Lipoedema Ladies
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23rd
Edition
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Control and Exercise
As told by Renee Waters of Fit Body Promotions
Ladies, as hard as it is to do, I cannot tell you enough to get things moving. Lipoedema can hold you back as much as you allow it to. Exercise holds a big part in being able to control, not cure, but control the condition. You cannot out train a bad diet though, and diet plays an 80% part in your success. No matter how much you can do it all helps.
It is easy to stop when the pain starts. You may have tried walking, jogging, dancing etc., and have experienced pain with these. The impact and vibrations on your legs is what causes that pain. The exercise bike takes the impact off, but you may get pain in your thighs. Talking from personal experience, I found the vibro gym was a great way to get started. It works 98% of your muscles and as it is one on one with an instructor, I felt safe and that I was working efficiently. It was 10 mins and incorporated a massage at the end, to aid the recovery and fluid movements in my legs. I did the vibro gym for 3 months before I felt able to step foot in a regular gym.
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I discovered a piece of equipment that changed my whole exercise routine. The cross trainer or air walker took all the pressure off my legs, and in a 40 min workout, you can now burn 600 calories, as opposed to 250 on the bike. Start slowly. If you have not exercised before, or in a long time, start with 20 mins. This should be enough to get your heart rate going and make you sweat a little. This is a sign you are burning fat! If you don't feel it after 20, try going longer and increasing the resistance. You are the measure and you know how far you can push yourself. Don't give up, it gets better very quickly.
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Depending on how much weight you have to lose, weights are key. The more muscle tone you have, the easier it is to burn off fat. Ladies, lifting weights will not make you look like a man, I promise. You will not start to build muscle though until you are below 30% body fat, so if possible, get a composition test. What it will give you is more muscle tone, and more strength. There is no need to strain yourself, but lift as much as you feel is making your body work. Start off with some squats.
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This is the best exercise as it works your core, your hips, bums and tums. Starting at the very beginning, do narrow leg squats, so legs hip distance apart, weights in each hand and drop the bum, as if you are going to sit down. Remember to keep the back straight and do not hunch over your shoulders. Do this 20 times. See how you feel. If you feel OK, have a recovery and go again, another 20. Do no more than 4 sets.
This, combined with 20 minutes cardio is a great starting point for lippy ladies. It may burn, but you need to know how to tell the difference between Lipoedema pain, and muscle pain. Cooling down is essential. Muscles are pliable. A good hamstring stretch can be done by one leg out straight, resting on your heel and bending the other leg slightly, sink into he bent leg, then swap over. If you can, stretch your quads by bending your leg and holding your ankle behind your bum.
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No one expects you to be an Olympic athlete, and I guarantee if you choose to go to a gym, no one will think you don't belong there, they will admire you for going doing something about it. Every journey starts with one step, now whether you take that step in the comfort of your own home, or in a gym, the choice is yours. Make sure you do take it though, Lipodema will beat you, but only if you let it!
