Back to work tomorrow. Taking stock, setting goals

One body just over half a century old, most parts present apart from the appendix, a lymph node and a fair few marbles. Body work shows signs of wear and tear with laughter lines, wrinkles, stretch marks and scars, various. No tattoos, no piercings and not a lot of body hair at present.

Just over 2 weeks since I had my last of 6 cycles of CHOP chemotherapy to treat a type of  non Hodgkin’s lymphoma and I feel it is time to step back into my life. The majority of my pre chemo minor aches, pains, health niggles and itchy rash have gone. Not sure if that is due to 4 months of rest, huge doses of steroids or if they were symptoms of the cancer.

One of the lasting effects of the chemotherapy is some peripheral neuropathy, mainly in my finger tips. My sense of touch is reduced and it makes some fiddly jobs, like doing up little buttons even more awkward. I discovered I can’t pick up even quite big twigs with gardening gloves on and I find washing up tricky as things just slip from my grasp with or without gloves. Hopefully barbells won’t be a problem! Apparently the chemotherapy damages/destroys the body’s melanin so my skin will always be sensitive to skin cancer caused by exposure to sun. Cultivating the pale and interesting look will also help prevent my skin ageing any more than necessary.

Not too shabby, all things considered but needs work!

My consultant has warned me that I will not be back to full fitness for at least 4 months but will be 90% fit in 3 months, although I am not sure what the baseline is so with that in mind here are my health goals:

Long Term Goals – Health and Fitness

• Great South Run 2015
• Crossfit – Rx a WOD

Short Term Progression by December

• Working out 4 to 5 times a week
• Double Unders at least one
• Singles unbroken for 100 reps
• Box Jump
• Start Interval Training
• Assisted Pull Up
• Keep a Training Log for Crossfit and running
• Learn about pose running
• Read Paleo Athlete
• Whole30 in September
• Maintain a paleo diet with an emphasis on not eating any added sugar

Baseline measurements 31 August 2014:

• Height: 5′ 6″/168cm
• Weight: 11st 10lb/74.4kg
• BMI: 26.4 (overweight!)
• Chest: 39 inches
• Waist: 31 inches
• Hips: 41 inches
• Thighs: 24 inches
• Biceps: 12.5 inches

I went to Boots and used the scales there and will have a weigh in again at the end of my September Whole30 although weight loss is not my reason for doing it. I am too vain or just not brave enough to post the before picture ………… yet.