Change Your Life Today!
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WELCOME TO NEWSLETTER #3 April 2024
Change Your Life Today!
Hi, I’m Steve; my FREE weekly newsletter is here to inspire, educate, entertain, and help you live a life full of joy and health! I am so excited to share my passion and journey with you.
Each week, I’ll provide you with the latest news and updates from the health and fitness world, focusing specifically on disease and disability challenges. Along with uplifting true stories and helpful tips, I’ll share the most inspiring and motivational content to help you achieve your goals.
I can’t wait for you to join me on my journey to recovering from cancer and a stroke and returning to full fitness. I’ll share personal stories of my successes and failures and even a few humorous tales!
A few readers have mentioned the weight challenge when recovering from various illnesses and diseases, so the article below might be interesting.
Article From Thrive, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan.
The Weight Battle
Dietitians offer strategies for controlling weight after cancer treatment
Michelle Churches plans ahead to make sure the easiest food to prepare is the healthiest.
Michelle Churches walks 11,000 steps during her 10-hour nursing shift at an outpatient surgery center in Trenton.
She knows this because she wears a pedometer. After walking those 11,000 steps, she comes home and pulls together a homemade dinner in about 30 minutes. She chats with her husband and kids, cleans the kitchen, and walks the dog. Some weeks, depending on her work schedule, she’ll fit in an extra 12-hour shift to help fund a gift she wants to give her three children: a debt-free ride through college.
To say that Churches is active would draw an affectionate chuckle from her friends. Churches has been known to work from dawn to dusk in her herb garden when the season is right, stopping only long enough for occasional water breaks. So when she was diagnosed in 2005 with breast cancer, weight wasn’t a concern for her. She was 5 feet 7 inches and 138 pounds. But after a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy, Churches has found it’s more difficult to maintain her weight.
“I work my butt off so that now when I look at a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, I have a little calculator in my head: How much will it take to burn this off? Is it worth it?” she says.
At the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, dietitians Joan Daniels and Nancy Burke spends much time helping people prevent weight loss during treatment. But they also see patients who struggle to lose weight after cancer treatment. This is particularly true of breast and prostate cancer patients who receive hormone therapy. Specific chemotherapy regimens also may cause patients to lose muscle and gain fat tissue.
It may be more challenging to lose weight, but Daniels and Burke stress that trying to control what you can is still essential: diet and exercise.
Weight-Loss Tips
- Keep a food log. You may be eating more than you think.
- Pay attention to what you drink. Sodas and sugary coffee drinks often contain a lot of calories.
- Cut back on butter and oil. Use herbs to flavor foods instead.
- Make meat secondary. Fill your plate with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Think of lean meats and low-fat dairy products as side dishes.
- Consider strength-building exercises if you have lost muscle or gained fat tissue.
“The bottom line is that you can manage your weight, but it takes a lot more effort,” Daniels said. You have to exercise more and cut back on your food more.”
Depression may also be an underlying factor that needs to be addressed, Daniels said. Sometimes, the full psychological impact of cancer doesn’t hit until a patient is in post-treatment survivorship. This can interfere with exercise regimens or cause people to binge.
Exercise can help reduce depression and anxiety as well as lower the risk of recurrence. One strategy Burke recommends for patients seeking to lose weight is to find an activity they enjoy to boost their commitment to exercising. For Churches, gardening is a great workout, and she keeps her kitchen stocked for part of the year with healthy fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Late last fall, as the season was ending, Churches was preparing to dry herbs to season foods during the winter months.
Churches uses herbs to boost flavors without adding fat. Staying organized also makes eating healthier easier: Churches stocks the pantry with good choices, so healthy snacks are always within reach. She prepares meals ahead of time so there’s very little work to do to get the meal on the table after work. The churches limit take-out to Wednesday nights when they splurge on pizza or Mexican food.
“All the women in my family cook like this. My mom always said, ‘Fast food is nothing but poison,’” Churches said, pausing to admit her guilty pleasure: Diet Coke. “My mom always had stuff she could throw together simply, and I do, too. I practice what I preach.”
(adapted and edited by Steve)
Macmillan Cancer Support: Changes in weight
What can cause weight changes?
Some cancer treatments, side effects, or even lifestyle changes can cause you to gain or lose weight. Talk to your specialist doctor, nurse, or GP. They can refer you to a dietitian. A dietitian can review your diet and consider any special dietary needs you may have, such as food intolerances or allergies. They can also give you advice about which foods are best for you.
You may have body image concerns if you have lost or gained weight.
If you have lost weight
You may have lost weight due to cancer or the side effects of treatment. You may not feel hungry or feel full soon after starting eating. Some people may feel sick or find that foods taste different.
Some types of cancer make your body use more energy, even if you are inactive. You may lose weight even if you are eating well. If you lose too much, it is essential to talk to a dietitian.
The building-up diet is high in energy and protein. It can help you add extra energy and protein to your food without eating more. It is for people who have lost or are losing weight or can only eat small amounts.
Your doctor or dietitian may also recommend food supplements. These include nutritional drinks, soups, powders, or puddings to help you get extra nutrients and calories.
We have more information about the building-up diet.
If you have gained weight
People do not usually expect to gain weight during cancer treatment. However, some treatments, side effects, or even lifestyle changes can cause you to gain weight.
Do not be too upset if you find you have gained weight. Knowing why it has happened can help you find ways to manage it.
Most people need time to recover after treatment. However, as they gradually improve, they may find they are ready to change.
If you are having hormonal therapy as part of your treatment, it is essential to keep taking this, even if you think it is causing weight gain. Talk to your cancer doctor or nurse if you are worried about this.
(adapted and edited by Steve)
The Benefits of Pumping Iron for a Healthier Life
Listen up, folks! If you want to get in shape and improve your overall health, it’s time to ditch the “weights are just for meatheads” mentality and start incorporating some iron into your routine. Trust me, pumping iron isn’t just about bulking up and looking like a bodybuilder (unless that’s your goal, which is more power to you!). Using weights has changed my life, and even saved it when I had a stroke. Read on.
First, let’s discuss the obvious: strength training with weights helps build lean muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns, even at rest. That’s right: you’ll be torching calories like a furnace, even while binge-watching your favorite shows on Netflix. Talk about a win-win!
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Regular weight training can also improve bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis as you age. It’s like giving your skeleton a suit of armor to protect itself. Plus, stronger bones mean a lower risk of fractures and injuries, which is always good, especially as we get a little older and more prone to accidents (I’m looking at you, weekend warriors!).
Let’s not forget about the mental health benefits, either. Weight training has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, thanks to those sweet, sweet endorphins it releases. It’s like a natural high without the sketchy side effects. And who doesn’t want to feel a little happier and less stressed?
But wait, there’s more! Strength training can also improve cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It’s like a double whammy against heart disease and other nasty health issues.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab those dumbbells, hit the weight room, and start reaping the benefits of pumping iron. Your future self will thank you for it! DO MORE. LIVE MORE.
Learn More at thesteveapproach.com, going live in April 2024
So, here we are on day 14, 14 stone 6 lbs! Today is Monday, April 22
So here’s the truth again: I lost 3 lbs right at the beginning of last week, but instead of continuing with my new nutrition plan, I cheated on five days (not intentionally, but I gave in to temptation), and as I have to now take heavy doses of pregabalin for the stroke nerve pain on my right side I need to find a way of the side effects of being hungry. I have two gym sessions booked this week after my daily cancer treatment at The Christie in Macclesfield. Watch this space — I will get real anal, as they say in the US, with my meals for the rest of this week. Next Monday, I hope to show improvement!
One Stone and six Pounds heavier than pre-cancer and pre-stroke!
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How long will it take to lose my excess mid-section fat?
Master common sense techniques that we all know but find tricky to implement!
USING ALL KINDS OF EXERCISE & NUTRITION
Although any training will help, whether walking, cycling, or resistance training, the key will be a significant modification of what I eat and drink. The cancer doctor has instructed me not to drink caffeine or alcohol, as they can hinder my cancer treatment due to the irritability of the bowel. So rum and coke, my fave Pepsi, and coffee have to go (now decaffeinated coffee). That, in itself, will help reduce calories!
I have cut out caffeine and alcohol totally, as instructed by my Oncologist. I started my radiotherapy cancer treatment on Thursday, 18th April. The second treatment on Friday was a complete failure due to gas!!!!! They tried three times, but each time, the scans showed gas. The gas would make the radiation veer off target and damage good tissue. So, after eating, drinking, walking, and two enemas, the session was canceled. Today was great, and everything worked well. Good News! However, this has meant my website/blog has to be pushed out a little as it was due to be live on the 18th. I’m still planning before the end of April 2024!
For More Resources and Tips
Organized searchable resource pages will assist you with ideas relating to physical and mental health issues. Plus, there will be numerous posts with the latest information!
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Mindfulness and Motivation
Supercharge your productivity with mindfulness exercises, motivational posts, and challenges!
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I believe in a community-based and interactive approach to The Steve Approach. So, please share your challenges and issues openly and help others who are going through the same thing. I’d love for you to share The Steve Approach with anyone you feel will benefit. I certainly have gained and grown from your input already. Please feel free to ask any questions to the group or myself. If you wish to DM me privately, I’m always available.
Thank you for joining us on this journey to Do More and Live More! Let’s live life to the fullest and achieve our wildest dreams together!
WE CAN DO THIS!
Thank you for joining me on this Do More and Live More journey! Let’s live life to the fullest and achieve our wildest dreams together! I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey with you!
To a more productive you and I!
Steve
