Losing weight withfibromyalgiais especially difficult due to several aspects of the condition.

It’s not only difficult physically, but thanks tocognitive function (a.k.a.

Possible ways to overcome this barrier may not be possible for everyone, due to lifestyle and financial realities.

Woman exercising at home

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(Most people with this condition experience at least some symptoms during remissions, but they’re milder.)

When you’re trying to exercise regularly, the ups and downs are killers.

Then, before long, you have a downturn and have to skip a few days.

Then the habit is broken.

Once you’re feeling better, you may just not think about it right away.

You probably recognize this pattern.

Exercise Intolerance

Exercise intolerance is a common symptom of fibromyalgia.

It should really be called “activity intolerance,” because that’s exactly what it is.

The moment you exert yourself too much, it can trigger a flare.

You do a little too much, and you pay for it.

That kind of push-crash-push cycle does you no good at all when it comes to weight loss.

A lot of people discover exercise intolerance and decide they simply can’t exercise or exert themselves at all.

It’s easy to become afraid of it, which is something researchers call kinesiophobia.

It’s a difficult cycle to break.

This barrier can be overcome by staying as active as you might be in your day-to-day life.

One of the earliest studies to do so came out in 2015.

That may sound great, but is it feasible?

The researchers note that it may not be.

Office on Women’s Health.

2018;6:e4917.

2018 May 28;6:e4917.

2013 Mar-Apr;32(2):113-9. doi:10.1097/NOR.0b013e3182879c08