sj, are there any kind of websites/online groups or books that recommend exercise that is better suited to your disability? This seems like a case where general advice isn't going to be a help to you.

It's good that the weights are helping, though -- that sounds like a good start!

sj, are there any kind of websites/online groups or books that recommend exercise that is better suited to your disability? This seems like a case where general advice isn't going to be a help to you.

Nothing specifically for Spina Bifida that I have ever been able to find. There is lots of stuff out there for when you're a kid, but there is not much at all for when you become an adult and have adult issues. Everything is geared toward parents dealing with babies and kids with Spina Bifida. Mostly though I just need to find some motivation to get my ass in gear and not to sit on the couch all afternoon. Get out of the house and do some errands (which I do consider exercise for me and does affect my bloodsugar readings), or actually do some housework. I've been exhausted this pastweek, and yesterday I had a massive headache all day because of the rain. So, it has been easy to just fall into sloth mode.

Can you continue to do the light lifting? If it's helping your numbers in the morning, it will continue to help no matter when you do it. And if you're worried about bulking up, it won't be an issue. You'd need much heavier weights and more repetitions for that.

As far as I'm concerned, walking for whatever reason is exercise. And vacuuming burns more calories than you think. If you see the difference in the numbers, then stick with it, despite what the counselor says. If it works, it works.

I think doing the weights three times a day may be a little much for me right now.

Fair enough. I hope you're able to find the balance you need. Being an adult about health issues is demoralizing and unnerving at times. I wish I could snap my fingers and give all of us the best health possible.

Thanks, Maria. There was also the discussion of what I'm going to do to lose weight after ltc arrives to cut my diabetes risk. Taking care of a newborn was apparently not the proper answer. She wanted me to agree to join a gym, which I know would be the best thing, but seriously there is no way I'm going to be able to get myself to the gym with a newborn.

It's not like diabetes will develop in the first couple of months of the baby's presence. I think you have time to get used to the new arrival before having to do anything deliberate about dropping any weight that doesn't go away by itself.

sj, is it possible to do gentle/light yoga? Yoga Journal has some great podcast routine things that clock in at about 25 minutes, if it is possible.

juliana, I need to look into finding some gentle seated yoga. My balance doesn't allow me to do much that requires standing.

sj, does your library have yoga DVDs? If so, look for this one: [link] I think it's mostly (or all) seated yoga.