Physical Activity and Cancer Treatment Guest Article

 

David Haas has submitted this piece for me to share with you all!  Please check out his bio link at the end of this article.

Physical Activity Improves Quality of Life During Cancer Treatment

As recent studies and research reveal the benefits of physical activity during cancer treatment, proponents of fitness as part of the treatment plan continue working with doctors to get them on-board. Despite the results of several studies over the past few years, some cancer patients are still being told by their doctors to rest and take it easy. Whether you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer or another type of cancer, fitness is and should be a vital part of your treatment. While rest is important, physical fitness is of equal importance. By including aerobic and strength exercises in your daily treatment plan you can reap some of these important benefits.

Decreased Stress Levels

Stress levels can get high while facing normal life responsibilities and the added weight of cancer treatment at the same time. Because stress has an impact on your overall health, it's important to engage in regular exercise to help reduce your stress levels. Heart-pumping exercises like fast walking or riding a stationary bike help reduce the presence of cortisol-- the stress hormone-- in your body.

More Energy

Many people believe that exercise will tire them out, but the opposite is actually true. Regular exercise can increase your energy levels, allowing you to get through daily tasks more easily. To sustain your energy levels throughout the day, you can exercise in 10-minute spurts instead of for a half an hour all at one time.

Social Benefits

Enjoy time with family and friends by asking them to exercise with you. A walk outdoors with a good friend is beneficial both physically and emotionally. You can also strengthen the bond between yourself and family members by spending time together exercising and talking. Physical activity provides you with an excellent opportunity to be social, which is important to avoiding feelings of being isolated.

Improved Physical Conditioning

As you exercise regularly, you'll notice an increase in stamina and strength. These aspects of physical conditioning are beneficial by providing energy to get through your day and deal with the side effects of cancer treatment.

Mood Enhancement

It's natural and normal to experience feelings of sadness, frustration and anger following a cancer diagnosis. You can fight back and gain control over your emotions through regular exercise. As the stress hormone cortisol is reduced the "feel good" hormone, endorphins, are released. These help to elevate your mood, giving you a calm and happy feeling.

Make physical fitness an activity you look forward to by engaging in forms of exercise you enjoy. If you don't enjoy workout DVDs, choose an alternate form of aerobic exercise, such as walking, cycling or jogging. Maintain interest in your physical fitness program by doing different types of exercises on different days of the week. These little tips and tricks can help you create activities you look forward to because of how they make you feel and look. Regular participation in an exercise program will help you as you endeavor toward wellness by making you feel empowered to take control of your health back from cancer.

David Haas Bio

Leanout with Lemon Basil!

Feeling great, leaning out and seeing it so that helps limit the pre contest nightmares......nearly nightly I had them last week.  I dream I missed my boat or plane or stage time or forgot my bikini at home and am at a show out of town.....crazy stuff......I dreamed I entered with only half my routine done so I had to wing it for the remainder of my routine, what a hoot .....not that I have not had to wing it for real a few times when my music was lost or I entered multiple categories and had theme music destroyed and had to wing it to other music.......anyway.

So when dieting I find it hard to keep getting in my gallon of water which is only half of what I should be getting but I cannot seem to get much past that gallon.  To help get more flavor in my water I add some of this recipe or I will have a glass or 2 in the day to have a nice flavor without any fat or sugar and very low calories that you burn off just in the exertion of drinking it!

Its so refreshing and great for summer, garden or picnic settings and it actually tastes great.  When I first read this I was like   EEEWWWE, gross.  But then I tried it and then another sip and wow........I was shocked.

Now this is a Vitamix recipe but I am sure you can use a juicer or even a really good blender that handles ice well.

I DARE YOU TO TRY THIS JUICE AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENT AREA!!!!

Lemon Basil Ade

Yield: 2 1/2 cups (600 ml)

Preparation: 10 minutes
Processing: 1 minute, 30 seconds

1 (84 g) lemon, peeled, halved, seeded

5-8 small packets of sweetener of choice

1/8 cup fresh basil leaves

3-4 cups (720-960 ml) ice cubes

1/4 cup (60 ml) water

1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid. 2. Select Variable 1. 3. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. 4. Blend for 1 1/2 minutes, using the tamper to press ingredients into the blades.

Health Classification: Diabetic Friendly, Low Fat, Low Sodium, Low Cholesterol, Heart Healthy, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw

Meal Type: 5 Ingredients or less, Beverages

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 cup (240 ml)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 49
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 1mg
Total Carbohydrate 14g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 10g
Protein 0g

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on you calorie needs:

	Calories:	2000	2500
Total Fat	Less than	65g	80g
Sat Fat	Less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g	375g
Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Calories per gram:
Fat 9		Carbohydrate 4		Protein 4

TRX Exercises

Here are 2 of my favorite TRX exercises

Supine Pull through

Power Pull

Try these for a set of 10 and build from there, 2-3 times per week

Pump, Pump it up

Past 2 weeks have been great for results, I needed to get down a bit and faster and am at about 17% bodyfat with 12 more to strip off, sitting about 124lbs.  The weight won't move alot now as I fill in and lean out at the same time but I am white I need to get tanning a bit too.

I want to see more cut NOW.......but I do have 2 months and don't want to be too skinny either.

Today my head is messing with me pretty bad so I am going to just know I did my workouts and chill, not look at the mirror and try not to think too much about it or I will obsess.
Today was arm day!

Sicilian Godess

So here I was thinking my show would be in July again, as it has been the past few years.......nope.....JUNE 30th!!!
So I have 10 weeks to get my routine down, moves are all strong just need to get the routine down and its going to be a sentimental choice this time around.  I have been waiting since 1996 to finally do a routine theme such as my choice this year, it was time!  Theme being close to my heart and also familiar.
That's all I can say for now.

My body fat is about 18%.  I would feel better if it were 15 right now but I did some damage control with cardio and dieting so I should drop that 3% and be at 15% by May 1st, I am aiming for 5-6%.
I don't want to be 4% which is too lean in my eyes, regardless what the judges went for last  year, I look fuller at 6-7 but will come in a touch tighter just because I know they seem to like that.  My size is fine, I am right now already larger than last year for this weight and bodyfat and am still filling in expecting to be harder by end of May.  I am sure the judges would want me bigger but I don't want to get too big which is why I chose fitness way back when........so even so the look is harder than it used to be I will be a bit bigger this year but not a huge difference, just fuller while leaner with a bit more lean mass weight on me while on stage.

I am going for some natural colors for my suit, and a design which screams early Sicilian Goddess AD!
This suit is a masterpiece but although it stands alone, it will not take away from physique only flatter and enhance it with its coloring and style.
Amy from Posingwear.com is my choice again this year.  Last year she was my bikini sponsor and has been making my suits for a few years now.  We had some room to improve on costume but this year I am sure we will have that ironed out.  She has to work with my 'naturally boobed' body which really makes it a challenge to attain a fit which will enhance my posing and help the girls not SAG!

Nationals is Aug 11th so considering I can pull a top 3 at the BCS in June I will be holding my body til Aug for nats which are here in Vancouver this year!!  I feel so spoiled!!  I get to chill between AM and PM shows, I can come home for a few hours and chill out.  I am usually home before 11pm from the BCS because the show is so old hat by now that is runs pretty smooth!

Unfortunately due to family obligations taking up time I have not done any video for this blog yet but once I do I will have enough footage to last you awhile so be patient with me.

Business locally has changed a lot for me because of gym location change for my business, some clients cannot afford the extra fees the new gym charges and some are unable to make the distance change so this means I had to pass some clients along to trainers who were more local to them.
It was nice having a local gym for the past 10 years to use for clients but with that gym changing ownerships and not allowing trainers to use the facility any longer, this affected quite a few outside trainers.  Unfortunate situation and not sure how the gym benefited from this change but many of the independent trainers are not happy and hurting from it with client and financial loss.

Time to adapt!

Hunger Games Workout

Here is a neat way to change up your training with minimal equipment needed and many of you can be creative using pillows if you do not have mats.
You will want to get a piece of exercise tubing to cut up into 10 pieces about 3 feet long each and choose a tube with the stretch intensity which allows you to pull back like in archery, nothing too tense.

Warm up
Start the workout with your "forest escape" sequence.  This replicates the scenes where she runs through and has to veer from burning falling trees while going over and under obstacles.
Start off with 3 sets of 10 for each then increase the sets and reps until you can go for timed intervals.  Eventually you can superset this whole combo.

Tuck jump/side squat combo - Start with a tuck leap keeping chest high and leaping up to bring both knees up to your chest - not chest down to knees.  You may want to ensure you are on a mat or gym rubber floor surface to buffer the impact.  Start with a tuck leap then immediately step to the right side with your right foot and squat n duck to the right now tuck jump again then step to the left and squat n duck.  Repeat this combo, each tuck leap and squat motion are a rep.
If you have room you can move fwd.  Make sure to keep landings soft and controlled.

Single leg bounding - get 3 sheets of paper and cut them up into 12 squares, tape those down in a scattered line going forward a few meters going left and right helter skelter like a bunch of stones you would leap from one to the other.  For those of you limited in space can do these on the spot by just doing the bounding working for knee height and the hovering I mention below.  You want to leap from one obstacle to the other then back while working to get height, holding your weight in the air, control the leaps and landings so that you lift off one foot and land on the other then lift off that foot to and on the other, stick those landings and make sure the leap is spread out far enough to make you work but close enough to be doable.  Never have both feet on ground not even a touch....fight for the balance and control.  If you have access to boxes or steps and have room, set those up instead and challenge yourself.  Just make sure they are stable obstacles.  Work to gain strength over gravity so that you hover and soar from one leap to the next.  This works sure footing and conditions all the joints from hips down.  Set this up so you have slight to greater angle changes.  Work this for 5 mins.

Combat
Kix/Elbows/Sprint - Take a left front kick, then a right, now left elbow then a right and now sprint for 10 secs and repeat with the right starting this time, alternating left and then right elbow, now sprint for 10 mins like a cheetah is on your tail, take off with great torque.  Here you can also do directional changes after each sequence, try this for 10 sequences x 3, increase sets/reps or do timed intervals as you get better.  You can also use light ankle and hand weights for this to challenge yourself if you are a very experienced and fit exerciser.

Front roll archery - You need 10 pcs of band tubing type thing and a mat or 2.  One key thing about the front roll is that it is not done by placing your head on the ground, you want to tuck the head and learn to begin the roll from the back of your shoulders.  Working on that first with lots of padding is most helpful.  Once you learn to control this you can try this exercise out.  Keeping the 10 bands on one side of the end of the mat, start at the opposite side of the mat, do your roll up to a knee lunge so that one foot is down and the other leg is on your knee - the side of the bands should be the side your knee is down, grabbing a band, pull back and release, then do this with the last 9 bands.
Retrieve them, put them on the other side this time and repeat but landing with opposite knee down and using the other side of your body.

Have fun with this, use it for an active rest week or a change of pace.

Clean Eating Vegetarian style Menu

Ok Mustang Girl you asked for it.........

First thing is to take in a few cups of water right upon waking.  I tend to drink about 30 oz overnight but this is because of night meds I take so I actually awake due to the need for water, not that I plan it into my diet, just so I am clear.

I personally prefer morning cardio before my first meal and when I am able to take supplements I do so with food again a personal thing.  This is a key for you all, there are the listed best ways to do things but then when we customize to our purposes sometimes we have to vary a bit on those best ways as they are not best for US, and we have to work with what we know is best for us.  Its okay to do this and there are ways to do this while still getting results, still following science but tweaking it to fit you!

I also do cardio later in the day a few days a week when I have time, because I am already 10 lbs lighter at this point than last year, also am coming from a competitive year last year I am already ahead of the game giving me ease of mind and wiggle room- in my case with all the life stuff this year, it was a good thing too otherwise this diet might have been tighter with less sugars (fruits) and starches and more fish.

I have also been able to get at least 1.5-1.75 gallon water per day in and do feel at my best when I do that, although I am aiming to 2 gallons and have gotten close on a few days.

Right now for the next few weeks, considering all factors of how my fitness is now, my contest date in July this is what I am eating on avg 5 days per week, the weekends are not full out cheats, but may vary a bit and still stay clean.  I am also short 2 meals here because this year, most of the year I was unable to work with my tummy issues to the point of consistency in more than 4 meals so I am working with my tummy here.  Some of you may want to add a meal or 2 in here in the form of a cup or 2 of veggies.  I am also choosy on my food items as many are touch and go, including innocent things like raw veggies.  I Just want to be clear on that because many of you may want to just take this diet and do it, but you need to consider it will need fitting to you, you are not me and unless you have all the same issues and needs it may need to be tweaked so please be aware.

Meal 1 - about a cup of berries and a couple ounces of a protein

Meal 2 - about a cup of legumes of which I prefer black, kidney, lentil and a bit of corn or green beans mixed in.  Now some people get bloated and gassy off either of these items, I do not, my body loves this stuff.

If I am hungry here I would have a protein drink drink.

Meal 3 - 4 oz of protein which for me is fish or egg whites and a spoon of efa plus 1/2 cup of clean grain.

Here I may have something for a boast like tea with caffeine, I may have a few in the day actually.  Warm liquids sooth the tummy issues I have.

Meal 4 - Here I would have a serving of beans n rice maybe in the form of a bowl or a bean burger without bread, or if you don't put rice in the burger you can use a healthy bread option with 2 cups of veggies which I choose green for, and usually steam it make it easy to digest.  I like to add apple cider or balsamic to my veggies.

I also use a bit of pink salt each day but not on everything.  Cheyenne is also a great pepper choice for me so I use this for my pepper needs.

This is a generalized version of my meals for the next few weeks, if you want to try veg, you can use this for a base and try it for a week or so.

Also consider the calories are probably lower than I would normally suggest, as is the portion sizes but this is again suited to my health needs.