Motivation

Mumayan-I hear you. 2 yrs ago I lost 42 lbs, was very proud of myself. I did gain 15 back, then Sept hit and I was dx'ed. I have only to gain 10 more lbs and I am back where I was 2 years ago. My motivation is not great but this is what is getting me back to the gym (big joke,just started again yesterday) but anyway, May is my 25th high school reunion, this summer dh wants to go to Hawaii (child, ha will be 17 wants to try surfing) and I got rid of my fat clothes and now have nothing to wear, since I have not been working no money for new ones, must lose the weight and soon.

Start with going for walks, unless like us you are under 6 ft of snow (okay we aren't under 6 ft but too much to walk in) You are going to have to start slow. But I do challenge you today to do some sort of exercise and either post or pm me back! Maybe a little friendly competition to help us both??? Let me know.

Penny

Penny ~  I like the idea of friendly competition -- or at least accountability.  Pre-chemo, I walked 2.5 to 3 miles each a.m.  Post-chemo & rads, I can hardly get myself away from the computer.  No energy, and now just out of the habit.  I only need to lose 5 lbs., but even with that minimal gain, my jeans are getting tight!  And I'm afraid that getting off HRT, which I had to do, is part of the problem, so may not be easy to lose or even prevent further gain (yikes!).  So, I am all up for at least reporting in to each other every day as to what we plan to do and if we get it done.  With that, I want to walk at least 2 miles today, and am going now to find my pedometer!  I think I'll also upload a few upbeat tunes to my MP3 player.  There's another new thread here this a.m. about good tunes for chemo, and I think I'll start with a few of those to fight fat!   Deanna

You'd think that feeling crappy would be enough motivation but it sure isn't enough for me (or anyone I know!) D@mn.

I made a commitment to exercise every day when I was going through chemo 3 years ago. And I did. Luckily, as I was finishing chemo and mastectomy I was training for my black belt in Tae Kwon Do and that gave me a lot of motivation and I joined a gym. I've kept up my gym membership and that's helped and I'm committed now to hard exercise at least 4 x week and I've been able to keep that up except for when I was in school last semester.

My problem is the motivation to eat well. I do great for a while and then get stressed and eat peach pie and ice cream at work in the afternoon (yesterday) followed by 2 york peppermint patties and then brought home pizza for dinner and had a piece for breakfast. UGH.

Okay... I still need to get on track here. We had weekend houseguests (I know, it's an excuse), so I was busy cleaning, shopping and cooking.  I probably went a bit overboard with that, but my house really needed it, and it felt good to do something "normal" for a change.  But they just left, and I am determined to get some real exercise today.  I hope you guys will beat me up if I come up with any more excuses.  I'm starting to feel better, so really need to get out there and walk or hike or something.   Deanna

P.S.  You guys are inspiring me -- especially when you're finding a way to exercise when it's cold outside! 

Went with DH to a large Street Fair/Farmer's Market today.  I wore my pedometer, and, although it wasn't terribly fast paced walking, I was happy to see I'd walked 3000 steps (1.5 miles) by the time we left.  They say you're supposed to do 10,000 steps a day for good health, so I have a long way to go.  But it's a start, and I like this thread as a way to be accountable and inspired to stick with it and step it up.  I hope more women will find us and want to join.   Deanna

Good morning, ladies, especially the new "faces"! 

I just finished walking 2.85 miiles (5700 steps on my pedometer), and am feeling very good about it.  It took me 55 mins., which isn't too off from my pre-bc pace.  And I have absolutely have mumayan, Penny and this thread to thank for getting me re-motivated. 

I hope all of you will be similarly inspired today.  Be sure to report in with your progress!  We are so blessed to be in a rebuilding stage now.   Deanna  

Great Job Ladies!

We got 5 inches of snow last night so didn't walk the dog.  I did ride the stationary bike for 50 minutes while watching some stupid made-for-TV movie.  I only did 1/2 of my sit ups and push ups though.

Tomorrow is the day for new adventure.  I have been talking and I mean "big talk" about taking a kick-boxing class.  Tomorrow is the day.  I said it outloud so it is going to happen!

On a not-so-good note:  I did eat a bag of multi-grain cheetos today.  One step forward - two steps back

Hi Ladies!

Lots of old friends here!

I have a pedometer! It is a great reality check! 

I'd like to share one thing that helps keep me motivated. There are studies that show if a BC woman walks 30 minutes 6 days a week, her risk of recurrance goes down 50%!!! (This is better than chemo, radiation, etc!)

See here: Anti Cancer, A New Way of Life.  (at this link you can see an interview with the author, and he says this!)  I also have the book and the reserach is sited there!  Also about diet, and de-stress/ serenity. I HIGHLY recommend this book. It is all stuff to do in ADDITION to medical treatments...

I have been walking 2.5 - 3.25 miles, 4-6 times a week since January. (14-16 miles a week, typically) This past weekend it rained and snowed, so I went to my daughters gym and was able to walk for an hour on the treadmill! 3.4+ miles! By the end of sunday I had gone over 8800 steps!

I didn't do anything yesterday b/c of the snow, AND I started full time work March 1.!!! I am so afraid I will not fit it in! But I HAVE TO!!! 

I am hoping to STAY MOTIVATED!!!  

It looks like we are all making great progress with our commitments to ourselves and each other!  I am especially impressed with those of you who have to get motivated with the snow and bad weather.  I rarely have that excuse here!  In fact, it was actually HOT by the time I got back from my walk  -- 5170 steps; 2.6 miles and 74 degrees -- just now.

Hi, Spring!  It doesn't sound like you need motivation as much as some of us have, but I'm very happy to see you here!  I don't think I'd have 2 days under my belt if it weren't for this thread, so thank you all for being here!   I have been so focused on my boobs the past few months, I forgot all about my thighs.  With warm weather coming, I hope I've caught the problem in time!    Deanna

I had my bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders last Monday (Feb 23) and started with 30 minutes on the elliptical yesterday and today.  Also, 100 sit-ups on the exercise ball. My motiviation is to wake up the digestive tract, if you know what I mean.  Also, I know if I just lay here, I will only have more aches and pains.  I felt better yesterday evening but woke several times during the night with pains from the expanders.  It didn't keep me from getting right back on today.

I am going to try a yoga video shortly, even if I can't do everything, I can stretch as best I can.

Deanna

The situps are on the exercise ball, which isn't the same as doing them on the floor.  They are pretty easy to do this way.  I tried the yoga and it didn't work.  There is a lot of bending down and that caused the tissue expanders to dig into my ribs so I had to stop.    

I live near Syracuse and Utica, closer to Utica.   

PT, oooo kick boxing!!! I like the sound of that. Did you imagine kicking the cancer's butt?

Dani!!! Exercise ball sit ups. OK. I have to do some of that, abs have been totally neglected!!!

PT ryhming!

Today is Healing Touch for me with a friend. I will try to get on the cross trainer. I saw the exercise ball and the trampoline in the other room. I should do those ball sit ups.