Lets Post our Daily Exercise
Comments
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It was in the 40's so nice enough that I walked outside in the sunshine for an hour this afternoon.
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Nice here today; I did some errands and took a long walk.
DH has seemed to have picked up a case of food poisoning from a buffet dinner he went to last night, NOT from his sister's cooking (or I would be sick too). He was up and down all night (which means I was too) and he still feels rotten today. Yuck!!!
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Walked over 6 miles on the treadmill this afternoon plus did some toning exercises. Trying to simply not gain during the holiday season.
Ruth, hope your DH feels better soon. Food poisoning is miserable.
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At least I don't have to worry about cooking for a couple days!
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Walked the dogs and walked the supermarket.0 -
Ruthbru, hope your DH feels better. That is miserable. Good that you're not sick too! I remember one time going out to a restaurant with my husband, and something we shared had us both sick for a weekend. Not a good bonding experience!
Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. This is a very friendly thread!0 -
Oh, Ruth - that's the WORST.
(Finally get to use this "smiley face")
Hope your DH feels better real soon!!!!0 -
This morning I did a Spin class and then Bootcamp.
Ruth how miserable for your DH food poisoning is the worst Odie I'm with you in just trying not to gain and I have to say this darned Fitbit in just one week has become an obsession and is really keeping me on track. I've done pretty well all week, one day did over 18,000 steps and got a badge, Woohooooo, well yesterday I was only at 9,000 so there I was at 10pm doing a Patoo standing in my living room marching and running in place to get myself up to the 10,000.and then today I had hit 10,000 by 10.30am when I left the gym and as for the sleep tracker ooeee I mean I knew I had horrible sleep patterns but this thing is showing me how bad, some nights okay but last night I only slept 4-1/2 hours and of that I was 'restless' for 104 minutes.
This afternoon my neighbor put up my outside Christmas lights and I decorated the house, and it's crazy I have everything packed in totes and marked but one of my favourite pieces is missing it's a Santa Claus with blocks that go around the bottom and spell NOEL where in the heck could it have gone, sheesh.......0 -
I am new to this thread, and read through some things here. I have some questions about exercise. I have been told that exercise is important for healing, lower risk of recurrence, etc. Before my surgery (BMX with TE placement), I was religious about my kettlebell workouts. I lost 40 pounds (still 20 plus to go). For me, I need to workout HARD ....sweat, breathe hard, and lift heavy weights.....in order to build my fitness level and lose weight. Walking is good for me, but it doesn't help me lose weight. Ironically, I did the breast cancer 3-day (60 mile) walk a few years ago and didn't lose an ounce by training. Working out at high intensity is also good for my mental health and has helped immensely with periods of depression and anxiety in my life.
Right now, I am only 5 weeks post surgery, but someday, I do dream of jogging, weightlifting, etc again. The problem is....fear of lymphedema. Although I hear "exercise is really good for you". Actually, I've even heard I will be able to do whatever I want someday EXCEPT....I need to "be careful." Be careful of lifting heavy weights, be careful about temperature extremes (don't get too hot), be careful not to push yourself in fitness because it can trigger lymphedema.
HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU FIGURE THIS OUT? How do you do aerobics....even just hiking in the summer...without getting really hot and sweaty?(not to mention mosquito bites...another no-no). How can you figure out how to move forward, but not push yourself too much? When I would be outside jogging (before cancer), or even walking, I always noticed my hands got a bit swollen. Everybody's do. But now I have to worry that I've triggered some permanent, lifelong horror. I had 4 sentinel lymph nodes removed. I have been told my risk is as low as 1-4% for any problems.....or as high as 25%, depending on which study I read.
It sounds like you all have figured this out....advice?0 -
mnmbeck, you ask some good questions. I'm interested in knowing more about what causes lymphema, too. My BS didn't really tell me much about how to avoid it, except to say not to do repetitive things (like type on a keyboard, as I am right now!) Repetitive motion covers a lot. I started wondering if swinging my arm back and forth while running would count as repetitive motion, too. But, I figure the benefits far outweigh the risk.
That said, I will now stop procrastinating and go for a 3 mile run!
Hopefully the more knowledgeable members of this thread will be able to answer our questions.0 -
Welcome mnmbeck, below I am copying an old post of mine. I will add this, when I first was diagnosed, I think I was more afraid of getting LE than dying even. But as I have navigated through the experience and met women who are dealing with it, I have realized that although it would be a HUGE pain in the ass, you can still have a tremendously active, fun life even if it did (ie Natsfan from this thread who recently ran a half marathon!). Others will chime in & I know there is a whole thread on LE too but mostly what you need to do is to just use common sense.
Anyway, here is my old post:
I had 11 lymph nodes removed, so this (LE) has always been an area of real concern and mindfulness for me. When I had my surgery, there was no one around here to go to for advice, so I did a lot of studying on my own. Here are some thoughts & tips I came up with.
First, I think that whether or not you are prone to LE has mostly to do with how your lymph system handles trauma. I would say most cases (unless you are in a horrible accident or are doing really extreme activities) are neither through any virtue or fault of your own; just a matter of good or bad ‘luck'.
That being said, there are many ‘little' things that we can do that may reduce the risk of developing LE or minimize flares (these are for people with SNB too):
- No BP, IVs, needles, shots etc. in that arm....consider getting a medical ID bracelet (to wear when traveling anyway) check out www.creativemedicalid.com/ for beautiful jewelry type IDs
- Wear gloves when doing yard work, gardening etc.
- Wear sunscreen when out in the sun, bug spray when out with the bugs
- If you get a cut, scrap, bite...wash it with soap/water and slap on a bandage. If you see any sign of infection, get to the Dr. & on antibiotics ASAP
- Carry your purse on the other side, also be careful when hauling around anything heavy, switch arms when dragging luggage etc. (at first I carried everything on the 'good' side but wonder if that contributed to me getting a hernia, now I swtich off)
- No saunas (I also avoid manicures and massages)
- Keep a healthy weight
- Keep hydrated, limit alcohol
- Don't wear tight rings, watches, bracelets on that arm
- When exercising that arm; start very slowly, take your time...build up weights very slowly...don't skip levels...don't do too many reps in one session
- Mix up your exercises, don't work the same muscle groups every day, you may want to work with an experienced trainer (or PT) to help you construct a balanced program
- One thing I do want to add; after my surgery I was so scared to start doing upper body. Neither my surgeon nor my oncologist could give me any good solid advice, so I talked to my GP. What he said was that I DID want to exercise my upper body, that it was important to do so as it would actually build up the lymph system, and although, of course, I should be careful and notice if my arm felt heavy/swollen etc. that I shouldn't be afraid to have it feel a little 'normal' soreness...because anytime you exercise a part of your body that you haven't been using for awhile, of course, it will feel sore. That made sense to me, and gave me ‘permission' to get moving.
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Great advice, Ruth! Sorry your DH is under the weather.
Welcome mnmbeck, you CAN safely exercise. Here's a link to a very helpful BCO thread "Guidelines on Exercise for Those With/At Risk for Lymphedema." I'll also bump it up for you (ETA: and 4u2 Fallleaves).
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/58/topic/801453?page=2#idx_48
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Just to add that, of course, you can and should get hot and sweaty; you just don't want to SUDDENLY elevate your body temperatures (which is why saunas, hot tubs etc. can be bad), and you want to stay really hydrated when you exercise. Just be sensible about things: if it is 104 degrees and you are planning a long run....you might want to do it earlier in the day, later in the day, or sit inside and eat ice cream instead
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Thanks for the link Badger and advice, Ruth. I'm just getting back to doing some upper body. The day after my lumpectomy I was out gardening, and though I didn't lift anything heavy, I may have aggravated things. I got a hard egg-sized seroma and some cording in the following weeks, so then I went to the other extreme and really avoided using my right arm. Just started doing push ups last week. Trying to be very gradual....0 -
No formal exercise today but lots of walking and bending while doing chores around the house. Really productive day....
Happy Sunday everyone....
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Still have my horrid cough.
But I'm considering taking a short walk anyway. The cold air may not be my friend today...(Edited to add that I enjoyed a half hour walk. Hope this means I'm back!!!)
Also talked DH and DD into doing a 30 Day Plank Challenge. (Come back to me 21 year old abs!!! Ha!)
We started today with 20 seconds. Here is the chart if anyone is interested:
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The 30 Day Plank Challenge will send your core strength through the roof! Yes, all you have to do is HOLD this position, nothing else! It looks pretty easy, but it isn't!
Day 1 - 20 seconds
Day 2 - 20 seconds
Day 3 - 30 seconds
Day 4 - 30 seconds
Day 5 - 40 seconds
Day 6 - REST
Day 7 - 45 seconds
Day 8 - 45 seconds
Day 9 - 60 seconds
Day 10 - 60 seconds
Day 11 - 60 seconds
Day 12 - 90 seconds
Day 13 - REST
Day 14 - 90 seconds
Day 15 - 90 seconds
Day 16 - 120 seconds
Day 17 - 120 seconds
Day 18 - 150 seconds
Day 19 - REST
Day 20 - 150 seconds
Day 21 - 150 seconds
Day 22 - 180 seconds
Day 23 - 180 seconds
Day 24 - 210 seconds
Day 25 - 210 seconds
Day 26 - REST
Day 27 - 240 seconds
Day 28 - 240 seconds
Day 29 - 270 seconds
Day 30 - PLANK FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!!
**SHARE to your Timeline to SAVE for later**
Benefits of Plank Exercise:
*It strengthens your lower back
*It develops your core muscles – which include the abs, back, hips and the butt.
*Helps you to avoid injuries and encourage good posture
*Can be done anywhere
*Develops your abdominals by targeting the rectus abdominis
SUPPORT each other in Fitness!!
This is a beginner routine.. everyone starts somewhere!
ENJOY this Challenge! Share with your friends to help motivate others!
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Hi mnmbeck. I have 11 nodes removed and have already had a mild bout of truncal and breast lymphedema. When I work out I follow the good advice on this thread, and also wear a compression sleeve and garment. I have also lightened my upper body workouts for now.
Went to the gym and did elliptical and treadmill with my brother and his wife on Saturday, and hiked 6 miles at a Buddhist retreat this morning. After a (too big) lunch I will join my walking buddy for a few more mellow miles this afternoon. Then it's back to work tomorrow, and 5 days of very sedentary training this week.0 -
We do tons of planks on my exercise DVDs and in my Core & Pilates classes....very good for the whole body!
DH has graduated from Gatorade to juice, from crackers to dry toast, & is walking (not running) on the treadmill as I type; so is on the mend. I did the treadmill earlier, and Arms, Abs, Buns of Steel. Messiah practice tonight, so I will be exercising the vocal cords.
This was the scene around here this morning:
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Dulcigirl
I will join you on the plank challenge and agree it is really important to build up core strength. Hope your cough gets better soon.
Ruth, that picture is stunning. LOVE it!!!
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hi all, I got out for an hour walk this afternoon before the sun went down. 5.55 km = 3.45 mi.
Vacation's over and back to work tomorrow.
Have a good week my Sculpted Sisters!0 -
Ruth, love the photo. We had a real honest to goodness white Christmas last year in Allen, TX just north of Dallas where our oldest daughter and family live.
Today we walked the dogs and I did strength training at the gym.
Dulci, I think I will join you in that plank challenge too.0 -
Here is some more 'plank' information I found:
You may think that the core muscles are only the ones in your stomach. In fact, the core is made up of all the muscles that connect the upper and lower body, including those of the stomach, lower back, hips and buttocks.
These muscles are essential for supporting the spine, aiding good posture, and almost every movement. By strengthening core muscles you will not only be on a fast track to a flatter stomach but will also improve the effectiveness of any exercise you do.
The plank is one of the best exercises because it tightens the deepest core muscles. It’s a static exercise where you use your arms to raise yourself off the floor and hold the whole body straight and rigid, like a plank of wood.
You can do it anywhere, you don’t need any equipment and it only takes a minute (literally). What’s more, it is more effective than sit-ups and crunches because these work only the superficial abdominal muscles.
Plank Exercise Tutorial
Basic plank
Start on elbows and knees, locking hands together.
Straighten legs and raise your body so that you’re supported by the balls of your feet, with feet hip-distance apart.
Face the floor, being careful not to arch your back or stick your bottom in the air.
Hold this position for 45 seconds to begin with, extending the time as you get stronger.
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Ruth, I started tonight with the "on the elbows" plank.
MNMBeck, not to discourage you, but you mentioned starting pushups. One things I've read is to be careful about "body weight" exercises like pushups and planks, where you are supporting the weight of your body on your arms. You might want to start with very light free weights for upper body work and build up from there.0 -
When I looked at the challenge website, the people were doing the elbow planks.
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I realized yesterday that every time I haul myself back on my bicycle seat counts as a plank. The only time I got out cycling. Otherwise, it was runs. However, I am emerging from this holiday smaller as opposed to larger.
I am more than glad to be past THIS Thanksgiving, but some amazing news I need to share. The Rector of my church, Melissa Skelton, was just elected Bishop of New Westminster (Vancouver BC). I am thrilled for her. I slid into the 7:30 mass this morning. Needed a bit of reflection and prayer. And of course to offer up thanks for her new calling. Just an amazing woman, and an inspiration to me personally.
Dinner reheating and the last Game Hen appearance. I am retesting the roasted Brussels sprouts recipe. Discovered that the online recipes say 2x as much time as takes to roast. No wonder, I was emerging with burnt offerings.
Wind is howling, but still warm here. So glad I took up running. It really does make a major difference.
Onwards and upwards tomorrow. The Advent wreath was inspiring today. We are entering the longest and most joyous season for me. I just love Christmas. And, I make sure I don't stop celebrating until January 6 (Twelfth Night). - Claire0 -
Great info, Ruth!
And if anyone is a visual learner this was the picture posted with the daily challenge:
I was wondering about the effect on pec muscles, but when I plank I do not feel it there. If I attempt any sort of pushup (or if I scrub the bathtub!) I do.0 -
OK, it almost killed me; but I was able to hold the plank for 242 seconds....so I am almost at their magic number....looks easy, but is HARD!
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Wow, Ruth, I'm impressed! I'm going to stick with the gradual buildup of the challenge since I am new to planking (if there is such a verb.)0 -
Yes, go gradually. I do planks a lot in my various exercise routines, so I was just curious as to what would be the most time I could do. Now I will go back to something that feels more comfortable and work up.
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SERIOUSLY????
Oh, and I was SO proud that I made it to 20 and felt like I could have gone a few more.
Here's to planking (yep, let's make it a verb) in baby steps!!0
