Fighting back with fitness
I thought I would share my ups and downs regaining my fitness since chemo. For a start I gained an astonishing amount of weight during chemo, around 20 plus kgs. I had gained 3 to 4 post surgery al...
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I think @iserbrown has it just about right. Luckily I have never been one to sprint haha!
This was me just over 4 years ago on my last day of chemo. Gee that wig was awful but I thought it looked ok at the time! :D
Docetaxel did not leave me in a very fit state. I could barely walk up the six steps into my house. So breathless and very worried about how I would recover. AND I then had radiotherapy so more fatigue :/
I took things very gently and one small step at a time.I made small changes to my diet and would walk as far as I could each day. Sometimes that was for only 10 minutes. Swimming was easier for me and luckily it was summer.
So I swam and walked and ate carefully. I learned about nutrition because my body was depleted and I needed to eat well for energy too.
Slowly I lost the weight I had put on during chemo and a further 6 kg too. Stamina took time to build but I kept going. Different challenges arose but I kept finding a way forward.
Now, just over 4 years later I am pleased with my ability to achieve balance in my life. These days I eat a very healthy diet, walk a lot (it costs nothing) and lift heavy weights for my bone density a couple of times a week. It is manageable and has got me a long way towards having a life I can feel happy about. Sometimes things happen and you get off track but you can get back to it when you keep trying. Just like you are Kath :)
In my experience wearing yourself out is not necessary and not the way to recovery. I never thought of it as another battle (that just saps more energy!) but for me it was just a matter of getting up each day and doing what is manageable and enjoyable. Slowly, slowly but never losing sight of that goal - reclaiming your life and then keeping it reclaimed :)
This was me just over 4 years ago on my last day of chemo. Gee that wig was awful but I thought it looked ok at the time! :D
Docetaxel did not leave me in a very fit state. I could barely walk up the six steps into my house. So breathless and very worried about how I would recover. AND I then had radiotherapy so more fatigue :/
I took things very gently and one small step at a time.I made small changes to my diet and would walk as far as I could each day. Sometimes that was for only 10 minutes. Swimming was easier for me and luckily it was summer.
So I swam and walked and ate carefully. I learned about nutrition because my body was depleted and I needed to eat well for energy too.
Slowly I lost the weight I had put on during chemo and a further 6 kg too. Stamina took time to build but I kept going. Different challenges arose but I kept finding a way forward.
Now, just over 4 years later I am pleased with my ability to achieve balance in my life. These days I eat a very healthy diet, walk a lot (it costs nothing) and lift heavy weights for my bone density a couple of times a week. It is manageable and has got me a long way towards having a life I can feel happy about. Sometimes things happen and you get off track but you can get back to it when you keep trying. Just like you are Kath :)
In my experience wearing yourself out is not necessary and not the way to recovery. I never thought of it as another battle (that just saps more energy!) but for me it was just a matter of getting up each day and doing what is manageable and enjoyable. Slowly, slowly but never losing sight of that goal - reclaiming your life and then keeping it reclaimed :)