Let's Discuss...being active

WOW!! look at the responses!  Some really great ideas and love Kuching‍ the zen motto of "walk the dog, even if you don't have one"!

Growing up I was not athletic as the rest of my family was - read - very, very uncoordinated.  The focus of "gym" at school was always team sports or gymnastics - so i tried to avoid this as much as possible.  It was until later that i realized the physical exercise can be fun - it can be anything you enjoy.  When i hurt my back - i did chair yoga, during cancer treatments exercise may have been as simple as just walking outside and enjoying the fresh air. Later, running became part of my healthy routine for my mental health. 

I really think our medical system needs to prescribe "exercise" in addition to medications. Even if your exercise is just moving more - shuffle your feel, move your arms or run, paddle, swim, dance, hike - there is something for everyone.  

Now with gyms closed in many areas, we get to be creative on how we get our exercise.  Thankfully there are now some online classes - even free - or video classes on YouTube that you can do in the comfort of your own home, if the weather outside is frightful!

Got to go walk the dog!  Kim

 

Kudos to all who are motivated to do a physical activity.  I find it so helpful for fatigue, self-image, and breathing. I love to take walks with a friend (2 metres apart these days!) or by myself, through the beautiful residential areas here in Victoria and also through the park nearby.  This city is full of exquisite gardens and duck ponds.
I am so often lazy that I don't walk daily---- I used to during my first months of recovery over the past 2 years, but I find I need more motivation these days...Maybe it's the COVID wackiness? Any suggestions are appreciated.
law

Thankyou and so true. 

Motivation   hmmm  I would suggest to things.

1. Schedule it into your day in the same way you would a medical appointment. It is medicine. We all need this medicine and so just like you wouldn't miss your medical appointments you won't miss this either.

2 Book it with a friend. If that isn't a option ask someone to keep you "honest". Have them text you when you have indicated you are heading out. Better yet have a visit with them while you walk. Technology and head sets make this possible.

3. Oops thought of one more idea. Find your favorite pod cast or music and only allow yourself to listen to it when outside walking. You will be excited to go, ha ha so you can enjoy this treat.

Happy trails.

Hearing everything that you ladies do to keep yourself active and keep the exercise going has actually inspired me and made me feel a little bit guilty about not doing much at all for activity. I do have a lot of struggles as I had mentioned including neuropathy and my constant need for oxygen, but that is no excuse. I can get around and the more I try the easier it will become. So given that the weather is still nice .....we have no snow yet. I am going to try to get a little more active and if it works ...I am   pretty stubborn ....I have you ladies to thank. I'm going to start this tomorrow morning so I will keep you all posted. Thanks for the motivation.

Sher49

I do think that exercise is very important, I still can’t do everything I did before my surgeries but I know that I will get there eventually, in the meantime Ido a lot of walking and I have never climb so many stairs has I have in the past month, my husband started telling me that pretty soon I will be leaving a trail on the stairway that goes upstairs. The weather has been so nice that I even did three hours of raking leaves and pine needles a few days ago, it felt so good to be back in the yard....invigorating. During my follow up last week the surgeon told me that I needed to do more exercises with my arms so my windows are all very clean now just in time before the snow gets here! I still can’t do strenuous exercise but slowly I am getting there. I had started meditation but I found that my mind tends to wander too much for meditation! I am back on my craft, working on some snowmen right now, also back at the sewing machine but no matter what I do or what the weather is like I stop everything 3 times a day to go for a long walk outside!! I find that the more I push myself a little bit everyday the more I can do and it feels....great!! Still doing the breathing exercises many times a day and my lung is getting stronger.!! Tomorrow putting up the outside Christmas lights!!

@law, You live in Victoria, my husband and I have lived there from 1996 to 2007 and our son still lives in Victoria. We use to love just going downtown for a walk specially around the wharf and Beacon Hill park was one of our favorite place to go, you can walk for hours in that park and you never get tired of it and that is no matter what season it is!!
Have you tried doing stretching exercises? It doesn’t have to be anything strenuous if you don’t feel like doing much at this present time, stretching movements with a little bit of walking everyday might get you back into it on a regular basis....it might give you the motivation you need right now and I also think that you’re right covid in the mix seems to be affecting a lot of people on a lot of different levels....for myself I try not to let it stop my progress because I know I am the one who will suffer for it later on. Some days I would rather stay inside but I know that health wise it would be unwise for me to do that so no matter what I go walk outside 3 times a day!! Sending you good thoughts and energies!! 

Lacey_Moderator‍ 
I hope this is helpful and not the other way around.
Exercise is not a race, it is an individuals attempt at making life more pleasant.
The diverse range of comments is good because you may or may not relate. If you do, that is great because it is true the more you exercise the better you feel. The body releases natural pain relievers during exercise.
The one thing that I have done throughout my experiences is get out of bed and in my cases shave, shower, trim hair when I have it and treat every morning as if I am still going to work.
In case of the  woman out thhere whatever you do to look good.
I always want to have the best picture of me starring back at me.
I might be sick but I do not want to look sick.
I feel this is the best thing everyday that I can do for myself.
And believe me at this point even this is a lot of exercise for me.
Now have I missed days, yes life is not perfect but if I can't get out of bed I want to at least wash my face and shave so that my reflection is me.
Diet is important like with your mind garbage in garbage out.
Make sure where ever you are in the process, give your body a fighting chance by feeding it what it needs to build or rebuild your immune system.
If you have to give up something do not give up the body builders.
This is one chance, there are no reruns or doovers it is a matter doing your best now.
All the exercise in the world will not save you it will help if you are doing the rest correctly.
Light and water produces life, with (good food) fertile soil.
If I can leave one message from my life this would be it.
Control and focus 
Keep your light burning into the night.
You are here for a reason and your work is not done.
There is a life you can brighten
A soul you can save
A conversation you wish had with someone but never make.
We all have just one more step to make and that step is never ending.
Who was left forgotten?
Speedystill 
 

I’m now 63 and although I was a couch potato this past year, depression and being retired played a large part in this. I watched my dad sit on a couch and barely get up for the last 20 yrs. When he died at 92 he was barely able to stand and although some of this was contributed by mild dementia, it was just easier and more pleasant for him to sit and read or watch tv.  

I feel I could lose my mobility as well because it is more fun and very easy for me to sit and knit or watch tv. This has been what has motivated me to get out and walk daily no matter the weather or if I feel like it or not. So I’m at 2 wks and I really enjoy it. I always feel so much better with more energy! Now it is my morning priority and the first thing I do in my day. This is the rest of my life self care that I hope to commit to and if the day comes that I can’t walk then I hope I can move my body in some other way. It also helps that I have an indoor walking track that is within walking distance of my house. It’s usually where I walk  too.

During active treatment, I was active only sporadically, when i had the energy. I remember doing the Terry Fox Run event at my kids school during my second round of chemo, I think adrenaline and wanting to do something with my kids pushed me on. Their school was so supportive to us all during that time, I remember one of the teachers, who hadn't actually taught either of my kids would make a point of stopping for a chat whenever he saw me around the school, and I was able to support one of the school secretaries when she herself was diagnosed a couple years ago. I also did my first ever run for thte cure in between my first and second chemo sessions. I think it was pure adrenaline that time that got me around. I did it again the next year, joined by some of the girls in my girl guides unit at the time. we had a sleepover the night before and made tshirts to wear at the event. special memories. 


A couple years ago , my local Wellspring were running a special program / study the ACE exercise study if anyone's heard of it. It was going great until we discovered a propblem with my foot. We thought I had broken it somehow, but it turns out I have some extra (spare?) bone in one part of my foot, and what looks like a bone chip at the base of my big too. So I had to kind of abandon that for a while. 

I always mean to be more active than I am, and have great intentions, but having been diagnosed with ADHD just under a year ago, I understand better now that I come by my procrastination / lack of follow through honestly - it's something I need to work on. And with chronic fatigue syndrome also, being a gym rat and going nuts would actually be bad for me - I need to find something that actually keeps my interest enough to make it happen. My library is actually starting a walking book club in the new year, which might be perfect! 

I am getting more steps at the moment though - I just started working outside of the home after 13 years, as with the husband being laid off 4 months ago, but the bills not stopping, it was needed. I'm working at my local Michaels store as seasonal part time "customer experience" which will hopefully become permanent part time if they afford hours for me. I'm enjoying it mostly, though being high risk for covid, and working retail is a tad scary, especially with the rising case numbers here in Alberta. Certainly getting my steps in though, I did 9000 in my 4 1/2 hour shift yesterday!  

Hi All
In the last few months I have discovered a set of you tube videos by Heather Robertson. Great videos, decent music. I love that there is no talking in it just follow along. You do need to have some knowledge of how to do the exercises though. ( you tube is great for even teaching you how to do the exercises correctly ) there is lots to choose from on her site even a 12 week workout and a monthly calendar For myself I found that if I just start my day with them then I am more likely to do the workouts. I had to stop recently as I am scheduled for a mastectomy on Monday so will be on a 4-6 week break but looking forward to starting up again.

derein‍ good luck with your mastectomy surgery today - may you recover well and be back to exercising very soon. Essjay xx

Thanks, derein‍ .  I had a quick look at the videos.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOpsZxrmeDARilha1uq4slA
I used to go to the gym 3 times a week, for zumba and muscle toning classes.  These days, I'm trying to remember gym exercises to do at home. I like that the Robertson videos use minimal equipment. 

When around summer 2019, my oncologist asked me if I was active. I said "Yes. I was so busy with gardening, cooking...". He said "Gardening does not count. You need to do some exercise which can raise up your pulse rate to between 120 and 130. About 20 min daily".  I then bought an apple watch to record my pulse rate. I slowly ran in the park and once my pulse rate raised up to 130 I then walked. So, run, walk,run... for 20 mins.  😄 . This lasted for 1-2 months and stopped when ran into Winter. I then began to  window shop (fast walking)  in the Metrotown town mall. couple hours daily for  almost 5 days a week. I don't think my pulse rate had ever raised up to 120 during window shopping. 😁
I started Letrozole in June 2019. in the first few months, as mentioned above I had no problems to walk, slow-run for long hours. However, after ? 6 months? , I can window shop for less and less hours, minutes and up to now, probably 10 mins each time ☹ 
Last month, I complaint to my current onco I have stiff leg joints in morning (though usually relieve after shower),  can't raise up my left (funny my good side, no problem with my cancer side ) arm more than 90 degrees,    She reminded me to keep active like to walk up and down stair in the house but don't push myself if felt tired 😓
 

Hi everyone, 
I second the videos by Heather Robertson! I did the 12 week challenge in spring, and began her calendars in September - I love it, it’s one of the things I’m most worried about with surgery looming - as exercise has always been - and is more than ever since COVID - my sanity. I am worried about not being able to exercise as much as I do now and what impact it will have on my mind and body:( 
 

I try to be as active as I can. If the weather is ok I can walk our crescent on my own but do not venture around the block unless I have someone with me. Can’t do stairs on my own yet due to left leg. I have physio and joined a zoom exercise class.