I Am Chastised

I am chastised. OK, maybe not literally: Chas-tise [chas-tahyz], to discipline, esp. by corporal punishment. But I am engaging in a little self-rebuking.

I've hired a running coach. As you know, I'm really into trail running now, and recently ran my first 50K. I have big ideas, though (yes, bigger than my 8+ hour 50K), so I'm getting some expert help. I fully believe in getting help when I need it. I know that I can do a lot on my own - I trained for my first long distance race on my own - but I could use some help for the next stage. 


My first task with my new coach was to give him a log of an average workout week. 


Uh oh! I'm very good about making a plan. But it turns out that I'm quite bad about keeping a record of what I actually do. 


I frequently recommend that you all keep an exercise log. I've written about the value of doing that here, I talk about it on the Life-Cise Beyond Treatment page. It's a great idea. It lets you track what you're doing and your progress. It's often hard to really judge progress, but with a log, you can go back and see what you could do a month ago compared with what you can do now. 


Your log doesn't have to be complicated. It can simply be a note jotted down in a calendar - either in paper or on your computer. You can keep a notebook. It can be as detailed as you want, including things like heart rate. But most of the time, a simple note will suffice. 


I will be doing a better job now. I have a detailed plan from my trainer, and now I'll be keeping track of my workouts, too.


I really do believe in the value of keeping track of your workouts. I guess this falls into the category of "do as I say, not as I do".


Julie


Now, to run....

Fun (and Exercise) in a New York Winter

In the spirit of fun, here's what I've been doing for fun & exercise with all our snow (that's Ron):

I also tried to get some action shots. Hat-cam did not work. I also tried belt-cam and bra-cam. Both have their limitations. 

Belt-cam:

Bra-cam:

This is just some silliness on my part. But it leads into something of more substance. As we're being blanketed by snow here in the Northeast once again, a new study has been released that finds spending more time indoors in more heated and air-conditioned buildings may be contributing to increasing obesity. You can check out this new study (published in Obesity Reviews) on the Life-Cise News page. But basically, the researchers believe that the narrower range of temperatures we're exposed to limits both the heat that our bodies produce (thereby burning more calories) and our body's ability to generate heat.

Also, health experts from the University of Missouri found that the tendency to stay indoors and eat comfort food when the weather is bad leads to people feeling less content. They believe that cuddling up indoors with a big bowl of popcorn or ice cream (or whatever counts as comfort food) adds to the winter-time blues experienced by so many.

So, no matter the weather, try to get out and do something. Find something fun: build a snowman, have a snowball fight, go sledding. Or just take a walk around the block. It will be good for your body, your mind, and maybe your weight.

And I'll close with this fabulous quote from one of the researchers at the University of Missouri.

"Regarding exercise and physical activity in the winter, some is better than none, more is better than some and too much is difficult to get," said Steve Ball, state fitness specialist and associate professor in the College of Human Environmental Sciences. 

Julie

Hop, Skip, & A Jump

I posted this video this morning on the Life-Cise Facebook page. I love the idea of using FUN to encourage people to do what's good for them.

We all know that we need to get more exercise. We all know that simple steps can make a difference in our health. We know that it would be better for us if we walked up the stairs instead of riding the escalator. As we run through our day, though, how many of us actually make that choice?

Knowing it and doing it are two different things!

Fun. That's one element that too often is lost in talk of health and fitness. We get bogged down in theory and numbers - how many calories, how many METS, oxygen uptake.... What we need is simply to move more.

Of course, if you're training for a specific sport or recovering from injury or surgery, you will need some very specific advice. But if you're just trying to make some changes for better health, try focusing on fun activities that will get you moving more. You are much more likely to stick with it if you enjoy yourself. If exercise feels like nothing but a chore, you're probably going to quickly look for ways to avoid it.

If you hate walking on the treadmill, don't do it. Do something you like. Make it fun. If you get a kick out of putting on some dance music & dancing around your house when no one is looking, then make a point to do that. I had a Life-Cise client once who sheepishly admitted that what she thought was really fun was skipping. It reminded her of being a kid. I told her to go out in the park and skip. I mean, it was New York City - you can see all sorts of people doing all sorts of weird things in the park; who's going to care if she's skipping? We did add in some weight training a couple days a week as well, but made sure that fun was a key element in everything.

If you're starting out, if you're struggling to maintain your workouts, if you've gotten bored with your exercise routine, change it. It's your body, it's not rocket science (no offense meant to other trainers, but sometimes we in the fitness profession make it way too serious). Make up silly little challenges for yourself. Do something that makes you laugh. I often come up with completely absurd challenges for myself at the gym that leave me laughing out loud. OK, I may look like I'm a crazy person, but I'm having fun and I'm getting a good workout. So, who cares what I look like?

Remember when we were kids? Most of us ran around constantly, playing games - moving. We were exhausted by the end of the day. Instead of just walking to the bus stop, we'd hop over cracks in the sidewalk, leap over bushes, run backwards or sideways.

Why not instill just a hint of that sense of adventure and fun into your ideas of exercise? (Let me know if you need some help in coming up with fun ideas) If you're having fun, you're more likely to continue. You're more likely to actually look forward to exercise. You'll feel re-energized.

You'll have fun!

Julie

But What If My Neck Gets Tired From Keeping My Chin Up?

I'd like to explore an idea from my last post a little further. After I wrote the post, I continued to think about the idea of positive attitude and negativity in our lives as cancer survivors. My thoughts echoed some conversations I've had with newly diagnosed friends.

There's definitely pressure to "think positive", to keep our chins up. It hits us on several fronts. The pressure comes from our family and friends, who - in all fairness to them - just hate to see us suffer. They know they can't really take away our pain and fear, but they want to offer something comforting to us. They are frightened as well, and hope that there is a connection between what we think and what our bodies do. So they exhort us to keep up a good attitude, wishing a smile on our face can cure all our ills.

It comes from the popular media. There are countless books, some from very well-known authors, telling us that we control our bodies. All we need is a strong enough will to live. (this common attitude always bothered me because I'm quite sure that all the people I've known who died from some disease wanted to live every bit as much as I did.) It's a pervasive, feel-good story: against all odds, she believed so strongly, wanted to live so badly, that she stepped back from death's doorstep. It makes for a lot of bad TV movies.

Pressure also comes from some in the cancer community. Sometimes, in an effort to empower survivors, some advocacy/support organizations leave no room for anything other than charging up that hill (and looking good while you do it).

And the pressure comes from ourselves. We want to survive! We want to do anything that might give us an edge against our disease. If we believe at all (and I do) in a connection between the mind and body, it's hard not to imagine our thoughts might affect our survival. If there's even the chance that our thoughts might influence our bodies, we're willing to try to banish all negative thoughts.

The problem is that cancer is pretty negative. It's impossible to face a cancer diagnosis and not feel frightened, confused, angry, or depressed - at least some of the time. People die from our disease - how is it possible to not have some pretty negative thoughts when faced with the facts? (my opinion: people who don't admit to these feelings are lying.)

With all this pressure, it's easy to fall into feeling guilty about our perfectly normal feelings. It is normal to feel scared. It's normal to feel angry. It's normal to feel anything.

And interestingly, the guilt seems to be unfounded, at least when it comes to our survival. For all the talk and accepted popular wisdom, a positive attitude doesn't actually have any affect on disease outcome. An Australian study, led by Penelope Schofield, found that high levels of optimism had no affect on survival in lung cancer survivors. In addition, the study found that encouraging a positive attitude may only add to the burden for the cancer patient (Cancer, 2004, March 15). And a review of psychology literature and medical studies found no evidence of positive attitude changing the outcome for cancer survivors, contrary to popular claims (Annuls of Behavioral Medicine, 2010, February).

I think this is good. Thinking about the possibility that my disease could kill me, as it has so many others, will not kill me. Feeling desperately afraid that my cancer could come back will not cause it to come back. To me, this is good; it's liberating.

That's not to say I believe that attitude makes no difference. It may not make a difference of whether I live or die, but it can make a difference in how I feel or what I choose to do. If I choose to find something positive in my situation, I may be more likely to stay engaged with my life. I may be more likely to find enjoyment. And I may be more likely to continue to want to take care of myself. I may be more likely to eat better, exercise, and continue to maintain friendships.

And some of these things might just make a difference.

Julie

It's Not All Pretty Ribbons

Today I found out that Daria, of Daria-LivingwithCancer, is in the hospital and no longer able to post to her blog. This latest news was posted by her husband, Don. Daria has metastatic breast cancer. The trial she's been in has affected her liver. She was taken to the hospital last night by her husband.

I wish all peace and strength to both Daria and Don.

Daria is one of those people who I've never met, but whose bad news breaks my heart. Once again, I find myself with tears streaming down my face as I write about someone I only know through the internet. I read Daria's blog regularly. I appreciate that she dedicated herself to writing every day about what life is like with metastatic cancer.

So often, metastatic survivors are forgotten in all the survivor hype. In order to give hope to the many with cancer, sometimes those for whom cancer is not just a temporary setback feel ignored. They are not the cancer success stories; they are what we all fear. For any of you who missed it, there is a great article in the New York Times this week about life with mets, "A Pink Ribbon Race, Years Long."

There have been great improvements in detection, treatment, but especially in quality of life for survivors of all types of cancer. Through advocacy and awareness campaigns, many more people feel more capable of fighting their disease.

But the sad fact is that sometimes cancer comes back. All the feel good programs and empowerment don't change the fact that cancer, any type of cancer, is a terrible disease. The races and ribbons don't change that.

Yes, those of us who survive may find ourselves stronger. We may find new meaning in our lives. We may just be happy to not be dead. We are grateful for our health when it is good, and suffer when we hear of another in our community who is not so lucky. But we all lose something along the way.

I fear that some may find this all very negative. There is sometimes pressure to keep a positive attitude about cancer. The pressure comes from our loved ones as well as from some in the cancer community.

I do believe in focusing on what is positive and hopeful, but do not deny reality in the process. And the reality is that cancer is a terrible disease. It destroys lives. Cancer - all forms - still needs so much more advocacy, awareness, and, above all, research.

Cancer is not just a pretty ribbon; it's lives.

Julie

The Health Of Our Care - "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane"

Martin Luther King, jr. spoke before the 1966 National Convention of the Medical Committee for Human Rights held in Chicago. In that speech he said, "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane."

In 1966, the difference in life expectancy for blacks was about 7 years shorter than for whites. The difference between black men and white women was 14 years. (from the 2006 report to Congress on Life Expectancy) Those are national averages. I have read that life expectancy for blacks in the South in 1966 was 17 years less than whites living in the South. (I have not been able to check that statistic, however, I have checked all the other statistics by that writer, and they have all been correct. I assume, therefore, that this figure is also accurate.)

According to the Census Bureau's statistics, for people born in 2007, blacks in the U.S. will live 5 years less than whites, on average. (from the Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2011)

So, I guess we've made some progress. But I would have hoped that in 45 years we would have made more progress than just gaining 2 years of health equality.

There are a myriad of causes: income disparity, social and cultural influences, genetics. But there can be no doubt that disparity in healthcare still plays a huge role.

In 2004, the Department of Health and Human Resources reported that the vast majority (48%) of uninsured in the U.S. were whites. However, although blacks make up about 12% of the population, they represent 15% of the uninsured. Hispanics are even more disproportionally represented among the uninsured. In 2004, Hispanics made up 14% of the population, but were 30% of the uninsured. By 2006, those numbers had risen to 20% uninsured for blacks, and 34% for people of Hispanic origin.

Unfortunately, lack of insurance is just part of the problem. Racial discrepancies also exist in the care that is given. Numerous studies have found differences in care even when insurance status and income is accounted for. In the January issue of Obesity, researchers report that blacks are far less likely to receive weight reduction and exercise counseling from their doctors than white patients. Researchers from MD Anderson found that while 74% of white women diagnosed with breast cancer received radiation after a lumpectomy, just 65% of black women were treated with radiation. (presented at the 2008 ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium) A study at Columbia University found racial disparities for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Blacks were much less likely to receive liver transplants than white patients. (from the journal Cancer) And in another study published in Cancer, researchers from Dana Farber found that for women diagnosed with breast cancer, black women were 9% less likely than white women to have a mastectomy or lumpectomy, 10% less likely to receive hormonal treatments, and 13% less likely to be given chemotherapy. Hispanic women were less likely to receive hormonal treatments. These disparities in treatment persisted even after accounting for differences in insurance and socio-economic levels.

These are just a few of the studies documenting the ongoing racial disparity in healthcare in this country. Social and economic differences affect insurance and access to good care. There are obviously deeply ingrained perceptions and misperceptions among some doctors and other healthcare workers. And there are social and cultural differences at work among both doctors and patients.

Yes, there have been improvements since the 1960s. Blacks no longer have to enter the hospital through the back door and, if they are treated at all, be treated by a doctor who cannot have privileges at that hospital because he is not white.

But we can - we must - do better.

We must make policy choices that are fair to all, regardless of race. We must do more to insure that doctors treat patients based on their illness or symptoms, rather than on preconceived ideas about what a white person or a black person should be told.

And we, as the people who utilize the healthcare system, must do better for ourselves. We must make more effort to overcome our discomfort - whether cultural, familial, or simply personal - over talking about our health and sensitive issues. It is our responsibility to seek care when we need it. It is also our responsibility to make healthier choices for ourselves. And it is our responsibility to demand from our leaders equal access to equal healthcare.

We can - we must - do better. "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane."

Julie

Where Should The Emphasis Be: Calories In or Calories Out?

Did you make any resolutions for New Years? Like so many others, did you resolve to lose a certain number of pounds?

My paper delivery guy made a mistake a couple days ago. Instead of the New York Times, I got the local paper instead. Of course, I can still get all the news that's fit to print online, but it's not the same as feeling the pages in my hands, turning page after page, folding it just so.

So I took the opportunity to catch up on local events. In the local paper was an article, taken from USA Today, about losing weight. It said a recent poll found that two-thirds of people can't estimate how many calories they need. This part was fine; people need to be more aware of all aspects of their health. And knowing how much you should be eating is as important to making good choices as what you should be eating.

My problem with the article is that the entire emphasis on losing weight was about calories. The examples given for how many calories are needed for weight loss were for sedentary women and sedentary men. Exercise was only mentioned once, toward the end of the article, and only in passing.

Why not compare the calories needed for a sedentary man to lose a pound to how many calories he could burn if he walked a half hour a day? Why not give some ideas about building some extra exercise into the day in addition to how many calories are in a large order of McDonald's french fries? Why does the popular media so often focus only on the calories we're eating?

Weight loss is not just about eating less. It is about moving more. Weight is all about calories taken in and calories burned. If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight.

Successful weight loss and maintenance does not come from dieting alone, or exercise alone. Successful, long-term weight maintenance is about balancing your calories in with your calories out. Eat sensibly, and move more.

Julie

Exercise & Our Immune System

As I'm still in recovery mode from my 50K run, I think it's a good time to write about exercise and our immune systems again. I'm thinking about this because marathon runners often develop colds or respiratory infections after a race. Many athletes are more susceptible to viruses after extreme exertion.

So what's the story - is exercise good for our immune system, or does it make us more susceptible to disease?

It all depends on the amount and intensity. Moderate exercise has been shown in studies (notably, a study by David Nieman, PhD, FACSM, in 1997: Moderate Exercise Boosts the Immune System, Too Much Exercise Can Have the Opposite Effect, published in ACSM Health & Fitness Journal) to boost the immune system. It's a temporary boost, lasting just a few hours. It is cumulative, however, so regular exercise prolongs the boost.

Researchers aren't totally clear on how it helps. It could be that the slight rise in temperature from exercise may inhibit bacterial growth. The activity and deep breathing may help to flush bacteria from the lungs. Or the immunity boost could come from white blood cells and antibodies being sent throughout the body during exercise. Exercise also inhibits stress hormones; stress hormones lower our immunity. Whatever the reason, moderate exercise helps our immune system.

That's why, even if it seems counter-intuitive, getting a little exercise when you're sick can be good. It may be the last thing you feel like doing, but if you feel a cold coming on, get a little exercise.

But the key is moderation. Don't go and knock yourself out with a super-hard workout.

That same important study by David Nieman found that very intense or extended exercise lowers immune function. The same short-term boost in immunity happens, but then immune function plummets. That's why marathoners and other endurance athletes are more susceptible to colds after a big event.

And that's one reason why I'm making sure to take good care of myself: eat well, stay warm, get lots of rest, and drink plenty of fluids. But for the rest of you, add a little exercise to your cold-fighting regimen - extra vitamins, garlic, tea with honey, ginger, echinacea, golden seal.... Whatever it is, add in a walk.

Julie

Run, Julie, Run - and run, and run, and run....

I finished - the 50K - by mistake.

The event was an ultra-marathon festival; the 2 races were a regular marathon (what I was planning on trying to run), and a 50K (what I was not planning on running). Both races started at the same time, and the first 2 loops around the preserve were the same for both races. Then for the 3rd loop, we split into a shorter loop for the marathon runners and the same long loop for the 50K runners. (you know where this is going.)

It was a beautiful, but cold day. Conditions were definitely slow. There was around 4-5inches of fresh snow from yesterday's storm. But the snow from last week's blizzard was almost all melted off. It had melted, gotten totally churned up, and refroze. Imagine all that uneven ice covered with just a few inches of snow.

Imagine what it would be like to run behind a Zamboni for 5 miles - and then multiply it by 6.

But we all persevered, slipping and falling, and walking when necessary.

And then I was ready for the start of my third loop. I and a few others misunderstood the third loop for the marathon. Instead, we ended up back on the main loop. We realized our mistake when the real marathon loop connected back with the loop we were running (or, by that time, running/walking/shuffling/hobbling).

There was nothing to do but keep going - the full 50K (which is only 31 miles - only 5 more miles than I was planning - but 50 anything sounds really long!).

So, although I wasn't sure I really had it in me to run a marathon - apparently I do.

And now, a hot bath and a glass of wine. Followed by a REST DAY!

Julie

Run, Julie, Run - Race Day

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost 
from stopping by woods on a snowy evening

Run, Julie, Run - Day-before-nerves!

I'm nervous. Tomorrow is my first attempt at a marathon, a trail marathon in January in New Jersey. It's snowing - because it's January in the Northeast.

And I'm feeling woefully inadequately prepared. I had a plan. It was an aggressive training plan, but it was a plan that would get me ready for my first marathon. But as happens in many areas of our lives, life got in the way of plans. I wasn't able to get in my final long run, and my training was somewhat disrupted the last few weeks.

So, I'm nervous. I know, this is just a race; it's not life and death. It's a race....But I've trained and I want to run well, for me.

I do know that, as important as training is, it doesn't account for that elusive quality called "heart". Heart can't replace training, but every come-from-behind underdog knows that it can't be discounted either. Heart is that thing that makes you take another step, go a little faster, a little further when others are prepared to stop. Heart is what leads you to your own little victories, no matter your speed or place.

I'm not a great athlete. I'll never set any records or win any race. But, I know what it's like to push myself beyond all that I thought possible. I know that I have that thing - that "heart".

I climbed Mt. Rainier (14,411') one year after finishing a full, punishing year of surgery/chemo/rads/chemo. It was not the hardest mountain I've ever climbed, but just a year after treatment, it was seriously tough. I was fairly sure a few times that I couldn't make it, but I managed to struggle on - one step, then another, then another. It remains one of my proudest achievements.

And I toughed it out on Aconcagua (22,841' - highest peak in the Western hemisphere). After our first supply carry to the first camp beyond base camp, I got sick - REALLY sick. As careful as I was, I got e-coli or some other nasty bacteria - never been so sick. I was sure I was done; I would simply wait at base camp as the rest of my team climbed. But with a lot of antibiotics and other drugs, and a huge amount of help and encouragement from my guides and teammates, I did manage to climb, 17 days on the mountain - throwing up the whole way. Every minute was a struggle.

But more than any of my climbing experiences, I know what it's like to stick it out from cancer. I know what it's like to cry every night, and go back the next day for more radiation. I know what it's like to throw up for a week, and still go back to get loaded up with more drugs.

I know.

I know that elusive thing called "heart".

But I also know that heart doesn't trump safety. If conditions, the day, or I am not right, I will pass. I've passed on climbs when things weren't right. It is just a race, after all. Just like they are only mountains. There will always be another; my safety matters.

Years ago, climbing in Ecuador, I had summited Cayambe and Cotopaxi. In my mind, though, those two mountains were just the warm-up to Chimborazo. Summit day arrived on Chimbo. I hadn't slept at all, not a wink - nerves, altitude.... I went out into the dark to pee (it was 11:30 at night - the start of our climbing day). I knew how hard the other mountains had been, and I knew this was harder. I knew I had had the flu, had spent my days off throwing up with a very high fever. I looked deep inside and knew I simply didn't have it in me that day. I knew I could start out and probably get pretty far. But I also knew that if I couldn't continue I could cause myself and my teammates problems or harm. So I went back in and announced that I wasn't climbing that day. I helped get them breakfast and saw them off - and then I cried.

But I have never regretted that choice. I have never felt defeated by the choice. It was the right choice for me that day. Part of the reason is that the summit is only a small part of the whole experience. Climbing a mountain, or running a race is just one of the steps.

So whatever happens tomorrow, it will be a success. If I can't finish, I am still in so much better shape than I was. I will learn a lot from the race, no matter my time. I'll be better prepared to take on the next challenge. And I've discovered something wonderful: I love going out into the woods, in all kinds of crazy weather, by myself to run - sometimes for hours.

I'm still nervous. But whatever happens tomorrow, good things have already happened as a result of this race.

And there's the possibility that it could be an extraordinary day - that I could be extraordinary!

Julie

Lifting Weights - Getting Started

I hope the new year is off to a good start for you. There's a good chance that you, like thousands of people, have made some resolutions to improve something in the coming year. I hope that at least part of your resolution plan is to be just a little healthier and feel a little better this year, which should include exercise.

And I definitely hope that part of that exercise will be strength training. Everyone should pay more attention to strength training: men, women, and especially cancer survivors! We have the effects of surgeries and treatments to overcome. And many of our drugs put us at risk for osteoporosis. Resistance, or weight training is an effective tool to slow bone loss.

I'm not talking about being like those muscle-bound, bulging young boys at the gym (although, cool if that is your goal). I'm talking about functional strength - for whatever it is that you want to do. Do you want to be strong enough to climb mountains? Or just strong enough to pick up your kids? Want a little more definition and less sag? Or the ability to get yourself up off the floor if you fall? The goal is yours, but how to get there is something I can help with.

Getting started is hard if you've lost your strength for whatever reason. It's even harder if you've had surgeries or treatments that affect your strength. I was just asked about some tips for getting started with upper body strength just the other day - so, Nancy, this is your post.

First, make sure you have regained good range of motion. If you still have limited mobility, continue working on stretching before you begin strengthening.

And start off easy. Don't worry how much weight you can lift at first. Focus more on form. Always strive for perfect form. Always do any exercise in a slow, controlled manner.

If you're just starting out, no-weight exercises are a great way to begin. You only use the weight of your body for resistance. It may seem like you're not doing much, but if you do them correctly - slow and controlled: 3-4 second up, hold a couple of seconds, 3-4 seconds down - they can be highly effective.

As you begin to add weight, do it slowly. With my Life-Cise clients and in my workshops, I often suggest using water bottles as weights. Depending on the size, they weigh a pound or 2, and you can vary the weight by more or less water. (and they encourage you to stay hydrated!)

Here are a couple of my favorite first exercises, the wing pinch and straight arm raises. Both can be very effective as no-weight exercises, but can progress into weighted exercises. I'm always in favor of any exercise that strengthens the shoulders and upper back, so often ignored, and so needed after a whole variety of cancer treatments.

Wing pinch: Strengthens muscles of the upper back and shoulder (rhomboids, trapezius, serratus).
With your arms at your sides, bend your elbows to 90 degrees. Hold your hands, palms up, slightly wider than your body, keeping elbows at your side.  Draw your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together. To increase the intensity of this exercise, change the level of your arms: Raise your arms out to the side, at shoulder-height. Bend your elbows 90 degrees so your hands point forward. Keeping your shoulders down, pull your arms toward the back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. As you gain strength, add weight (water bottles or light weights).

Straight arm raises: Strengthens muscles of the shoulder and upper back (deltoids, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, subscapularis, teres major).
Stand straight with your shoulders back and down. Slowly raise your arms to the front, keeping them straight.  Raise them only to shoulder height.  Slowly lower. Do this exercise to the side as well, only raising arms to shoulder height.  In the beginning, do this exercise using no weights; the weight of your arm will provide enough resistance. As you gain strength, begin adding a little weight (water bottles or light weights).

My mom, showing excellent form.

And then there are push-ups. Start off doing pushups against the wall. As you gain strength, move your feet a little further from the wall. This increases the amount of your body weight that you have to push against. You can continue the progression to inclined push-ups (against a counter or heavy table), modified push-ups on the floor (from your knees).... The video I did for Fox News iMag is still available on their website, www.foxnews.com/imag. You can check it out for info on the full progression for my favorite exercise - the push-up!


So, good for you if weight training is part of your plans for a healthier new year, and add it to your plans if it wasn't already. Start slowly and progress gradually. The key is to start.

Give me a shout over at Life-Cise if you want more help developing a comprehensive plan or figuring out a good progression.

The key is to start!

Julie

Welcome to 2011, part 2

As followup to my little New Year's kick in the pants, I just want to say thank you.

Thanks to all of you who have stopped by Life-Cise and this blog, and a big thank you to all of you who continue coming back. It is gratifying that what I am so passionate about has meaning for you, too.

I am especially thankful for the friendships I have developed through writing this blog. That's an added benefit that had never occurred to me when I started; when I started I wasn't even sure anyone would care what I had to say. But through this blog and also through the writing that many of you do, I've gotten to know some of you. And I've come to count you as friends.

It does seem odd to me sometimes to feel connected with people I've never met. But through our writing, connection and friendship with some lovely women and men all over the world is what I've found, and for that I am thankful.

We write about what matters to us, what amuses us, what we are passionate about. Often we write about cancer, but we also write of other things. Those of us in the cancer community sometimes write from very different perspectives. We are newbies, long-time survivors, angry, hopeful, scared, disease-free, or struggling with mets. All of us have a vital and important voice because as survivors, we do not have just one voice.

So, thank you all for your voice, your questions, your friendship - you add to my life.

Julie

Welcome to 2011

Welcome to 2011. My wish, as always, is for a very happy and healthy new year for us all!

It's a new year, another new beginning. In this new beginning, I encourage you to do more to take control of the things you can, and relinquish control of the things that you can't (that's the hard part for many of us).  There is so much in life that we really have no control over, yet we often spend a great deal of time and energy in a desperate attempt to exert our authority over those things. And in doing so, we ignore things that are within our actual sphere of influence.

Certainly, it can be difficult to recognize the difference sometimes. And it may be more difficult to admit to having no control. Any of us who have had cancer understand that feeling of helplessness that comes with admitting we don't have control of what our bodies are doing, for instance.

So take control of what you can this year. Or maybe "this year" is too big - how about starting with Take control of what you can today.

Exercise is definitely one of the areas in life that you do have control over. You do have the choice to make your life and body better. You may not be able to fix everything (no, exercise really can't fix it all), but you can make things better.

Instead of simply complaining that your back hurts, you can do some stretches and work on strengthening. If you've just finished chemo or rads, you probably feel pretty much exhausted. But you can start the process of feeling better, getting stronger. If you are in the middle of treatment or just starting, you can take control and limit how much strength you lose. You can regain the strength to play with your kids or clean your house. You can feel more empowered, happier, stronger. You just have to take control - and action.

You do have control - use it! It's not going to be perfect - going for a walk is not going to erase all the effects of chemotherapy - but it will be a little better. And a little is always better than none.

In this new year, take control of what you can - with your body, your mind, and your spirit. And then let go of the rest. (This is as much a reminder to myself as it is an exhortation to you.)

Julie

(and thanks to NASA for these super-cool pictures to remind us all - especially me - that there's a whole lot out there that is so far beyond our control)