It Starts with Bed-Dancing
This "Bed-Dancing" concept often gets a few chuckles... but I
want you to stay with me on this one as I explain exactly what
it is (and isn't) and how you can incorporate this in your
exercise routine today.
I'll begin by expressing how essential Bed-Dancing was in my
life right after I had the RNY gastric bypass bariatric
weight-loss surgery: VERY ESSENTIAL. That's shooting straight
from the hip!
Definition of Bed-Dancing: "the exercise activity that
incorporates established exercise movements while positioned on
your back in the bed to minimize the stress and strains on
joints and muscles when a person is morbidly obese." This is the
best brief definition I could come up with since I am nowhere
near a Webster genius.
Right after my surgery, I knew that it was important to MOVE MY
BODY and begin to exercise. The biggest benefit I saw at the
time was that it increased my blood circulation that was
necessary to help my surgical wounds to heal. This was my main
motivation. And when I weighed 317 pounds, there was no way I
was "eager" to incorporate an exercise routine because my body
was so large, and my arthritis so painful, I just could not bear
putting such stress on my joints and muscles at that heavy
weight.
I had a master plan to put on my favorite "high-spirited" CD
(Latin music makes me feel like dancing), put on my sweats, and
I went into my bedroom as I announced to the household, "Don't
bother me for one hour....no matter what," then shut the door.
As I began to "dance" to the tunes, OH MY GOLLY... I couldn't
last more than five minutes! My incision hurt, my joints hurt,
and I collapsed on my bed, falling deeper in disappointment that
I could not see myself achieving an exercise routine.
But soon, as the Latin CD kept spinning, I found myself "moving"
to the music while I was in bed... WOW... I then thought, "Hey,
I can DANCE on my BACK!" So with legs and arms in the air
flailing like a floppy fish... I discovered how someone who
weighed 317 pounds COULD exercise... but not the traditional
way... but by Bed-Dancing! Thus, the birth of my newly-found
method launched me into a very SUCCESSFUL exercise routine that
I could do often without putting stress on my joints!
But be cautious when you talk about Bed-Dancing to others...
they automatically begin to chuckle at what you call the
standard "bed activity" now. (blushing yet?)
What you need for Bed-Dancing:
* A bedroom with a bed and a bedroom door that you can shut so
you can bed-dance in private. Be sure to announce to the
household that this is YOUR TIME and they are capable of getting
along without you for at least the length of a CD. If not, they
are far too dependant on you!
* A CD that excites you into "dancing". A CD is better over a
cassette tape or radio because you can "program" your music
selection to skip, repeat, or play at random your tunes
according to what you want to dance to.
* An exercise outfit such as sweats, t-shirt and shorts, or even
your slip. Since you'll be behind closed doors, you can wear
whatever you want. However, when you actually have an "outfit"
set aside for exercise, the mind gets in gear and stays more
focused on what you are telling it to do... and that's EXERCISE.
* An attitude to do Bed-Dancing. This is vital too. Keep you
movements simple but aggressive, meaning that you aren't making
complicated moves with your arms and legs, but rather you are
making the simple moves in a forceful and deliberate way much as
a tap dancer or ballet dancer uses simple moves but with
controlled and deliberate body disciplines.
So as you can see, the equipment you need for Bed-Dancing is
minimal and low cost since you already have most of what you
need as these things are probably already around the house. If
you lack in a dancing CD, go get one... most cities have "used"
CD shops. And as for your exercise outfit, you can find sweats
at your local thrift store. And if you like Bed-Dancing in your
"unmentionables", that's okay too.... Whatever works for you!
Bed-Dancing helped me begin my "serious" exercise routine which
eventually morphed into exercising on my feet and even to
full-fledged real dancing again as the pounds fell off! I still
Bed-Dance occasionally to get me "started", then I'm up on my
feet and going to town!