9 Women Share How Fitness Helps Them Fight Their Chronic Illnesses

“On a day-to-day basis, even if I’m not in the midst of a flare-up, I generally have an unpredictable bathroom schedule. It’s very variable, and acts independently, no matter my food, water, etc., intake. And when I’m flaring, the irregularity turns into hyper-regularity—meaning I need to be near a bathroom all day, every day. I also get canker sores all over my mouth, I have no appetite, I’m extremely fatigued, and the smell of food makes me incredibly nauseated. I’m forced to live my life in the exact opposite way than I prefer.

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“Fitness has always been part of my life, but my forays into distance running and yoga came after I was diagnosed in 2009. Being a runner is one of my primary self-identifiers. It gives me confidence and gives me goals to work toward. It helps shape who I am outside of having Crohn’s disease. It’s easy to get entrenched in ‘being’ your disease, since it’s such a prominent part of life, but by establishing myself as a runner, I’ve been able to define who I am on my own terms, in my own terms. Even during a flare, I still call myself a runner, even when I’m physically incapable of running from being too weak. I know at some point I’ll be able to run again, and that gives me hope and excitement when life is otherwise, well, crappy. And when running is too aggravating for my stomach, yoga has been a phenomenal way for me to deal both physically and mentally with this disease. Beyond the physically gentle nature of practicing yoga, I’ve realized that the incorporation of deep breathing into my day does wonders for my mind and gut. There’s something about being present and in tune with your breath that simultaneously relaxes and energizes me.” —Robyn Mayer, 28, Crohn’s disease