I'm afraid to burst something

plh4gail
plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
Just a funny kind of question if anyone knows. With all the talk about eating right and excercise, I know I need to get my body moving. I am eating decently most of the time and it's catching up to me. Well....I'm wondering what can I actually do for ab workout? I'm afraid to do anything to cause a hernia. Can I do sit ups or crunches? What about weights?

I'm gaining weight, but there's no muscle in there! Any ideas are much appreceiated! Thank you.

Gail
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  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thank's Graci, I just feel
    Thank's Graci, I just feel so out of shape. I'm gaining my wieght a little bit but it's all so different. I used to go to the gym, golf, and play with my kids which that can be a good workout! I'm afraid to do to much. I have started walking when weather permits...... How did you fall? But my arms and legs and tummy need something more. Just not sure what others do or have done. Or even some cautions like yours will help. Thanks for the idea!

    Gail
  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    Please ask your dr about limits
    I'm free to do anything at this point. Even before my hernia surgery, I was allowed to do what I wanted provided I wore support garments.

    I started some yoga ab workouts a couple of days ago, and am very sore, plus feel that it pulled some adhesions, but I plan to continue. I have an all-clear to do everything.

    Ask your dr if he/she feels you should have any limits/restrictions. Then start to do standard exercises, but start slowly.

    Alice
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    Hi
    I can understand your concers about not wanting to cause a hernia.

    Do you have an indoor pool near by at a Y or in the community? If so some water arobics might help. Easier on the body as a whole while getting some resistance training for the muscles.
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
    plh4gail said:

    Thank's Graci, I just feel
    Thank's Graci, I just feel so out of shape. I'm gaining my wieght a little bit but it's all so different. I used to go to the gym, golf, and play with my kids which that can be a good workout! I'm afraid to do to much. I have started walking when weather permits...... How did you fall? But my arms and legs and tummy need something more. Just not sure what others do or have done. Or even some cautions like yours will help. Thanks for the idea!

    Gail

    I'm afraid to do sit ups or crunches cos of my sewn up ****
    tho I have done planks (and will do so again as belly is constantly expanding). I'm starting to rev up my workouts now as I've gotten too lazy and lost some of the motivation I had had for over forty years....If you start off very light and take your time increasing intensity you shouldn't cause harm to youself . Also,if you have a history of working out, your body (muscles) will remember and respond more rapidly than you expect....I've found that since colostomy, for whatever reason, if I'm on my back, like on a bench, I have difficulty getting up, usually end up rolling off to the floor, supported by arms and then using legs too, maneuver myself to a standing position.....Occasionally I do unilateral stuff(one arm at a time) which indirectly works stomach.....My # one priority when exercising is : Do not harm stoma----already lost one ****, aint gonna lose another......Remember too, even a little exercise is better than none. I keep a log of what I do to track progress, or lack thereof)......Since lifting again, I only do bodyweight or dumbbells as I feel (no science behind this) more comfortable, given new way of life,not using barbells, curling or tri bars,etc......
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    I'm the same way
    I'm too scared to do full work out at gym just yet. I know my surgery was in December, but not wanting a hernia, I worry about the full work out. Swimming I know is fine, bike riding etc., but yep, worried about getting a hernia sucks.
    Winter Marie
  • TMac52
    TMac52 Member Posts: 352
    Physical therapy!
    Hey gail,
    I asked my surgeon to prescribe physical therapy so that I can start off slow. I am also very nervous, there are so many people on here who have hernias or have had repairs. I have been a workout junkie for most of my life and have not done a thing since May or 2010.
    I am also afraid of splitting my butt wide open or doing damage to stomie (thats my little red buddy). I have the script so insurance will cover it and hopefully I can find someone who is familiar with my surgery to get me going again,however I am waiting til I finish my chemo (last one on Monday 3/14/11)and start to feel better. If I started now I would be lucky to give it 20% effort since I feel like crap. But have been doing some walking which is nice.
    I dont think you have to worry girl you look fabulous. How are you doing on the new chemo regiment?
    Talk soon, Your friend, Tom

    PS about the post yesterday by Buck I do have to take some responibility for it thats just me and the way I was raised. I can not blame people places and things for what I do. It makes me a better person inside, but not to worry I dont beat myself up over it just a feeling not neccisarily a fact.

    HUGS to you!!!
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    it still hurts when I cough
    gail,

    great questions, I would say abs are the last.
    Its been just over 5 months since the op, god time flys so fast.

    my super hot exercise physiotherapist has been hassling for lack of stretching.
    she is the physio in the life style clinic which has a focus on cancer rehabilitation.

    About a month ago she said it was ok to 5kg arm curls with dumbbells.

    I put the dumbbells out and have walked past them each day since.

    But I have been swimming heaps.

    I see my surgeon next week and I will ask him, I activated my gym membership today. Off I go, I will leave ellie and the kids to look after themselves for school I amn off to the gym now. you are very motivational. Yes I will be careful.

    Pete
  • Love2Cats
    Love2Cats Member Posts: 127
    I joined the Y
    I had my resection done in mid December of last year. I got a free 3 month membership to the YMCA for cancer patients, and started working out at the end of January. I only can work out every other week, because I can't go on my chemo weeks. They have a trainer work with us cancer patients, and I ride a recumbent bicycle and do weight lifting. They have me do a machine for my abs, and everything seems fine. I feel so much better since I have started to work out. I posted the info for the free YMCA membership in another post. I am on chemo today, so I am too tired to look it up in my thousands of emails, so maybe you can search for it using the search content button.

    Sandy
  • ktlcs
    ktlcs Member Posts: 358
    Love2Cats said:

    I joined the Y
    I had my resection done in mid December of last year. I got a free 3 month membership to the YMCA for cancer patients, and started working out at the end of January. I only can work out every other week, because I can't go on my chemo weeks. They have a trainer work with us cancer patients, and I ride a recumbent bicycle and do weight lifting. They have me do a machine for my abs, and everything seems fine. I feel so much better since I have started to work out. I posted the info for the free YMCA membership in another post. I am on chemo today, so I am too tired to look it up in my thousands of emails, so maybe you can search for it using the search content button.

    Sandy

    Crutches!
    I broke my foot in 2 places on Christmas Eve and was in a cast and on crutches for about 8 weeks! Although not the best way those crutches did wonders for me arms abd back muscles, I am almost tempted to get them out and use them around the house just for the excercise!

    Kathy
  • christinecarl
    christinecarl Member Posts: 543 Member
    I remember when I started
    I remember when I started chemo, I had asked about exercising. Someone told me to be very careful about adhesions. I noticed as my chemo went on, I had less and less energy and decided to wait until after chemo to exercise, if ever there was a time to take a break now would be that, long walks are good though.
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member

    I remember when I started
    I remember when I started chemo, I had asked about exercising. Someone told me to be very careful about adhesions. I noticed as my chemo went on, I had less and less energy and decided to wait until after chemo to exercise, if ever there was a time to take a break now would be that, long walks are good though.

    Walking is what I just
    Walking is what I just started doing. And the park by my house is pretty hilly so that helps feel like I'm doing a little more. Some days I don't even feel like thinking about caring to excercise. It's the end of the 2 weeks when I have a little more energy. lol
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    coloCan said:

    I'm afraid to do sit ups or crunches cos of my sewn up ****
    tho I have done planks (and will do so again as belly is constantly expanding). I'm starting to rev up my workouts now as I've gotten too lazy and lost some of the motivation I had had for over forty years....If you start off very light and take your time increasing intensity you shouldn't cause harm to youself . Also,if you have a history of working out, your body (muscles) will remember and respond more rapidly than you expect....I've found that since colostomy, for whatever reason, if I'm on my back, like on a bench, I have difficulty getting up, usually end up rolling off to the floor, supported by arms and then using legs too, maneuver myself to a standing position.....Occasionally I do unilateral stuff(one arm at a time) which indirectly works stomach.....My # one priority when exercising is : Do not harm stoma----already lost one ****, aint gonna lose another......Remember too, even a little exercise is better than none. I keep a log of what I do to track progress, or lack thereof)......Since lifting again, I only do bodyweight or dumbbells as I feel (no science behind this) more comfortable, given new way of life,not using barbells, curling or tri bars,etc......

    What is a plank? I'm so
    What is a plank? I'm so afraid of creating a hernia. I have some light weights for my arms but I'm even afraid of those causing too much strain in the abdomen. Is the plank a yoga move?

    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    abrub said:

    Please ask your dr about limits
    I'm free to do anything at this point. Even before my hernia surgery, I was allowed to do what I wanted provided I wore support garments.

    I started some yoga ab workouts a couple of days ago, and am very sore, plus feel that it pulled some adhesions, but I plan to continue. I have an all-clear to do everything.

    Ask your dr if he/she feels you should have any limits/restrictions. Then start to do standard exercises, but start slowly.

    Alice

    Alice
    Thank's for the idea! Yoga is a good idea :)

    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member

    I'm the same way
    I'm too scared to do full work out at gym just yet. I know my surgery was in December, but not wanting a hernia, I worry about the full work out. Swimming I know is fine, bike riding etc., but yep, worried about getting a hernia sucks.
    Winter Marie

    Thank's Winter Marie and lovekitties
    Yep, once I reactivate my gym membership I think the pool is a good place to start and that will get all the muscles.

    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    TMac52 said:

    Physical therapy!
    Hey gail,
    I asked my surgeon to prescribe physical therapy so that I can start off slow. I am also very nervous, there are so many people on here who have hernias or have had repairs. I have been a workout junkie for most of my life and have not done a thing since May or 2010.
    I am also afraid of splitting my butt wide open or doing damage to stomie (thats my little red buddy). I have the script so insurance will cover it and hopefully I can find someone who is familiar with my surgery to get me going again,however I am waiting til I finish my chemo (last one on Monday 3/14/11)and start to feel better. If I started now I would be lucky to give it 20% effort since I feel like crap. But have been doing some walking which is nice.
    I dont think you have to worry girl you look fabulous. How are you doing on the new chemo regiment?
    Talk soon, Your friend, Tom

    PS about the post yesterday by Buck I do have to take some responibility for it thats just me and the way I was raised. I can not blame people places and things for what I do. It makes me a better person inside, but not to worry I dont beat myself up over it just a feeling not neccisarily a fact.

    HUGS to you!!!

    Tom
    Tom you're so sweet and great for my ego! But you know how it feels to go from using the gym regularly along with other activities to N O T H I N G for 10 months. And now I'm gaining back a few pounds so guess whats happening :(....flab is on the way....lol....I have started with walking and it feels great!

    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member

    it still hurts when I cough
    gail,

    great questions, I would say abs are the last.
    Its been just over 5 months since the op, god time flys so fast.

    my super hot exercise physiotherapist has been hassling for lack of stretching.
    she is the physio in the life style clinic which has a focus on cancer rehabilitation.

    About a month ago she said it was ok to 5kg arm curls with dumbbells.

    I put the dumbbells out and have walked past them each day since.

    But I have been swimming heaps.

    I see my surgeon next week and I will ask him, I activated my gym membership today. Off I go, I will leave ellie and the kids to look after themselves for school I amn off to the gym now. you are very motivational. Yes I will be careful.

    Pete

    Pete
    Okay, I have the 5 pound weights and will start carefully and the swimming will come in a couple of months. Be careful!

    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    Love2Cats said:

    I joined the Y
    I had my resection done in mid December of last year. I got a free 3 month membership to the YMCA for cancer patients, and started working out at the end of January. I only can work out every other week, because I can't go on my chemo weeks. They have a trainer work with us cancer patients, and I ride a recumbent bicycle and do weight lifting. They have me do a machine for my abs, and everything seems fine. I feel so much better since I have started to work out. I posted the info for the free YMCA membership in another post. I am on chemo today, so I am too tired to look it up in my thousands of emails, so maybe you can search for it using the search content button.

    Sandy

    Sandy I'm afraid of the
    Sandy I'm afraid of the weight lifting :) I want to so bad on the weeks I have more energy. I think it's wonderful that the YMCA helps with the cancer patients in that way!I'm going to start slowly with my light hand weights.

    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    ktlcs said:

    Crutches!
    I broke my foot in 2 places on Christmas Eve and was in a cast and on crutches for about 8 weeks! Although not the best way those crutches did wonders for me arms abd back muscles, I am almost tempted to get them out and use them around the house just for the excercise!

    Kathy

    Kathy
    Hey....I have some crutches from when I broke my foot 3 years ago. I ended up with surgery after 2 1/2 months and no bone growth = a plate and 5 screws. ha ha on me.

    Gail
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    check with your cancer center for exercise advise
    They'll be able to help you, I'm sure, and you won't be left wondering if you are doing too much!
    mary