#gentle exercise

...what do you do when you don't have space

I'm moving in the next few months to a bigger house so I will finally have room to do things but the biggest struggle I have had over the years trying to do physical therapy or even gentle and sat exercises is not having room

Like I can maybe have room for my legs to stretch out but I won't have room for my arms or only one of them will have room for the full range of movement

Or I will have room for my arms but not my legs

Or it will ask me to lie down on a firm surface like the floor and there isn't enough floor space

What can do you do if you don't have access to enough space to do the exercises?

Beth's Classes: 7.23.20: Gentle Movement for Everyone: Essentrics. Movement based flexibility from elizabeth scupham on Vimeo.

Beth's Classes: 7.23.20: Gentle Movement for Everyone: Essentrics. Movement based flexibility

Could you try gentle exercise like yoga, ellipticals, swimming, walking, and Tai Chi (with groups emphasizing health over combat). 

Also, try to figure out what motions or activities cause you pain. 

You can ask your doctor for a referral to a physical  therapist as well who can help you with workouts. 

Do any followers have any additional advice? 

It wasn't until I hit my teens, and depression, anxiety, and dysphoria did a number on me, that I started to truly struggle with self image and weight. In a way being in a heavier body felt safer to me, even though it prevented me from doing many beloved activities. But it also hid a large chest be

cause everything on me was large. It didn't stand out as much. Now, years later I look back on this and I realize just how much I really suffered and struggled with everything in my life and how it shows on my body now. As Dr. van der Kolks wrote: the body keeps the score. So recently, while waiting on trauma therapy, battling chronic pain, PTSD, and depression, I decided that I could help my body lessen that score. In a gentle and compassionate way.

So I turned to gentle exercise and gentle nutrition to help bring out that little boy that has been burried under all that pain for years. By moving my body in a way that feels doable and enjoyable to me, and by eating foods that I both enjoy and know work well with my body, I've slowly been reshaping my days and patterns. And so far, while I've had ups and downs, it's been going pretty well.

There have been no binges, no uncontrollable eating habits. Just me with better and not so good days. And you know what, that's okay. I'm slowly learning that that's okay.

At first I started this page because I wanted to share the numbers and have accountability and what not. But I think instead it might be more helpful to share my story. And I would love it if you stuck around with me.

Today is the international day against transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia and as a trans guy myself I have to honor that day and celebrate it so to speak.

Which for me, not only meant an appointment with a new genderhealthcare clinic in the hopes of getting a referral for a hysterectomy.

But it also means celebrating some of the small victories i've made in this journey to improve my relationship with food and exercise.

I've noticed that for the first time in years, running no longer tires me out and that I'm faster than I ever expected to be. I notice that I don't need to recover from a walk anymore. I'm no longer out of breath. I notice that I'm stronger and have more energy.

That's not to say that all of my health problems have dissappeared. I still have chronic pelvic pain. I'm still depressed, I still can't feel anything. My house is still a mess, I can't find the spoons to do anything about that.

Memories of the past are still plagueing me.

And the numbers on the scale have not moved one bit in a week.

I kinda still have to come to peace with that last one. That I need to measure my health in these successes, not by numbers, but breaking through years of programming is hard and I'm trying.

Small steps are worth celebrating is a thing I'm learning every day.