Getting back to exercise | LifeAfterCancer

I think for a lot of people the main goal after cancer treatment is to get back into exercise - it sure was for me! 3 months into remission: I'm swimming, cycling and gradually getting back to PE. I do have to admit, it has been exhausting for me, but Im glad to be back into it. Exercise definitely isn't easy, but it is a good way to build your strength up after chemo. Here are my top tips:

1. Don't rush it!
You just beat cancer. You enter remission feeling invincible. Rightly so, but you do have to remember that your body has endured a damn hard battle, and it won't get back to normal as quickly as you'd like. About a week into remission I was off swimming and walking my dogs. Nothing would stop me. THEN-the tiredness well and truly hit! My body was worn down and so achy, it really wasn't pleasant at all. Please take this advice from someone who has already experienced it, because trust me you don't want to experience it yourself.

In the beginning, do exercise 2-3 times a week, and avoid vigorous exercise. Your muscles are going to have to take a bit of getting used to all the activity, so a lot of aching is expected. Even if the exercise is just walking the dog or taking the stairs - it all helps to improve your stamina and strength.

2. Swimming!
I highly recommend swimming as your first proper exercise to get back into. Exercise such as running can be very strenuous on your joints, whereas swimming has limited impact. This is particularly good for your body after treatment, because you can build your muscles without wrecking your joints! Don't go swimming if you're neutropenic or prone to infection. Also, if you have a Hickman line or a PICC line definitely don't go swimming until its out!

3. Eat healthily.
I don't know about you, but when I came out of cancer treatment I was extremely eager to get back to a healthy diet. So I made sure I ate 4 or 5 different fruits & veg each day, and I only had one sugary treat a day. And then a lost weight... With the increased amount of exercise I was doing, what I was eating really wasn't enough to sustain my weight, so I have had to have a drastic diet change. I have talked to my doctor and they have said that I need to eat 2000 calories a day to gain weight-especially if I'm doing exercise! Its been a challenge so far, as I have struggled with eating since being diagnosed, but I really hope the hard work pays off. The moral of the story is to be realistic and eat everything and anything to help keep your weight up. The super healthy diets are over rated anyways! (;

Exercise can really help your recovery time decrease. It has so many benefits, such as:

• reduce fatigue
• increase flexibility
• strengthen your heart
• help maintain a healthy weight
• reduce anxiety and depression
• strengthen muscles, bones and joints

Thank you for reading this blog, I really hope it helps you! If you have any questions then make sure to comment down below. 

Ellie xxxxx