Working Out While on Chemo
I think one of the hardest things for me about this journey is how much my fitness regime has changed. Just before being diagnosed I was at the gym 6x/week lifting as heavy as I could. I loved doing barbell squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, and was obsessed with watching and following fitness YouTubers/Instagram accounts for inspiration and motivation.
My body has already changed quite a bit in 2 months. I’ve put on body fat (from being more sedentary) and lost strength (from not lifting as heavy or as often), but I’m learning to embrace my body as it is now during this stage of my life. I’m working with what I’ve got. I’m prioritizing fitness without overdoing it and I think it really is all about balance.
Some days I stay in bed all day. Other days I do a workout, go for a walk, and walk on the treadmill after dinner.
I don’t really watch any fitness YouTubers at all these days because I’m too busy being my own motivation and inspiration (wow, that sounds cocky, but it’s true! Ha!) I think it’s easy to get too caught up in what other people are doing and it can be detrimental to your personal goals.
If all you’re thinking is: “So-and-so runs every day and I can’t even run for 30 seconds” or “so-and-so lifts X amount of weight and I can’t do that yet or anymore”, then you’re dooming yourself from the get go. You’re just not going to feel like doing anything.
Just focus on you. Do exercises that you don’t mind, or dare I say it— actually enjoy. You don’t have to lift weights. Go to yoga. Go jogging. Dance in your living room. Push yourself for you and you only. Start small and build your way up. You don’t have to look like or be like anyone else. Accept and work with the bad days just as much as the good ones.
I wanted to share this little workout video because it works for me and I hope it helps some of you out. My oncologist didn’t recommend much when it came to fitness and nutrition. But he did say, “studies show people who workout regularly, eat their fruits/vegetables, and reduce sugar have a higher chance of beating cancer.” So that’s what I tell myself every time I don’t feel like working out or eating something nutritious. (Again though, I’m human. I sometimes want the instant noodles and feel like being a hermit in bed all day, and that’s okay. Again, work with the good and bad days).
Quick workout for staying fit while on Chemo.
Here’s the workout written out:
Remember that every workout can be adapted to better suit you and your body/health!
To make the workout easier: Drop the weight, go slower, or do one less set.
To make the workout harder: Increase the weight, go faster, or add one more set.
Highly recommend these booty bands for a light workout from home (or gym!) I’ve been using these bands for years now. You can grab them from my Amazon link by clicking the image above!
I switch up my workout a bit each time. My goal is to do a full body workout (or close to it) each time. Meaning, I want to hit all muscle groups. I also want to stay heart healthy which is why I am doing more cardio than I normally would.
There’s plenty of online videos and workout plans for you to follow, but feel free to ask me any questions! What exercise are you doing while on chemo? (Or if you’re not on chemo— what exercise do you like to do?) Let me know by leaving me a comment or sending me an email/DM. Let’s chat!
Thanks for reading! XO
