Topic: Weight Watchers...Start the recovery process with us!

Jan...thanks for the links...

Hopepfully others will join in and contribute to this thread so we can get our gorgeous figures back for summer swimsuits...

lisalisa...

That is great...and what we can do is track your progress....Daily send us an email on this thread to tell us how far you walked...if you use a pedometer what the count was ....then we can see your progress....

I love this idea of sharing...it will help get everyone motivated to get fit again.....thanks lisalisa

Mom of boys...

I think they could be concerned with your lympnode reaction and sometimes the arms can swell with overactivity. 

I bought a 3 pound ball to work out with and thought it would be heavy enough...how much weight are you thinking of lifting?

You may want to start with some aerobic exercise...or slow burn type that requires at least thirty minutes, three to five times a week.  This should increase your heart rate to approx 70 percent of your predicted max heart rate.  Your max heart rate is usually calculated by subtracting your age from 220.  For example, if you are fifty years old, the heart rate you want to achieve during your exercise sessions would be calculated as follows:  220 minus 50 = 170; 70% of 170 = 119.

But you need to be flexible and list to your body during this time.  Your body will let you know when the energy you have is needed for recovery as opposed to exercising.  Don't feel guilty if you can't keep up or do what you use to do...it takes time...

You should consult with your doc first for sure...let us know....

Thanks for the feedback, ladies.  We all know how hard it is to WAIT.  I will check with my BS and onc first before resuming any weight lifting.  I am sooooo anxious to get back to "normal" (whatever that is for me now).

~Jan~

I'm having my exchange surgery next week so I'll be held up a little with that.  Also I have such bad muscle weakness yet that I can't even walk to the end of the block yet.  I'm trying to do pilates but even with that I end up just laying on the floor for a lot of it.  I just don't see any progress here.  I've been done with chemo for 4 1/2 weeks.  I should be getting stronger by now so I can get rid of this miserable 20 lbs. and get into some of my clothes.  I am eating better so that at least should help some.

I am 37 years old with a 2 year old and a 5 year old. I was diagnosed with DCIS with microinvasion in February of this year. This site has really helped me the past few months. This is the first time I have posted though. I had a bilateral mastectomy on March 18th.  I have not started reconstruction and don't know that I will. If I had wanted to start recon at the time of my surgery I would have had to do the sentinel node biopsy ahead of time and I didn't want to do that.

I saw this thread and wanted to participate. I am 30 lbs heavier than when I had children. During the course of my discussions with the risk evaluation team during the gene testing, they suggested I lose weight. I know that this is something I can do and need to do. Prior to having children, I exercised often.  I have had one excuse after another since kids. I work full time, etc....I am not fully recovered from the surgery, but physical therapy is helping a great deal.

I am trying to eat healthy, start slow by walking, and want to get back into shape and lose weight. I want to be a healthy example for my children and I want to reduce my risk of a recurrence. I also think that after I lose weight I could go breast form free and not worry about. Right now I look a little out of proportion.  My husband is so supportive and I am grateful for that.

 Thanks for starting this thread. 

im so in...the easter bunny brought me 3 lbs...and if i dont seize it now, im afraid the tamox will turn it into 10 while its doing all its other little majic in my system.

Okay... I've figured the weight gain situation out!  Do y'all think it's possible that the port weighs approximately 5-7 pounds?

Prior to chemo I used 20-25 lb free wts...after ( ok'd with my B.S. ) I started off on 3-5 lbs....yes it was ridiculous I thought ,but I had to be careful...I slowly worked up to about 15 and I have held it at that ...On the machines I will do a little higher ..better to exercise some than none at all...I am almost 4.5 yrs out and continue to live lymphadema free....

Did W.W. after chemo and rads and lost about 25 lbs....I so needed that ! The current Momentum plan has u using points..it isn't difficult and it really takes the wt. off without u being hungry.

Good luck to all of you  Letha

Mom-of-boys, Heard that about ports too.  I did chemo without a port; for me, it's my tennis shoes that weigh so much

I bought a Samson juicer (awesome) and have been drinking a "green" juice at least every other day, plan to up it to daily, as a means to get more veggies into me.  Green lemonade is pretty good: organic kale + 1 apple + lemon (juice only).  Spinach (a whole bunch!) and carrot (a few) juice yesterday was pretty good too.  I just drink it fast.  My little boy and I also put frozen organic blueberries through it's micer option and it makes a delicious frozen fruit desert without added sugar/cream. 

WHEW... thank God y'all agree about the port!  I just knew that I was on to something... 

Hi, all,

Wow, what a great site.  I just finished chemo yesterday.  So the next couple of weeks won't be all that great.  But, hey it was my last one.  Radiation starts the middle of May.  I work primarily with school children in the public schools.  I live and hour from the cancer treatment center.  Luckily my Mom lives in the town I chose to receive my radiation in.  I'm taking a summer leave and staying with Mom during the week.  It is such a luxury to give myself this time. This way all I have to focus on is dealing with the burn, napping with the fatigue, exercising and rejoining weight watchers with Mom.  A year ago in May I joined weight watchers and lost 20 lbs.  I was just starting maintenance when I received my diagnosis in November.  My BMI is 23.  I've netted only about a 2 lb. weight gain through the chemo.  I was really anxious about it.  I kept all of my fat pants due to my anxiety and just now pulled them out of the closet to give away.  Staying slim and healthy is no longer something that is just nice to do, it is my best shot at a long and fit life.  It is really difficult to exercise when one has a young family.  I'm 54 and my boys are grown.  I'm choosing to just work part-time.  I'm also a potter, so, I like to have time to create and sell pottery as well.  You Mom's who say exercising even if it is only a couple of times each week are right on track.  Don't forget taking the steps at work and parking as far away as possible to get in some extra steps.  I don't have a pedometer but, I think I'll get one.  Logging steps sounds like a great thing to do.  I'm wanting to start some upper body work outs.  But, I know I'll have to go slow.  I'd love to have arms that look like Michele Obama's by August.  My niece is getting married.

Good luck and Good health   Deb

 Regarding ports :The port is very small  perhaps dime-nicklel size in diameter and then fine tubing... can't even imagine it weighing 7 lbs ! I had mine in my inside upper arm..there is no way I could have carried a 7 lb wt in that arm !..though I presume that all are not the same.. I would say that mine was in the ounces....

I loved Core but the new program just uses points. Core is much easier for me as I hate to tally up the points..but once u get into the routine it isn't bad at all. Put back on about 6 lbs  last fall during a hurricance evacuation ..then a destination wedding ...excuses ..excuses...I just slid off the wagon ! But I am back on and am at goal once more...In years gone by..we lost wt because we just wanted to look better..now after a BC dx we have to keep the wt. off for our health...the more excess wt, the more estrogen we can produce..and I sure don't need that !

Welcome AlwaysHope...glad you can join us.

For those who have joined WW...share with what programs are available...it would be nice to know.