Cancer Survivor, writing about Health and Fitness as you age

Starting Martial Arts as an Adult? Have you been thinking of starting martial arts, but think you are too old? Already in your 30's ? 40's? Don't worry about it, just start! It does not matter if it is jiu jitsu, taekwando or any other flavour of martial arts. Here are the top 6 things I've learnt in my 2+ years. 1. Find/Keep the courage It is not easy to get started and/or it is easy to talk yourself out of the idea. I mean, how many adults do you see now starting out? (Not many.) I started in my 40's and there were only a few adults learning karate. I believe it is more common for practictioners to start as children and continue through to adulthood rather than start as an adult. I am part of a family program of a mix of adults and children so I can do the class with my kids, in addition to separate "Adult" classes. (In the adult class,  I appreciate not having to do extra pushups because a student didn't say "Yes Sir" or ...

In March of 2015 a friend I had known all my life died from inoperable cancer and when she died, she took a piece of me with her. She was diagnosed the same year I was, and left her husband and 2 young children behind. She had worked very hard in her short life and I decided that if we could manage it, I would welcome a chance to take the time to share experiences with those I love and maybe not spend so much time at work. The New Me is happy to report that after a number of years, I am on a sabbatical from work...again! So the New Me is "New" again! For a long time- I needed to work so I didn't spend my days and nights worried that every ache and pain could be cancer. I needed the work challenge for my brain to recuperate from the fog that is "chemo brain". I needed to know that I could be successful and productive again in spite of the trauma. This year will be 5 years since my diagnosis and I feel I could breathe a bit easier even though I co...

Hard to believe but 6 years ago, my little guy started down the path of karate-do.  I posted this way back in 2009 about his first belt test .  That was quite a feeling for me - the beginning of independence for him. At that time, I had no clue how long he would stick with it, or even that I would be doing it myself. Below - there he is just starting out, and his high white belt. This past April, he tested for his brown belt.  Here he is all geared up for sparring which is part of his brown belt test.  I am so proud of him for staying with the program, helping with the younger students (including me), and doing well within the program. I am thankful for his instructors and all the assistants who helped him along the way. It requires discipline and commitment and that is what makes this success so much the sweeter.

At this time of Thanksgiving I am grateful for my family and the memories we have created together. It also is a good time for me to revisit my bucket list since many items involve my family. In 2011, my therapist (yes, I needed someone to help me get my head in order), recommended I do an activity called " 32 squares ". Take a blank letter-size sheet of paper Fold it in half and keep folding it  in half about 5 times Open it out, you should get 32 (not quite squares) Sit down and write every thing you would like to do/experience, every dream or goal you have They usually work out to be a mix of immediate, medium and long term, maybe even some things you may not ever get to. Welcome to your bucket list. The trick to this exercise, she said, was that the first 10-15 things were usually easy to write, but then by the time you get to 25-32 you really have to start thinking deeply about things you may have given up on doing many years ago. In writing your dreams down,...

When I started writing this post, I had no clue what age was referred to in the phrase "women of a certain age". My thinking was that if I began viewing myself as a woman of a certain age, then in all likelihood, that was what I was.  It amused me to put as the heading of my post the French phrase, although what I mean is the English version. (If you're confused but interested, read this: http://www.nytimes.com/1995/a-woman-of-a-certain-age ) So what has brought me to this sad but inevitable slide of time? My weight.  (Big shocker I'm sure.) There was a time when I ate pretty much what I wanted and stayed within a certain weight range.  That time is no more. It pains me to admit that in the last 4 years or so, my metabolism has slowed so the same food is causing somewhat unattractive results on my petite frame. Throughout my adult life I have resisted any semblance of dieting, trying to eat well, have junk in moderation and get exercise as best I can. Now, as of ...

Lucas recently tested for his high white belt (karate) and as I looked in on him through the glass doors to his class, I was overwhelmed by the sense of my little boy on his own in the world.  He looked so small in his white Gi in front of the table where his Sensei, her Sensei and another instructor, sat.  I watched him stand with his weight on one foot, then the other, doing jumping jacks to warm up and practicing kicks and blocks with his classmates. I felt the tears well up and got that old lump in the throat.  I hadn't felt like that in a long, long time with Lucas, why now? I think that unlike his spelling test, where I can help him by reviewing the words with him, or his Maths,  this was something he had to do on his own. I couldn't help him. Heck, I didn't even know what the right moves were!  I guess he is at the age where he will have more and more independent experiences.  I will hold on to this picture of him in my mind, and the feeling th...