Importance of excercise

Hi Angie

I do two 45min weight sessions  Monday and Friday and then do 30 minute walks 3 days per week with 2 rest days.

45 x2  90minutes

3 X 30 90 minutes 

Its easy to fit in during the week.

Even if you walk for 10 minutes three times a day it's exercise.

I feel a lot better since I started to exercise and have found the Lymphodema in my arm and chest is better since exercising.

You can get a health plan from your GP and one of the options is an exercise physiologist so that is an option to help you start exercising.

hope this helps

Hi Angie ??

Early works for me 

But I totally understand how difficult it can be when you have younger children, a job or whatever.

Littlle & often is probably easier to slot into a day.

write it in your diary as an appointment may help.

I hadn't heard of the 150 minutes a week but know excersize is supposed to be hugely beneficial.

most importantly , be gentle with yourself. Some days it just isn't going to happen for whatever reason. It's ok, we all do the best we can.

sometimes just deep breaths in front of a mirror along with a few favourite stretches, yoga moves. Excersize can take many different forms ?? I try to do a lot of arm stretches & blood circulation moves to help my lymph nodes & flexibility. It did strike me during one of my appointments how all these advice people haven't actually been through our stuff themselves  . . . .

Play around to suit yourself. 

I Hope this helps ??

????????????

Exercise shmeckxercise. I did not manage to do ANY since January. ZIP. NADA. Nothing. For some weeks it was a full work out for me walking from my bed to the loo. Then from my car to my work desk. My legs started aching from atrophy I am sure. And I thought this is the end of me. With shortness of breath from docetaxal and then other complications I was too tired to do ANYTHING. Then after some very wise words of wisdom from the wonderful women on this network I decided rather than give up all together I would take it VERY VERY slow and reward myself with "'atta girls" at every chance I got.

I did a lap around my backyard. 'Atta girl. Then 2 laps - 'atta girl, then 5 laps - 'atta girl times 5. Slowly, in the last 3 weeks I felt a very small amount of strength return. My husband bought an elliptical machine. I did one minute intense workout a few times a day, then 2 minutes a few times a day, then 3 minutes. I am now up to 6 minutes intense cardio on the machine usually twice a day. My legs are getting stronger. My stamina is improving. I can now take the stairs at work as well. And last weekend I did not stay in bed at all, no nanna naps, not a single one. Even helped Hubby tear down the rest of our pergola that was torn to shreds in the winds last week.

Not quite at half an hour a day yet, but I never thought I would be able to do anything. So for anyone really really struggling to put one foot in front of the other like I was, my suggestion would be to take it REAL slow and you just might surprise yourself. 

There's NO WAY I would have been able to start off doing half an hour a day.

Nadine

P.S. the elliptical machine sits right in the middle of our loungeroom. Because it's right there where we all are, everyone (3 sons, hubby and I) is on it at all hours which is absolutely fantastic as everyone gets a workout!!!

I agree with Nadine....do what YOU are able to...don't compare yourself to others....good lord if we did that i'd be running a marathon while cooking gourmet dinners for the community! 

I am yet to get back to anything meaningful as i have been hit with one treatment after another ( only ever a week in between each starting!) and now have just had my double mastectomy...I'm on my third week since surgery and only now feel as though I can go for a walk down the street....

Set yourself realistic goals and once you have accomplished them, move up....best wishes

Xx

Everyone reacts to chemo in different ways. I've tried to exercise straight after chemo, even though I'm feeling "spaced out", then 30 mins the next day. After that, I'm lucky to manage a walk for the next few days until symptoms subside. When I start to feel better I do gentle weights or a Step class & just let my body be my guide as to what I can cope with. I don't always get through a class, but I'm definitely exercising 5-6 days per week. I find the more I do, the better I feel.  

Good luck, do what you can!

Kristy

Nadi, so glad this has worked for you. I'm struggling with the 5 mins now on week 8 of taxol. But I will keep trying as I know it works. Baby steps. Kath x

You do what you can do and who's to say lugging a basket of washing out and spending half an hour pegging out isn't weight lifting and stretching exercises?

I do make myself do a half an hours walking every afternoon. It used to be half an hour of a morning first thing as well but that sapped all my strength for the rest of the day so I haven't been doing that in a while.

I have 14 fish tanks which I water change 1/3 every week. I carry 12L buckets across the room to the drainage drum and lift them up into that. Its been a bit of a killer for me that one and sometimes I don't quite make it up into the drum and slop a bit of water around the floor. I don't dwell on my weakness, just try an make the next bucket empty without making a mess.

I was going to get back into the full house weekly vac of the floors but my backs been a little dodgy of late so still taking things easy. I don't want to mess my recovery up by doing too much at once.