Shape Up: Personal trainers can benefit cancer patients

There’s a new partner in the battle against cancer that works right alongside your medical team and support group of family and friends, and it’s a Certified Personal Trainer that specializes in cancer care clients.

The benefits of physical activity during and after treatment are numerous, and while it may not be top of mind when you hear your diagnosis, professionals at the Cleveland Clinic recommend it should be as “a number of studies have shown that regular physical activity is linked to increased life expectancy after a diagnosis of cancer — in many cases by decreasing your risk of cancer recurrence.”

Studies also have shown that exercise can help cancer patients’ physical and emotional wellness, improve sleep, improve cardiovascular health and help keep or improve muscular strength and flexibility. All the benefits of being physically active for, well, everyone.

But the catch is approaching it with a program tailored to your unique diagnosis, treatments and surgeries.

Cancer survivor Millie Brinkley started by walking 20 minutes a day and then eventually returned to the gym and started working with Cancer Exercise Specialist Julie Turi at The Melbourne Athletic Club.

“Exercising helps me keep a positive attitude," Brinkley said. "I feel empowered knowing that I am taking steps to prevent a recurrence, but also taking back the strength that cancer stole from me. It's the best feeling of revenge.

"Regaining my energy, seeing muscles begin to form again and my weight start to normalize spur me to continue to move and strive to be as healthy as possible. Being able to look in the mirror again without disdain is a great feeling as well."

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Plus, a side benefit to working out is the social aspects of being in a gym. Smiling and chatting with others, laughing and feeling a sense of community adds bright, positive energy to the day that makes the workout more enjoyable and leaves me feeling relaxed and happy.”

Physical exercise during treatment also can help with one of the most reported side-effects by patients, which is fatigue.

Counterintuitive as it may seem, exercise can make cancer patients experience 40 to 50 percent less fatigue.

So if your body is saying it’s too tired to move, get up and find a way to be active, be it walking, yoga or strength training because that effort will be rewarded with the long-term benefit of less fatigue.

“Going through the treatments, the only exercise I could manage was walking," Brinkley said. "But as little as 20 minutes of walking improved my mood, reduced feelings of anxiety and brought back feelings of hope. I believe in the power of positive thinking and know that exercising helped me beat the illness.”

Turi has worked with Brinkley to add much more than walking to her regimen with a comprehensive, safe and individualized program.

As a trainer, Turi feels she is the patient’s bodyguard as they work toward recovery from treatments and through remission.

Time exercising can make a cancer patient stronger to endure treatment, stronger to recover and strong for the future.

Failla is a group cycle instructor at Melbourne Athletic Club, located at 1218 Sarno Road in Melbourne. To learn more about classes or schedules, call 321-425-5838 or visit melbourneathleticclub.com