Benefits of Exercise after Breast Cancer
It is #WorkoutWednesday and I’d like to share a comprehensive video from John’s Hopkins Medicine on the benefits of exercise after Breast Cancer. Take ten minutes out of your day to view it and then I encourage you to move at your pace and ability to improve your health.
Cancer diagnosis, treatments, surgery as well as breast reconstruction surgery take a lot out of our bodies. We may have gone into either of these situations being very healthy. I often hear this from other women. This is definitely to your benefit and will help with recovery. However, after treatments and surgery you are then left to pick up the pieces from the assault on your body. Where do you move forward from there?
Whether you are walking, running, dancing, doing Pilates, yoga or another form of movement, know that you are providing great benefits to your health! Before you begin any exercise program while you are in treatments or recovering it is important to consult with your doctor before beginning. Here are some quick tips:
- Start slowly.
- Find a friend or group to exercise with you for added motivation.
- Look for a certified trainer or exercise coach who can show you proper form to avoid injury.
- When looking at YouTube videos at home look for qualified medical facilities who have researched the correct way to exercise during recovery. Don’t assume just because you feel great that your body can take the intensity of any workout on the internet. Go at it slowly and wisely.
- Hydrate and eat a healthy diet before and after exercise.
- Reward yourself with something healthy after you’ve reached a goal. Perhaps a new pair of athletic shoes, ear buds to listen to your motivation music, a new kitchen gadget for fixing healthy meals. You get the idea!
Finding your “new normal” after breast cancer or breast reconstruction surgery can take time. Concentrate on that word “new”. Don’t except that things will be the same as you recover. Think of them as new and better according to what your body can handle now. But above all, remember…
It’s time to get up and move on #MotivationMonday and every day!
