Daffodils

Now that we are officially past the first day of spring and the snow really is subsiding we see the first sign of hope – the daffodil. Not only is the daffodil the precursor to spring it is also the symbol of the Canadian Cancer Society for the hope that there will be a cure for this disease.

There has been many many advances in the prevention, detection and the treatment of this disease. The cost of the research that is ongoing is in the millions and billions and but this research is needed to advance the treatment.

Why buy the flowers, why donate? People say - I don’t have cancer and probably won’t get it…I don’t smoke….I have a healthy life style. Of course we never think that illness or accidents are going to happen to us but do you know others that have cancer? Of course we do. Research is the key to understanding disease. Without research today we would not have conquered the tuberculosis and other life threatening diseases that were the mainstay of our grandparents. This generation is posed to make a signification contribution to prevention or cure of many of the life threatening diseases of today. A small contribution by many will help.


Canadian Cancer Statistics and Facts

The Canadian Cancer Society lists a number of statistics about cancer on its website. Based on current facts, close to 40 per cent of Canadian women and 45 per cent of men will develop cancer in their lifetime.
Approximately one out of every four Canadians will die from cancer.
• An estimated 166,400 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Canada in 2008, and 73,800 died from the disease.
• Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related death among both men and women.
• The five-year average survival rate for all types of cancers combined (excluding the province of Quebec) is 62 per cent.

Cancer Society of Canada Website Link

DO it today - do it NOW. Donate or buy the flowers and give them to someone you care about and let the know that you are doing this to show your support for the cause. I did and I have given my flowers to the husband of a courageous women who has survived breast cancer. Don't wait to show you care!

Getting ready for the mammogram

Many women are afraid of their first mammogram, but there is no need to worry. By taking a few minutes each day for a week preceding the exam and doing the following
practice exercises, you will be totally prepared for the test, and best of all, you can do these simple practice exercises right in your home.

Exercise 1:
Open your refrigerator door and insert one breast between the door and the main box. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure. Hold that position for five seconds. Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective enough.

Exercise 2:
Visit your garage at 3 AM when the temperature of the cement floor is just perfect.
Take off all your clothes and lie comfortably on the floor with one breast wedged under the rear tire of the car. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled. Turn over and repeat for the other breast.

Exercise 3:
Invite a stranger into the room. Press the bookends against one of your breasts. Smash the bookends together as hard as you can. Set an appointment with the stranger to meet next year and do it again.

Ok, you are now ready to pick up the phone to make your annual mammogram appointment.

Your Dimension Of Greatness

Your Dimension Of Greatness
No one can know the potential,
Of a life that is committed to win;
With courage - the challenge it faces,
To achieve great success in the end!
So, explore the Dimension of Greatness,
And believe that the world CAN be won;
By a mind that is fully committed,
KNOWING the task can be done!
Your world has no place for the skeptic,
No room for the DOUBTER to stand;
To weaken your firm resolution
That you CAN EXCEL in this land!
We must have VISION TO SEE our potential,
And FAITH TO BELIEVE that we can;
Then COURAGE TO ACT with conviction,
To become what GOD MEANT us to be!
So, possess the strength and the courage,
To conquer WHATEVER you choose;
It's the person WHO NEVER GETS STARTED,
That is destined FOREVER to lose!
~ Author Unknown ~

Breast Cancer Statistics

Breast Cancer Statistics
Breast cancer is most common among women who are over the age of 50. Twelve of 1,000 women will get breast cancer between the ages of 50 and 55. Seventeen of 1,000 women will get breast cancer between the ages of 60 and 65. Men and younger women can also get breast cancer. However, their risk is significantly lower: Seven to eight cases per 100,000 individuals over a five-year period.

Week 7

Working hard and getting my heart rate up. I am at average heart rate of 130 for 24 minutes of my 26 minute workout. I am finding this easy now that I have slowly worked up to this level.

What does it all mean?

I am starting week 7 of the Breast Cancer Beta Fitness Study and I am not sure what all this means however I am following along on what they have asked me to do. Here is what I have done so far:

Week 1 - Exercise 3 days per week - Heart Rate 111 - 114 for 10 - 15 minutes
Week 2 - Exercise 3 days per week - Heart Rate 111 - 117 for 10 - 15 minutes
Week 3 - Exercise 3 days per week - Heart Rate 114 - 122 for 15 - 20 minutes
Week 4 - Exercise 3 days per week - Heart Rate 117 - 126 for 15 - 20 minutes
Week 5 - Exercise 4 days per week - Heart Rate 117 - 126 for 15 - 20 minutes
Week 6 - Exercise 4 days per week - Heart Rate 124 - 131 for 20 - 25 minutes
My last workout on Week 6 my average heart rate was 129 and I worked out 25 minutes

I am starting today:
Week 7 - Exercise 4 days per week - Heart Rate 124 - 131 for 20 - 25 minutes

In depth information about this study is listed below. Click on the words below to go to the link:

Beta Breast Cancer Study Information

I really have no idea what changes this is making on my body so I am finding that although I am going through the motions that it is not very motivating since I do not see any results other than I am working harder and longer. I am feeling a bit nervous about not seeing any results. I am concerned that I am going to loose my momentum because like most people I equate hard work with results. I am doing the hard work (for me anyhow) however there is no real way to judge any results and after doing 7 weeks of this work out one would assume that there must be some results but how can I measure them?

You say, check the scales. Not that is not a real indication of results because the sad part is that if you burn fat and build muscle that muscle weighs more than fat so I am afraid to weigh myself in case I weigh the same or more after all this hard work. I could actually weigh the same more and that would be devastating.

Oh well, I have to realize that this study is about breast cancer and that it is proven from the beta study that doing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day reduces the factors by 30 or 40%. There is a benefit but I can't see it.

Latest number of women participating in this study are that there are 180 ladies with 147 in Calgary and 33 in Edmonton so far. The numbers are slowly going up.

What was the gym of the past like?

I can recall my days in high school attending gym class. You have never lived truly unless you have worn the infamous "blue bloomers" for gym class!

Not only did we have to wear the "romper suit" but we also had to walk down the street in this thing to get to the gym. Let's just say we wore long coats and sweaters. Anything to cover this hideous attire. These things were one piece. Yup with nice buttons down the front so you had to wiggle yourself into them. To be honest with you they looked like rompers that babies wore in years gone by. Can't be a women that designed them unless she was 99. Not sure when they went out of fashion ??? but I am sure high school girls would have been more than happy to see them disappear.

For some reason the guys didn't have to bear shameful attire like this. It is one part of my high school life would just as soon as forget about. Remember those short shorts.....your butt cheeks hung out and the shorts barely covered the important parts? The guys loved them but of course why not. They got the eye candy.

Today gym clothing is much more civilized with yoga wear and clothing that is not only functional but moves with you when you move. Keeping you comfortable without binding or exposing yourself during your work out.

One of my more interesting searches for fitness wear was to investigate the bra industry. There a not a lot of choices out there for keeping the "girls" in line when you are working out. Let's face it. This study is about breast cancer so one might think that foundation wear for the breast would be important however it is difficult to find out what is best to wear. There are some interesting attire choices. Let's see. There is the "pretzel..you have to maneuver crossed straps to get it on. Not my top choice. Seems like the industry has a way to go with working out the bugs on these things yet. You want to be cool, yet comfortable and protected from bouncing. One day they will get this straight but so far not yet! I settled on a modest Vogue sports bar for now until I find something that is better but it could take quite a while.

Missing something

What a strange evening. Tonight is my night off from going to the fitness centre for my 30 minutes of fitness. It seems strange not to be going to work out. What is happening to me. The long term non active person is thinking of activity? Can't be! It's only been just over 3 weeks on this program but I think I am enjoying going to the gym. That is something you could never have told me would happen to me. I just wouldn't have believed you.

Perhaps I have been hypnotized by the elliptical machine or was it the sweaty air in the fitness centre that dulled my memory? That place was hot and stinky when I was there yesterday. Their should be a way to harness all of that spent energy to heat the swimming pool as a way to recycle that energy instead of circulating the heat. Might by an enviro program...the "green gym"

Exercising has certainly changed over the years. Tv's at many machines to watch as you move your booty. The minutes never flew by so fast as when you are watching TV. I guess there still is value in the tube as keeps you from being bored??? TV is boring. I changed the channels trying to find something interesting but that never really happened but at least it was better than looking at the wall.

Riding the coat rack

Today is my first day riding the coat rack. So far I have been doing my exercises for the Breast Cancer Beta Fitness study at the Westside Fitness Centre. I am enjoy going there however it is quite a distance from where I live. This week I am to leave the nest and the guidance of the "parent" bird trainers to give it a try on my own for one day of the 4 days total. This little bird is ready to spread my wings.

Early this morning when I got up I rearranged my living room. Should have had my heart rate monitor on to see if that would count as my warm up. The couches we have are over stuffed (maybe we should be putting them on an exercise program too!) Those things are heavvvvvvy and because my husband had knee surgery I moved them around before he came down stairs so he wouldn't be tempted to help me. Draggin, pushing, pullin, huffin, puffin and darn near got the big one moved into place when all of a sudden a huge bunch of dust bunnies come running out from under the couch and nearly run me over in their rush to find a new hiding place. I knew there was a good reason for moving that furniture. Oh, well it's nearly Easter so the bunnies are out now. Ok, the place is all set up...coat rack all set to go. Now for a good dusting down.

Warm up, warm up, warm up, warm up...this is hard on the treadmill. Seems like this one is slower than the one at the fitness centre. Finally I am within range but it has taken me 5 minutes to get into my heart rate range. TV and a coat rack are meant to go together. Time flies by when you are watching the tube and before I know it my time on the rack is done! My watch did a funny thing again and my total time today was 21:03 minutes with an average heart rate of 124 and a max 132 with my time in zone 9:34. Not sure why but will have to ask what went wrong as I think I was in the zone the whole time. Tomorrow I will be at the gym for my 2nd workout this week.

What's with this weather? It's March and it is minus 19 with a wind chill. Sunny and my back yard has 2 feet of snow in it still. The side walks are icy and the bike paths in the park are not ready for the bike season yet. It would be nice to get outside and get a bit of Vitamin D and that sunshine is good for the sole. Next week they say it will be warmer. Is sure hope so. I'm tired of crabby, cranky people because of this weather. Spring please please come soon!

Positive Affirmations

Positive Affirmations

Do you like getting compliments? Do they make you feel good? We enjoy giving compliments to other people however we are very hard on ourselves. Start giving yourself compliments and positive affirmations. Your brain really can't tell the difference that it gets. When you have negative thoughts such as "This is to hard" or "I can't do this much exercise" only reinforce the negative energy and will keep you from success. Here are some positive affirmations that I am using:

For Exercise:
• I love to exercise.
• I can make a positive contribution to Breast Cancer by participating in this study.
• Exercise makes me feel great.
• Exercise is good for my heart, my lungs, my breasts and my health.
• I feel healthier when I exercise.
• I look better when I exercise and it shows.
• I have more energy when I exercise.
• I will be successful in achieving my healthy goals through aerobic exercise.
• I am becoming stronger every day.
• I am happier when I exercise.
• I have more energy when I exercise.
• I get more accomplished when I exercise.
• I look better in my clothes when I exercise.
• I sleep better because I exercise.
• My skin looks good when I exercise.
• I can handle life’s stresses when I exercise.
• My diet is easier to keep on because I exercise.

For Diet:
• I love to eat healthy foods.
• I will eat slowly and enjoy the taste of my food.
• My body is benefiting because I am in control of what I am eating.
• I don’t feel guilty about eating.
• Food is not the problem.
• I enjoy eating 7 - 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
• I love life and want to eat healthy foods.
• The foods I eat will help protect my body from disease.
• The foods I eat will help give me strength.
• I no longer want to eat junk food that provide empty calories.
• Before I reach for a snack I will think about health options.
• I will always wait 10 minutes after eating before going back for seconds.
• I am grateful for my health and want to preserve.
• I will not be judged by the number on the scale.
• I can make a difference in my own life.

The best way is to begin each day with positive affirmations. Write them down where you can see them. Say them to yourself in the morning and before your workout and remind yourself of them before you go to bed at night. Believe in yourself, be grateful for all that you have and all that you are, a healthy positive you! You are worthy of praise.