Working Out: Gym Time Blues

On July 13th, 2023, I took a significant step in my life by joining the local YMCA, marking the beginning of my gym journey after a cancer diagnosis. At the time, I was motivated and inspired to get well for the sake of my toddler, and myself being a 34 year old. But, I had no idea how difficult this journey would actually be. I was not a gym enthusiast, even during my twenties, and was by no means what you could consider a health guru.

Exactly one year ago today, my fitness level was as follows:

• I did aquafit classes at YMCA for 45 minutes. Following this exersize, I was exhausted for the rest of the day. I would try to do things still but there was a lot of fatigue and it felt like it was too much. I did aquafit two to three times a week for about three months.

• After the first month of exclusively aquafit, I also added in a walking (gentlefit class) for one hour or a Zumba dancing fitness class. I was extremely exhausted after the swimming pool plus a one hour class of either gentlefit or Zumba two to three times a week.

• Around October 2023, I also joined an online fitness class twice a week run by the Alberta Cancer Exersize (ACE) Team for about 45 minutes. This was a very light workout with no weights or gym equipment of any sort that continued until December 2023. The great thing about this program is that there were a few exersizes introduced to me which engaged the core muscles and the arm muscles. Both of these were very weak.

• By the end of the year 2023, I could walk for about twenty minutes. I could lift two pound weights in the air, I could ride a stationary bike for 10 minutes. It is also worthwhile to mention that I tried to do cardio exerize on an eliptical or running but my heart rate would reach 140 BPM in two to three minutes and I started to get lightheaded after that. That is how I knew that I cannot handle cardio workouts at my fitness level.

The beginning of this year showed moderate progress with my workout routine. My strength slowly improved and I didn't pursue aquafit any more. The real turning points in my workout plan were twofold. First, at the end of April 2024, I read David Goggins' book Never Finished. His raw and powerful narrative normalized pain for me in a way that transformed my mindset. Instead of merely going through the motions of neurological rehabilitation, I began to pursue self-actualization, driven by a deeper purpose. Reading about someone else struggle, who did it by choice not out of necessity, really changed my whole mindset about working out. Secondly, at the end of May 2024, I finally was able to buy a car post-surgery. This gave me the true ability to pursue fitness on a daily basis with no excuses about not being able to go or not having a ride etc...

In May 2024, I walked nearly 27 km. Most of that month, I still didn't have a car. In June, I walked 56 km. In July, I walked 71 km. In addition, I gradually was able to increase the weights that I used for my arm exerizes to 8 lbs. Another part of my routine is about 15 minutes on a stationary bike. Now, most of July and in August 2024, I am up to walking for about one hour up to six times a week in addition to several exercises with weights and the bike. My average workout is probably about one and a half hour.

This routine is very time consuming and it feels like I have to fight my own brain from telling me to stop; it's enough, I don't need to do more then I am able to etc. I noticed that running a distraction like talking to another person while walking can extend the walking time rather painlessly (at least until that evening). I also noticed that I still cannot do cardio of any kind without feeling like I will pass out even though it has been a whole year of formally pursuing fitness improvements. I also get lighheaded from bending downward or lifting anything heavy. All of this goes to show that working out is not meant to be easy or smooth. Work is part of it and some days your whole body and mind will fight it. That is what I feel on a daily basis. But as one inspiring quote I saw says, "If you don't make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness."

If there is anything that I learned from my illness, it is that you have to be willing to actively pursue and to do the work to stay well. Don't wait until it is too late. Now is the perfect time to choose you, to prioritize you, to be the best version of you!

This journey has been far from easy, but it’s one I’m committed to, for my sake and the sake of those I love.

#chiari #chordoma #braincancer #trustyourdoctor