Getting Active With CF

I'll admit it, I hate exercising more than anyone. I will find any and every excuse to NOT exercise. However, my CF doctor is an exercise fanatic, so I am starting to consider it. His professional opinion is that daily exercise can truly improve lung function and help with weight gain. I hate to agree with him, but he is absolutely correct. Performing 30-60 minutes of cardio along with weights and stretches can significantly improve your breathing. With a lot of pushing from my CF doctor and my friends, I joined a gym this summer at my school. I absolutely love it. I go the gym 3-4 times week. I spend some time on the cardio machines (treadmill, bike, or eliptical), stretches with the exercise ball, and some weights to improve my posture for better breathing. I still dislike exercising, but I am excited to try something new for CF on a consistent basis and am curious and excited to see the results in a few months.
I know that joining a gym is not an option for everyone, so here are some ideas for a simple workout at home that I have been doing when I am not at the gym. The easiest way to get a decent cardio workout is doing 100-250 jump ropes (with or without a rope). Jumping jacks are also a great option. After the cardio, try to do some pushups (I prefer the manly pushups). Start with just 5 or 10 reps and then increase your reps as you feel necessary. To improve that CF hump on on upper back, try out some stretches that will open up your chest and help you stand/sit up straighter and breather easier. These three simple workouts are absolutely free and easy to do daily at home.
And ofcourse, exercising is also great for mucus drainage. Exercising will help loosen up the clogged mucus from the lungs as you breathe harder during exercise and it will make you cough so you can get rid of all that junk. If you would like to improve your lungs, join me in my journey to better health with exercise and share your workout stories with me. Leave a comment about your routine.