<p><a href="https://howtotrainguide.com/"><strong id="docs-internal-guid-80a6590d-7fff-7e57-5350-88250b1f7732">Download my "How to Train According to the Experts" guide</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot?utm_campaign=kerry_courneya_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast_description"> Discover my premium podcast, <strong>The Aliquot</strong></a></p> <p>For decades, exercise was considered an optional part of cancer care—something beneficial for general health but not essential. The evidence is now overwhelming: exercise is not just supportive—it's a therapeutic intervention that recalibrates tumor biology, enhances treatment tolerance, and improves survival outcomes.<br /> <br /> With over 600 peer-reviewed studies, Dr. Kerry Courneya's work has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of how structured exercise—whether aerobic, resistance training, or high-intensity intervals—can mitigate treatment side effects, enhance immune function, and directly influence cancer progression.<strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>(00:00)</strong> Introduction</li> <li><strong>(04:31)</strong> Why exercise should be effortful</li> <li><strong>(05:17)</strong> How to meaningfully reduce risk of cancer</li> <li><strong>(09:06)</strong> What type of exercise is best?</li> <li><strong>(10:43)</strong> How exercise reduces risk—even for smokers and the obese</li> <li><strong>(13:32)</strong> Weekend-only exercise</li> <li><strong>(16:33)</strong> 150 vs. 300 minutes per week (more is better—up to a point)</li> <li><strong>(18:47)</strong> Why pre-diagnosis exercise matters</li> <li><strong>(21:53)</strong> Why resilience to cancer treatment starts with exercise</li> <li><strong>(23:45)</strong> Why low muscle mass drives cancer death</li> <li><strong>(26:42)</strong> Why BMI fails to measure true obesity</li> <li><strong>(30:35)</strong> Why daily activity isn't enough (structured exercise matters)</li> <li><strong>(32:18)</strong> Breaking up sedentary time—do 'exercise snacks' help?</li> <li><strong>(34:34)</strong> Supplements vs. exercise</li> <li><strong>(35:16)</strong> Where exercise fits with chemo and immunotherapy</li> <li><strong>(38:14)</strong> Why rest is not the best medicine</li> <li><strong>(44:04)</strong> Aerobic vs. resistance</li> <li><strong>(44:57)</strong> How weight training improves 'chemo completion'</li> <li><strong>(47:25)</strong> Why exercise creates vulnerability in cancer cells (limitations do apply)</li> <li><strong>(49:53)</strong> Why exercise might be crucial for tumor elimination</li> <li><strong>(55:47)</strong> Why cardio may be better at clearing tumor cells</li> <li><strong>(59:02)</strong> When cancer spreads quickly—and when it doesn't</li> <li><strong>(1:00:27)</strong> Why liquid biopsies may prevent over-treatment</li> <li><strong>(1:05:40)</strong> Exercise-sensitive vs. exercise-resistant cancers</li> <li><strong>(1:08:50)</strong> Prostate cancer therapy—why strength training matters</li> <li><strong>(1:10:54)</strong> When exercise is the only therapy—does it work?</li> <li><strong>(1:12:10)</strong> Why HIIT reduces PSA in prostate cancer</li> <li><strong>(1:14:24)</strong> Avoiding overtreatment—can exercise buy you time?</li> <li><strong>(1:14:44)</strong> Why high-intensity exercise boosts anti-cancer biology</li> <li><strong>(1:15:55)</strong> Turning a diagnosis into a wake-up call</li> <li><strong>(1:18:55)</strong> Why oncologists are rethinking exercise</li> <li><strong>(1:21:34)</strong> Why exercise eases anxiety about cancer—proven psychological benefits</li> <li><strong>(1:27:44)</strong> Before, during, and after treatment</li> <li><strong>(1:29:46)</strong> Why exercise is unique among cancer therapies</li> <li><strong>(1:31:00)</strong> Why cancer patients stop exercising—the risky mistake almost everyone makes</li> <li><strong>(1:33:25)</strong> How to get sedentary cancer patients exercising (realistically)</li> <li><strong>(1:35:59)</strong> The $1 million per patient case for including exercise</li> <li><strong>(1:37:40)</strong> Why recurrence trials haven't convinced doctors—yet</li> <li><strong>(1:40:20)</strong> The bottom-line message</li> <li><strong>(1:40:39)</strong> The myth of a cancer panacea (exercise included)</li> <li><strong>(1:46:51)</strong> What's the best $50 investment for staying active?</li> <li><strong>(1:47:24)</strong> Only 15 minutes per day—what's the best anti-cancer exercise?</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/kerry-courneya?utm_campaign=kerry_courneya_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast_description"> Show notes are available by clicking here</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaFxN_cDuV0">Watch this episode on YouTube</a></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Quit Smoking for Cancer Prevention
Quit smoking immediately as it is the biggest risk factor for cancer, and doing so can substantially reduce your risk with fairly quick benefits.
2. Manage Obesity for Prevention
If you are obese, engage in a weight loss program to reduce obesity, as it is the second leading risk factor for developing cancer after smoking.
3. Reduce Heavy Alcohol Consumption
Lower your alcohol intake if you are a heavy drinker, as there is a significant link between alcohol consumption and various alcohol-related cancers.
4. Engage in Lifelong Exercise
Exercise throughout your lifetime to prepare your body for potential chronic diseases and their treatments, acting as ‘pre-habilitation’ for future health challenges.
5. Build Muscle Reserve
Incorporate regular resistance training to build and maintain muscle mass, which is critical for cancer patients and helps combat muscle wasting (cachexia) during illness.
6. Prioritize Structured Exercise
Engage in a good quality structured exercise program combining aerobic and strength training, as this is essential and not replaced by general daily background activity.
7. Aim for 150-300 Minutes/Week
Target 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise for optimal cancer prevention benefits, with 150 minutes as the minimum.
8. Increase Exercise for Family History
If you have a family history of cancer, aim for the higher end of exercise recommendations (e.g., 300 minutes/week) to maximize benefits and risk reduction.
9. Exercise Regardless of Risk Factors
Exercise to lower your cancer risk even if you are obese, have a family history, or have smoked, as its benefits extend to high-risk populations.
10. Exercise to Reduce Fatigue
Actively exercise during chemotherapy to experience lower fatigue, as resting can paradoxically lead to more reported fatigue in cancer patients.
11. Exercise Improves Treatment Completion
Exercise during chemotherapy to improve your ability to complete treatments, leading to fewer drug reductions or delays, a higher chance of cure, and lower recurrence risk.
12. Enhance Treatment Effectiveness
Exercise to improve blood flow and oxygenation to tumors, which enhances the delivery of chemotherapy drugs and makes tumors more sensitive to radiation therapy.
Exercise to increase blood flow and shear stress in the vasculature, which helps kill circulating tumor cells and reduces the likelihood of cancer spreading.
14. Boost Immune System with Exercise
Stimulate your immune system through exercise to increase natural killer cells, T cells, and B cells, enhancing immunosurveillance against cancer cells.
15. Lower Recurrence and Mortality
Continue exercising post-treatment to lower the risk of cancer recurrence and dying from cancer, as shown by a growing body of epidemiological research.
16. Prevent Secondary Chronic Diseases
Exercise after cancer treatment to reduce the risk of secondary chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes, which can be increased by cancer therapies.
17. Manage Fear of Recurrence
Use exercise to manage the fear of cancer progression or recurrence, helping patients cope with psychological stress and feel more in control of their lives.
18. Exercise: A ‘Win-Win’ Intervention
Prioritize exercise as a unique intervention that simultaneously improves quality of life, manages side effects, and enhances disease-free survival in cancer patients.
19. 15-Minute Strength Training
If you only have 15 minutes a day, prioritize heavier, compound strength training (e.g., squats) to target muscle mass, which is critical for treatment, survival, and quality of life.
20. Weight Training During Treatment
Follow a full-body weight training program 2-3 days per week (e.g., 8 exercises, 8-12 reps to failure) during cancer treatment, as it’s been shown to be very beneficial.
21. Combine Aerobic & Resistance
Combine aerobic and resistance exercise during treatment for additional benefits in muscular strength, lean body mass, and symptom management.
22. Consider Higher Intensity Exercise
Explore higher intensity exercise, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), as it appears to be more beneficial for driving biological changes relevant to cancer treatment.
23. HIIT for Prostate Cancer
For men with prostate cancer on active surveillance, use high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to lower PSA levels and reduce the growth of prostate cancer cells.
24. Individualize Exercise Programs
Ensure exercise programs are individualized and progress slowly for cancer patients, especially those new to exercise, to ensure safety, tolerability, and adherence.
25. Get Oncologist’s Recommendation
Seek your oncologist’s recommendation for exercise, as their endorsement is crucial for motivating patients to incorporate physical activity into their cancer care.
26. ASCO Recommends Exercise
Be aware that the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommends aerobic and resistance exercise for all cancer patients undergoing curative intent treatments.
27. Seek Exercise Support
Actively seek support and intervention to maintain exercise during cancer treatment, as the natural tendency is to reduce activity levels without assistance.
Access community-based exercise programs like Livestrong at the YMCA or specialized programs at cancer centers, which offer expert support for cancer survivors.
29. Start with Walking Program
If you’re new to exercise or facing tough treatment phases, start with a walking program, as it’s a realistic, feasible, and beneficial way to begin.
30. Break Sedentary Time
Break up extended periods of sitting by getting up and moving around, as sedentary time is an independent risk factor for various cancers.
31. Short Bursts of Vigorous Activity
Accumulate short bursts of vigorous intensity activity (e.g., 1-2 minutes) throughout the day, as these can have beneficial effects even if not part of a continuous workout.
32. Sun Protection During Exercise
Wear sunscreen and protective clothing during outdoor exercise to prevent skin cancer, as regular exercisers have higher rates due to increased sun exposure.