Regular physical activity, during and after treatment, will help to maintain muscle tone, joint motion, physical strength and proper functioning of all the vital organ systems. Any activity you enjoy counts as exercise.
Benefits of Exercise:
 Weight management
 Decreased stress
 Fatigue reduction
 Improved cardiovascular efficiency
 Improved quality of life
 Feelings of control
 Prevention of muscle atrophy
 Aids in faster recovery by helping tissue repair more quickly
 Helps to maintain and possibly increase bone density
 Associated with protection against development of some cancers, i.e. breast and colon cancer, and improving clinical outcome
How Much is Necessary?
 30 minutes 2-3 days a week of aerobic activity
 2 days of strength training
What Kind of Exercise?
 Cardio – walking, running, yard work, singles tennis, swimming – any movement that increases the heart rate and respiration to improve oxygen consumption by the body.
 Resistance – exercise that works muscles against weight or resistance. Dumbbells, resistance bands, resistance machines, body weight are examples of resistance training.  Mind-Body - Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi fall into the mindful movement with controlled breathing category.
 Stretching to maintain the flexibility of the joints.
How to Begin?
 Get your doctor’s permission before beginning any program
 Do any activity that you enjoy
 Begin with an easy program of 10-15 minutes
 Add light resistance, 1 set of 8-12 repetitions to target the major muscle groups
 Always stretch when you have finished your exercise session
 To experience improvements you must periodically change the frequency, intensity and/or duration of your program