MAKE MOVEMENT A WAY OF LIFE IN 2025!

By Mary Friedrich, Creator/Instructor of Sassy Pants Fitness for Active-Agers; AFAA Certified Group Fitness Specialist; Cancer Exercise Specialist (in progress) Note: It's important to talk with your oncologist and care team before starting any fitness routine. Research shows that for most people exercise is safe and helpful before, during, and after cancer treatment. It can help elevate mood, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, boost energy, and help reduce symptoms of treatment-related side effects. Too much time spent resting or sitting can cause loss of body function, muscle weakness, and reduced range of motion. 

Cancer survivors who participated in a fitness program exhibited improvements in physical activity, fitness, and quality of life, according to findings conducted by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers and others. The American Cancer Society has a Nutrition and Physical Activity Guideline for cancer survivors. These general guidelines call for cancer survivors to: • Avoid inactivity and return to normal daily activities as soon as possible after diagnosis and treatment. • Take part in regular physical activity. • Start slowly and build up the amount of physical activity over time. • Build up to 150-300 minutes of moderate (or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity) activity each week. • Exercise several times a week for at least 10 minutes at a time. • Include resistance training exercise at least 2 days per week. • Do stretching exercises at least 2 days each week. Is it safe to exercise during cancer treatment? Absolutely — as long as your doctor says it's okay. With advice from your health care team, consider what exercise types might work best for you. And be sure to let your fitness professional know about your cancer diagnosis and any limitations you may have. Some options to consider: • Flexibility exercises, such as yoga or stretching, aide in getting you ready to move on to more vigorous exercise. • Aerobic exercises, such as running, swimming, or brisk walking, help build cardiovascular fitness. • Resistance exercises, such as lifting weights help with muscle loss that can be a result of cancer treatment. To keep your muscle strength and maintain your ability to do the activities you want and need to do exercise is so important. As a partner with exercise, check out various relaxation techniques to reduce stress which is an important part of getting and staying well. It’s important to start slowly and work your way up to more rigorous exercise. I recommend starting with a regular walking routine or some yoga and stretching. Ideally, your routine should include both aerobic and resistance exercises because these will help you build muscle and increase your stamina, which can help improve your overall health. You may want to check out one of the many fitness instructors on YouTube. Consider starting with a “walking workout” video where you would march in place for varying distances or amounts of time. Or maybe a “seated stretching workout” to help with flexibility and range of motion. Try several to see which one feels right for you! All that being said, be sure to listen to your body. Most importantly, I encourage everyone to look for ways to make exercise easy and fun. Please remember that motivation is difficult for anyone, but every little bit adds up and making it something you ENJOY helps so much. And I believe in you! I hope you will find your own way of incorporating movement into your journey and if you’d like information of how you can access Sassy Pants Fitness for Active-Agers classes, contact me at sassypantsfitness4activeagers@gmail.com or 319-231-4452.

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