Fitness

Helpful Tips to Staying Fit With Kidney Disease

September 25, 2018

There’s no questioning the benefits that exercise has on one’s mind and the physical body. However, when it comes to living with a chronic illness such as kidney disease, it can be hard to find out which exercises might be right for you and which ones to avoid to stay fit and prevent further complications.

The bottom line is that exercise boosts strength and keeps you healthy. If you suffer from a kidney disease, there are many helpful training programs and exercises that are designed for you and can ensure you maintain a good exercise routine.

The first step to figuring out your workout program is to visit your doctor. Your doctor is the best person to help you come up with the best exercises for your condition and can make sure you stay on track.

Phases of Planning a Workout Program

There are four phases that go into planning an exercise program:

Type
Length
Frequency
Intensity

1. Type of workout

The best types of activities for you include walking, swimming, cycling or aerobic dancing. These exercises target large muscle groups and keep you fit. While heavy lifting should be off your radar, low-level strength training exercises will also be helpful to keep you strong and burn fat.

2. Length of the workout

Working out for 30 minutes is ideal. If you want to go for longer that’s fine, but make sure to listen to your body. In instances where you feel too tired, experience chest pain or get leg cramps, it is advised to stop working out and rest.

3. Frequency of working out

Try to work out at least three times a week and alternate these days instead of going continuously.

4. Intensity of the workout

You must always remember to go at your own pace. If you need to start slowly, start slowly and gradually build up your stamina and speed. Some red flags to look out for are:

If you are too sore the next day
Experience shortness of breath during exercise
If you feel uncomfortable from pushing too hard

Diet and Exercise Go Hand-In-Hand

Besides exercise, what you eat is also important to be aware of in order to keep fit and healthy. You should already have a diet to follow from your doctor, but just because you maintain your diet, doesn’t mean you can forgo exercise or vice versa.

Eating foods outside of your diet program can be harmful to your health and can cause issues if you are on a dialysis treatment.

As you work your way through your diet and exercise program, your doctor or trainer might switch up your calorie intake in order to keep up with whatever program you are following.