“The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.” Lao Tzu
I listened to my surgeon’s advice about getting up and moving around during recovery. I started out with small walks around the house while I was home-bound. then, I built up to walking my dog outside and down the block. The moment I was given the go ahead to leave the house, I was grateful.
I was grateful for the opportunity to breathe in fresh air, grateful that I could finally stand up straight after being hunched over for awhile during my recovery, and grateful for the exercise. Those moments of.gratitude gave me happiness.
And still, at times I found myself frustrated that my fitness and energy were nowhere near where they were before the surgery. I was especially annoyed that going up a flight of stairs left me winded.
How I got back to exercising
So naturally, when the surgeon cleared me to resume exercising and lifting weights, I was ecstatic. Little did I know, this would be the beginning of a challenging journey. When I walked through the doors of the fitness center for the first time after my surgery, I could feel the anxiety rise and tighten in my chest. It was a combination of excitement and fear. Neither the excitement nor the fear were unusual, but certainly, the anxiety felt uncomfortable.
I chose to invest in personal training sessions because it had been a while since I had been to a gym. The trainer gave me some direction and a reminder of what I needed to do to build my strength and endurance. I decided to start with 30-minute sessions, and boy am I glad that I started with those instead of hour-long ones! They were more affordable and I honestly could physically only handle 30 to 45 minutes of exercise.
My first several visits were rough. I was shaky and uncoordinated. I needed to take lots of breaks. These are not judgments of myself, these are just the facts. Emotionally, I found myself frustrated and bummed because I was expecting more of myself. It was that struggle between the ideal self and the actual self. I practiced grounding techniques, bringing myself back to the “here and now.” I gently reminded myself that I had just gone through a major surgery and it was OK to be where I was. Coming back to this over and over again, using coping statements instead of beating myself up, has really helped as I continue through this journey of recovery.
Are you finding it hard to get back to exercising?
I’m not making any recommendations as far as how to get back to exercising after a major surgery. I’m only sharing my personal experience. Always listen to your doctor’s orders. However, if you are struggling with processing limitations and challenges, or setting goals and following through, counseling might be an option. Support, encouragement and empowerment is crucial at times like these. Please call Barnum Counseling at 630-797-9192 for more information about how counseling can help!