I also think the weight gain (from natural menopause, chemopause and/or adding an antihormonal too) is that the body is CRYING out for more estrogen. Our bodies need it and want it badly. So... another way to get some more is to add body fat (as fat also manufactures estrogen). Also, at least the natural time for menopause is about 50 yrs old, our metabolism's are slowing. This is usually due to loss of muscle. So, walking for calorie burn and strength training to maintain or add some muscle (for a higher all day calorie burn as muscle burns more calories per hour than fat) is the way to go.
I walk (did run - long story, bad injury (recent)) and do floor exercises. I am reading about and learning about race walking (as my last run was Sunday, April 13 so I have the aerobic capacity for racewalking - need a go ahead from my Sports Medicine doc but it should be ok as there is no pounding with racewalking (will try this in a 5K Fun Run/Walk that I was supposed to run on June 1. If you can run and you can walk I would suppose I can race walk!
It is a stuggle - the weight issue but I lost 35 lbs and have kept it off for over 3 yrs now. I need to lose 10 more but just can't budge. But staying the same is good.
Watching the calories (go online and link in a calorie calculator to find out how many you need just to go about daily life - its less than you think - then add in exercise and subtract food). If you have a stable weight right now, just subtracting 100 calories a day (eat less or walk one mile) will make you lose 10 lbs per year. I am frustrated because I have already done the quickie eliminations. These are: no milk in coffee, no butter on bread or veggies, no soda, limited sweet treats or chips etc, watch everything. Park car far away. Take the stairs. It adds up. When I was 25, I could just watch for 2 weeks and lose 7 or 8 lbs. Goodbye to that now!
Maybe we should ask Joe to create a Diet and Exercise tips section where we could discuss supplements too!
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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