There are drugs for rheumatoid arthritis disease. But that alone will not help your dis-ease. My doctor told me I needed to exercise and to lose weight. Okay, lose weight but, exercise? How can I exercise when I am in pain and when after I exercise, I have pain?! Mind you, this was when I was first diagnosed. I could no longer do high impact exercises. No more zumba. No more kickboxing class. No more treadmill. I had no idea the treadmill could be high impact for me. Why and how can I exercise with all of this, this rheumatoid and additional health issues? Why? Because if you don’t move you will lose your mobility in your joints and in your muscle. Your joints and muscles will become stiffer and tighter. Oh. Well, that’s a good reason. And if you don’t move and just eat, then you will gain more weight and that will not be good on your joints. Oh. And then you can develop even more health issues like heart issues and cancer and lung problems. Oh! Oh my!

Riding the bike at the gym is easy on your knee and ankle joints. I started doing that but, I did do the treadmill sometimes. Slow, light, like a warm up but, the bike became my friend. I joined Silver Sneaker yoga class. I was not a senior and I love being the youngest one in the class. There are all types of yoga! Yoga for seniors. Restorative yoga. Chair yoga. Yin Yoga. Gentle Yoga. Hot Yoga (no thanks). Somatic Yoga and much more. There is yoga specifically for your mental health issues but all yoga helps the mind, body, and spirit. Yoga has levels such as level 1 or level 3. One day I found myself in the wrong class and I wondered why it was so challenging. It was a level 2 class!

I got into Tai Chi and I really love it. I find I can always do some type of tai chi or yoga even on my bad days. I walk at the park. I take my time. I used to become sad when I had to sit down for a break or when people my age would fly past me or run past me. But, I no longer feel that way. It took time to not focus so much on what I cannot do or no longer do but find victory in what I can do. And to challenge myself! Even if it comes with pain because here is my mindset. I am going to hurt either way so I may as well benefit from the pain. I was never going to be a jogger!

I still dance. There are aerobic and dance classes online and in person for people in their 50’s, people with arthritis, seniors or that are easy on the knees. I don’t focus on the moves I can’t do. I do something else and move on. I modify or walk in place. Also, weight lifting strengthens the joints and muscles or muscle building exercises without weights can do the same. You can type in “muscle and joint strengthening exercises for people with arthritis or for seniors” even if you are not a senior! Hey, it’s a privilege and a blessing to grow old and wiser! ❤

Water aerobics is something I will begin to explore next year. I am on hiatus from the YMCA as I am saving money and paying off some debt. I work out at home and my city has free classes at some of the libraries and community centers. There are meet ups at the park and walking groups.

~Nikki