Late Start
At 54 years of age, roughly 16 years ago, I chose to start exercising. Chronic pain had literally controlled my life for more than three years. I relied on prescribed medications for pain relief. While the medications temporarily and sporadically reduced pain levels, I aspired to have a richer and fuller life. Frequent, pain flare-ups prevented me from carrying out many day-to-day functional activities. My body was under the control of either Ms. Fibro (Fibromyalgia-muscle pain) or Mr. Arthur (Rheumatoid Arthritis-joint pain). While I FEARED the prospect of enduring the extra pain likely to come with exercising, the excruciating pain I was experiencing at the time left me with no other realistic choice.
In the Beginning
I exercised three days per week. I could only endure six minutes on the treadmill and five minutes on the bicycle. The body was so deconditioned and the muscles so atrophied, 11 minutes of low-impact exercise was all I could tolerate. Those first months were a struggle. But, as the days, weeks and months passed – the FEAR disappeared — the pain lessened –the body strengthened.
Results
Over time, I have been able to add:
- 49 minutes to exercise time (11 minutes to 60 minutes);
- 2 days per week to exercise program (3 days to 5 days);
- 3 new cardio machines to the treadmill and bicycle (Step, Elliptical, and PreCor); and
- 10 circuit weight machines
Making the decision to start exercising was not easy. But, I chose to TRY.
TODAY
Mr. Arthur and Ms. Fibro are no longer in control of my life:
- chronic pain conditions are adequately managed without pain medications.
- quality of life at age 70 is 100% better than it was at 54.
“It is Better to Do Something Late than Not at All”
SeasonedSistah 
I started to exercise regularly mainly for the physical benefits too but became just as addicted to the emotional benefits!
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Lisa, you are so correct. Exercise definitely “ups ones mood.” I did not exercise when I was in Milwaukee this summer — approximately five weeks. The absence of exercise had a negatively impact both mentally and physically. There really was no excuse for not exercising. Our YMCA membership is valid throughout the country. I paid for putting “exercise” on the back burner. It took a while to rebound.
Have a Blessed Sunday.
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