Hello To My Fellow "Battle Brothers & Sisters"
My doctor reminds me often that it's important to be SAFE and SOUND during the winter season, since I'm on ADT hormone shots. He reminds me it's important to be safe while walking on snow and ice during the winter, because the hormone shots leave our bones much more fragile and subject to fractures.
In my case, I have to take daily calcium pills to restore the calcium that is "leeched out" by the ADT shots. A few months after starting ADT shots, my doctor ordered a bone density scan, which revealed that my bones were ALREADY bordering on osteoporosis, just from the ADT shots. REALLY ! I will say that a bone density scan is quick and painless. So now, with my doctor's recommendation, I also receive a PROLIA injection every six months to strengthen my bones, to counteract the effects of the ADT shots.
Recent Lesson Learned From A Friend Of Mine: One of my fellow "battle brothers" recently fell and broke a bone. He spent many weeks recuperating, because his bones had been weakened from ADT shots. His fracture took MUCH longer to heal than normal, because of the shots. Lesson learned from his experience, so I wanted to share the cautionary tale with each of you, my friends !
So --- with winter right around the corner, I felt it was a good reminder to all of us who live in snowy climates to watch out for ice and snow ... and to avoid slips and falls and accidents at all costs.
Meanwhile, with winter weather approaching quickly --- those of us on ADT shots strive to maintain good physical fitness and energy levels --- but winter weather and cold climates can have an impact on those goals.
With that in mind, if the weather is inclement, consider walking this winter in an INDOOR
location ... a shopping center, a local gym, a mall in your area. Sometimes large churches have gym facilities or recreation rooms that you might be able to use during the winter. Many area schools will allow citizens to walk in the hallways, after school hours, if you ask permission. Many high schools offer "
open gym" nights that are free to the public during the winter, where you could shoot some hoops, jump into a pick-up game of basketball, or simply walk some laps on cold winter nights.
Last winter was a cold one in the Midwest ... plenty of ice on the streets and sidewalks. I like to go walking outside late at night, when the weather allows. Last winter I knew I needed a new game plan to keep my fitness goals intact ... I'm a school teacher, so the gym teacher mapped out a route that equaled a mile in the school hallways for me to walk in the evenings when it was cold or icy outside --- I brought a gym bag with track pants and tennis shoes and it worked out great. I shot some hoops in the school gym on some winter nights. I also got some passes to the local fitness gym and walked the track there and then worked out on the work-out equipment, just to boost my fitness levels in the winter until spring weather returned. If you don't want to buy a full membership, many gyms offer "one day passes" if you just need an occasional work-out session to keep you motivated through the winter. In this way, I didn't let the winter weather impact my fitness goals.
Last of all, good friends of mine participate in a "Holiday Fitness Challenge" this time of the year. I like the sound of this idea, and it's simple. It starts on Thanksgiving Day and runs until New Year's Day --- all you do is log ONE MILE each day, every day, from Thanksgiving until New Year's Day to improve your fitness level. You can walk the dog, hike, do the treadmill, jog, ride the stationary bicycle ... anything to log ONE MILE a day from Thanksgiving until New Year's Day. This year, I'm in ... I'm going to do it ... my friends have challenged me and this year, I'm going for it ... winter weather or not ! Bring it on !
If you have any more winter fitness ideas, just add them on to this thread !
Sent with my best for the winter season ahead,
Iowa State ("Cyclone")
Quotable Quote: "In the midst of WINTER, I found there was, within me, an invincible SUMMER ..." (Quote From: ALBERT CAMUS (1913 ~ 1960) - French Novelist).
Post Edited (Cyclone-ISU) : 12/10/2023 10:11:06 AM (GMT-8)