knowing your limits
By gambama
@gambama (90)
December 5, 2010 10:33pm CST
Mylotters-
My question is posed to both the able bodied and the less able among us.
How do you know what your limits are? How do you know how to stop before you get sick?
I suffer from a chronic lung disease that always has infection lurking. Even though I am home on disability, I try to do as much as possible. When I ask my medical team for guidance, they tell me I know best. But i don't. Sometimes I wonder- and get angry at myself- whether I could and should do more. Sometimes I try to do more, and pay for it with sleepless nights and infection.
How do you decide how much your strength is and how much you can do?
3 responses
@agent807 (751)
• United States
18 Dec 10
I have to be honest, I really don't know what my limits are because I am always working on making myself stronger. What's funny is that I have an artificial hip that I received from a car accident as a teenager, and where people kept telling me that I probably won't have the strength and abilities that I had as a kid, I found out they were right. I no longer had the strength that I once had ( and I was a a strong kid for my age, stronger than some adults). Instead, what happened was I ended up being stronger than anyone would have thought I would be. I had been labeled as handicapped due to that hip, but it doesn't bother me one bit. I kind of enjoy the handicapped label because I use it differently than normal due to the amount of strength I possess, and how much muscle I have piled on (and I am still growing). The only problem that I have is the bigger, stronger, and heavier I get, the more I forget that I am more of an animal than a human. For example, I used to play football, but after the hip replacement, I couldn't play for fear it would break, but after I bulked up, I couldn't play for fear that I would kill someone (I am 5'9" 345 pounds, and I can run fast, so me hitting someone it like a car hit them). Secondly, because I got addicted to piling on muscle, I forget how much bigger I am because I bump into everything, and people think I am a bodybuilder, so they are a little intimidated by me. I realized how much bigger I was one day in a mens' room mirror when I stood next to another guy. I also realized that I was eating more, but didn't know how much I was eating (a family eats less than me). I also crave going for the heaviest items to move for that rush, and to show off a bit (I once moved a dumpster that was in the way without thinking about it). Most of the time, I always underestimate myself about what I can and cannot do untilI try it and realize how easy (or hard) it is. Eventually it will all become easy because I am always looking for ways to increase my strength. Yes, I am getting older, but I am only 30, but it is not an excuse to slow down. I rather be too strong for my own good.
@gambama (90)
•
18 Dec 10
I find your response interesting.
The artificial hip seems not to actually be very important. Do you allow for it in any way?
I find that line "eventually it will all become easy because I am always looking for ways to increase my strength" inspiring. I wonder how I can apply to my own life.
@magtibaygom (4858)
• Philippines
6 Dec 10
When I was younger, I never thought of those things. But now that I am growing old, I am turning 31 this month, I am starting to realize there is indeed a limit to my strength and my body... I am no longer that strong boy who defied all odds...
@hanni711 (243)
• Philippines
6 Dec 10
Humans are really limited especially when we grow older. We can no longer expect to do the things we used to do. If you are sick, you have to follow your doctor's advise. You cannot force yourself to do things you can't do yet. You'll just have relapse and you're sickness will just worsen and it will be hard to regain your strength. I only do the things my strength can handle and I don't push myself to do something that I know will weaken my body. We need to take precautions also on our health. It's true, that you know your self best and be balance.
