WORKING OUT AGAIN AFTER YOUR MASTECTOMY
TIPS FROM YOUR BREASTIES
Working out in general can be intimidating and feel overwhelming. Add in a surgery that completely changes your body (and life) and it can feel downright impossible.
I was extremely fortunate that I was able to train for my preventative double mastectomy. Before my surgery I was anxious and afraid. Channeling these feelings into my workouts helped me feel both physically and emotionally prepared. When it came time for my surgery, I was in the best shape of my life and had never felt stronger.
This helped me tremendously with my recovery but it also led to me feeling pretty defeated when I lost nearly all of my strength overnight. After my mastectomy, my reconstruction was done under the muscle, meaning they slice your muscle to create a pocket for your expanders and then implants to be placed.
After my surgery I couldn’t lift my arms over my head and I lost nearly all of my mobility and strength.
Though it took me months to get my strength back, I am grateful that I have been able to rebuild my strength overtime and I am able to do everything I could do before my surgery. From pushups to surfing, I am stronger than ever and I am here to help you get back to working out again, too!
Two of my best friends - Karo and Bianca - have both undergone double mastectomies as well - and they are some of the most active and fit people I know so I have asked them to share their most helpful tips with you too!
Bianca Muniz // 2 x Cancer Survivor // Ovarian and Breast Cancer // Double Mastectomy and Chemotherapy
“Just start moving. Just do it. You won’t want to at first. You won’t want to start all over. It’s going to be frustrating but you have to start somewhere. And it’s going to feel good, so good. It’s ok if you might be discouraged at first, but once you start getting back into you’re going to feel so good and so proud and it’s so worth it!”
Karolina Krauze // Breast Cancer Previvor // Preventative Double Mastectomy
“As a runner, I started off by walking. 10 minute walks. 20 minute walks. Then 30 minute walks. Then I started jogging really slowly and eventually worked my way up to a half mile. And it was hard because I felt like my back was so hunched over since getting my mastectomy. I’m still working on it. But if I can go from having my double mastectomy a year and a half ago to running the marathon last weekend, you can too!”
Paige More // Breast Cancer Previvor // Preventative Double Mastectomy
“When I was recovering from my surgery and I got clearance to work out, I would literally lay in bed and picture myself working out. I would see myself running. I would see myself lifting weights. I would picture myself doing crunches. It helped me to imagine it. I would then pick a mantra. The first workout it was, “get through five minutes.” That helped me start off small and it was manageable. I can do anything for five minutes, I assured myself. To this day, I use a mantra when I workout and I cheer myself on when I run. It’s made a huge difference. I also stopped resenting my body for what it had been through and started being grateful for its beauty and it’s strength. I thank my body after every single workout and I swear that’s how I’ve gotten so strong, mentally and physically, over the last couple of years!! I remind myself daily, “I don’t have to do this, I get to do this!”