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Strength-training for busy mom?

Page last modified on: October 7, 2008
Question from HJ: My breast cancer has metastasized to my bones. I am on Femara and Zometa. I am 40 pounds overweight and other than my weight and breast cancer am in good health. I am 44, mother of three, and struggle with getting an exercise program in place. I need to do something I can do that does not add stress to my life. I love to walk, but not in the cold (I live in Minnesota). I would like to have a strengthening routine I can do at home.
Answer —Miriam Nelson, Ph.D.: I'm the strength-training queen! You've come to the right place. First, you need to make sure you're doing everything you can to take care of yourself. Make sure you have the social support you need, and you can certainly do the strength training at home. Look at my first book, Strong Women Stay Young as well as information on the website, http://www.strongwomen.com. There's another website we developed, http://nutrition.tufts.edu/research/growingstronger, and that's a home-based strength training program that you could do on your own. It's animated, and there's a PDF file you can print.

Having said all this, it can be enormously helpful to get a professional in, such as a good personal trainer who's worked with individuals with chronic conditions and who can help customize your program and make sure you're doing the exercises correctly. But because of the issue you also have with weight control, if at all possible you need to be getting some aerobic activity as well In the very cold months, try (literally) dancing! Dance with the kids—put a CD on and move. Or find a class where you can go. The combination of strength training and aerobic activity will be much more helpful with weight control.

On Wednesday, January 18, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Physical Activity and Breast Cancer. Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., Julie Gralow, M.D., and moderator Judith Sachs answered your questions about the many issues related to physical activity and breast cancer.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Miriam Nelson, Ph.D.Miriam Nelson, Ph.D. is the author of the international best-sellers Strong Women Stay Young; Strong Women Stay Slim;Strong Women, Strong Bones; and other titles. She is Director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition and Associate Professor of Nutrition at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

Julie Gralow, M.D.Julie Gralow, M.D. is associate professor of medical oncology specializing in breast cancer at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and director of breast medical oncology at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Judith SachsJudith Sachs is a health educator, writer, speaker, and former member of the Breastcancer.org editorial team.

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