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HOW ONE SURVIVOR
MAINTAINED A HEALTHY
WEIGHT THROUGH
TREATMENT
If you undergo treatments with a risk of
weight gain, you may not have a lot of
control over whether you put on extra
pounds. As explained, some treat-
ments lower your metabolism in such
a way that weight gain is hard to avoid.
In some instances, however, a com-
mitment to healthy eating and staying
active can help you stay at a healthy
weight.
Joy Ololo of Tulsa, Oklahoma, says
that she was able to keep away extra
pounds during and afer treatment. A f-
nancial representative, wife and mother
of three kids, Joy was 40 when she was
diagnosed with breast cancer and un-
derwent a double mastectomy.
"I'm a very active person in general,"
Joy says. "I go to the gym." So, although
she had to take six weeks of downtime
afer surgery, she got active again as
soon as she could, even during chemo-
therapy.
In addition, Joy looked to her nutri-
tionist and dietitian at CTCA in Tulsa to
build a healthy eating plan. "They give
you a plan at every stage," she says.
"The information is there. It's up to you
to follow it."
Fortunately for Joy, she has an activ-
ity that she really enjoys. "I love music
and dancing," she explains, which
makes Zumba (a dance-style class ac-
companied by lively music) her exercise
of choice. She kept up her Zumba rou-
tine during treatment and found great
motivation in doing something she
loves. Zumba is also a group activity, so
her exercise group was another support
system—something Joy acknowledges
as a huge beneft.
"Engage a friend or family member,"
she recommends. "Share your goal
and ask for their help achieving
it." She says that simple things like
having someone call to check in
regularly can help you build healthy
habits.
Trukova says that you can also
hold yourself accountable for your
food and activity choices by keeping
a journal of everything you eat and
how much you are exercising. "Log-
ging food [and activity] can make
you more mindful and see patterns,"
she explains. You may see in these
patterns places where you can make
changes and a real difference.
Organizations like Weight Watch-
ers that require a regular weigh-in
can also help keep you working
toward your goal, says Trukova. And
don't forget your care team—the
doctors, dietitians, physical thera-
pists and nurses involved in your
treatment can be an ongoing source
of support and information.
If you are having trouble getting
moving, Winston suggests looking
to community organizations and
events to make exercise fun and sup-
portive and to create some structure.
Consider, for example, local running
or walking groups, or gather a group
of friends who enjoy the same activi-
ties. Winston also says that cancer
advocacy events (runs or walks to
raise money and awareness for a
particular cause) can offer a fun
atmosphere and can serve as ftness
goals.
WORTH EVERY EFFORT
Whether your journey is from
cancer patient to competitive body
builder or survivor looking to stay-
ing healthy, the process is not always
easy. But outcomes like Rhonda's
can help you remember the impor-
tance and reward of this commit-
ment. "I feel really great about my
health—healthier than I've ever
been," Rhonda says. "I've learned
the importance of being proactive
about health."
References
1. Vance, V., Mourtzakis, M., McCargar, L., &
Hanning, R. (2011). Weight gain in breast cancer
survivors: Prevalence, pattern and health con-
sequences. Obesity Reviews, 12, 282–294. doi:
10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00805.x
2. De Pergola, G., & Silvestris, F. (2013). Obesity as a
major risk factor for cancer. Journal of Obesity. doi:
10.1155/2013/291546
3. Recommendations for Cancer Prevention.
American Institute for Cancer Research. Retrieved
March 23, 2015, from http://www.aicr.org/reduce-
your-cancer-risk/recommendations-for-cancer-
prevention
4. Diet—What We Eat. American Institute for Can-
cer Research. Retrieved March 23, 2015, from http://
www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/diet