The ‘Build-a-Body’ Workshop

I am a wreck. And I am sure that plenty of us feel this way after lupus comes to steal our energy and bodies. It either adds weight or removes it. I went from a curvy girl weighing in the 170s down to a bony girl who at my lowest weight was 109 lbs. I now sit between 112 and 117 lbs, and sometimes, I will celebrate the five minutes that I top the scale at 120 lbs. Those usually become Facebook posts. Imagine that, a woman celebrating gaining weight and sharing the scale numbers publicly.

In the two years since my diagnosis, my muscles have deteriorated, my endurance is at an all-time low, and my range of motion has diminished because I don’t do as much as I once did. I decided at the start of the year that this will be the year I go into remission, so I feel it is my duty to keep pressing on in my good days to give my body a fighting chance.

Should you decide to embark on your “Build-a-Body” Workshop journey, be sure to talk to your doctor first. I know we have all heard trainers say this, but when your body is rebelling, it’s very important. I have been hospitalized several times because the lining around my heart seems to enjoy inflammation, so I don’t want to tax my heart without my medical professionals knowing what I am doing.

Due to my limited range of motion, I was sent to physical therapy, and I will be honest, I get bored really easily there. So I have decided to embark on my own fitness regimen that I think will be interesting. I recently put out an ad in a group for foreigners in my area. I have asked for someone who is super patient to help teach me how to swim.

I learned the hard way that the person I’m working with should have some rehabilitation training. Needless to say, my first attempt didn’t turn out so well.

Working to build your body to a healthier level is not just about muscles and endurance. There is a mental aspect of getting past the idea of how you now struggle to do what you were once able to. I’ve never been able to swim, but I am a former fitness competitor and former personal trainer, so I am battling ego — and that is where the patience of the person you ask to help you really counts.

If you are like me and are just trying to preserve your body as best as you can, do yourself a favor and pick something that you think will be fun and pick someone to work with who won’t cause you more harm, mentally or physically. I am excited about not only taking swimming lessons but also being taught yoga by an instructor who battles chronic pain — her practice is geared toward those of us who are also battling.

It seems that my workshop has started. I hope you, too, will join me wherever you are and will do what you can to find joy and give your body as many healthy and happy things as you can.

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Note: Lupus News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Lupus News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to lupus.