As you go through the treatments for mesothelioma, exercise may be the last thing on your mind. After all, you're juggling appointments and spend several days a week in the downtown cancer all while dealing with symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue.
You can even get to a point where you dread exercise. Hey, it can happen even when you are very healthy.
But once you find the right way to fit exercise into your life, you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Before you begin an exercise regimen, be sure to discuss your plans with your oncologist. If you have recently had (or might have) some mesothelioma surgeries, make sure to observe the recovery guidelines. Do not start exercising until your doctor has given you permission to resume normal activity.
Once you have the green light to get on your feet, the following steps can help you make exercise a regular habit ?? even during hectic cycles of treatment.
Be nice to yourself and your body. At this time, your body uses a lot of energy to fight your cancer. You can have lower energy levels than usual, and you may lose some of your strength or endurance. This is normal.
Do not feel guilty if you are not as athletic as you were at other points in your life. Stay in a moderate range of exercise and remember to slowly build up the goals you set with your doctor.
If all you can manage one day is five minutes of exercise, do not stress about it. Appreciate what your body allows you to do, then make your goal to add minutes to your next session. When you do not feel discouraged about your physical abilities, you're more likely to get motivated for your next session.
Ditch the workout mentality. At this point, you're probably not worried about lifting x amount of pounds or running there many miles. When you work to fit exercise into your treatment program, your biggest goal should be just to stay active.
Any kind of physical activity can have major benefits on your health, but the key is consistency. To get the most benefit, you need to find an exercise that you love so that you can always do ?? even if you prefer to stay on the couch.
traditional exercises such as yoga and tai chi are great at helping cancer patients relax and stay active. However, if these are not for you, look for active recreation that fall outside of the box of traditional workouts.
Gardening, hiking, fishing and walking in the park are great ways to get your heart rate and strengthen various muscle groups without actually "working".
Set a schedule. Many patients find it easier to exercise regularly when it is part of their daily routine. Once you establish a treatment program, plan your exercise around these appointments.
As you go through the treatment and see how your body reacts to various therapies, adjust your schedule if necessary. For example, patients who feel tired in the days following chemotherapy infusion session may wish to take days off after their appointment, planning instead of their exercise for the day before heading in therapy.
Partner up. Unless you like the "me time" calm that comes with exercise, consider asking a friend, family member or caregiver to be an exercise partner. Time flies when you have someone to talk to ?? and you may even feel more motivated to go if you know that exercise is an opportunity to catch up with a friend.
You can not think of anyone to associate with? Try joining a support group of cancer and the meeting with one or more of your colleagues.
Make time for good food and sleep. Just like he did when he was healthy, your body needs the right combination of foods to feed the activity. However, now that your body uses more energy to fight tumors, you will need extra food to feed both for recovery and exercise. You will also need a lot of rest so your muscles can rebuild.
Make sure to eat lots of calorie dense carbs and muscle building protein, and check in periodically with cancer nutritionist to make sure your goals are on target. Also, in search of eight hours or more of sleep per night ?? and naps whenever you feel tired ?? to ensure that your body is able to maintain your level of increased activity.
Do you have an exercise routine after being diagnosed with mesothelioma? What advice and tips have helped you fit exercise into your treatment program? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook.
