Stage IV MBC Fitness
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Good job Mae. Wishing you luck and you will definitely do well.
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I know you will do great! How long do you have to train?
Julie
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thanks Mara,
I prefer early morning walking because I can beat the heat, evening walk is nice too but would be shorter. So morning or evening walking until end of the heat.
here the 4th fireworks turned into a war zone despite tons of warnings from state and the city. I don’t understand those who just disobey the orders. For years fireworks limited to 2 or 3 locations in our small city, done by professional and residents just enjoyed the night. This year, because of ongoing droughts and to avoid fires the city and state warned individuals to not do fireworks, outcomes was opposite! First couple of sounds made me jump out of my skin, but later thanks to medications make me drowsy enough to not hear them loud! Didn’t know I thanked meds for drowsiness!!!!
Mae, very nice, sending you vibes on your way, I like those shirts with manatees “chubby mermaid”
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Jjzn, the training is a series of walks to build up to the 5k, although I plan to shorten it considerably. I find the numerous walks unnecessary and I won’t have that much time as I twisted my knee a couple days ago and am resting it now. Here’s what a portion of the plan looks like though.
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illimae
I am impressed. Keep us informed on your progress. Hoping that knee heals quickly!
Julie
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Mae, that looks pretty comprehensive. I like that. I have adjusted my morning routine to include 30 to 45 mins of treadmill to start the day. It is hot here. I will indoor walk both on the treadmill and on the spot on my step bench. There is no incline on my wee treadmill and I have to hold on for balance. I also added squats back into my day. Started back at 10 and adding one per day so today will be 11.
I have gained weight of late and although I am active and most likely fit, I cannot lift myself off the ground should I fall. I know how to do it in theory but have to use my hands to pull myself up. I want to make sure I can get up myself.
Even though I have air conditioning, walking at 3.0 mph makes me a sweat ball and my face is red but at least it is not dangerous heat and I can pause to fill my water bottles as well. While it is hot, think I will just walk when I have to get a bus or go to the store.
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Keep exercising everybody. According to this article, it can make cancer treatments more effective.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9758049...
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Chicagoan, I totally agree with that article. The only thing I need more of is strength training, especially in my legs. Starting my squats everyday routine. Hope it works. I will probably start figuring out how to get up off the floor without pulling up on anything. If I try everyday, one day it may happen. I do believe exercising through all six years of this ride I never wanted to be on has helped with side effects and keeping me strong. Only issue for me now is to lose some weight. I would like to lose 50 lbs but recognize I will need a gym for more strength training when the finally open back up in my area.
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Mara, I managed to lose 5.5 lbs with intermittent fasting over 4 or 5 months. I felt better during the process however it made me weak. So I back to normal diet, eat 3 courses but mindful (breakfast 8 am, lunch 12 noon, super 6 pm) and in between plenty of water, fruits or nuts as snacks. Gaining weight is inevitable with these medications we are on.
Chicagoan, thanks for the link. I meant to ask you a favor, can you suggest some exercises for stronger spine bones? I understand weight bearing exercise help increase bone density but how works for spine?
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Snow-drop,
I wonder if you could ask your MO for a referral to PT to get some exercises to strengthen the spine? I don't know what would be good for your particular situation. My MO doesn't even want me to lift weights given that I've had extensive bone mets. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
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exercise oncology is a growing field and I've read there is an international working group developing guidelines for exercise in the presence of bone metastases but I dont think they have published it yet. I think the trick is to find a PT who is knowledgeable about oncology pts. FWIW, this lit review didn't find a higher fracture risk
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29474996/
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oh np, that's fine Chicagoan.
Moth, I haven't heard about exercise oncology before, thanks for mentioning it. Definitely this area needs to develop. Most physical therapists do not have specific experience with bone mets patients.
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I must say I have not heard of this exercise oncology myself. I have known exercise definitely helps with side effects from treatments and cancer. I will look into that myself.
I had read somewhere that I need to walk at least 45 mins continually if I want to burn fat which is my aim. Yesterday was a treadmill walk with a high speed for 45 mins which I could never walk that pace outside due to risk of falling. Today I strretched to just about an hour. I did not think about the high humidity, if only feels in the low 90s. It did not make me tired either. My plan is to make sure that at least one walk a day is 45 mins to an hour to meet that goal and if I want more steps, shorter walks are fine.
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sounds like a good plan, Mara, good luck. Is it like28 days challenge 2 days rest? I too vote treadmill, you can walk at whatever speed you want in cooler air! I had to skip morning walk because of heat.
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I am trying to make sure I walk everyday, I don't get sore from the walking so everyday is OK for me to do. Once the weather cools and restaurants open, I also intend to do some long distance walking as well.
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Im back on the frequent exercise wagon - was issued a really terrible generic letrozole this month and have found riding the bike every day is helping considerably with the side effects (I dont want to pop ibuprofen if I don't have to). 25 minutes a day and then some strength stuff, though the exercises vary depending on my mood.
For me,and this was pre-cancer too, strengthening core and especially the paraspinal muscles (the ones along the side of the spine) is extremely important. I have had a few heavy weeks of work with a lot of intense focus where I forget to get up from the chair. My neuropathic big toe (not cancer related) let me know it (I start to hunch and it impacts the stenosis is how) and now Ive made time in my calendar to exercise.
In terms of weights - I have a set of adjustable barbells, up to I think 25lbs (which I would never use at that amount!) and also a long elastic band for shoulder stretches, and elastics for my ankles when I do hip strengthening skaters. I also like to do various YouTube videos - SeniorShape Fitness is one of my favorites, and her beginner barre workout with really gentle bodyweight movements with very light weights at the end (you could use cans even) is excellent and challenging. I also need to work on abs, but I hate getting on the floor as it gives me tension headaches and if my back is cranky it just feels weird. Senior Fitness with Meredith has a bunch of seated and adjusted exercises and I did her short 12 minute ab workout the other evening and found it very helpful.
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Sorry, just to add some more:
Mara - I can't do a lot of squat motions due to (non cancer related) bad knees, but one of my favorite moves is to essentially get into the right position by the side of the bed (shoulder width apart feet, weight way back on the heels) and squat till I hit the bed and then come back up. It gives me direction and that level more or less works and I don't overdo my knees.
The SeniorShape workouts are more isometric (tiny repetitive movements) and she certainly works the hip flexors and quads and glutes, including a few squat type exercises. Small and controlled movements can have really good strength gains, quickly, without mass build up.
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Thank you for the tips Sondra. You've reminded me of squats that I have not yet done but will do. My arm strength is pretty good, I can still lift 40 lbs when needed fairly easily. I will look into the youtube channel you've suggested. I would very much like my legs to be strong enough to help me up if I fall. I like the idea of squatting by the bed as well to keep you from over extending the knee. That is the only thing that keeps from lunges because I have never been successful. If I somehow get to the point of getting off the ground easily, I can do some floor work as well.
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If you are looking for leg strength to help with balance and prevent falls, then DEFINITELY look into the SeniorShape Senior& Beginner Workout Slow & Gentle Barre (that is the video name). I started it last winter and could only do maybe 12 minutes as my legs got tired but it really helped improve my lower leg strength and balance as I was feeling unsteady on my feet again (due to lack of strength training!). And I saw pretty quick results, maybe after doing 2 or 3 sessions, to feeling much steadier. Do what you can and build up to the whole video.
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mara, I wonder if your cancer center has a PT they refer to? Mine does and they do all sorts of helpful stuff - all covered by the provincial plan. The reason I suggest it is that they can look very precisely at where the weakness is and tell you exactly what exercises to do to make sure you're targetting the proper muscle. It might be that squats are not what you need...I don't know. But I know that our place will definitely do consults with people with falls history.
I've been busy with stuff around the house and working on agility with Olive. Still walking 2x/day, have been lazy with zumba during the heat though. We're having a stretch of more reasonable weather so I should get back to it. I've also been seeing my massage therapist and have been prescribed some specific stretches and exercises for my shoulders and thoracic spine.
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Sondra those work out videos are great, thanks! I need some good weight bearing exercises so I’ll start the beginner ones in few days. Long time ago, a general physical therapist gave me some exercises for core and back muscles, birddog, deadbug, catcow and some leg/hip/sciatica etc, I usually do those but as you said doing the exercises really depends on my mood/ level of energy.
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Thank you for the suggestion Moth, I will ask about it at the cancer clinic.
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I just had an epiphany as I was sitting here, pondering my diet and what is so different about it that has led to my weight gain over the past year with vigorous activity. Before I started eating beans and everything, I had a routine of a bowl or two of cereal and whatever I wanted for supper. I stayed around the same weight. Right now, my main eating are bean meals with a few different ingredients, spinach, shred cheese, wheat bran and beefless ground. Queso would be added on top. Small amounts of each but I realize I am eating those twice a day and then an english muffin with peanut butter. I realize, there are less calories in a high fiber bowl of cereal than those two meals each.
I require that beans and spinach because without, I would go back to being anemic and light headed so I am planning to have the beans in the morning and eat two bowls of cereal, one for lunch and one for dinner with. There will be plenty of protein and it would be closer to what I was eating before without gaining more weight. I am going to try this, continue the walking and perhaps my road to 180 can be made real. That was the size I was in the prior few years. We will see if I am right about all of this. I am not interested in keto or no carbs because I get too tired on that and not enough fiber for me. Need high fiber stuff.
It was a nice walk today, the weather was cooler and no rain. Nice day overall.
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mara, have you ever tried calorie tracking? I use My Fitness Pal and the free version also tracks carbs, protein, fats etc. I use it when I need more insight into what I'm eating. I don't use it all the time but I do find it very helpful when I want to tweak my ratios of protein fat and carbs.
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Moth, sorry to be so long to respond. I have modified eating cut some calories while still eating what I need to keep my iron up. I measure beans, cheese and other ingredients together. I only eat 3 meals a day and they are mostly no more than 3 to 400 calories even with everything. I do eat carbs but also beefless ground, the kind without much fat or calories but dense in the nutrients. As a topping for my meals, I add 3 to 4 chips of different flavours to make it all taste different and use low fat mayo to combine. I also have cut my english muffins in half and measure the peanut butter. I do believe I am eating less calories just with the measuring of the peanut butter. We will see.
Planning to go on short walks today. It is hot and humid here but that is not unusual for us in Southern Ontario. I am glad the oppressive heat is gone from Western Canada. That looked horrible.
I am fully vaccinated for covid now which feels good. I will always wear masks going forward but it makes me feel safer to think if I am infected, it should be a milder case.
Have a good day all.
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hi mara! remember it takes 2 weeks after your 2nd dose before you are considered fully vax'ed
sounds like your meal plan is solid! all you can do is try and then reassess and knock more off if necessary. I do keep coming back to the phrase that we can't outrun our forks - cause it's true and then I always imagine a giant fork chasing me down the trail
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Mara, I’m glad you are fully vaccinated, i hope se will be easy on you.
I skip morning walk because of heat, missed few days evening walk, but yesterday managed to walk 45 minutes, still is hot in the evening but better than morning.
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Thanks Snowdrop and Moth. I am glad you were able to get our for a walk Snowdrop, hopefully your weather will cool down.
Today was the first day we could eat in restaurants due to covid in almost a year so I walked to and from the McDonalds and had an egg mcmuffin and hash brown at the restaurant. I don't drink coffee so I have a coke zero. I will be walking again and when I get home from that, I will be done for the day. The walk today took just over an hour round trip. It was humid but not hot.
As far as my diet goes, I will simply skip the usual half english muffin and peanut butter and substitue a small bean meal in its place. Same sort of thing for supper as well. We will see how it all goes. I am not doing any specialized diet like keto or whatever because I am limited in what I enjoy foodwise. I get the most bang for my buck with the beans and can change the taste depending what I put on top. Sometimes I will put 3 or 4 chips like fritos or sour cream and onion rings in my chopper to make a topping. It is usually a lower calorie meal than it used to be and does taste good. Keeps me from pigging out on chips as well. I have also cut way down on peanut butter too.
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I don’t know it was hot weather or 3rd week of medication or both affecting my energy, so no walking whole last week. Hopefully today evening with a little push I start walking again!
Hi all, it’s been quiet here! I hope everyone is doing well.
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Snowdrop, it's been hot and humid here. I have been out walking anyway, just bringing a water bottle along with me. Sweat like crazy but it is doable for me. Our weather is going to cool down a bit which makes me happy. I will still sweat but may do some long distance walking as well. We will see. I hope you got your walk in.
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