Be inspired but not proud — #pilates #pilates4ms #pilateslovers #thisgirlcan #ishapeme #pain #chronicpain #ms #multiplesclerosis #inspiration #proud

Wow! I totally smashed Pilates then! Pain was unbelievable but I pushed through it and achieved so much!
I know it says be inspired which I am but not proud but I really am!

Why does it say ‘not proud’?
Discuss…

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Happy Ash Wednesday #Lent #AshWednesday #blog #MegaSpecial #ms #strongerthanMS #thismegaspecialrocks

I’m not religious, I have my own beliefs
That doesn’t stop me thinking lent is a good idea
I think giving up one thing shows us we have the strength to do more than we realise!

Choose just one thing, say goodbye to it!
At the end of lent have a good think, do u really need that in your life?

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And yet somehow I still keep going! #MS #mspain #nervepain #nevergivein #thisgirlcan #ishapeme #megaspecialme #MegaSpecial #multiplesclerosis #inspiration

And yet somehow I still keep going!
#MS #mspain #nervepain #nevergivein #thisgirlcan #ishapeme #megaspecialme #MegaSpecial #multiplesclerosis #inspiration

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Morning poem! #MS #mspain #nervepain #ineedanewback #ineednewshoulders #ineedpainrelief

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Morning poem
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch
Coffee

Trying to stay light hearted!
This pain is harsh!


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Journey to a fitter, better me to handle my MS

Ok so, I started my fitness kick by going to Aqua Fit!
A brilliant way to exercise if you can’t do much on dry land because the water aids by taking away the stress of gravity!

Once I gained confidence with Aqua Fit and felt the need to go on to something else my Physiotherapist referred me to the gym for a set program.
I loved it! I was going every morning for 5 days a week! After a few months I realised that going all those days without a break in between was a little adventurous! I started going less because I wanted to continue going to Aqua Fit! 

I then went on to try Pilates (for the 2nd time, a different type of pilates! 1st time was Pilates for Pregnancy which I didn’t realise until I arrived in the class and so didn’t need it! 😱😂)
As most know I have been going to 3 classes a week for nearly a year now. It would be easy to say that it’s my passion!
Last week I even had my first 1-1 private Pilates at home, it was completely different to a group class because it was tailored especially for me! I even thought it was better than an appointment with my Neuro Physiotherapist! I was that impressed that I booked another 1-1 and i intend to continue with it!
I loved Pilates that much that I stopped going to Aqua Fit and reduced the amount of time in spent in the gym.

At the beginning of this year I started going to another class with my partner called ‘Fight Klub’

“FIGHT KLUB® is the high intensity fun workout that makes getting in shape an addiction. Set to music, the program is a combination of boxing, kick boxing and dance.
FIGHT KLUB® is a workout built around a freestanding professional grade punch bag using simple combinations of kicks and punches whilst keeping time with the high energy beat.” (Taken from the Fight Klub website)

Yes Fight Klub is high intensity which is why I don’t go as often as I’d like to! It’s hard work but it’s seriously exhilarating! As soon as my adrenaline kicks in I forget about the Chronic pain I suffer 24/7!
I might not be able to do all of the exercises the same as everyone else but I still do them, just in a different way!
I have to start my cool down before everyone else because my body doesn’t cool my core temperature down quick enough! I’m not sure if this is to do with my MS or my Fibromyalgia. Maybe it’s just an anomaly, who knows! All I know is that if I don’t cool my self down quickly by pouring cold water down my neck then I pass out!
Yes that part scares me but I love the class that much, I still go back! Just not too often!

This next video is something else that I really want to try! I haven’t the strength yet, well, I don’t think I do!
I don’t know anyone at my local leisure centre that offers guidance with this alone and I’m too nervous to just have a go!

It still surprises me every day how much I am loving this new me!

Click here to see what else I want to try!


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Catching up with my pilates journey…

Catching up with my pilates journey…

On the 17th February 2016 I will have been practicing pilates for a whole year!

Heres a few things I have learnt in that year:

* To perform my best I had to position myself at the front of the class close to the instructor.
* Being at the front not only meant I couldn’t hide from the instructor, it also meant I would be seeing all of my reflection in the mirror!
* Acceptance of the image looking back at me in the mirror and not being able to hide from it!
* I need to have more patience with myself
* To trust myself more! That might not make sense unless you’ve taken Pilates before! Let me explain… trusting yourself is key when it comes to balancing in Pilates, trusting myself just a little bit more and I might be able to push myself more.
* I am now more aware of my muscles and using them correctly especially when walking!
* See my abdominal muscles take form! Something I had never dreamt of!
* It’s all about the core!
* Core muscles are key for anyone with MS
* Contracting the core muscles protects the spine
* It hurts my back A LOT if I forget to use my core muscles correctly when doing back work!
* I have found my passion!

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Today’s class was so different to any I have been in before. I felt totally on form which I wasn’t expecting, especially after forgetting to take my Modafinil yesterday afternoon!

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Information from MS Trust

A lovely thing from today’s class was what the instructor wrote on my Facebook post I shared about forgetting to take my medication last night and how it effected me.

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It’s great to know that all my hard work is paying off!

The other thing about today’s class was that it was recorded! Yes, recorded!
A member of staff from the leisure centre asked before the class started if she could record parts of the class. Everyone was asked if they were happy to be in the recording, as if I would say no to that!
Thinking about it now, I really hope I don’t look terrible! It will be interesting to see how well I executed the moves! I’m staying optimistic with that comment, surly Lisa would have corrected me if I’d have been awful!

Here’s some visuals of how I’m sure I looked today, after all, I was on form and I am getting stronger day by day!

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Image from Pinterest
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Image from Pinterest

Okay, maybe not that strong but I gave it my upmost!

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Found on from Google

When I heard that Lisa also does 1-1 Pilates classes I was really intrigued, then when Lisa told me that she comes to your home I booked straight away!
My 1-1 class is tomorrow! I think Lisa knows me well enough now to know that I’m feeling slightly nervous! No point hiding it… I couldn’t even if I tried!
I’ve either done something very crazy or very clever here with this!
I’ll let you know!

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Now a shout out to a few people,
thank you…

*Christine Robinson, (AKA Crispie) for letting me come with you to your Pilates class for my first lesson!
*Kate King, my first instructor. Thank you for being so wonderfully understanding and encouraging! Still miss your classes!
* Hannah Bailey, your energy and enthusiasm inspires me! You have such a zest for life!
*Lisa Perry, you truly are one in a million! Only you could bring so much humour to a pilates class!

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Reason to be fit #0117


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Stick your neck out! #miniblog #thisgirlcan #MS #multiplesclerosis #positivevibes #strongerthanMS #MegaSpecial

I love this!

“Behold the Turtle.
He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.”

It sums me up completely!
Today I stuck my neck out further than the local sports centre or even my town centre!

Don’t get too excited, I didn’t go that far! Only a 25 minute drive to meet my first Pilates instructor Kate King for lunch!
It’s amazing what fun, laughter and happiness you miss if you keep shying away from doing something different!
Why do I shy away? Because I fear the unknown when I am by myself!
The journey there was easy, the food was delicious, the company was excellent! Where was the problem?!

Okay I had a few MegaSpecial (MSy) moments! Forgetting my cutlery for one! Overheating because I was sat next to a red hot radiator! Off came a layer of clothing, extra ice for my drink that my friend very gracefully decanted into my drink, thanks Kate 😂 Cooled me down nicely! Especially when I missed my mouth and managed to throw it down myself!

If there where any problems they were soon averted! Simples!

It’s been another great day!

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The White Room #MS #decorating #determination #blog

It’s been a great week even if it was hard work! All totally worth it!

Countless cups of tea for the hard worker, countless ending up down the sink too as I continually kept forgetting I’d left the tea bag in the mug brewing! Derrr!

I’ve done the best I could whilst also going to my MS exercise class & Pilates yesterday!
I helped wash down the skirting boards, cleaned the radiator, helped paper the one wall, tidying tidying & more tidying! And finally today the carpet was fitted and we got to do the best bit… dress the room!

DebbieRahRah has worked liked a trogen! She is amazing! Has had a week off work and decided to spend the time on what used to be called ‘The Elephant Room’
It’s new name… ‘The White Room’

I’m so lucky to have my DebbieRahRah who has now gone off to her 2nd Fight Klub class of the week!
I was supposed to go with her tonight but with a combination of Lisa Balderdashandpiffle Perry’s Pilates yesterday and working extremely hard today I’m in too much pain to go and the fact that I’m having to hold on to furniture as I move around the bungalow says to me I definitely shouldn’t go!

Feeling proud of myself for not going! When you have my sheer will and determination it’s damn hard to say no to such an amazing drug that is ‘Hannah Bailey’s Fight Klub’

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From this
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To this!


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This is Vix

This is Vix.
Vix is disabled.
Vix takes high risk meds.
Vix is exhausted.
Vix has a chronic illness.
Vix has no immune system.
Vix will never be cured.
But that’s ok, Vix looks fine.
Looks can be deceiving.
Vix illnesses are invisible.
But Vix illnesses are still real.
Be kind to Vix.
You could be Vix.

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Owner of image 'unknown'

Vix is different to many.
Vix is determined.
Vix won’t be beaten.
Don’t feel sorry for Vix.
Be happy for Vix.


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