How did I get this way?

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Gorger
Gorger Posts: 100 Member
My Oncologist told me, in no uncertain terms, that women who belong to (Breast Cancer) Groups survive the longest and they don't have any idea why. This is my Group and I am going to continue to write and I encourage you to become an active participant in this group as well. It takes time but it is time well spent.

Today I want to cover the 5 W's.
Who, What, Where, When, and Why ( and HOW am I going to change this?)


"In journalism, the Five Ws (also known as the Five Ws (and one H), or the Six Ws) is a concept in news style, research, and in police investigations that are regarded as basics in information-gathering.[1] It is a formula for getting the complete story on a subject.[2] The maxim of the Five Ws (and one H) is that for a report to be considered complete it must answer a checklist of six questions, each of which comprises an interrogative word:[3]
Who is it about?
What happened?
Where did it take place?
When did it take place?
Why did it happen?
How did it happen?
The principle underlying the maxim is that each question should elicit a factual answer — facts necessary to include for a report to be considered complete." ( explanation Taken from Wikipedia.)

In my quest for answers to my weight problem, I will answer those questions:
(I've had a weight problem for years. I've got it fixed with the exception of 10 last pounds. But in order to lose the last 10 pounds, here I go on the answer search).

Here are my answers:

WHO?

This is about me. It's not about my friends who encourage me to meet them for coffees instead of going for walks. It's about me, not my boss who refuses to buy muffins instead of donuts at our coffee meetings. It's about me. I can no longer blame others for my fatness.

WHAT HAPPENED?
To get to this fat place I obviously ate too many calories, exercised too little and ate the wrong foods for a really long time....

WHERE DID IT TAKE PLACE?

Oh gee, it's taken place over numerous years. I've done this to myself for years.

WHEN DID IT TAKE PLACE?

Hum....it didn't just happen, it happened slowly, pound by pound. I would step on the scale and get used to the one extra pound and I slowly became comfortable with the weight gain.

WHY DID IT HAPPEN?

Good question....I guess because I didn't care enough about myself to fix it.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

I chose the wrong foods and lifestyle.

So, to sum up the answers in one sentence:

This is about me, there is no one else that I can blame, I ate too much, exercised to little and ate the wrong foods for numerous years. Pound by pound I got used to getting fatter. Obviously I did not care enough to fix myself. I guess I couldn't have cared much about my partner either if I was lucky enough to have a relationship. I chose the wrong foods and lifestyle.


I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ANSWER THESE SAME QUESTIONS...

Replies

  • fancyladyJeri
    fancyladyJeri Posts: 1,316 Member
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    Written so well.
  • itzmeshel
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    Who is it about? - ME.
    What happened? - I quit paying attention to myself and my condition, and allowed myself to feed my emotions with food.
    Where did it take place? - It started in my head and landed on my body.
    When did it take place? - As soon as I decided it was "okay" to sooth myself with food and that "just one more" was okay.
    Why did it happen? - Bad choices in general in life (of which I made many) led to a poor self esteem which led to making excuses for my behaviors toward food.
    How did it happen? I think I learned to compensate for everything I didn't have by feeding myself and those around me. By feeding everyone around me I was able to feel good about myself (look how good I take care of everyone) which helped me excuse my behaviors toward food.
  • embea
    embea Posts: 2
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    Who is me.
    What is I'm obese.
    Where is in my head.
    When was in high school.
    Why, because I like to eat my feelings and I have a lot of feelings.
    How, because I allowed it to.

    I'm taking a serious look at what I'm consuming. I have always been on a budget and needed to buy cheap and in bulk but most of those foods are the ones that are loaded with fat, cholesterol, and carbs. I have been watching many documentaries and reading from many sources and after taking a really good look in the mirrow I had to ask myself, "Do I really need to be buying in bulk or should I be spending a few extra dollars, eating healthy and consuming less?" There are obviously no physical signs that would support my argument that I have to buy the cheap stuff because I'm on a budget.
  • Tammileanh
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    Well said. I had to reach the same conclusion in order to start down the road to better health as well. Thanks so much for starting this group. I'm glad I found it here.
  • Gorger
    Gorger Posts: 100 Member
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    You are very welcome.
    Last night my daughter and I sat down and ate a bowl of cherries together. She looked at me and said "most people would be eating a bowl of chips." Then she said "loosing 30 pounds was the hardest thing I ever did in my life." Then we agreed: To lose the weight all you have to do is change WHAT you eat not how much you eat. Today I had a lunch fit for a king and it was a beautiful salad complete with blackberries and walnuts and a variety of every vegetable I could find and put through my food processor. Throw out all your junk food and then fill up your fridge with leafy greens and salads. Check out Dr. Wahls on you tube. She's got it down. Here's what I did and I am not fat anymore. Copy paste and search this link and listen to every u tube you can on this lady.
    All you have to do is break your addiction to junk food. If you are fighting cancer, you have to. No, if's and's or buts. Just do it.

    http://youtu.be/ICMhLLjXwRQ
  • imulumi
    imulumi Posts: 2
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    Just joined this group and I am so impressed by what I am reading here.

    I am 62, live in London, UK and had breast cancer 2 years ago (stage 2, invasive, no lymph node involvement).

    I had a mastectomy (Left breast) with an immediate DIEP reconstruction (12 hour surgery). Pleased with the result but had a terrible infection 2 weeks after which recurred several times. All well now but I could not have chemo ( too risky) and had no radio because it was not considered necessary.

    Have been on Aridimex for nearly 2 years now and I was terrified of the potential weight gain. Vitamin D, a mutivitamin, Calcium.

    I was obese for nearly 10 years before the cancer (15 st at my fattest ), and I truly believe that it was a contributing factor.

    How did I get there...like many of you, by just neglecting myself.... and not seeing myself when I was looking in the mirror. Also by drinking wine regularly. That is a NO NO and I still have some wine occasionally although I am convinced that I should not have any.

    Have lost about 2.5 stone since my fattest but still have at least 2st to go to be a healthy weight.

    I have joined FitnessPal about 2 months ago...weight loss has been slow ..about 1/2 st in 2 months ....but I am losing and not gaining.

    I am also much more active than I used to be...I love acquarobics and also Zumba ( makes me really happy although I go easy as I am not fit enough for all the jumping).

    I also love belly dancing...hence the photo....it is more of a dream than anything.

    I know that this site and many others recommends 1200 cal a day but I am not losing anything on 1200 cal. Tried that for nearly 10 months and did not lose anything at all. Maybe it is the Aridimex. At least I did not pile on the pounds.

    My question to all of you is : how do you stay motivated to lose weight when the progress is so slow? A couple of bigger meals and it is all back!!

    I know I am preaching to the converted but please do your utmost to lose weight if you have to. In postmenoposal women, fat cells are linked to increased estrogen production.

    To all of you much courage and a good, long life.

    Would be grateful for any tips.

    Much love





    I
  • Gorger
    Gorger Posts: 100 Member
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    Hi there.
    I'm such a big fan of this inspiring Ted Talk by Matt Cutts, " 30 day challenge." Here is the link to copy paste into your browser.
    http://on.ted.com/Cutts
    And the movie by Joe Cross called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", if you google both of these you will find them on-line.
    I couldn't loose weight on 1200 calories either. I had to change MFP to 1000 calories a day in order to loose my weight.
    How was the Arimidex for you?
  • imulumi
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    Dear Gorger and all,

    Thank you for the links. Very interesting.

    I am doing well on Aridimex. I am taking Anastrozole (the generic form). I was terrified to start it as I know that many women complain of having big problems. I am in the licky group that tolerates it well.

    I find it difficult to lose weight and not to regain it but that was case before.

    I know that I am most successfuf on very low carb diets but those invove a lot of meat and that may be dangerous for breast cancer.
    I have read many epidemiological studies linking high meat consumption to bc. I read them in their clinical form and their conclusions are not as categorical as the press articles or some famous books (China Study) Still, there may be some truth there so it is best to be cautious.

    But all of them are quite clear about some goals:

    Healthy weight ( especially in menopausal women)
    More excercise
    More vegetabes

    High consumpton of fruit is controversial because of some lab studies that suggest that sugar in all its forms triggers the growth of tumours. Alcohol should be restricted and best not consumed at all.


    What are your beliefs re breast cancer and nutrition and how do you integrate them in a weightloss program?

    Also what do you think about Resveratol and Omega 3 supplements. Good or bad?

    Much love and keep going
  • Gorger
    Gorger Posts: 100 Member
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    Thanks for the comment. This group is wonderful because it makes me want to become more pro-active about my health. I can see why they say that people who belong to groups, such as this one, live longer. It's because it's hard to fall into the same old destructive patterns when you have others, like yourself, that communicate good ideas to keep us healthy. Those were very good comments and I appreciate you posting them!
    I am considering going back on one of the cancer therapies again because I actually stopped taking the meds, as my drug reactions and symptoms were so severe and disabling; my quality of life on the drugs was poor. I see my Oncologist this month. So,.... I actually quit taking the drugs- and so far,(lately) I have had no metastases or reoccurrence even though I've had breast cancer twice already in a decade. I would guess that my survival has been due largely from diet, as you suggested.
    You are so right, that losing weight and keeping it off is very difficult. I find that dieting gets easy after the first two days. Once you "get on a roll", it's very empowering to take control. Two days of hell and then you are on it! And then it becomes an obsession to achieve the goal after you see the first possitive results. I find that I try and try and try and nothing works until I actually force myself to eat like a bird for one day and then it's like I wake up from the procrastination. Then comes the success.
    It's the same with me- I can lose weight so quickly on the low carb diet and like you suggested, the meat diet seemed to be dangerous as that's exactly when my breast cancer came back. (After I went on a high meat diet). You may be on to something here because my Oncologist told me that same meat thing over a decade ago. He said, "eat red meat, but only once a year when you go to a summer BBQ with friends. The rest of the time, stay away from it." I believe that if you have to eat red meat, if you eat natural game that is "grass fed" and "no hormones" it's actually not bad, but the stuff we get in the styrofoam containers is questionable, in my mind. So, thank you for that comment. I am cautious too and I eat a diet of 4 things only. Fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. I do eat small amounts of fish and chicken and a bit of cheese. Milk products do contain hormones too, as do meats. And if you live on the west coast, there are also levels of radiation to contend with, from Japan- and these show up more in Strawberries and milk products. Also, our wheat products are genetically modified but I think Europe doesn't do that yet so if you buy European bread it's not GM. It's all too much!!!! If anyone has any comments about this, I'd like your imput.

    Your goals are great. My oncologist said that if I wanted to live, I needed to stay as slim as possible. I go to Curves all the time for exercise and all I eat is vegetables, really. And I have survived so far when statistically I should have been long gone. So, what you are saying totally has worked for me.
    I do avoid sugar and don't eat much fruit as compared to vegetables, so you are right there too.
    When you talked about alcohol, we should all be aware that alcohol is the one thing that they do link to breast cancer with and that's very sad because I think we all deserve a drink after going through all of this! hahaha! But I don't drink either, which is great for my friends- as I am always the designated driver.
    My beliefs about breast cancer and nutrition are key in my survival. I am a walking example of survival due to diet and exercise because that's all I've done. I am not on the drugs. Apparently a low fat diet, high vegetable diet is best, according to my Oncologist Nutritionist.
    About Resveratol and Omega 3, I'll look those up and I welcome comments about those from others.
    Keep making comments and keep living.
    xo
    (I am not a health professional, so anyone following my advice, be aware of that). I am just an ordinary "Joe" (and a survivor) with a lot of thoughts and questions in my head.