Yes. I am pumping it up to 3 hours a day for the next two months.

If I don't exercise to exhaustion every day, I start walking towards cliff edges. It is my main therapy. I mix it up a bit, runs, weightlifting, hikes, etc.

I think you should listen to your body. If you are too sore the next day to workout, then rest a day or cut back on the intensity. I do weights and pushups 5 times a week. I walk the dogs everyday if the weather allows.

I take abilify too and I can exercise....

I think I just like the excuse my pdoc told me of avoiding exercise. My parents always pressured me to exercise, to the point that I ran cross-country until my ankles got all fucked up.

Now, I am so out of shape that I can barely make it down the block, which is probably not totally a good idea, but, hey...more power to you if you can work out.

Exercise (running in particular) has literally saved my life many times. I do admit that my running can become obsessive in the past, but it keeps me balanced and fairly sane for the most part :)

I wonder why my pdoc never told me to avoid exercising while on
Abilify.

I know I should exercise because I always feel TONS better after I do, but I have been unable to get motivated lately. I just gained about 20 lbs. (I'm 5'2" and about 150...eek!) so I have vowed to start exercising VERY SOON. I think it will be good for my physical and mental health and obviously to lose weight. If anyone lives in my area and wants to work out together, let me know. Maybe we can work out a time. With regard to your question though Bipolar Princess, do what feels right for your body. If you need to rest, that's o.k. It's great that you are exercising! Keep up the good work!

I have a bunch of bicycles that beg to get ridden....so I ride them about 4-5 days a week. Commuting and road rides.

yes, I try to get exercise daily, I have some physical issues that limit what I can do, so I don't work out as much as I would like to. I'm going thru a series of shots tomorrow to try and help my back problems so if it helps, maybe I can get moving more.

I am trying to get into an exercise regimine but it's difficult because my sleep cycle is so messed up. I just found out that my school has a great gym and pool and I can use for free (and can bring friends for free). I will start with the pool, because my doctor recommended it. (I am on muscle relaxants from this illness I've battled for months now.) I am dropping weight right now and I don't want to gain a bunch when I get well again, so exercise is going to need to happen. For now, I've been doing a workout video occasionally (easy ones), and some resistance bands, the bender ball for modified stomach crunches, and using my very light free weights to try to form my arms a little. I am lazy though because I am really sapped of energy from being sick. They also don't want me to be burning a lot of calories because I am already dropping weight from being sick. I need to concentrate more on muscle-building. I wish I could go running but I've had eight knee and ankle surgeries and it hurts.

bipolar princess, taking regular rest days is good for your muscles. maybe five days on and two days off? or do different types of exercise on an on and off regime. i dragged myself out of the house for ages walking and swimming and it did absolutely nothing for depression so i have at the moment given up but then i am barely functioning at the moment so it's not surprising that exercise is not high on the motivation list!

I do 20-25 min of cardio 3-4 times a week.

I exercise daily, just being actively on my feet at work is enough but I do walk and go to the gym, using treadmill, cross-trainer ...whatever I feel like. I was going to badminton Fri nights too. Sounds pretty good but I'm not regular but building up to it. If you stretch prior any exercise it'll reduce aches and pains after. It's not true that no pain is no gain. I don't believe that. Any efforts you make will be worth it, and always drink tons of water!!

Thanks for all the responses.....the hubby said if I have aches and pains then I should do the dancing and warm up exercises until the pains go away then go back to the turbo jam vids....