From 50 Steps to Recovery: Building Movement Practices for Chronic Conditions

In Part 1 of my story, I shared how my weight ballooned to over 106kg during my wheelchair years, and how I managed to lose 14kg while increasing my daily steps from 50 to 100. Today, I want to dive deeper into how to build sustainable movement practices when dealing with chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

Why Traditional Exercise Advice Fails Chronic Conditions

When I was struggling with fibromyalgia, well-meaning people constantly told me to “just exercise more” or “push through the pain.” This advice is not only unhelpful for chronic conditions – it can be harmful.

Traditional exercise assumes:

• Your energy is consistent and predictable
• More intensity always equals better results
• Pain during exercise means you’re working hard
• Recovery happens within 24-48 hours

Chronic conditions present different realities:

• Energy fluctuates dramatically day to day
• Intensity often triggers symptom flares
• Pain during exercise can indicate nervous system overload
• Recovery can take days or weeks (post-exertional malaise)

Understanding Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM)

Post-exertional malaise is a hallmark of many chronic conditions. It’s not regular muscle fatigue – it’s a systemic worsening of symptoms following physical, cognitive, or emotional exertion.

PEM symptoms include:

• Increased pain and fatigue lasting days or weeks
• Cognitive dysfunction (“brain fog”)
• Sleep disturbances
• Flu-like symptoms
• Emotional sensitivity

I experienced severe PEM during my fibromyalgia years. A simple walk around the block could leave me bedridden for days. This taught me that exercise for chronic conditions requires a completely different approach.

The 50-Step Starting Point: Why Small Matters

When I decided to focus on movement, I was tracking only 50 steps per day. For someone who had been physically active his entire life, this was humbling and frustrating.

But starting with 50 steps taught me crucial lessons:

1. Baseline Establishment

Before increasing activity, you need to know your current sustainable level. This isn’t your “good day” level – it’s what you can do consistently without triggering symptoms.

2. Nervous System Training

Movement isn’t just about muscles and cardiovascular fitness. For chronic conditions, it’s primarily about training your nervous system to handle activity without overreaction.

3. Success Building

Achieving small, consistent goals builds confidence and motivation. Celebrating 100 steps when you started at 50 creates positive momentum.

4. Body Awareness

Starting slowly forces you to pay attention to how your body responds to different types, intensities, and durations of movement.

The Gradual Progression Protocol

My movement recovery followed specific principles that can be adapted to any chronic condition:

Phase 1: Establishment (Weeks 1-4)

Goal: Find your sustainable baseline

• Track current activity level for one week
• Identify your consistent capacity (not your best day)
• Establish this as your starting point
• Focus on consistency, not improvement

Example progression:

• Week 1: 50 steps daily
• Week 2: 60 steps daily
• Week 3: 70 steps daily
• Week 4: 80 steps daily

Phase 2: Gentle Building (Weeks 5-12)

Goal: Gradually increase tolerance

• Increase activity by 10-20% weekly
• Monitor for delayed symptom increases
• Rest or reduce if symptoms worsen
• Celebrate small wins consistently

Example progression:

• Week 5-6: 100 steps daily
• Week 7-8: 150 steps daily
• Week 9-10: 200 steps daily
• Week 11-12: 300 steps daily

Phase 3: Diversification (Weeks 13+)

Goal: Add variety and challenge

• Introduce different types of movement
• Vary intensity and duration
• Listen to your body’s daily capacity
• Maintain flexibility in your approach

Types of Movement for Chronic Conditions

Different movement types serve different purposes in chronic condition recovery:

Gentle Cardiovascular Activity

Walking: Start with short distances, focus on consistency Swimming: Low-impact, supports body weight, naturally temperature-regulated Cycling: Can be adapted to sitting position, controlled intensity

Benefits: Improved circulation, nervous system regulation, mood enhancement

Flexibility and Mobility Work

Gentle yoga: Combines movement with breathing practices Stretching: Releases muscle tension, improves range of motion Tai chi: Slow, controlled movements with mindfulness component

Benefits: Reduced muscle tension, improved sleep, stress reduction

Strength Building

Bodyweight exercises: Push-ups, squats, planks adapted to your capacity Resistance bands: Gentle, controllable resistance Light weights: When appropriate for your condition level

Benefits: Improved functional capacity, bone health, metabolic support

Restorative Movement

Walking meditation: Combines gentle movement with mindfulness Gentle dance: Expressive movement that feels joyful Breathing with movement: Coordinating breath with simple movements

Benefits: Nervous system regulation, emotional processing, joy cultivation

The Art of Pacing

Pacing is the most important skill for exercise with chronic conditions. It’s about working within your energy envelope rather than pushing beyond it.

Energy Envelope Concept

Imagine your available energy as a bank account. Traditional exercise thinking encourages spending more than you have (going into overdraft). Pacing means:

• Spending within your means: Using only the energy you have available
• Saving for harder days: Not using all available energy every day
• Investing wisely: Choosing activities that give you the best return on energy investment

Practical Pacing Strategies

The 50% Rule: On good days, only use 50% of what feels possible. This prevents boom-bust cycles.

Energy Monitoring: Rate your energy 1-10 before and after activity. Learn your patterns.

Flexible Planning: Have multiple versions of your exercise plan based on daily capacity.

Rest as Medicine: View rest days as active recovery, not failure.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Good Day Overexertion

Feeling good doesn’t mean you should do everything you’ve been unable to do. Overactivity on good days often triggers extended bad periods.

Mistake 2: Comparing to Others

Your exercise capacity is unique to your condition, current health status, and nervous system state. Comparing to healthy people or even other people with your condition isn’t helpful.

Mistake 3: All-or-Nothing Thinking

Missing one day or having to reduce activity doesn’t mean failure. Chronic conditions require flexible, adaptive approaches.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Warning Signs

Increased fatigue, pain, cognitive dysfunction, or mood changes after exercise are signals to adjust your approach, not push harder.

Building Your Personal Movement Protocol

Step 1: Assessment

• Current activity level (track for one week)
• Types of movement you enjoy
• Times of day when energy is typically higher
• Environmental factors that help or hinder

Step 2: Goal Setting

• Focus on consistency rather than intensity
• Set process goals (daily movement) rather than outcome goals (weight loss)
• Make goals specific and measurable
• Build in flexibility for bad days

Step 3: Implementation

• Start below your perceived capacity
• Track symptoms alongside activity
• Celebrate small wins
• Adjust based on your body’s feedback

Step 4: Progression

• Increase gradually (10-20% weekly maximum)
• Add variety slowly
• Monitor for delayed symptom responses
• Be patient with setbacks

When to Seek Professional Help

Consider working with healthcare providers who understand chronic conditions if you experience:

• Worsening symptoms with gentle activity
• Unable to find a baseline that doesn’t trigger symptoms
• Significant post-exertional malaise
• Complex health conditions requiring specialized guidance

Helpful professionals might include:

• Physical therapists trained in chronic conditions
• Exercise physiologists specializing in chronic illness
• Coaches experienced with chronic condition management

The Mental Game: Redefining Success

Perhaps the biggest shift in exercising with chronic conditions is redefining what success looks like:

Traditional success: More, faster, stronger, longer Chronic condition success: Consistent, sustainable, adaptive, joyful

My journey from 50 steps to eventually returning to more challenging activities took years, not months. But each small increase represented real progress in nervous system healing and functional capacity.

Movement as Medicine vs. Movement as Punishment

The biggest mindset shift I made was viewing movement as medicine rather than punishment. Instead of exercising because I “should” or to burn calories, I moved because it supported my healing.

Movement as medicine means:

• Choosing activities that feel nourishing
• Stopping when your body says enough
• Celebrating the nervous system benefits, not just physical changes
• Using movement to process emotions and stress
• Finding joy and play in physical activity

Your Movement Journey Starts Now

Whether you’re currently managing 10 steps or 10,000 steps, the principles remain the same:

1. Start where you are: Your current capacity is your starting point, not a limitation
2. Progress gradually: Small, consistent improvements compound over time
3. Listen to your body: It’s providing valuable feedback about what it needs
4. Celebrate small wins: Every step forward is meaningful progress
5. Stay flexible: Chronic conditions require adaptive approaches

Remember, I went from 50 steps per day to eventually teaching massage, running a business, and helping others recover. The key wasn’t pushing harder – it was consistent, intelligent progression that honored my body’s capacity while gently expanding it.

Your movement recovery journey is unique to you, but you don’t have to figure it out alone.

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Building sustainable movement practices with chronic conditions requires specialized knowledge and personalized approaches. If you’re ready to develop an exercise protocol that supports rather than depletes your health, book a consultation to create your personalized movement recovery plan.

Next week: In Part 2 of Meet the Viking, discover how major life changes can trigger relationship crises and what it means to rebuild authentic connections.