Stage IV MBC Fitness
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Great to see everyone here!
MSL, I am jealous of your photo, too. I am more of a beach person. Mountains are nice for variety though.
Shazza, I am thinking I should train to do pushups but haven't landed on a number. I thought at first 60 but it's way too much. Also run farther than 5K. For me a class of yoga a week would also be a big improvement from the current situation.
JFL, would taking the baby outside in the stroller for a walk or jog work? Might make her sleepier. I got a lot of walks in with DD initially, but she was already 7 at the time.
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I did yoga yesterday evening. My first time back in about 2 weeks since my oophorectomy. We just did restorative positions because I was having some sciatica issues the past couple days. I have had this problem off and on for 10+ years. I don't know if my cancer is causing it or if it is how it normally was. It feels so good to just relax and do stretches along with meditation! I plan on starting back up with Zumba soon. It will be over a year since I have went to a class. I haven't been since original diagnosis. I will have to start out easy but I'm excited to get back because it is so fun.
Have a great day
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I am setting the simple goal of moving at least 5 days per week. I am not fussy on how. It could be walking, stationary bike etc or my favourite stepper. I feel better when I can move, mood is much better and even eating is better. I aim to move at least 30 mins per day but if it winds up longer, that is OK too. Weight loss is not my priority since I have lost most of my steroid bloat of before. I weigh almost the same as I did pre Stage 4 dx which was OK.
I also plan to join a tai chi class through my Wellspring group here since it would be free to me. I would like to improve my sense of balance.
Shazza, sounds like to have the activity down to a science.
Everyone else, good to "see" you all.
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Hello everyone. What a great positive place this is - just what we all need for the year ahead. Before my diagnosis I was a keen runner, but I haven't had the confidence to take it up again. I'd like to set a goal to run a 5k, but feel anxious of the disappointment I will feel if circumstances stop me from achieving any goal that I set. Does anyone else feel like this?
I have an Apple Watch which I am going to ditch for a Fitbit so that I can join the community that Z has set up.
Wishing you all well
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The act of setting the goal is enough. Obviously there may be things that come up beyond our control, but I think there would be more disappointment for us if we do not at least try. In my case, I have a goal of no surgery for this year. I have been in active treatment since 2015 from the 1st dx. Mastectomy in 2015 and brain surgery 2016 when I became metastatic. I said to myself, my goal is no surgery for 2017. Can I completely control this, no, but I like setting goals. Much better than feeling down about my dx. I say go for it, set goals. Do your best to meet them, if circumstances make so you can't, set new goals. Good luck to all.
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Cath3rine I'm a long term runner too and I'm just teaching my eldest how to get into it. The key is always the slow build. Don't try to run 10k straight up and then get frustrated and disappointed. My tip would be set your 5k goal but spend the first month or so breaking it up into jogging/walking - in one km lots. Or start similarly with a 3km circuit until you're ready to go to 4km etc. This approach has always worked for me getting back into running after kids etc.
mara - love your work and your attitude and your goals!
Apg - great! Well done
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Z,
To answer your earlier question of what types of excercise do I like... I was a runner and used to love going to the gym to do a Body Combat class (Mixed Martial Arts style aerobics. I am still working full time and have no energy once I get home sometimes. Gained 21 lbs since starting my treatment plan and I am so discouraged that I will not lose some of this stomach fact that inherited from being forced into menopause. Also have horrible joint pain as well. I also think I need an accountability partner.
Monika
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Z..
To answer your earlier question of what types of excercise do I like... I was a runner and used to love going to the gym to do a Body Combat class (Mixed Martial Arts style aerobics. I am still working full time and have no energy once I get home sometimes. Gained 21 lbs since starting my treatment plan and I am so discouraged that I will not lose some of this stomach fact that inherited from being forced into menopause. Also have horrible joint pain as well. I also think I need an accountability partner.
Monika
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Honestly, my goal is to show up for ANY significant exercise 5-6 times a week. I do whatever presents itself. Today I skiied and shoveled snow. I also try get to at least 8000 steps every day. My energy levels have gone up and down so many times over the last year (since diagnosed). Some days I am doing HIIT and thinking that maybe I have another half marathon in me, and some days I can't make it to 8000 steps.
At the moment, my energy and strength is increasing every day after a some bad weeks. I was just out shoveling snow wishing there was more snow to shovel. It feels good when things are on the upswing but the reality is that we have to keep moving through the ups AND the downs. Most importantly through the downs, IMO. The goal is to keep moving.
Cath3rine - This thread is full of people who had some very impressive workout routines in the past (OMG, Monica Body Combat!). And although we all have pretty impressive regimes now, we may or may not make it back to what we used to do. The disappointment that we may have already run our last half marathon is one of the huge pile of loses that come along with this MTHFR* disease.
However, exercise will give us back a lot of QOL and time. So we dig deep into our love of fitness and redefine our goals so they continue to inspire us to move. Who knows? We may find ourselves running a marathon. But the point is to define some goals and routines that work for us now and inspire that love we all have for fitness. This time around we are doing it to survive and knowing that, for me, trumps any sense if disappointment at my inability to do what I used to do.
I used to 40lb military presses. I use ta be a contenda! I would humiliate the men in my kettlebells class! Oh well. I do 20lbs now and it feels good.
Monika - Walking, swimming and light exercise through pain is possible and probably a good idea on A/Is (there are some studies on this). Doing any routine that is more aggressive (ie. running or weight training) with pain: probably counter productive. I have been able to manage the pain caused by A/I with curcumin and some ladies have given me other ideas to try. PM me if you are interested. I'd love to see you back into Body Combat class.
Keep moving ladies!
>Z<
*borrowing an acronym from one of the more amusing MBC genetic mutations.
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Thanks for the HIIT info, Z! I have kept meaning to look up what it would mean for me, and you provided the answer right there. I guess i should dig out that heart rate monitor I got years ago and put in a new battery. My Fitbit doesn't include the HR monitor, so I'll have strap something to both wrists.
JFL - I totally understand how hard it is to get exercise in. I work full time too and struggle to find the time, and I don't even have a two year old! One thing you could do is have her join in with you and make it fun for you both. I used to do that when my son was little and he loved climbing underneath my downward dog "bridge", being my weight as I did squats and chest presses with him, and then dancing around to fun music. I know two year olds don't have a huge attention span, but you might get ten minutes in.
Shazza - I have a tentative goal that I haven't shared with anybody yet. I'm going to try to do a 5K at some point this year. This is sooo not typical for me. Honestly, I have never been as consistently active as I've been since joining this group, and I have never really liked running, but for the first time I actually kind of WANT to do it.
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Zarovka, Heidihill and DGHoff, thanks for the encouragement and suggestions! My toddler does like doing "yoga" (he knows one position - downward facing dog - and does it all the time). Having him do yoga with me might work . . . . As for the idea of taking baby in jogging stroller, I used to do that and it was great. However, he is now in a stage where he wants to get out of the stroller when we arrive at the jogging path. He will scream and cry until I take him out. People stare! I can't wait until he gets a bit older and understands that he has to stay in stroller if he wants to go with me! Hoping this happens by the time he is three . . .
Cath3rine, I know what you mean about worrying of feeling disappointment if you can't reach your goals. However, I have been through this and came out on the other side just fine. It is definitely worth it to do what you can. Although you may not be able to meet your ultimate goals, it feels good to meet mini goals along the way. Exercise has really helped with my pain and stress levels.
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OK, I'm setting my goals in stone here.
- - 12 minutes of yoga for bone health 5-6 times a week, with a few sun salutations thrown in.
- - Run a 10K by September
- - Do 10 regular pushups by end of year
Source: Columbia University physiatrist Dr. Loren M. Fishman
This yoga regimen has been shown to improve bone density in the spine, hips, and femur, as well as improve bone quality
I will be happy if I can do 7K and 5 pushups.
I ran 2K today on the treadmill to warm up, then did some weight training and stretching.
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Heidi - Your exercise goal is noted. I am especially gratified by that research since that is more or less my yoga routine. I am pondering adopting your goals ... so 10K is 6.2 miles. The pushup goal is bit aspirational since I can't do one at the moment. I am in.
>Z<
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Great photo to share Heidihill! Dr. Loren Fishman, the author of the study on the yoga/bones connection is an authority on the subject and he's well-known in yoga teacher circles as a trusted source. I took his online course for Yoga for Osteoperosis about four years ago after going through yoga teacher training, and it was very illuminating. Poses like tree pose are especially helpful for building bone density. I really focused on adding a lot of those poses in regularly after taking the course and I think it made a difference. After my first go-round with chemotherapy back in 2007, I had a Dexascan done for my bones and it showed me having Osteopenia. I had another bone scan just last year after my mets diagnosis and it no longer showed Osteopenia, so I think the yoga I was doing had some effect. Of course, I have bone mets, so it didn't prevent that, but I'm lucky that I've had no pain or issues from the bone mets so maybe the yoga helped keep the bones strong despite that.
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Ok, I'm adding in yoga and push-ups to my goals for the year as well. Thanks Heidi and DG.
On the running side I've done a 9km run today and yesterday. I was really pleased with that....But.....after a couple of weeks of feeling like I'd found my new normal I've had a complete meltdown this last 24hrs. Weeping, the full works, like I was at the beginning. Does this happen to others? Usually exercise gets me out of a funk but this time I think I need whiskey!!!!!
thanks all for your inspiration and friendship xxxx
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I'm sorry your run didn't help MSL! I admire anyone who runs. My husband has ran a couple marathons and it made me want to try to run but I just never could do it. It was always rough on my cavs. They would hurt so bad. I could do Zumba for 2 hours but couldn't run for 5 minutes! I'm going to try and work up to it again.
I did want to say that I find yoga has helped so much with my back pain from my mets. I try to do it each day also.
I have lost 20lbs since my diagnosis of mets on 11/22/16. I'm going to stick to the plant based diet with occasional salmon. I feel so much better eating this way and it can only help with the exercise too!
Being on this forum has helped me so much with motivation. You all are so inspirational to me!
Thank you all!!!
Misty
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MSL - those are awesome runs! You deserve a whisky, funk or no funk. I believe I just agreed to run 10K at some point in the distant future. Feels somewhat hypothetical at the moment.
As for the funk, I say have a whisky and go for a deep deep dive into a well deserved funk. I do just break down sometimes. The accumulated loses, the general bad deal I got... this is not what I had planned.
Misty - awesome job on all fronts. running isn't for everyone. However, if you make a study of running form, you can usually beat whatever limitation you have and at least get through a 5K. Energy is obviously not the issue for you. It takes a good coach or the right book. I am not sure why one would run when Zumba is an option. Zumba is so much fun. But it's sometimes satisfying to overcome these apparent obstacles.
Today I skied, went for a hike, made my step goal. I was feeling good when I convinced myself I hadn't had my Ibrance when I had already taken it. So I've taken two Ibrance today. I am in bed shaking with a headache kicking back ginger/lemon infusion hoping the old liver will get through this by tomorrow so I can go skiing.
>Z<
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God I love you people!! You are tough, kind and damned funny to boot.
Z take a third, just for the hell of it! Ha
I took your advice before you gave it and am drinking wine with DH looking at the beach.
I'm very, very grateful for you guys.
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MSL, what a great view! Cheers!!
Z, have another pot of yoghurt to counteract the Ibrance. Hope skiing is in the cards today. Glad you are coming along for the 10K and pushup ride.
DG, I can imagine the yoga helped. In my case I was in major pain before diagnosis and during treatment and was so stiff for years after chemo. I am still not the most flexible but I am getting there.
Apg, several years ago I saw a Zumba trailer with a testimonial from someone who also had BC bone mets. I had just started to try Zumba myself. My knee was the first casualty, but after training to strengthen my knee I could start again and have been doing it for more than 5 years, although now I am also doing salsa, tango and Body Jam. I was also one of those who could not run for 5 minutes. But I have managed to improve on that as well. I used an app/program called Couch to 5K. It's supposed to be an 8 week program but I'm sure I needed a few months more.
Started with yoga yesterday, ran 2K and did weights again. Doing inclined pushups (pushoffs?) and will slowly reduce the incline. Walking around a lot to do errands as roads are too icy for biking.
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Much better this morning. Jogged 2 miles, very slowly, and then did about 10 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training. Worked on core as well as some planks in the hopes that the planks will turn into a pushup some day. Did the bone health yoga routine.
Good girl.
Keep moving ladies. Just do something today.
>Z<
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MSL - love the photos!! Only five more months until it is warm again.
Walking this morning and yoga this evening...had a cold that completely knocked me out for five days. Looks like I'm starting from scratch again. Yay for those here who are getting back to running!. That one is not for me I'm afraid, but I will try the push ups :-) I'm certain that between us we could finish one triathlon!!
It may be useful to track how many times we have to "get up" during this journey and start over on our fitness efforts. The smallest things, like a cold, that would have been 2-3 days and gone in the past, take forever to heal. Who knows whether it's due to the disease or the treatment protocols. "Oh white cells...I barely knew ye..."
And we are off again!!!
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Iwrite, LOL on the white cells!
Still having trouble with the yoga twists and keep forgetting to do the corpse pose. Must be something subconscious going on. I did find this YouTube vid with explanations and modifications.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8SjystaH-E
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Very, very funny Heidihill and Iwrite!
Thanks for all the tips on yoga. And I agree Iwrite, all of us together could amount to a triathlon.
I was really fighting with myself about heading out this morn and then read Z - "just do something today".
So I did. 6.5kms in summer heat. Sweated like hell and wasn't my best effort but I felt damn good afterwards. I just did it, thanks Z.
Love to all xxx
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Greetings to anyone who posts or who simply reads for ideas or inspiration (or both). Z, thanks for starting the fitness thread for 2017 and introducing us to the concept of Stage V! Heidi, thanks for sharing the yoga poses and mentioning Dr. Fishman. DGHoff, thanks for mentioning the online yoga course. Without yoga I would be much less grounded in my life overall, and I certainly would miss its meditative and physical benefits. Deanna, I was part of that motivation thread/group from '09/'10 that you mentioned, and I STILL rely on the 10 minute rule to get me going. If I am experiencing a particularly challenging day, I give myself credit for simple stretches for 10 minutes, although most days I aim for at least 35-45 minutes of activity that is a little more demanding. My weekly regimen typically includes gentle/modified yoga, strength training with light weights, walking (if outdoors is not possible, I rely on the Leslie Sansone walk program on YouTube), classical stretch, and very basic Pilates. Occasionally I throw in Tai Chi. I still use nitro (often multiple times) to ease my heart's struggle with each workout, and sometimes I must rest for recovery. And I try to incorporate short "bursts" of activity throughout the day--like 25 wall push ups, or 25 heel raises--but I often forget to do those. Oh well, overall I am still trying to push my limit gently, given that I get smacked by my heart saying "CEASE & DESIST!" when I push the limit more than gently.
One of the reasons I've always enjoyed this thread--even when I am not posting--is that people of all fitness levels are welcome. I struggled for a while with judging myself for what I can no longer do, but then I learned to celebrate what I attempt to do and what I still achieve--even if "gentle," "modified," "light," or "basic." Moving is the point!
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3 x 10 minutes of stationary bike today while watching funny videos from youtube. Nothing like laughing out loud while exercising. Did some 4 lb arm curls as well. Felt good to me.
Hope everyone else had a decent day.
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Awesome Mara! Glad to know you are laughing and I need to point out that you got quite a bit of exercise today.
Brenda - I love the variety in your exercise and the wisdom you bring to managing your heart condition. You do get the point of this thread and I am looking forward to your perspective and contribution. With all these weird health conditions and side effects of treatment we bring to the table, it takes both wisdom and determination to keep up an exercise routine.
I walked my daughter to school and then came home and slept. Had a deep healing refreshing nap. I think that was an effect of the HIIT training on Monday. The problem, of course, is that I slept all morning so today was a bit of a scramble. I stumbled out of bed around noon and heard MSL telling me to "just do something". So wandered out the back yard in a bit of a haze and hiked around for an hour before I had to pick up kids.
This evening I will work through those 12 yoga poses as I have made a solemn pact with Heidi on this matter. Maybe I'll add 15 minutes of core and weight training. No real cardio today or jogging but hope to get to it tomorrow.
Keep moving ladies and let us know what you are doing.
>Z<
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happy I found you gals:). Have fallen off my biking, runs, and swimming over the last three years. Real bad this summer. Had to get off my road bike cause I couldn't breath. Lot of trouble oxygenating. Had my lungs and heart throughly checked out, all is ok. So I bought a treadmill, my thinking is it's prob easier to exercise in a controlled climate. Up to a mile and a half. Far cry from my marathons, but I will be happy with 5 miles. I hike with a great group, but I so miss my running and fast biking. Hopefully this summer the bike won't be a problem. Gotta stay motivated even though it's such a struggle to breathe:). It is much much better indoors
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Welcome susan. We're all continually redefining our fitness goals and expectations. You have a lot of good workouts. Keep going and let us know how you are doing.
>Z<
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Susan, you would be amazed how quickly we can lose conditioning. I used to be able to walk at least an hour an hour a day or spend an hour on my bike too. This was also when I was still in active treatment for Stage 3 with the stronger chemos. Once I became stage IV and was having brain surgery and whole brain radiation, I lost a lot of my conditioning. I actually like doing the shorter sessions of exercise and they do as much benefit as the longer ones. What I am trying to say is you will build yourself back up and soon you'll be doing many more miles on your treadmill, that will definitely help get you back to doing what you love to do.
Z, glad the nap was refreshing. I love having restorative naps too.
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