How exercise has improved my cp 💪

In previous posts I’ve discussed my weight loss over the last two years which has made me so incredibly happy but it’s also improved my Cerebral Palsy in ways I could’ve never imagined!

Before starting the gym my mobility had hit an all time low, I was constantly falling over, had daily aches and pains and things I’d once found easy had become a huge struggle.  As you can imagine being 4 ft 11 and almost 12 stone is going to affect anybody’s mobility so add CP into the mix and your not doing well!

I was a complete beginner when it came to the gym and I had no idea where to start when it came to exercises, I thought I would be able to get some help online but after hours of searching I found that nearly all the exercises or advice I could find for people with disabilities were poor to say the least.

My first few months at the gym I took things easy and only used machines that I knew wouldn’t effect my legs as I was scared of injuring myself and loosing what independence I had, after about 6 months into my gym session I started to notice my weight loss but couldn’t see much difference to my mobility problems. Once I got more comfortable at the gym I began to figure out what I could use and that’s when my complete love for the gym truly started.

I started to see a real difference to my Cerebral Palsy when I’d been at the gym about a year and a half, I had so much strength in my legs and for the first time in my life I felt strong enough to walk without linking someone while out and about which at the age of 24 is amazing (no one wants to be holding a parents hand at my age). As well as my body strength and stability improving I also found that the more I worked out the more my stamina improved which meant that I could finally complete a lifelong goal, which you will know from my previous was completing race for life 😀

I know that it is a cliche but exercising definitely has changed my life and improved my health and wellbeing in so many ways, before I started working out I was convinced that exercise wouldn’t do me much good but I was so wrong and would recommend exercising to anyone regardless of their disability. I know that not everyone can access every piece of equipment but no matter what you can do, any form of movement will really help.