Week #6
By patgalca
@patgalca (18481)
Orangeville, Ontario
February 20, 2019 7:10pm CST
So, I'm dead centre into week 6 of working out on the treadmill. I am up to 75 minutes some days depending on how fast I turn up the pace. I do stop a few times for brief breaks. I have managed one week where I did 5 straight days. Mostly I get 4 days in because there is always something that takes me away from the day (like groceries or something).
The doctor says I'm doing the right thing but I have to say... I am in a lot of pain. A LOT OF PAIN. Like even my shoulders hurt. All I'm doing is walking, maybe jogging a bit, but my whole body hurts. I want to give up but genetics are not in my favour. I am walking until I have my 10,000 steps. Unfortunately 10,000 steps is the step count to MAINTAIN weight and not LOSE weight.
I have been complaining to my husband who is reacting like I am someone just beginning an exercise regimen and that the going will get easier. He just doesn't get it, and admits that. He really has no idea how much pain I am in and, frankly, doesn't seem like he really cares.
It's tough doing this alone and with no support, no help, no relief. He's not even cheering me on. No one really is but I can't give up.
11 people like this
9 responses
@Melanie_Marie (2448)
• St. Clair, Michigan
21 Feb 19
Just slow down the pace, even if it takes longer to get to the 10,000 steps. Believe it or not, exercise that puts your body under any kind of stress (and pain is a good indicator of that) will actually raise cortisol levels, causing you to stay at the same weight or even gain weight. Turn the walking into a casual stroll. You won't even know you're exercising, and that's probably the most important part - not letting your body know it's doing something it really doesn't want to do, even if it's good for you. The body doesn't know or care, it just knows when it feels uncomfortable and that's when the stress hormones are triggered. And stress hormones, particularly cortisol, = pain + weight gain.
3 people like this
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
22 Feb 19
@Melanie_Marie I don't use a pedometer, I have a FitBit. What I find funny is that the calories burned on the treadmill screen and the calories burned on the FitBit are way, way different. 70 minutes on the treadmill gets me over 300 calories burned (not that I look at those because that's not my real concern) where the FitBit says 77 calories for the same time.
I don't do a lot of running around during the day. The weekend is when I am out and about and I don't do the treadmill on the weekends. I still don't get 10,000 steps in on those days though.
1 person likes this
@Melanie_Marie (2448)
• St. Clair, Michigan
22 Feb 19
@patgalca Do you wear a pedometer? Or does the treadmill count the steps for you...
(Because you'd be surprised how many steps you get in just by doing your regular, daily activities.)
One time I did 4000 steps just looking for an item I couldn't find in a grocery store. Oh, and I found it alright. 4000 steps later. 
Good luck to ya.
Good luck to ya.1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15724)
• Canada
21 Feb 19
I'm so sorry that you are going through this. All I can say is... do this for you and nobody else... You have the strength but I'm kind of worried about how much pain you are in. Should you be hurting this much?? Maybe you are taking on too much??
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
21 Feb 19
@Hate2Iron Watching television or youtube videos or live streams passes the time pretty quickly. Audio books would be hard to keep my attention. I need to the visual.
1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15724)
• Canada
21 Feb 19
@patgalca Have you tried listening to a story on tape?? I can completely lose myself in a story while I'm walking!! That might make 10,000 steps go by a lot faster!!
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51837)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Feb 19
We're cheering you on! 
Don't give up.
Don't give up.1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
21 Feb 19
So sorry to hear you have to do that many steps and the agony of it.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (127165)
• United States
21 Feb 19
You know that you can't expect support from your husband. That has been evident for years. Just keep at it. You know that you are doing something positive for yourself.
The treadmill bores me to tears. At my gym we do group workouts and they are fun and challenging. I walk out of there feeling like a badass. The membership is expensive, though.
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
21 Feb 19
My husband goes to the gym so we're already paying for one gym membership.
The numbers on the treadmill are something that keep me going. I used to insist on a nice round number for distance but I have stopped looking at that. I am relying solely on my FitBit.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
21 Feb 19
You are doing it for yourself and your health. You are doing great. Keep of the good work. You are getting stronger all the time. Sorry you are in so much pain and not getting the support you need.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
21 Feb 19
@patgalca this is a great place for that!!
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98072)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Feb 19
Sorry to hear it. Getting in an exercise routine can be tough. I sure hope you get used to it and the pain goes away.
1 person likes this
@pjmurphy (2498)
• United States
21 Feb 19
I think that's amazing. Hope you can keep it up. And you remind me that I need to step up my exercise. I like to get my 10000 steps in by working around our property, but that's harder to so in the wintertime. I need to get back on my treadmill.
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
21 Feb 19
Because of my sleep (and lack thereof), pain and making the time to exercise, there is little time left to do anything else I want as I also have a family that I sort of take care of. I just look back at the way my life used to be and the way things have changed just because of this illness still saddens me.
@janethwayne (5191)
• Philippines
21 Feb 19
We know better how we feel because we the one who control our body.Hope that things will get better.
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
21 Feb 19
There are still so many unknowns around fibromyalgia. When I first got diagnosed the one doctor told me to exercise and I'd be better in 6 months. I have had this for 22 years and have exercised on and off over the years but nothing makes that pain go away.
1 person likes this
