TN Ten Pounds Take-Off

NavyMom

I can totally relate to the yo-yo syndrome of the same 3 lbs coming and going.                           

Heidi:   I am 169.5 this morning       I actually was expecting much worse.  I was in Florida for 5 days and the only thing I did for exercise was walk(not the tread mill kind,either)  I ate more fried food than usual and had more cocktails than usual.  The only positive is that being in the hotel I am not near my own kitchen for the in between snacking or late night nibbling.  

Navy

tnbcRuth

Navy- hope you enjoyed Florida!  Its a great place to VISIT !!  I'm yo-yoing as well.  Don't have a plan of attack so guess I'll keep plugging away.  At least my diet is super healthy.  I just look like a jellybean in my clothes.  Up to 149 (again) after a Fabulous weekend!!!! but Heidi, no bother to post...it'll change by Friday, my official weigh in date.  Hopefully numbers will go DOWN.  

Fighter_34

I don't know ladies. I am eating well most of the time just a few snacks here and there, but nothing is happening. A girl friend of mine told me to try out fluid pills. I will run it pass the ONC and see what he says. She went down like 7 pounds in a month; which she said was water weight.

MBJ

GuyGirl:  MuffinTop is how I know I am over weight, lol!  I can't go up a size either, because it's too big.  I totally feel like I go two steps forward and two steps back.  Thanks for reminding me to weigh in.

minxie

I'm still in the same place, not really losing anything thaough I'm trying. I am starting to think the anti-anxiety meds I am on have caused some of this weight gain - I started them in October and since then have put on about 8 pounds. Of course, it could just be winter weight, or my body re-adjusting after all the chemo weight I lost... hard to say.

I did have a question for you all. In the long term what is better for a TN to do - try and cut fat out of the diet, or try and cut carbs out of the diet in an effort to reduce weight? In seems to be carbs that make one pack on the pounds, and I know thay're converted to sugar which cancer cells feed on. But TNs are supposed to be on low fat diets - now is that because fat = weight gain and obesity is bad for TN? Or is it because there is something in fat that causes cancer?

As you can see, I don't want to give it all up and subsist on raw veregetables!

gillyone

I am out of town and restaurant eating this week. I had lentil soup and salad for lunch but the garliciest fires ever last night at Gordon Biersch. No wonder noone wants to be near me!!

gillyone

Fries not fires

Luah

minxie: It's a good question. I don't think "they" really understand the link between fat and TNs - the research isn't there yet. Still, I aim for not more than 20-25% of my calories from fat (not always successful on that - lol) and I try to eat only good carbs - whole grains, beans, "cancer-fighting" fruits and veggies. It's a balancing act for sure, as many "low-fat" foods bulk up the flavour with sugars/carbs. I like to think that a healthy weight, a sensible diet and vigorous exercise 5 X / week provides us with good protection, but who really knows?    

Anonymous

I'm holding at 132...

I am also a bit perplexed at the yo-yo weight gain/loss. I am beginning to conclude that everything I use to know about my body has changed. It's a traitor, so why should I trust it now? I don't.

As for diet, I did the whole organic, super low fat thing for awhile. I think we all do at the height of our fear phase. Once I learned how to handle the fear I became less concerned about diet and exercise. I have always eaten relatively healthy, get plenty of physical activity and always been a healthy weight. 

I have come to the conclusion that obsessing over every thing I put in my mouth or don't do in the form of exercise just serves to keep me in the "OMG I had cancer" mindset. Excuse me, but f*ck that!

So, I lead a life of moderation, and that suits me just fine. If I want to indulge in some super high cholesterol meal followed by some totally decadent dessert I do. Because, IMO life is too short not to. I want to enjoy what time I have left, not worry about how I might be shortening it.

In truth, I feel that cancer is a crap shoot anyway, and have expressed that often. That's not to say that we can't do things to improve our health. Notice I said *health* and NOT *lower our recurrence*.  I think that doing the first (improving our health) lessens the likelihood of the second (having a recurrence).

The fundamental difference for me is that I am no longer willing to essentially stand on my head and say eighty eleven Hail Marys each day (and anything else that you can think of) to keep The Beast at bay.

I don't like the beast and by pushing him out of my ADLs (activities of daily living) and refusing to let him take over my life I feel I am winning the war. Does this make sense? 

MonikaV

Ok I had my post op visit today . Last time on their scale i weighed 160 but today I was 156.5 . On my scale at home I am 148.5 . I need to buy a new scale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Heidi I think I remained the same , I will let you know for sure tomorrow when I get a new scale. Have a great day.

ericavw

147.2, woot! 7 more to go!

Ellen... the muffin top. I hear that!!! No carbs is the only thing that gets rid of mine, then just whole grain type of carbs to maintain. Sigh. So much effort! 

MBJ

Heidi:  When I was diagnosed with BC, I was a pescatarian:  No meat, just fish.  Since chemo I find that I crave protein and now I eat meat again, after 15 years of not having any.  I agree with you--I don't want to live my life constantly fretting over every little bite.  Unfortunately for me, I have adrenal fatigue and that diet doesn't allow me any sugar, bread, or alcohol.  Yep, you guessed it, I am in a fowl mood.  That happens to be all of the foods that I love and I miss my red wine.  I am going to try it for 3 months to see if any of my symptoms go away.  Eventually, I am hoping I can eat normal again, cause this just plain sucks!!!

Erica:  I am doing almost no carbs and it is sooooo hard.  Funny, foods like muffins make us looks like muffins, yikes!

Fighter_34

Well said Heidi. I too find myself chilling out more nowadays! Gotta live....

Anonymous

Obesity and TNBC

http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20110301/obesity-boosts-risk-for-aggressive-breast-cancer?ecd=wnl_brc_031511

ericavw

MBJ: Isn't it? It's ridiculous! And just when I was doing so good... what comes around? Girl Scout cookies! Gah! I had forgotten I even ordered them. I pawned some off on my mother-in-law, thank goodness. I don't drink at all, so that helps me. I don't feel like I'm missing out on another thing there. But cookies and chips and bread? Wahhh!! I have to say... when I follow the South Beach Diet though, I DO feel my best. I just want some Somoa's and Tag-A-Long's in there. Hahaha.

ericavw

Oh, and Heidi... I wassss 152.2 at my highest after my MX if you could update that

Luah

Heidi: I agree with you and I love your posts.  I'm just not quite there yet. Hoping to get there soon... maybe the TNBC webinar you posted about will help!

MBJ

Girl Scout Cookies!  I am a thin mints kinda girl and also the peanut butter one's.  Not going to be going there anytime soon. 

I had lots of fat taken out of my belly and put into my step off area so I will let you all know if this lowered my weight or just moved it around, lol.

ericavw

MBJ... Haha!!! I was just thinking this morning... "Okay, so after my exchange... I'm gonna be heavier REGARDLESS because I'm gonna have two big ol' implants in me! Gah!" Lol. I'm happy as heck to not have to be lopsided anymore, but dang! I just lost 5 lbs... I don't wanna gain any back! Lol. And the Girl Scout Cookies. Ughhhh. I have a box of the Thin Mints in my freezer. My hubby loves those. I like them, but not enough to care to open the box and eat them. Samoa's and Tag-a-Long's are my downfall! Thank God I got them outta the house...

Fighter_34

MBJ I was told about the step thing, and I am so hoping and praying for lipo....

Sugar77

I found the pretzel M&Ms here in Canada (...but I didn't buy them, yet)!  I'm back where I started so I haven't lost or gained...I've been eating well and exercising regularly and doing at least 10,000 steps per day so I'd have to say I've hit a plateau or something.  I feel good so I'm going to keep on keepin' on!

MBJ

sugar:  Walk away from the pretzels, lol!  I am so happy you have yourself in a routine.  Now that my surgeries are done I have to get a game plan going.

fighter:  Wish I could just eat that step off away but it doesn't work like that.  Hoping this one takes.

ericavw

Ohhhhh, the pretzel M&M's. So delish!! But I agree with MBJ... step awayyyy from the pretzels! Hah. I'm doing the South Beach Diet still, so I get my "sugar" fix from sugar-free jello, pudding, ice pops, fudge pops, and my favoriteeee sugar-free candy... Baskin Robbins hard candy. They have mint chocolate chip and cookies and cream! Just what I need after lunch or in the afternoon. And I'll have the sugar-free ice pop or fudge pop after dinner. There's like 40 calories in them, that's it!! And it's enough for me (when I see that scale going down that is!)

MBJ

Erica:  I might have to look into the sugar free deserts.  Mine turned out to add pounds even though they didn't have sugar in them.

ericavw

Really? I have to be veryyy strict. I haven't had carbs or sugar in 3 weeks. (well, I had a few bites of ice cream... but besides that I've been super strict) and it totally works for me. Sometimes I get discourage because I'll go up a down a lb or two in there... but ultimately, it always goes right back down. I know it's either water weight, or the time of the month, etc. The sugar free stuff doessss help you stick to a diet!

Titan

Heidi..still at 150..but I did jog for 3 miles on Thursday and have been walking every day...We are starting a weight loss program next week at work..get a paid day off if our team loses the most so that is motivation...We've got 3 guys on the team who could stand to lose a few plus my DD who is losing weight for her wedding...I've got to get busy..can't let the team down..!

MBJ

Titan:  That sounds great!  I need a team to get me off of my a$#@!!  I tell ya, now that I am done with my surgeries (I hope) I have to get a routine going.

BTW:  For those of you interested, this is a great article on how/why sugar "feeds" cancer.  I read it because I am now forbidden to have sugar which is my big weakness.  I think it's a great article to read for us TN's:  http://www.drlam.com/articles/2001-No5-SugarandAging.asp?page=3

Anonymous

I'm down to 129 and haven't a real clue as to why. OK, hubby hasn't cooked as much lately, but I've still had pizza and ice cream! Go figure.... but I'm not complaining.

gillyone

Just back from a week away and have not had a home coked meal in all that time. Restaurant food then many sandwiches as DH and I spent time with his mother in hospital after a stroke and moving his dad into an assisted living facility as he can't manage by himself (even though he insists he can!) so not a great week by any standards. I am not looking forward to stepping on the scale on Monday morning. It won't be good. My yo-yo is just yo-ing in the upward direction I suspect.

tnbcRuth

Oh Gill, what a stressful week!!!  Trying to diet through that would be ridiculous.  You needed your strength and sanity.  I hope you had a bowl of ice cream and mabye a little chocolate!

If you start back Monday, the 1-2 lbs you May have gained, will melt right off.  And with all that activity, you probably lost a pound or two like Heidi, ha!!

Take care and go easy on yourself.