This “Bed-Dancing” concept often gets a few chuckles… but I
want you to stay with me on this one as I explain exactly what it is (and
isn’t) and how you can incorporate this in your exercise routine today.
I’ll begin by expressing how essential Bed-Dancing was in my
life right after I had the RNY gastric bypass bariatric weight-loss surgery:
VERY ESSENTIAL. That’s shooting straight from the hip!
Definition of Bed-Dancing: “the exercise activity that
incorporates established exercise movements while positioned on your back in
the bed to minimize the stress and strains on joints and muscles when a person
is morbidly obese.” This is the best brief definition I could come up with
since I am nowhere near a Webster genius.
Right after my surgery, I knew that it was important to MOVE
MY BODY and begin to exercise. The biggest benefit I saw at the time was that
it increased my blood circulation that was necessary to help my surgical wounds
to heal. This was my main motivation. And when I weighed 317 pounds, there was
no way I was “eager” to incorporate an exercise routine because my body was so
large, and my arthritis so painful, I just could not bear putting such stress
on my joints and muscles at that heavy weight.
I had a master plan to put on my favorite “high-spirited” CD
(Latin music makes me feel like dancing), put on my sweats, and I went into my
bedroom as I announced to the household, “Don’t bother me for one hour….no
matter what,” then shut the door. As I began to “dance” to the tunes, OH MY
GOLLY… I couldn’t last more than five minutes! My incision hurt, my joints
hurt, and I collapsed on my bed, falling deeper in disappointment that I could
not see myself achieving an exercise routine.
But soon, as the Latin CD kept spinning, I found myself
“moving” to the music while I was in bed… WOW… I then thought, “Hey, I can
DANCE on my BACK!” So with legs and arms in the air flailing like a floppy
fish… I discovered how someone who weighed 317 pounds COULD exercise… but not the
traditional way… but by Bed-Dancing! Thus, the birth of my newly-found method
launched me into a very SUCCESSFUL exercise routine that I could do often
without putting stress on my joints!
But be cautious when you talk about Bed-Dancing to others…
they automatically begin to chuckle at what you call the standard “bed
activity” now. (blushing yet?)
What you need for Bed-Dancing:
No comments:
Post a Comment