Time to look at exercise again, both the psychological and the physical.  I still maintain that strenuous rather than light exercise is best for my fibromyalgia.  I have no doubt in my mind.  Again, I can’t say that everyone with fibromyalgia should be doing extreme exercise, but it is the only thing that has actually reduced fibromyalgia pain for me.  However, psychologically it may not be working in my favor right now.

Yesterday I bribed myself with a chocolate shake to go work out at Silver Nanos (Crossfit for over 40).  I know, I know, but it was how I could get myself to walk in the door.  Obviously chocolate shake bribes are probably not the best way to proceed with an exercise routine.  It was more important to walk through the door, however….  The problem with exercise right now has to do with lower back disc/arthritis issues and bursitis in my hips rather than fibromyalgia.  However, psychologically, the problem stems from fibromyalgia.

No matter how often I remind myself that hurting and injury are two completely different things, it is very easy to fall back into that mindset where I simply dread the pain involved with exercise, both the pain and effort you feel at the moment and – remember catastrophizing? – the pain I EXPECT to feel afterwards.  The very natural reaction to EXPECTATION of pain is to freeze.  Your body and brain fight to protect you, and you freeze – deer in the headlights freeze.  Yesterday was a mild panic attack that was alleviated with a chocolate shake (and I bought myself a couple $4 movies to get my mind off what I was dreading).

I wasn’t completely successful.  I had to stop early because of banded good mornings, my new nemesis, which brought on solid lower back spasms.  When did burpees stop being the enemy?