Exercise and well being during chemo and radiation

Hazel_Nut

Just got back from Park City, Canyons UT...4 days of snowboarding. Total 82,634 vertical feet! Happy :-) Now back to work!

ksusan

Sounds fun! I'm getting my exercise today by (again) packing a hallway full of books into boxes, disassembling the book cases and moving them, and vacuuming in anticipation of a bathroom remodel beginning on Monday.

Moondust

Hazel_nut, sounds like you had a fabulous trip! I'll be there one of these days!

ksusan, your exercise is closer to what I'll be doing for exercise this weekend. But I did go to the gym after my rads today.

I track my calories so I can eat whatever I want. (Notice I didn't say "as much as I want"). Usually I eat very healthy foods, but if I want a bagel, I weigh it (or estimate), log the calories (approx 300 for a plain one) and eat it! Same with a donut or a McDonald's cone (only 170 cals) or a milkshake. As long as I stay under 2200 calories a day I won't gain. (Your calorie burn may be different). I use an app called MyNetDiary. It also tracks your nutrients, so I can make sure I'm getting enough of all the vitamins, minerals and fiber I need.

I wanted to recommend the Kind Strong bars. They have 10 grams of protein from pea protein, not soy. I'm impressed with the vitamins and minerals in it, and the taste is good. My favorite is the Jalapeno one. Honey Mustard is good too, but sometimes can taste too "mustardy" for me.

Once you start learning how many calories are in which things, you tend to make better choices. In the bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese, the smoked salmon part is very healthy, but the cream cheese has a ton of calories. I would choose to load up on the salmon and put just one thin layer of cream cheese on. You still get the taste but cut way down on calories.

ksusan

Ah--but if you're diabetic (as I am), the cream cheese moderates the carbohydrates of the bagel, resulting in a lower insulin spike. Not to mention that my weight stays exactly the same since starting Tamoxifen despite adding 5+ hours of aerobic dance to my week.

All good, clean fun with bodies.

littleblueflowers

Moondust, I'm gonna check out the app! That's really good info. I'm with you Ksusan, I never gain or lose. Full disclosure, I ate 5 bagels in the last 48 hours lol. Won't be getting those again any time soon! On the plus side, I do drink kombucha like it was my job. Gotta add more protein! Always with the protein.

Italychick

littleblue, lol on the five bagels. You had a binge!

Now I'm sitting her fantasizing about a bagel toasted well with purple onion, smoked salmon, tomatoes, cream cheese and capers. One of my favorite foods and one I never indulge in anymore. Oh, and heck, while we are at it, throw a few slices of bacon on there too!

I agree with moondust, quantity matters in addition to quality. Quantity is what gets me, being Sicilian and Greek, man I love to eat. Heck, I started being an exercise freak just so I could eat. If I let myself, I could polish off a whole container of French onion dip and a bag of potato chips without batting an eye. Still waiting for the appetite slowing that is supposed to happen as we age. Yeah, that is never happening to me. Ever.

littleblueflowers

Italy- right???? Oh delicious delicious carbs. Hot and fresh and perfect right from the bakery...a schmere of local organic cream cheese.....or dipped in fresh hot single source light roast coffee with a splash of local cream....or piled high with sauteed mushrooms and bacon and onions all caramelized together...god I love food. Why I exercise too. No joke.

Italychick

my grandmas favorite thing to do was go get a loaf of fresh baked bread with my mom, melt an entire stick of butter in it, and eat it with the butter literally dripping down her arms. Drool!

But tonight, being a good girl. Having an organically raised pork chop with steamed artichokes.

Oh, maybe I did forget to include the dipping butter in my healthy meal......

Moondust

I used to buy a loaf of warm French bread when grocery shopping and have the whole thing eaten by the time I got home. (No butter though). Those were the days when I weighed 50 or 60 pounds more than I do now .

Yum on the artichokes, Theresa! Really nutritious and they've got a ton of fiber, too.

I made a humongous taco salad with romaine, spinach, swiss chard, onion, adzuki beans, lean ground turkey, avocado, salsa, and some very low cal salad dressing.

Italychick

oh yeah, taco salad is the bomb, big bowl full of yummies!

littleblueflowers

Yum to you both! I made mussels and a big green salad for dinner, and black berries. Not super healthy, but environmentally friendly at least. Tomorrow is sugar free but butter day, and paleo banana cranberry muffins. I swear. No. More. Bagels. Oh yeah, and I worked out. Yesterday only got an hour and a half, today got a six mile walk with dh and dd (dear dog). Doing push ups now while watching Valley of the Dolls.

littleblueflowers

i mean nut butter. Auto correct FAIL

ksusan

I had wild Chinook, cole slaw, and tomatoes for dinner, with club soda. Full disclosure: I then ate the skin of my lovely wife's baked potato, and then two of her gluten-free Girl Scout cookies.

I got Science Fiction & Fantasy authors A-P packed up, but lack the boxes for Q-Z, anthologies, and the unread shelves. Tomorrow. The air system guy was here today so I can change the filter before bathroom demolition begins Monday.

Also tomorrow I'm running errands, including picking up lots of fruits and vegetables. I have much grading to do, and I need healthy nosh. Can you say "100 oz of water and green tea"?

Now I'll get on the treadmill for an hour, then read my book about the history of scurvy that I bought last year to read during surgical recovery (but I wound up reading almost nothing and just listened to Eno's Music for Airports over and over in the middle of the night).

littleblueflowers

Ooooh ksusan, are the Chinooks running already? Did you catch it yourself? Potato skins are full of vitamins I've always heard.....

Your library sounds fabulous. And your treadmill!

ksusan

I have, in my life, caught one sunfish. This was the compromise of we want to eat healthy food/we do not want to cook dinner.

I like my library. I've had to cull it in recent years, but it's still pleasingly extensive. I'm going to call it 20 cartons of F&SF, excluding Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Sandman.

pboi

Jen...5 bagels...hehe...I'm jealous!

I'm getting hungry again reading here! Had pan fried tilapia and broccoli/red peppers for dinner. Managed to resist eating the ice cream I gave the kids for dessert. But then afterwards did indulge and ate 7 dark chocolate covered acai and blueberries, but there are some health benefits of dark chocolate and acai and blueberries right? That's my justification...lol! And then I hopped onto the treadmill for a half hour.

The taco salad sounds great Moondust...think maybe we will do that for dinner tomorrow.

Have a great weekend everyone!

PB

ksusan

Absolutely medicinal!

I've got about an hour on the treadmill to hit today's total. So looking forward to some long walks now that my heavy teaching term is over.

octogirl

artichokes are great, but to me they don't taste right unless dipped in LOTS of mayo....

Yesterday I did manage to walk before going to work, even though knees are still killing me. 6500 steps. Could be better, could be worse. It does feel good afterwards. Heading to the wildlife refuge near hear to walk while looking at geese today. Tomorrow the rain comes back but I can swim indoors. Need the exercise to deal with the time change...

Octogirl

azrescue

you all are amazing! I haven't gotten the exercise in this week that I'd hoped for. It's been raining here all week. So I've been thinking about what would be one good exercise "machine" to have at home. I noticed a few of you mention treadmills. Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Italychick

I bought a Keiser spin bike for my home. Doesn't use power, has a very small foot print, and I can jump on it whenever I can't do anything else, and I'm able to vary the intensity to fit my current needs. I think it cost me $1800, but it was well worth the cost. It is powered by a couple of AA batteries and uses a magnet to create resistance. I did get some DVDs to use with it, but I have gone to enough spin classes that I pretty much know different workouts I can do on it. We also have a Life Fitness cross trainer (elliptical) that we bought 10+ years ago, but that thing was incredibly expensive, and it takes up a lot of floor space, so you need a big house for it.

My friend swears by Tracy Andersons Metamorphosis DVDs but I have not tried them

Moondust

I'm actually thinking about getting a "desk treadmill" for home. One that can be set for a very slow speed to allow me to walk while doing things on the computer. And also be set for a faster speed to get my steps when the weather is bad. I've looked at some online - they don't come with arms so hopefully I could slide it under a desk or somewhere. I have a very small house (1100 sq ft). And I also want an adjustable height desk so I can work sitting or standing. I'll let everyone know what I find.

Theresa, the spin bike sounds awesome! We have an exercise bike which my husband uses. It stays in the living room, but then again so do all my weights and resistance bands. (I might even buy a weight bench). I used to do spin class until my knee surgery 5 years ago. Now the pedaling seems to stiffen up my knee afterwards, so I haven't done any more.

ksusan

I have a treadmill. Consumer Reports said that treadmills are the least likely piece of equipment to become a clothes rack. It's got a small television and a Sonos speaker (wireless programmable) in front of it, and I've got it set up as a desk. Instead of buying a treadmill desk, which would be lovelier but expensive, I got a treadmill with flat arms and constructed the desk myself. I usually treadmill at 1.8-3.2 MPH depending on what I'm doing. Grading online exams, for example, is 1.8, whereas reading email can be 2.8 and listening to music or watching something can be higher.

The Jessica Smith Walk On DVD is what I do if it's a non-Zumba day and I need something more aerobic than walking. As Jackbirdie and Slothabouttown will attest, I also walk in place.

I have free weights, but haven't had time for more than minimal lifting. I plan to rectify that in the next two weeks when I'm stuck at home with contractors.

ksusan

Homemade treadmill desk

Desk in use

Italychick

I have a desk I got from the human solutions, it is called the hover uplift. Has a little motor so I can go from sitting to standing with the press of a button. I think they also have treadmill add ons, but I haven't looked at that yet. But I love my desk, have had it for five years

Italychick

Just did 32 mile bike ride, 1670 feet of climbing, take that cancer! Now heading out for a four mile beach walk

ksusan

Hah! When people ask me at Zumba, "How do you have the energy to do two classes in a row?" I say, "Fear of death."

Moondust

Great treadmill mod, ksusan, o handy one! How did you get the wood to sit flat on the arms?

Excellent ride, Theresa!

I did some upper body work yesterday and my right pec/armpit area/bicep has a little soreness, so I'll stick to abs and walking today. Thinking about it in terms of exercise, I'm glad my chemo will come after rads, because I'll have a few more weeks to regain my fitness before I get knocked down again.

littleblueflowers

hahaha ksusan and theresa. Timor mortis indeed. If you keep running, the beast can't catch you...I hope.

ksusan

I got a treadmill with pretty flat arms. I wrapped them in foam as a shock absorber. The "desk" is a shelf with holes drilled in it so it can be lashed to the arms and a central anchor. I put a piece of that anti-skid waffled rubber under the computer. Easy-peasy.

bluedog

Ksusan, who are some of your favorite fantasy/sci fi authors? I love Neal Stephenson, China Mieville, Iain M. Banks, Kage Baker . . .