Exercise After Breast Cancer Treatment

Exercise is one of two of the most interesting topics that I consider on a regular basis when it comes to what is best for women dealing with breast cancer. In case you want to know, the other is diet but that will be addressed at another time. For as long as I can remember, the benefits of exercise have been touted not only in keeping from getting breast cancer but also to keep and stay healthy for the rest of our lives.

“To exercise is just like anything else in our lives and that is that we have to have a reason, a motivation, a drive to do so.”Barbara Jacoby

From a very early age, I have always been extremely active in sports and in running until I had a knee injury that has resulted in my no longer being allowed to run nor to participate in some of the sports that I loved the most. So, I looked around at what was left and I was not inspired to say the least. Even things like bike riding and yoga were out of the question because of the knee issue. And if I do something, I will go all out or not do it at all so I was pretty much left with walking and I sure couldn’t get excited about that.

As a result, for many years now, I had exercised little if any at all. I still found that I was getting a great report card every year when I got my physical so I really did not have any motivation or reason to become more active. I think that may very well be the same for many other women, especially when they are chasing little ones around all day and doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, running errands and so on. Not only are they getting exercise but quite often at the end of the day, they don’t have any energy to do anything but shower and fall into bed.

I’ll bet that if they were to count their steps for the day, they just might find that they have reached or exceeded having walked several miles which sounds pretty good to me. I know that there is a recommendation of 10,000 steps a day that turns out to be about 5 miles but I find it very demanding to reach that number every day and I am sure that I am not alone. So I have set my own personal goal of 5,000 steps. However, not everyone has physical restrictions but that does not mean that they have a motivation to do something physical.

I am grateful that once again I have a motivation to get off the couch and move. I have set daily goals that are realistic and this allows me to stick to my plan. However, I know how easy it is to make excuses for not doing so. I know how one could easily fall back on the cancer as an excuse for not doing something and while there may be days when it would be easier to not do anything, you will be so much prouder if you step up and do something – anything – to keep going with your commitment.

To exercise is just like anything else in our lives and that is that we have to have a reason, a motivation, a drive to do so. Without that, it becomes almost impossible to sustain a schedule of any kind. And as always, we need to consult with our doctors before beginning any new exercise program.

But no matter what we choose, anything is better than languishing for hours on end sitting on the couch or at a desk. We were not designed for such a lifestyle and by not moving around, we are not only not helping ourselves but we are actually hurting ourselves. So, let’s get up and move in any way we choose and know that it will improve our overall health even if it doesn’t keep us from getting breast cancer.