How to Stay Active and Maintain a Healthy Weight After Cancer

Healing from cancer is more than finishing treatment. It’s about daily habits that help your body recover, stay strong, and feel good. After treatment, feeling tired or unsure about what comes next is normal.

Small habits—like moving more, eating well, and keeping a healthy weight—can make a big difference. They boost energy, lift mood, and may lower the risk of cancer returning.

This guide explains why activity and healthy weight matter. It also gives practical tips for safe recover.

Move to Heal: How Physical Activity Helps Your Recovery

Gentle activity like walking, stretching, or light cycling help reduce tiredness, lift your mood, and keep your muscles and joints moving. Studies show that survivors who stay active have better chances of living longer. In 2023, about one in three cancer survivors had obesity, and over a third were overweight, as reported by the Cancer Progress Report. Exercise also helps your immune system, which is important for recovery and overall health.

Why Every Pound Matters: Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Weight can impact how your body responds to that. Includ plenty of ingvegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, along with regular physical activity, can help you maintain a healthy weight, treatment and recovery. Survivors face challenges with weight, either gaining or losing too much. Research conducted in 2022 by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer found that regular exercise reduced the risk of dying from all causes by 25% compared to inactive patients. Eating balanced meals with plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, along with regular activity, can help you stay in a healthy range. 

Small Steps, Big Changes: Practical Tips to Stay Active

You do not have to run a marathon to get gains. It takes little regular practice to count:

• Realistic goals – Aim for about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, like walking or swimming.
  
• Mix it up – Add gentle strength exercises to keep your muscles strong.
  
• Keep track – Monitor your weight every few weeks to notice changes early.
  
• Start slowly – Fatigue is normal; begin with small steps and increase gradually.
  
• Find support – Join a group, exercise with a friend, or work with a physiotherapist for guidance and motivation.

How do you feel about making activity one of your priorities and a healthy weight one of your goals? 

Take Charge: Make Activity and Healthy Weight Part of Your Life.

Being active and maintaining a healthy weight does not mean exhausting oneself. It is all about providing the body with what it requires to recover, feel good on a daily basis and be healthy in the long-term. Even little repeated alterations can go a long way. Discuss with your doctor or the people who care about you the best course of action- they will be able to assist you in locating what works best and which is comfortable and safe