Exercise or Pills

I haven't run for over 2 months. I haven't done any exercising at all. For the past 2.5 years I have run or gone on the elliptical 4 - 7 times a month. In fact I have even gone to the gym 14 times a week at different times. I started to do it to loose weight, then to keep the weight off. As I was running during that time I found many other advantages including getting out of the house, fewer aches and pains, and better digestion. Until that time I had had a lot of problem with my feet, legs and knees.

I had been going to doctors for many years about the pain I have in my Achilles tendon, especially after I drive a lot and spend many hours on my feet in front of a class. I have great pills that I can take to reduce the inflammation and allow my tendons to heal. After my pain starts I can take this medication and within a day or two my pain will be gone. With my work I find my foot pain can flare up at any time and often. I was worried about this pain when I started exercising and I found my pain disappeared rather than be aggravated with the constant exercising.

I think what happened was I spend much time sitting around either at my home or in the car and my tendons and ligaments contract and when I stretch them they become inflamed and hurt a lot. When I run or exercise I don't let them contract and they stay stretched out. Since I have been back from the cruise I haven't don't anything except stay at home and work. My feet have started to hurt so much  that last week I couldn't walk at all. I took some medication and it helped. After I stopped hurting I quit taking the pills the pain came back again.

So, I can take pills or exercise. I don't need to do strenuous exercise, just walk if I wanted. I can walk or run or use the elliptical for 20 minutes a day, every day and I will loose weight and not be in pain. Or I can take pills and not be in pain. The exercising helps me with my sleep and digestion also. It is like an elixir of olden times. I don't know why everyone doesn't do this except I know I don't like to do all this exercising. I don't need to go to a special place or use a special machine just take the time and go do something. The funny thing is I know this and I have to keep reminding myself!!