A few weeks ago my good friend, LC (my other daughter's mother), offered me her treadmill. She prefers walking outdoors and no longer uses it. John and I had already decided to get one so the timing was quite fortuitous. I accepted.
My physiotherapist had already given me the green light with instructions on how to proceed (slowly, very slowly!). She was delighted to hear that I would be able to embark on a walking program regardless of the weather.
It didn't take us long to arrange to pick up the treadmill and get it to our place.
The acquisition of the treadmill happened on January 26th. (My little chickadee and Pauple met us at LC's home to load the unit into John's truck. John and I were able to unload it and get it into the house. A neighbour came over the following day to get the sucker upstairs for us.)
On Sunday, January 27th, I did my first two and a half minutes on it. (Wow, that was hard work!)
I increased my time gradually, as instructed by my physiotherapist, but with a twist. She had told me I could add two and half minutes each day, which I did until I hit the ten minute mark. But the day following that, I couldn't get past six and half minutes. Yet the very next day, I did 12.5 minutes with ease. So I developed my own work-out pattern.
I add two and a half minutes every other day; and I do half the next increment on the day in between. Therefore, this past Friday, I managed 20 minutes (16 of them while on the phone with MLC!).
On Saturday, I did 12 minutes (should have stopped at 11 minutes -- ooops).
Today, I will aim for 22.5 minutes, with tomorrow's goal being 12.5 minutes.
When I get to the 30 minute mark, (which I'm scheduled to do on Saturday, February 16th), I'll no longer increase my time. Then, I'll settle into a pattern of 30 minutes one day, and 15 the next.
My massage therapist is already noticing the difference in my calf and gluteus muscles.
Hopefully, as the prednisone declines in my system, I'll start to notice weight loss.
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