Hitting the Gym. Every Day.

I may be on medical leave from O'Melveny right now, but I do have a job -- working out every single day. Sometimes outdoors. Sometimes indoors. Sometimes in water. Sometimes at two gyms. My current occupation consists of getting my body as strong and as fit as possible, developing a regular weekly training routine, and making sure my regimen works like clockwork before I get back on the clock at the firm. Each day is an opportunity to build on the last, to increase my stamina, to oxygenate my body, and to put cancer in my rear view mirror.

So far, the workout regimen is coming along nicely. I play full court basketball once a week, lift weights at Educogym about four days a week, and swim five to six days a week. It’s a great little schedule so far, but I’m still in the process of diversifying my workout portfolio. Soon, I will figure out which classes at LAAC I should add to the menagerie. The options are pretty much endless but I’ve narrowed the list to spinning, yoga, cardio kickboxing, and circuit training. Okay, I’ll try hip hop cardio as well. Only because it’s going to make for a funny story and you know I love to keep you entertained.

The main goal here is to find things that I really love, workouts that not only condition my body, but make me happy. You have to love what you’re doing to stick with it, and I intend to stick to my quest to be the lady Lance Armstrong. And you know what happens when I put my mind to something. ;)

Despite the craziness my body has been through over the last several months, it’s coming along like a champ. I’ve been getting stronger, playing harder, and swimming faster. I can absolutely notice a difference between my fitness level a month ago and how I feel now, which is heartening. That whole “pick it out/pour it in” surgery might have knocked me back a bit, and the whole chemo thing might stall me out for a day or two here and there, but I’m back on track and making strides every day. It’s strange to be proud of your own body, but I am. I’m a mind over matter kind of woman, but my matter is pretty darn good, too.

It's Whole Foods Day!!

I found myself boldly proclaiming this upon opening my refrigerator this morning. It was probably more like singing, really: "It's Whoooooole Foods Daaaaaay!!!" And it was loud. Will and Winston, still snoozing, were not amused. 

So why was I bopping around my loft, adoring the downtown Los Angeles skyline, singing songs about Whole Foods this morning? Who knows. I'm going to credit the daily swimming. I sleep like a baby and wake up with loads of energy. Anyway, let's get back to the point...

Yes, it's Whole Foods Day -- that weekly time where I set aside at least an hour of my day to go snooping around the produce section, sniffing around the organic bath products section, and giving the side-eye to the cheese section like it's an evil ex that I still have feelings for. It's one of my favorite days of the week, where I literally take a hands-on approach to my diet and get jazzed about the yummy and healthy foods I get to put in my shopping cart and, later, in my belly. 

So what do I get?

Instead of simply listing my grocery list, I'll make it a little more fun. I'll list an item the pre-diagnosis me used to buy regularly and replace it with a new and improved WunderGlo-certified product. Here we go. 

In the place of Pepperoni Pizza Lean Pockets, Amy's Organic Baked Beans. In other words, in the place of cheesy, processed, preservative-filled indulgence (which still tastes good - I'm not gonna lie), I've got a great source of protein with just the tiniest bit of sugar added. This is a go-to item during chemo weeks, when I can scarf down this "cheat" item even when I don't feel like eating much of anything else.

In the place of Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Diet Orange Soda, and Diet Cherry 7-Up, I stock up on boxes of herbal tea (Chamomile, Peppermint, Rooibos), a carton of organic Orange Juice, some unsweetened iced Green Tea, and water. Trading in the dicey stuff for the ultimate thirst quenchers.

In the place of Fruity Pebbles and Frosted Flakes, Kashi-brand cereals that are high in fiber and protein and easy to munch on as well as low- or no-sugar oatmeal. Do I miss Fruity Pebbles, especially considering I had so little time with it (my mom did not allow it when I was a kid)? Yes, sometimes I do -- at least conceptually. But my body does not. 

In the place of Kraft Fat-Free Singles, a packet of Rice Cheese. Soy- and dairy-free, yummy when melted in a corn tortilla, and another good go-to item during chemo weeks when I need to indulge. Mozzarella is my favorite flavor.

In the place of Chex Mix and Cheez-its, I grab bags of raw almonds and brazil nuts, and make my own store-churned almond butter. Much better snacking alternatives.

In the place of what would have been an empty cart devoid of all vegetables, I throw in fistfuls of kale and spinach, armfuls of carrots and cucumbers and celery. I've got some serious juicing to do, and these are my main ingredients.

In the place of fruit-flavored snacks that actually don't have any fruit in them (Shark Bites were my favorite), I pick out Pink Lady apples, organic strawberries and bananas, and lots of avocados. Yup, an avocado is a fruit. 

In the place of delightfully soft, no-nutrition enriched white bread (ah, Weber white bread), I pad my belly with whole grain bread (Milton's is pretty delightful) and corn tortillas. And when I'm feeling particularly health-conscious, gluten-free bread from Udi's.

In the place of beef, chicken, turkey, and bacon (mmmm...bacon), I turn to pinto beans, black beans, and hummus. And sometimes some "fake" soy-based meats like pepperoni and salami for those times when my urge for that smoked meat taste cannot be contained. In the place of casein- or whey-based protein powder, pea- or brown rice-based protein powder. Who says I don't get enough protein in my diet? I am no wimpy, muscle-less vegan. You've seen my guns. You know this.

And in the place of Red Vines red licorice, wheatgrass for daily or every-other-daily wheatgrass shots. This is not an even exchange as far as my taste buds are concerned, but my organs are giving me a standing ovation for making the change. 

Well, there it is: a snapshot of my former shopping cart and the one I'll be creating right after I finish this post. I hope you enjoyed the before and after of my supermarket staples, and I really hope you aren't eating Pepperoni Pizza Lean Pockets. I know they are pretty awesome, but you need to put the Lean Pocket down and walk away. Trust me.

A New Normal

The moment I was diagnosed, my life as I knew it was over. Not over over, of course, but changed forever. That moment when my mom, standing with my dad and husband, told me that I had Stage IV colon cancer, was the precise moment when I assumed total responsibility for my health. 

It's a major responsibility, and one that I had pretty much shirked before that moment. And why not? I was 28 years old and plugging away at the life I had always dreamed of -- who needed to stop and think about health issues? My body would just keep plugging away with me, I thought.

As we know, that wasn’t quite right.

Despite the bumps and bruises and foot-long incision wound down my belly (it’s probably longer than that), I consider cancer to be the greatest wake-up call of my life. It's not a curse, and it's not a tragedy. It gave me the opportunity to live healthily, carefully, and thoughtfully. It gave me the opportunity to triumph over fear, dread, and anxiety. It helped me love and live deeper and richer than I had before, which didn’t really seem possible. And it taught me one of the most important life-lessons that little else could have taught me: to treat my body with the utmost care and respect in everything I do.

As I'm wrapping up these last couple of rounds of chemo (I'll have completed 13 rounds by the end of this little song and dance), I'm transitioning back to my regularly-scheduled, normal life. But it's a new normal. My health is always at the forefront of my mind. Every meal I eat, every hour I sleep, and every minute of exercise is all devoted to achieving a healthier, cancer-free me. Taking care of myself is a full time job.

Sometimes the reality of it all smacks me upside the head -- at the age of 29, I’m part of a select few that have the opportunity to conquer an advanced stage of cancer and a particular brand of cancer that most consider fatal. I am more concerned and more focused on my health than almost anyone else my age, and I have gone through more physical challenges than almost everyone I know.  As a result of this cancer-killing adventure, my life is always going to be lived deliberately, with all of my efforts focused on developing and maintaining a truly healthy lifestyle -- healthy in mind, body, and spirit. A vegan diet, daily exercise, acupuncture, meditation, sleep and rest, laughter, avoiding toxic relationships and high fructose corn syrup and hard liquor like the plague, and cherishing the people and moments that make my life unbelievably great.

No, my life is not "normal." But who needs normal? And seriously, when have I ever been normal? 

Disneyland!!

WunderGlo, you looked Stage IV colon cancer in the face, beat the hell out of it, and now you're cruising through your last few weeks of chemo. What are you going to do next?

You know the rest...I'm going to Disneyland!! Already having an awesome time.

In Love with Colorado

Yesterday, I went on a ghost tour at the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King's Overlook Hotel in The Shining. For a scary movie and paranormal enthusiast such as myself, this was a huge event. After that, I took in the gorgeous scene in Estes Park, Colorado - trees, snow, sky, clouds, and wild elk as far as the eye can see. I spent the evening in Boulder, eating delicious vegan pho for dinner followed by a movie (Hanna) at the local theater. This theater served sorbet for crying out loud. Sorbet!! And the movie was awesome.

Today, I spent the early afternoon basking in the sun and taking in the incredible beauty at Boulder Falls. I even stripped down to my bra for a photo of me, my scars, and the Falls. What can I say? I was feeling especially at one with nature. My last hour in Boulder was spent strolling around Pearl Street, eating some minestrone soup and cheeseless pizza, and appreciating the laid back, progressive atmosphere there.

I'm pretty sure that Boulder is officially the best place to spend a chemo week. It's no surprise to me that this has been, by far, the easiest of all 11 rounds. No headache to speak of, a solid appetite, and no other issues at all -- and in their place, days filled with beauty, gratitude, and peace.

I'll be coming back to Colorado. That's for sure. This place was made for viewing in super-HD.