Pancreatitis & Excercise

My philosophy is that my overall good health and well-being can help to impact chronic pancreatitis in a positive way. Therefore, I try to focus on exercise to a reasonable - no fanatical - degree.

I'm not a weekend warrior or really looking to change the way I look physically. I'm a small framed woman and enjoy being just that. (I'm 5'7 and a very healthy 113.4 lbs as of two days ago.)

I've always been small and the weight I'm at now is a normal, healthy weight for me. It's on the higher end of average for me throughout my adult life.

I walk, not vigorously. Just walk. Sometimes I'll walk 3 or more miles. I feel comfortable with having walked at least one mile. I like to take our dog on walks... if it's not to hot and if the walk it's too long. He's a shitzu so while walking is good for his bone density I find myself working out my arm muscles as he happily cuddles in my arms on the way home from wherever he's too pooped out to walk back from.

On the first of the month, I joined a gym. I'm fairly good about going on a regular basis - except for the week I was gone on a cruise to the Bahamas! Hubba!

Again, I'm not a warrior. I take it easy and keep it simple. The goal is not to cause stress to my body but rather to move it, to exercise it. I sit a lot. Exercise counterbalances how much I sit in front of the computer working. The goal is balance.

At the gym, I'll work out for about 1.5-2 hrs. Whatever feels comfortable. I like the treadmill and try to find a show or program I can watch at the same time. While I'll sometimes be in the mood to walk a brisk 3.8-4.2 mph. More than likely I'm lingering around 2.7-3.2 mph. That's right, I'm not even increasing my heart rate. But I'm exercising and moving my body. I'm getting everything flowing in it and not leaving it static as I do when I work.

I lift very light weights - generally just the 5 lb weight. Once I picked up the 8 lb weight and once I used the 10 lbs weight. I can lift those weights easily but (and for me this is a big but) I don't want bulk and I know that I'll start getting bulking rather than just fit if I increase lift heavier weights.

I exercise like I was in the 70s. Lots of stretching. Jack LaLanne would have loved me! I work out using a few of the machines for legs and the hinnie. At 43, my saggy backend is bothering even me! So, I'm doing a few leg lifts here and there and we'll see where it takes me.

I usually put the pin on the lightest weight. Again, I'm not looking to stress my body, hurt it or build muscle mass. Rather, I'm just looking to optimize my health and ensure I'm moving my body around enough to be as fit as possible... preferably in a natural way. I'm rather lift a weight 30 times than 5-10. I'm not in a hurry and, again, I'm not looking for bulk, pain or to stress my body in any way.

I can tell you that after 18 days of working out (minus the cruise - I only went to the gym once then) my body looks toner and I feel so much better. Moving is easier. Not that moving was difficult before or I was out of shape before. I wasn't. But now I'm using different muscle groups and I love how it feels.

I have never read or heard anything about exercise and the pancreas. That being said, it only stand to reason that taking care of oneself will lead to better overall health. Therefore, I choose to exercise and in the process love how it makes me feel and what it is doing to my body. Is it helping my pancreas. Probably only indirectly as a result of how one's overall health always helps a person. That's enough for me. I'll take it!