2011 walking thread

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  • Lena
    Lena Member Posts: 1,036
    edited August 2011

    Oh wow Claire! I LOVE fig newtons and haven't eaten them in ages! I am DEFINITELY going to get some and try this, maybe it'll get me through rads...

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited August 2011
    Now Lena, remember you have to walk one mile for each fig newton Wink
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  • ReadingMama
    ReadingMama Member Posts: 573
    edited August 2011

    Do all pedometers have you input your stide length?  My dh bought me one, which is definately better than the cheaper one I had before bc, but probably not to the level of the gps one that I see mentioned in this thread.  I wore it to work today and tried to count my steps also, I got about 1,000 steps, but the ped said 2,000.  I set it up quick last night and did not get to test it, so I will have to test it over the weekend.

    Also, has anyone used fitbit?  I guess it uploads wirelessly to help you track every day? But its expensive about $100. I saw a review in the paper yesterday and the guy really liked it.

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  • Lena
    Lena Member Posts: 1,036
    edited August 2011

    Mary -- a whole mile? While I'm doing RADS? Dream on, girl!

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited August 2011

    Lena: otherwise you don't get any bikkies!

    ReadingMama: I have an Omron pedometer, which does have me put in stride length, but some pedometers don't and just count steps. Does the one you just got ask you for stride length? That seems odd that your count wouldn't tally with what the pedometer says. If the pedometer miscalculated, I would expect it to undercount instead of overcount. Where are you wearing the pedometer? If it's not very sensitive, it would be best to attach it to your waistband or belt. Since your estimate was half what the pedometer counted, is it possible that you are confusing step length with stride length?

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  • Lena
    Lena Member Posts: 1,036
    edited August 2011

    What are 'bikkies'?

    My pedometer also insisted on programming in stride length. 

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  • ReadingMama
    ReadingMama Member Posts: 573
    edited August 2011

    Thanks Mary.  I did wear it on my waistband.  But I know its hard to count 2,000 steps in my head while walking through rushhour in Manhattan while listening to music!  On the way home it was closer, I counted about 1,700 steps and the ped said a little over 2,000.  So I'll test it more this weekend on smaller counts and see how it does.  I'll also enter my stride length again, but that may be more for the mileage as it will give you mileage and calories burned.

    I was surprised that I walked over 10,000 steps today and that was without one of my 40 minute walks.  I know I have a longer walk to work than some, after I get off the public transportation is 10-15 minutes (each way) and then I took the kids on a PJ walk to a nearby stream, that is also about 10 minutes away. I hope that will encourage me to take a shorter 10 minute walk when I don't have the energy or time for a longer walk.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited August 2011

    Lena: bikkies = biscuits (American cookies).

    ReadingMama: It usually takes me an hour and a half to do 10,000 steps (4.5 miles for me). But you can certainly accumulate it over a lot of 10 minutes walks and if you were wearing the ped all day at work, you'd be surprised how short spurts of walking add up. If I'm walking on the flat, I can do 3.5 miles an hour, but esp in this heat 3 miles an hour is more typical for me. 

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  • FLwarrior
    FLwarrior Member Posts: 977
    edited August 2011

    Ladies, I am jealous!!!  I love to walk and did most of the way through chemo...til it got tooooo hot outside!  It made me feel much better and it really helped me weather the SE of chemo.  I would love to be walking now, but due to taxotere induced neuropathy...I can't stand or walk for any length of time. Did any of you have trouble with neoropathy in your feet?  Any tips to get past it?  My BS says 2 to 3 more months and it should get better. I look forward to taking nice long walks again!

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  • pinkpalette
    pinkpalette Member Posts: 88
    edited August 2011

    Greetings ladies!  Just got chemo #2 out of the way, 4 more to go, then Rads and continued Herceptin.  Anyway, I am trying to walk daily.  I am walking a mile.  I have Rheum. Arthritis so this is a feat for me, but I am trying to do this to heal. 

    When I walk, I found a free app for iphone - a pedometer app.  It is very cool.  I am still calibrating it to my stride.  I make little steps I guess.  If anyone is interested or has an iphone or other smartphone, check and see if this is available to you. 

    I intend to continue to walk and will check back on this thread for inspiration.  Walk on pink warriors!!!!

     Hugs, pp

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  • hrf
    hrf Member Posts: 3,225
    edited August 2011

    I managed a real walk yesterday although it was slow. Did close to 5000 steps and then with errands and such during the day did manage to get to 10,000 It's still very hot and hard for me to walk in such heat but in think temp will get more comfortable soon and will try to walk first thing every morning to get my day going. You folks are my inspiration

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  • GmaFoley
    GmaFoley Member Posts: 7,091
    edited August 2011

    Been working the last 2 days but hubby dropped me off at the doctor's office, then I walked to the store where he was after...

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  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited August 2011

    Last week must have been a personal record, a 6-hour hike, and that for 2 days in a row! The beautiful surroundings made it worth the effort. Here's a link to a photo of where we were.

    http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1630445

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  • GmaFoley
    GmaFoley Member Posts: 7,091
    edited August 2011

    Heidihill : That is a beautiful place hike :-) Afraid, I'm not quite up to 6 hours though - the one hour walk around the park is my personal best so far...

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  • Lena
    Lena Member Posts: 1,036
    edited August 2011

    I'm "out of it" again. I can't do kidney recovery, radiation treatment AND a cold all at the same time and STILL have energy to do anything more than lie on the couch all weekend watching Star Trek DVDs and surfing the net with my iBook...... if/when I can "come back," I'll let you all know.....

    Mary -- I'm American and never heard the term "bikkies" before. I always heard them called "biscuits." I like 'em well enough but I'd rather have good Italian garlic bread. LOL 

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited August 2011

    Just breathtaking Heidi.  I would do this hike too, even with my sore ankle.  Would tape it up, slug down some ibuprofen, and GO!!!!!!!

    I am doing a cycling weekend next weekend, so should be fun.  Today was a training ride.

    But so many great places to explore, so little time.  I'm in!!!!!!! - Claire

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited August 2011

    Lena: the bikkies comment was in relation to the Fig Newtons which Claire recommended for a quick energy fix. In the US they are cookies, but in Europe the equivalent (fig rolls) are biscuits (slang bikkies). Sorry to hear about your cold on top of everything else.

    Heidi: that place is beautiful, what a wonderful place to walk!

    Claire: you have so much energy. You really put the rest of us to shame.

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited August 2011

    Hi Mary.....

    A lot of this is self-generating. So the more you build up your stamina and exercise, the more you need to.

    I also know I just have to do this to be healthy over the long term.  Here is a study just published in the UK.  Really, really important message.  I just shared with my oncology team. - Claire

     http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Documents/AboutUs/Commissioners/Physicalactivityevidencereview.pdf



     

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited August 2011

    Claire: thanks for that link. It's always good to be reminded of the benefits of exercise both in terms of reducing risk of bc recurrence and for overall health.

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  • BlyDncr
    BlyDncr Member Posts: 21
    edited August 2011

    After two weeks of 100+ heat index weather, it is finally cooling off and I feel like walking again.  Only got in 9337 steps (3.8 miles) on my pedometer yesterday, but I'm happy with that.  It is twice what I was doing during the heat wave. I did close to 3 miles at the Y and the rest later in the evening.  I attended a potluck picnic at a Sioux Falls park with some fellow china painters and after eating we walked through the park's flower gardens.  I have three weeks left of the nutrition/exercise program that the cancer center and YMCA offer.  Tonight, the class is on water workouts which I am really looking forward to (much better than core balance/weighted ball class last week). I'm also hoping to get in some walking before the water workouts.  I have 3 rad boosts left, so this is a big week for me.  Once the daily middle of the day appointments are over, it will make it more convenient for me to work in the exercise.

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  • ReadingMama
    ReadingMama Member Posts: 573
    edited August 2011

    Heide and Claire, wow you have so much energy, very inspiring!!!



    I was sick all weekend so got zero steps in basically on Sat, Sun and yesterday. So I did not have a chance to test the pedi, so will have to trust it for now. I did walk for 20 minutes at work to try to get to the 10,000. Right now its raining, so we will see what I'm at when I get home (should be at least at 8,000) and if its still raining or not.

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  • Lena
    Lena Member Posts: 1,036
    edited August 2011

    Well let's hope a little is better than none at all. Over my cold but still walloped (now I know it's rads!). So I'm not up for the long hilly walks around town, but when I went for yesterday and today's rads, I took the far parking lot/no elevators walk. Gotta do the parking garage tomorrow though, because I'm having surgery after rads and I just don't see my Pack Rat dragging me out of the hospital helping me walk to the far parking lot shortly after coming up from a general anesthetic.

    ETA: ReadingMama, I was sick all weekend too! For me it was a cold and low grade fever (and exhaustion!), how bout you? When did you start feeling like you were getting over it? For me, that was yesterday evening. 

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  • GmaFoley
    GmaFoley Member Posts: 7,091
    edited August 2011

    Ok ladies...My hubby and I walked the ladies route around the duck pond today - keeping up with hubby's fast pace was rough... I am glad I walk with my 2 friends :)  - As I was walking today (on my birthday) my sister called to wish my happy birthday and then she gave me some rough news... she also has breast cancer... She was very scared and upset and I talked her through all her questions and when she got off the phone seemed ready to talk to her cancer team tomorrow... I wish I was closer but we are 900 miles away and I have no money to go see her... What a birthday...

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  • Lena
    Lena Member Posts: 1,036
    edited August 2011

    That's AWFUL, Gma! I'm so sorry you have to deal with worries about your sister. :-(

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2011

    Can anyone recomment a good pedometer? I just have one of those cheap things like my kids had to use in junior high.(They just shook them to get the steps!)

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  • GmaFoley
    GmaFoley Member Posts: 7,091
    edited August 2011

    Lena: all she knows from the biopsy is that it is less than 1 cm and is ILC  and ER+  She will be talking to her team tomorrow but is thinking lumpectomy with clear margins.... the onc has told her that she will probably not need chemo or radiation if her nodes are clear....I think it might be because of her age... not sure - it seems like they caught it earlier than me but at least hers showed up on the mammogram...mine didn't.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited August 2011

    Lena: Sorry to hear about your cold. I had one a few weeks back and took ages to shake it off. Having to go through rads at the same time as fighting a cold is lousy.

    Gma: So sorry to hear about your sister. Even though you're so far away you can be an enormous support to her via phone while she goes through this. It's esp useful in the early stages to have the advice of someone who has gone through it so recently. You'll be able to help her understand the whole new language one has to learn. Hoping that your sister has no node involvement. It would be great to skip the chemo and rads.

    Gillyone: I have had an Omron pedometer for years and find it wonderful. The one I have is the Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer. It's about $20 on Amazon. Maybe someone else can comment on what they use. 

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  • hrf
    hrf Member Posts: 3,225
    edited August 2011

    I just bought a Timex ($25) also because the cheapie was not reliable. This one seems to be ok

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2011

    Thnaks Maryny and hrf, I will check them out. 7:16am here and I have just returned from a 38 minute walk. I am always so pleased with myself when I manage it.

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  • BlyDncr
    BlyDncr Member Posts: 21
    edited August 2011

    Gillyone

    I also had 3 cheapie pedometers that did not work.  I finally broke down and got a good one and it was worth the money (can't remember if it was $29 or $39 at Scheels).  It is an Omron HJ-303 and it works in any position - clips on waistband or it can be carried in pocket. One thing that I really like about it is that it not only records the daily steps (up to 7 days in memory), but that it also records how many of those steps were at moderate speed (walking around the house vs walking faster on trail or treadmill) 

    As far as the walking goes, I only did a little over 7300 steps yesterday, but I also did 45 minutes of water workouts so even though I haven't hit my goal of 10,000 steps a day, I think I still had a good exercise day. Today I probably won't get many steps in since I have my next to last radiation boost in 2 hours and then I'm going to go and treat myself to a pedicure.  Later, I'm going with some of my girlfriends for a Ladies Night Out at a local pizza bar (pizza with alfredo sauce, spinach, artichoke hearts and shrimp - yummy) and then to see "The Help".  So this will be one of my "bad girl" days, but I figure that I deserve to celebrate.

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