I am soooo tired, but that's ok. This tired isn't my usual fatigue or insomnia induced tired, this is a tired that proves that I'm able to push myself on the treadmill. This tired tells me that I did indeed manage an hour at a reasonable pace with intermittent inclines. It's a good tired. So my end of summer mission to improve my health is slowly working. No, I haven't lost weight or gone down a dress size but my physical health must be improving. Well I know it is because I can do an hour on the treadmill as opposed to the thirty minutes I was doing six weeks ago. For this I'm very grateful. My new medication has brought me some new side effects, weight gain being one of them so I've had to come to terms with being even more bootylicious than I was before; but it's also reduced some of my other side effects, the fatigue is actually controllable now and not all encompassing. I'd rather be a bit curvier and able to get on with day to day life than slimmer and unable to function.
This isn't another blog about my side effects, even I'm bored of those. It is what it is and I'm grateful to have side effects knowing that my cancer has gone. This blog is about finding a balance in life. I am sort of in awe of those people who seem to completely turn their health around; they lose weight, they go to the gym, they eat healthily. They do this for three to four months and look absolutely incredible. But whilst they do this they give up on their normal lives; they stop going out and seeing friends. It's the only way that they are able to maintain this strict health regime. And good for them. Huge respect. I sort of wish I could do that. Then slowly but surely they ease themselves back into their regular lives and start to socialise again, start eating their favourite food and the weight sneaks back on. For some people not all of it, for some all of it and for a very few even more weight creeps on than they'd lost. You see, a lifestyle change takes commitment and it can affect friendships. Does that sound bad? Of course it does, but I've had friends who are full on health nuts. They gave up everything for their so called health. They've lost the balance.
One particular friend was this way. Each day she would run the equivalent of a marathon on the treadmill; half in the morning and half in the evening. Eating out with her was a nightmare. Her idea of eating a cupcake was to cut the top off and cut the sponge into quarters and eat one quarter. She wouldn't eat sauces or potatoes amongst other food, only lean meat and steamed vegetables or salad. And never any alcohol. All these things are fine, it's our own personal choice as to what we eat and why, but I honestly felt it was a control issue, an anxiety based lifestyle and I worried about her. She was so tiny without an ounce of fat to help fight any illness. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer I was forwarded an email from a friend of my ex husband. He stated that he had cured his throat cancer without any medical intervention and gave a list of do's and don'ts to follow for the rest of my life, with no let up. I did Google all his suggestions most of which had no medical back up, most of which could help towards a healthier lifestyle and a few that could actually harm your bodies natural balance. And as I read through his advice I realised that yes, I did want to beat cancer and live a healthy life but I also wanted to live life. Not spend everyday living in a bubble caused by the fear of cancer beating me. Not one of us knows what is around the corner and I believe that we should enjoy our time here as much is possible under whatever circumstances are put upon us. I love life. I love spending time with my family and with friends. I love food and drink. A long leisurely meal with good food, good wine and great company is one of my favourite things. If I followed the advice in the email I would be eating a diet completely devoid of taste and enjoyment. For me that wasn't even an option. I have altered my diet to a certain extent as I'm aware that no matter what condition you are living with, that a healthy lifestyle is crucial to your wellbeing. But our health isn't solely based on our diet; our mental well being is equally as important. So along with my three to four no meat, low carb, no alcohol days each week, I've added my treadmill work out and a weekly yoga class. These fulfil all my needs for a healthier me. They help me find my balance. Your balance will be very different from mine. You might love pounding away on a treadmill, running a marathon, bending and contorting daily. You might enjoy a vegetarian diet with a pint of Guinness every day. It's your life to live as healthily as you think you can. But being healthy is worth it because life is too precious not to be able to enjoy. So find your balance and be the best you can, for you.
This isn't another blog about my side effects, even I'm bored of those. It is what it is and I'm grateful to have side effects knowing that my cancer has gone. This blog is about finding a balance in life. I am sort of in awe of those people who seem to completely turn their health around; they lose weight, they go to the gym, they eat healthily. They do this for three to four months and look absolutely incredible. But whilst they do this they give up on their normal lives; they stop going out and seeing friends. It's the only way that they are able to maintain this strict health regime. And good for them. Huge respect. I sort of wish I could do that. Then slowly but surely they ease themselves back into their regular lives and start to socialise again, start eating their favourite food and the weight sneaks back on. For some people not all of it, for some all of it and for a very few even more weight creeps on than they'd lost. You see, a lifestyle change takes commitment and it can affect friendships. Does that sound bad? Of course it does, but I've had friends who are full on health nuts. They gave up everything for their so called health. They've lost the balance.
One particular friend was this way. Each day she would run the equivalent of a marathon on the treadmill; half in the morning and half in the evening. Eating out with her was a nightmare. Her idea of eating a cupcake was to cut the top off and cut the sponge into quarters and eat one quarter. She wouldn't eat sauces or potatoes amongst other food, only lean meat and steamed vegetables or salad. And never any alcohol. All these things are fine, it's our own personal choice as to what we eat and why, but I honestly felt it was a control issue, an anxiety based lifestyle and I worried about her. She was so tiny without an ounce of fat to help fight any illness. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer I was forwarded an email from a friend of my ex husband. He stated that he had cured his throat cancer without any medical intervention and gave a list of do's and don'ts to follow for the rest of my life, with no let up. I did Google all his suggestions most of which had no medical back up, most of which could help towards a healthier lifestyle and a few that could actually harm your bodies natural balance. And as I read through his advice I realised that yes, I did want to beat cancer and live a healthy life but I also wanted to live life. Not spend everyday living in a bubble caused by the fear of cancer beating me. Not one of us knows what is around the corner and I believe that we should enjoy our time here as much is possible under whatever circumstances are put upon us. I love life. I love spending time with my family and with friends. I love food and drink. A long leisurely meal with good food, good wine and great company is one of my favourite things. If I followed the advice in the email I would be eating a diet completely devoid of taste and enjoyment. For me that wasn't even an option. I have altered my diet to a certain extent as I'm aware that no matter what condition you are living with, that a healthy lifestyle is crucial to your wellbeing. But our health isn't solely based on our diet; our mental well being is equally as important. So along with my three to four no meat, low carb, no alcohol days each week, I've added my treadmill work out and a weekly yoga class. These fulfil all my needs for a healthier me. They help me find my balance. Your balance will be very different from mine. You might love pounding away on a treadmill, running a marathon, bending and contorting daily. You might enjoy a vegetarian diet with a pint of Guinness every day. It's your life to live as healthily as you think you can. But being healthy is worth it because life is too precious not to be able to enjoy. So find your balance and be the best you can, for you.