is the one i can do

but why should i continue?
with no benefits or improvements
in any way that i can see or measure?
how is the extra pain worth it?
 


o and its been a few months
 
Have you tried swimming? Said to be a great all round excercise and low/no impact. May I ask what is the problem with your leg?
 
Hi @cdpm, I wonder on what you are measuring success or failure regarding exercise, Weight loss? BSLs/HBA1C ? Mood?
If exercise is regarded as a chore, as something without meaning is it any wonder that it is difficult to keep motivated about it?
To me the 'trick' is making exercise meaningful and finding a way to measure its worth.
Does an activity which is repetitive and seemingly unrelated to worth promote diligence and compliance ?
Finding meaning in an activity is key in my mind.
So I walk to the shops to do the weekly and intermittent shopping, choosing different routes to do so and wearing 1/2 kg arm weights and leg/ankle weights to provide extra weight training whilst the quickness of the walk provides some exercise for the heart and arteries.
I might take a picture of any interesting flower or cloud formation on the way. A stop at a local cafe for a coffee provides some social interaction as well. I arrive back home with the shopping done, and with a 'dose' of social contact.
I can usually achieve these activities in most weathers. And it is far more interesting than running around and around an oval.
Measurement: mood is good after exercising, relaxation is easier, weight is stable, BSLs are better.
Of course, each to its own and I hope you can find a chosen form(s) of exercise that meet your needs and make its continued use possible.
 
kitedoc said:
Measurement: mood is good after exercising, relaxation is easier, weight is stable, BSLs are better.
Click to expand...
Plus, it's got to be better for our hearts/cardiovascular systems.
At the age of 50 I started to get severe back ache, related to a (non-diabetic) congenital slight defect in my spine. I could have had an operation with attendant risks, but the specialist recommended the right kind of exercise (I was previously very sedentary). I joined the gym, did physio and took more exercise, and have not had any back pain since, plus I generally feel much better in my life. But it's best to find some exercise you enjoy (I love long walks with my dogs, now dog, which seems to be enough to keep me on a level keel.)

As regards no perceived benefits from the cycling, are you getting faster/less out of breath? Can you set goals such as how fast you can do a set distance on the bike? In theory, you should start to get an endorphin rush after enough exercise, which should at least make you feel good.

Good luck. As a naturally sedentary person, I can say that taking more exercise made a huge difference to my life, not just my diabetes, and I would honestly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
 
Guzzler said:
Have you tried swimming? Said to be a great all round excercise and low/no impact. May I ask what is the problem with your leg?
Click to expand...


im not sure why my legs hurt
any dr i've ever told just gives
me extra strength tylenol
to take before bed because
i mentioned that its hard to sleep
and one suggested swimming
but the y membership isnt affordable
nor even the subsidy
no one has asked any questons or
done any investigating
 

i really like indoor cycling and was hoping to see
something from it
such as maybe better blood pressure better blood sugar
even a bit of weight loss
but none of those have changed
maybe look for something different to change?
but what?
 


yes maybe i could set a goal on going faster
i dont have a thing on my bike saying speed
or distance but i can try to go faster
 
Are you by any chance taking statins? That might explain leg pain.
Other things I can think of: magnesium, potassium, salt if cramps or crawling/pins & needles sensations involved.
Exactly where is the pain/sensation located?'
Other possibilities: D3 or B12 deficiency.
Have you ever seen an osteopath, chiropractor, masseur or some other physical therapist?
 
Hi again @cdpm,
Usually pains that disturb sleep are considered serious. Have you had examination, tests etc to find the cause of pain?
Painkillers may treat the pain i.e. the result of some underlying the cause but do not address the actual cause.
I certainly expect my GP to do more than that.
Otherwise how do I know that the problems will not get worse whilst the painkillers disguise the symptom(s).
What if there is a better treatment available once the cause has been sorted?
If pain might prevent me enjoying exercise why would I not feel that exercise was not worthwhile?
 
cdpm said:
i really like indoor cycling
Click to expand...
This seems a great reason to stick with it. All evidence suggests regular moderate exercise can help us all .

Re seeing no change, depends what you are comparing against. You don't know what those measures you mention would be now if you weren't doing this cycling. So it is more than likely helping. Maybe with no cycling your weight would have gone up? Your blood sugar worse? Blood pressure higher?

Maybe try the cycling at different times of day? eg morning might be better for some, for others evenings are better. Gentle stretches before and after.

Make sure bike set up properly (seat height etc, videos on youtube help).
 
Why not try a little variety. There are days when I really do not want to go on a 3-5 mile walk, but 2or3 two minute sessions with my Bodyblade leave me feeling good. How do I measure improvement? I can keep going for a few seconds longer each time, I see fewer slack muscles in the mirror (those dreaded 'bingo wings'), I do not slow my walking pace as I go up two flights of stairs, I aim to walk briskly at 4/5 miles per hour. I have various different walks to fit 10/15/20/30 minutes and more depending on whether I am at work or at home, if I complete a walk inside the time allotted and have to plan to go a little further. I appreciate that getting out and about may be difficult but the walk to next door can gradually be extended, walking briskly round the supermarket to do your weekly shop without leaning on the trolley, a trip to a local park are all ways of measuring improvement.
 
Couple some cables and dynamo from bike to power generator system and theres your reason you are generating your own electricity.
 
I see your pain.
Exercise is good for heart and lung good health, for even none diabetics.
 
Last edited:
I fully agree with the comment that enjoying it is the reason to carry on. One thing I love as much as going to the gym is randomly searching on youtube for workouts. I mostly do Yoga and stretching, but have done some kettlebell workouts. Search for short beginner workouts, and don't feel too shy! I can't do half of the yoga stretches, but I try!!
 
Can you adjust resistance on the bike? Perhaps working a little harder would give you different results? Set a goal, time,effort, bsl,weight,mood, measurements anything one or all even.

I have a cross trainer set up in front of the spare tv. The plan is to watch telly to pass the time. Note I said plan.....well done for making the plan a reality. It will be helping no matter the lack of perceived results. I’d say enjoyment is a result.
 
I will be serious this time cycling on a stationery bike is to me very good but very boring. With this in mind you need to apprach this mentally pretending you are tour de france training or use anything perhaps you are cycling after a thief.

- Plan a training time stick to it
- Warm up first and do any necessary stretching
- Use heart monitor or measure pulse to back up work rate
- Strap feet in pedals well
- Sprint and turn on power for a few seconds till out of breath then slow down get your breath back
- mix it up daily
- use mileage and time for analysis if you do 3 mile in so many minutes one day try to better next day
-You do not need to cycle every day thats up to you try and fatigue legs and have a day or so rest
- If you can vary cycling machine use real bike with rollers at back for instance.
- If you do not use computer screen for road layout use imagination



I cycled every day of week to work 5miled there 5 miled back for 2 years in all weathers I wasted down to 11stone at 6ft 1 the doctor said blood sugars were too high which was wasting fat and muscle, coupled by doing in excess of 10,000 steps at work. I stopped cycling and now am upt to 12.5 stone and feel worse for it. Taking that into account have a few days of but the days you do train keep a diary of your workout.

Cycling is excellent workout and good for heart I bough a Tunturi machine in 1987 from a guy that had heart attack and was told to use it, he died a few year later i still have that machine and all family use it.
 
I will be serious this time cycling on a stationery bike is to me very good but very boring. With this in mind you need to apprach this mentally pretending you are tour de france training or use anything perhaps you are cycling after a thief.

- Plan a training time stick to it
- Warm up first and do any necessary stretching
- Use heart monitor or measure pulse to back up work rate
- Strap feet in pedals well
- Sprint and turn on power for a few seconds till out of breath then slow down get your breath back
- mix it up daily
- use mileage and time for analysis if you do 3 mile in so many minutes one day try to better next day
-You do not need to cycle every day thats up to you try and fatigue legs and have a day or so rest
- If you can vary cycling machine use real bike with rollers at back for instance.
- If you do not use computer screen for road layout use imagination



I cycled every day of week to work 5miled there 5 miled back for 2 years in all weathers I wasted down to 11stone at 6ft 1 the doctor said blood sugars were too high which was wasting fat and muscle, coupled by doing in excess of 10,000 steps at work. I stopped cycling and now am upt to 12.5 stone and feel worse for it. Taking that into account have a few days of but the days you do train keep a diary of your workout.

Cycling is excellent workout and good for heart I bough a Tunturi machine in 1987 from a guy that had heart attack and was told to use it, he died a few year later i still have that machine and all family use it.
 
20 minutes on a bike won't lose you much weight, unless you're doing it every day. If anything it will turn flab to muscle, which is good but you won't weigh less.
I swim a mile every week. 64 lengths non stop, but I usually weigh more when I get home. It's still excellent for all round health.
The key is to find an exercise you enjoy. Jogging, rowing, tennis, badminton, hill walking.
If you don't enjoy the cycling you'll for ever look for excuses to avoid it.
But even if you aren't losing weight, check your waist. You'll feel better if you do sport and look better. Do simple things like running up stairs instead of using lifts. I'm 71 but I love sport. Maybe I'm luckier than most.
 
But you are seeing benefits, you started at 5 minutes, and are now doing 20. That's pretty good.
 
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