Respecting Your Health Through Challenges

 

 Changes I have made for Health

 As I have previously posted, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and the last three months have been a challenging time for me. I've had surgery that removed my tumor, and two lymph nodes, both clean, Thank God.

I am still recovering from the surgery, a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, that has left me without much distortion, but with much nerve upset in my nipple, which is hopefully temporary, but upsetting, and much fatigue. As well, I am preparing for a round of radiation to the area, which, I'm told, will increase my fatigue for awhile both during the treatments and in the months following.

I still feel very grateful as I move forward. But this is no cake walk. 

I have also been thinking hard about how much of the traditional medicine in front of me seems to keep pointing, not just at the irradiating of the cancer, but also at poisoning the body enough so that the cancer never ever returns. The cure is hard. The preventative measures very difficult to grasp.

I still don't know if I can take a drug that is basically a chemotherapy pill for five years. That's a decision I don't have to make just yet, but one I am wrestling with.

In the meantime, what I am focusing on, right now, is what changes I can implement in my nutrition and exercise that are not extreme or desperate, but sensible, sustainable, and doable.

I have started buying only hormone-free and antibiotic-free milk –it tastes great!–  and chicken and beef. I am mostly eating a plant based diet with my protein coming mainly from fish first, chicken second, and only very occasionally beef. I am staying far away from fats. No, not entirely, but reasonably. I still like the Earth Balance spread. And, I realize that alcohol, even though I really just like very nice wines, is a very possible culprit in creating bad estrogen. It's out for now except maybe for a rare indulgence.

I am busy exploring how I can beef up my immune and energetic systems, rebuilding my health stronger and better. I plan to meet with a professional nutritionist. I'll be blogging about that more in the future.

And I am humbled by how tired surgery and healing have left me and learning to take littler, but very effective smaller steps. Right now, 3 mile walks exhaust me, 30 minutes of jumping is too much for my sore breast, and I've had to back down. I thought I could get right back and up to speed, but I have definitely been slowed down. However, the good and inspiring news is this:

LITTLE STEPS CAN GO A LONG WAY!

I can walk a half mile to a mile 2-3 times a week and build on that as I get my energy back.

I can do the standing (10 minutes) portion of the Original Callantics one day and the floor portion (10 minutes) the next day.

I can put on a breast binder or sports bra and gently dance-jog in my living room on a spring floor for 12-20 minutes (Remember my 12 minutes post!!  See it here! ) three times a week to start and keep checking in with myself to make sure that it's not too much and only keep it up or add to it respecting my body deeply, that it is telling me how far is far enough and when it is ready for more.

I can eat delicious and healthy food (like I have been and like I talk about on this blog) with the above changes (i.e. less meat, no hormones or antibiotics in food, etc.) but not quite as much as when I was exercising more vigorously. I'm eating closer to 1300 calories a day. It's actually not a hard adjustment as I need less. For example, instead of two eggs, I eat one egg. I plan to also have future blog posts about some of these even lighter meals as they still contain the good nutrition and vitamins and flavor (!!)  that I like and need and that provides healthy, balanced, and balancing (very important!) meals, but they are trimmed down a bit more.

And for really good news, even while going through all this doctor-business,  and even while I am still in the process of needing to regain my strength and stamina, I continue to be on a path of health with healthy results!

-bbffair  

 

 <Green Bulb -above- by Digitalart, courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net>

 

Results!

Drum Roll Please

I am officially 1/3 the way through my revised, adapted, modified, TA Metamorphosis program.

I have lost 32 inches from top to ankle. 19 the first ten days, and, consistently, 6-1/2 on each of the next levels (2 and 3).

Ta Da!!!

What I love are Results!!!

[Just Keep Swimming, photo by apple_pie000

courtesy of Photobucket.com]

What are your Results? Please share!

-bbffair

Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis

I have had several wonderful, life and body revitalizing experiences in my life. Most of these have been eclectic, a combination of several methods that work well with my system, and that charge me with energy, health, and light.

I have been and will always be, at heart, a dancing path girl, but there is always something new to learn and a right opportunity at a right moment (and I will expound upon my dancing path ways in future posts).

[Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net]

Today I am going to talk about Tracy Anderson's Metamorphosis.

It is by far the most disciplined, hard-work–with no way around that–and yet still (most important!) doable if also the most demanding system I have ever personally experienced.

It is a six-day a week, 90 day body transformation program. I am currently almost 30 days in and I LOVE IT!

I have adjusted the diet, however, to fit my system. I have noted the parts I like the most and altered them to suit my needs and/or added them into my own diet, which is not so much "a diet," but how I need to eat to feel alive and fit.

I need regular protein. I love everything fresh. And I LOVE me my coffee and milk. Coffee is my own personal indulgence and I ain't giving it up.

My own food system has worked for me in the past and it is now working for me on the Tracy Anderson system too. So, if you are like me, and you need lots of regular lean protein, fresh veges and fruits AND you need wonderful flavor, variety and energizing food, please check in on my grocery lists and recipe posts. And please, comment and/or add in your own recipes and or variations.

So, you might wonder, if my food plan works so well, how did I get out of shape? Well, that's a longish story, but it includes not following my own innate nourishment wisdom. However, since starting Metamorphosis, I've mended my wicked ways and gone back to the food I know will lighten me up and light me up. Every time I regularly eat like this, I get leaner, healthier, more energy, and more Light! My body loves me. My mind is more alert and focused. My emotions are more balanced and happier. And my spirit sings.

But what I LOVE about the Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis workout method is that [surprise! surprise!] after all the HARD exercise (I am used to the jogging–oh yeah, and I had to add that back in too–but not the exercise like she dishes it out, goodness!!), my body feels amazing.

And the Results!!! I have had awesome results every 10 days. There is nothing like results! Tracy knows how to reshape the body and I am loving how toned and tightened I am feeling every day now.

And–truth moment here–I can't do the weights part of the arms yet and I can only do half of the leg reps and I am STILL getting amazing results.

So if you are ready for an incredible way to lighten up, get strong, and get fit, and find yourself at a perfect moment for momentum, I suggest you run over to her site (http://tracyandersonmethod.com) and check it out. And if you came here from there, join me, as I continue to transform in this amazing program and transform with me!

-bbffair