Motivation

Hi I am 2 weeks into chemo and went out rowing (slowly) which was lovely as it was really warm, but I am dreading winter.

Good luck Lari

Hello everyone!  Walked a little today, not as much as yesterday. Had my 2 grandbabies yesterday so I think that along with long walk did me in. Will see if DH will go for bike ride later. Kari also loved the quote today, I look forward to those as Deanna does. Take care all. Kathy

TRigeek is hopping on the motivation band.. as she has fallen off the track and needs some sister tlc

I actually am on kind of a self destructive trend with my workouts, skipping sleep.. getting up at 4 am to sweep row as a sub.. and working out at night after work too.. sleeping 4-5 hours (swiss cheese sleep interrupted with hot flashes) And of course when I feel tired I hit the vending machine.. and gobble down ice cream sandwiches, milky ways..until I run out of change.

This cannot be good for me..

Deanna, he thought the chemo helped your teeth and gums???? LOL LOL LOL. I'm with you! It's all the good stuff you are doing!!!

Lari, I exercised and did PT all through chemo, and it was really important for me. You can do it! You will be better for it. Good for you!

Allie - LOVE THE T!!!! Every damn day! Yep! That is the goal anyway!

Tri, sheesh... sleep is way important. But I know what you mean about the Swiss Cheese sleep. I woke up last night totally covered in sweat. I go from boiling to freezing, all night long! Then feet cramps!!! ahhhhck! 

I have to get on the cross trainer. I came here to tell you so I WOULD DO IT!!!!

Love you girls! Deanne, yes, it's not "the computer" - it's US!!!! 

Spring.

Wow, our little group is growing so much, I can't keep up. It is wonderful to see all the newbies looking for a little jump start. ValJean, you do my heart proud. You are passing it on. I am so proud of you. I remember how sad you sounded when you first came to us, and now you are walking in the sun. As each of us passes through, be sure to keep passing it on.

Ainm-gee it sounds like you are having Irish weather! Half my family is there right now. So if you run into a group of Chicago teenagers, who like like they are were born and raised in the Emerald Isle, tell remind them they are too young to drink! I can't remember what town they are going to. My SIL friend have a house they are renting.

I have been taking the beamer (the two wheeled one, not the 4 legged one Alli) almost every day. The weather has been cool and perfect for biking, but today I decided to take a nice long walk along the river.

Lari-Do not let winter be an excuse. I love walking in the snow. I love the quiet peace it gives me and how wonderfully fresh breathing cold crisp air feels. And did you know you burn a lot more calories in the winter because your body has to work harder to keep warm. But it is only an advantage if you get outside and do not stay in and eat all those christmas cookies. Can you tell, summer is not my favorite season.

Okay, haven't been here in a while and, of course, haven't been exercising too much so I'm back again and right this minute I'm putting on my walking shoes and going out.  Will report in later.  Thanks for being here.

Okay, did a little over an hour (can't let EWB out-walk me! LOL) and I'm pooped and sweating but at least I moved - Whoopeeeeeeee!

"nipple rings with the bc symbol - ouch!!! Okay, I'm not laughing (anymore - just funning with you!)  How about over on the "crafts" thread - bet some of those inventive ladies can help out and maybe even make them for you.  Definitely worth posting the request over there as well.

Will keep Cathy in prayer.

OK, this is working for me! I came here several nights in a row vowing to do my crosstrainer, even though I didn't feel like it at end of day, BUT I DID IT!!! (Every freakin day, JUST DO IT). I could use one of those T-Shirts! LOL...

So here I am, it's saturday, and I vow to do 3 miles and 40 min on the cross trainer!!! (Thank goodness you all are here!!! or else I may be a slug!)

Kari, yes, hot and cold flashes. It feels like my body's temperature regulation is shot to heck! LOL!!! Thanks for the explanation, and image of you and DH dancing!     

And I have lost 10 lbs now since chemo ended in Dec!! The careful mostly plant based diet and all this good exercise is paying off.  My BMI is now 24.2, but get this, the "range" is 18.5 - 24.9 !!! I am like right at the edge, so I am going to keep this up... ONC told me that healthy BMI was shown to help prevent reoccurances. Did anybody else ever hear that? Stay lean?

Spring.

Hello everyone - back from my SIL's 40th birthday - boy ate too much beautiful food so need to get out and walk it off.  3 more days till I see my Plastic Surgeon and see if I can start running again .... so tempted to just go out today.....sigh!

Spring - from what I have read estrogen can be stored in fat so a healthy weight is very important, especially for post-menopausal women.  Not to mention all those lovely endorphins you get when you exercise   I was quite slim before BC and after all my surgeries etc. I feel like my muscle has turned to flab ... and that fat storing thing my Onc told me about just freaks me out ... yet another thing!!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone

Helena

Well, I have some further motivation.  My knees are in pain.  They did hurt a little before my walk today.  Although I'm not excessively overweight I know that reducing may help so I'm going to try and get to the pool at least 5 times a week to workout.  Wish me luck.

Well, I walked today for about half an hour but didn't get up much speed. I also did half an hour on Wii Fit (mostly aerobic stuff). I still have muscle and joint pain, and the soles of my feet are quite odd still. I'm taking the 8 paracetamol a day that my onc told me to take (even tho' I really hate having to take them) and of course I'm on day 4 of Tamox (will take the 4th one in a few mins). I have about 100 pounds to lose!!! I really wonder if that is achievable while taking Tamox? While I was out walking tonight my daughter made chocolate rice krispie cakes - that doesn't help!!!

You all seem so strong in your efforts. I am trying and my husband told me tonight that he was really proud of the effort I was making and how positive I am - but really I'm just so scared as my onc told me that I need to lose weight and get fit to avoid recurrence. I really want to avoid that but I find exercise so difficult and I've been trying to lose weight for over twenty years  - It seems so daunting.  I guess comfort eating is out of the question!!!!

Take care ladies - I'll check in tomorrow!!

Ainm - your DH sounds lovely - good on him for saying it out loud, a lot of men (including my DH) would think it but not pass it on!!!   I can't speak for the other lovely ladies here but I'm not strong all the time believe me.  I had 2 donuts for breakfast the other day - I don't even particularly like donuts but there were there!!!!! The important thing for me is to get back into it.  Even if it isn't making me lose the extra flab it is getting up and out, moving the poor old body and clearing the bad stuff from my head.

And Patoo said it beautifully one pound at a time - just like taking tamoxifen, one day at a time.

Hey, girls ~ Looks like there's lots to keep up with after being away from the computer for not even a whole day!  First, Kari, I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED that Hawaiian tune you posted about last night. It's such happy music.  I'm going to put it on my MP3 player for walking, and I'll think about you and your DH dancing around your backyard!  I'm sure Penny will love it too, after just getting back from Maui.  (Welcome back, Penny!)

Patoo ~ Glad you're back on track. What we're all after is long range lifestyle changes, and that isn't going to happen in a week or two.  We all need to keep focused the bigger picture and not freak out if we miss a day or two of exercise or have an occasional donut.  I honestly think it's what we do 90% of the time that matters, so as long as we don't fall back into bad habits, we'll be fine.  Anyway, I hope your knees don't become an issue for you.  Do you have really well-fitting running shoes?

Ainm ~ That's great that your DH is so supportive of your efforts!  Do you get that British TV Show there called "You Are What You Eat?"  That nutritionist is brutal, but she sure gets results with her clients.  We're not that harsh here, but we will have you up and exercising if you stick around.

Meg ~ On the body fat issue, I'm glad you sort of explained something I didn't understand.  I weigh about 125 and wear a size 6, but the fat calculator on my scale hovers around 30%, which I just didn't get.  I've been thinking I had to get down to 115 to get that percentage of fat lower, but now I think I understand that what I really need to do is buiId more muscle.  Thanks for touching on that point!      Deanna

Thank you so much for this thread!  I have had surgery, chemo, radiation, a hysterectomy (complete) and I am now on Femara - I have 35 lbs to loose and the achiness from the lack of estrogen and Femara in the last 2 weeks has become awful - I really feel worse than I did when I was having chemo!  When I got on line this morning - I found this group - and I stopped reading and walked for 45 minutes!  I used to walk every day - but you become afraid of the pain - thanks for giving me the motivation to get out there!  I will keep coming back! 

Lisa