banana, greek yogurt and some protein powder of your choice can be great for a
day when you’re not feeling so hot. Make sure you’re avoiding caffeinated, sugary or
dairy products.
Make yourself a great playlist full of music that you love and that inspires you to listen to
at the gym. Powering up those tunes as soon as you wake up can make tying your tennis
shoes a little easier.
Having an auto-immune disease such as Crohn’s or colitis can also help motivate and
drive you to work harder. “I know how easy it is to gain weight from steroid use and to
drop weight from not being able to eat because of pain, so I’m always working so hard
to keep my body the way I love it and to a point where I feel confident. There have been
way too many times where I’ve cried about how skinny I’ve become from weight loss or
how my abdomen looks bloated from steroids. It’s such a frustrating thing to not have
control over your body, and exercise is the only thing that can really somewhat give me
that control and make me feel good about myself. UC definitely gives me that desire and
motivation to stay in shape and be happy with my body every single day, because I know
how quickly it can be taken away,” said Kristin.
Most importantly, make sure you know where all of the bathrooms are located in your
gym. If you aren’t sure, scope out your surroundings. Don’t rule out running or walking
outside, either. Know where the closest restaurant or public bathroom is at and be
familiar with how long it might take you to get there. If you feel like you’re too anxious to
even risk that but still want to enjoy the weather, browse online first for a park or outside
venue that has plenty of easy to find restrooms that can be located with a map.
Don’t let IBD give you an excuse to stop being active. Don’t be too hard on yourself,
but also don’t lose sight of what keeps you going every day. Make sure you are always
being as healthy as you can be -- that can only make you feel better. Kristin knows that
exercising gives you confidence and confidence can boost anyone’s health and mood.
“It’s so important to feel good about yourself -- and I’m not talking about having a perfect
body, by any means. I mean feel good about yourself by getting exercise and just staying
in shape and knowing that you’re giving that gift to your body. I have such a bigger
appreciation for good health since my diagnosis.”
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