I'm officially starting to work my way back into the exercise world. I think sometimes you just have to hit bottom before you can go back up again. This week I've started some mild yoga and I'm resorting to spin classes, as cycling on my bike still aggravates my back.
Overall, I think my body is responding well. During yoga, though, my back gets quite inflamed, so while others get to do their sun salutations and wonderful poses, I have to start with simple and modified motions. I can't do the traditional sun salutation/down dog/up dog sequence right now -- the flexing of the back throws mine out. But many of the other yoga poses I can do, and they feel almost good. Not great when one's back is inflamed, but good enough to know that my body is responding.
The meditation portion of the class is interesting. While I used to enjoy relaxing my whole body, head to toe, into deep meditation, now this portion of the class for me is all about just getting my back to relax. It's very much a conscious process -- first I get into a position, then I will my back to relax, then I feel the pain, then I feel the release, and then after a few long moments I have to get into another position and start over. I move slowly and quietly so as to not disturb anyone nearby.
It's going to be a long road to recovery, but I'm think I'm actually back on that road, finally. And with the spin class turning out to be a success, albeit a boring one (no offense to the instructors -- I just prefer to ride outdoors), I hope that I'll finally lose these pounds I gained.
Oh, and at long last I'm "knee deep" in the San Miguel pictures and journal -- should be ready in a couple of days!
You go, girl! I hope you will be feeling much better soon; small steps are ok though.