Exercise, come rain or shine: building physical activity into your daily routine

Aim to be active every day

As long as you’re feeling well, it’s generally safe for you to start gradually building up physical activity in your life. Your healthcare team may advise you to steer clear of particular exercises – especially in the first few weeks after you’ve had surgery – but there’s no reason to avoid physical activity altogether. 

Even if you’re having chemotherapy, exercising at home or getting outside in the open air will help to boost your immune system. Just take care to avoid close contact with other people, to reduce your risk of infection.

If you’re living with cancer, the NHS recommends being physically active every day – as long as you feel well enough. This could even be light activity, like moving around the house, which keeps you from sitting or lying down for long periods of time.

It's a good idea to do balance and muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week, along with about 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of high-intensity activity.

Whether it’s gentle exercise or just moving more at home – every minute counts. 

READ MORE ABOUT STAYING ACTIVE

Moving through winter

When it’s cold and raining outside, even walking to the car can put you off going to the gym or leisure centre. But there are ways you can add movement to your day, at home or in the office. And if you get into the habit, you won’t even need to think about it.

Here are a few things you can do to build physical activity into your daily routine:

• If you drive to work, check to see if you can take public transport instead – there might be a bus stop or train station that’s nearer than you think, and it’s a great way to get a few more steps in.
  
  
• Lift weights while watching TV, or raise your arms and legs up and down while sitting (or lying) on the sofa.
  
  
• Stand up against the wall as straight as you can to stretch out your back (and try it on one leg too).
  
  
• For every hour you spend sitting down, stand up and walk around the room for a little while if you can.
  
  
• Take the stairs rather than the lift. And if you’re at home, try walking up and down the stairs whenever you can.

Exercises to strengthen your muscles

These exercises are a great way to gradually build up the strength in your muscles. Aim to work your way up to two or three sets (that’s a block of 8 to 12 repetitions each time) and try to do this twice a week.

To get the most benefit, set yourself a target of reaching the point where you can’t do another rep without help.

Some helpful muscle-strengthening exercises include:

• lifting weights
  
  
• push-ups
  
  
• sit-ups
  
  
• certain yoga postures
  
  
• squats
  
  
• wall push-ups (a gentler version of a normal push-up).

It’s all in the balance

Balance exercises are especially important if you’re older, as they can reduce your risk of falls. They’re also good if you’re undergoing hormone therapy and have a higher risk of falls and bone fractures due to muscle loss or weaker bones.

Aim to challenge your balance at least twice a week. Here are a few movements to get you started:

• standing on one leg (you can try it while you’re brushing your teeth)
  
  
• walking heel-to-toe (like you’re on a tightrope)
  
  
• walking sideways.

Moving into spring

When spring starts enticing you outside again, consider these low-impact sports and moderate-intensity exercises to get you moving:

• archery
  
  
• bowling
  
  
• bowls
  
  
• chair yoga
  
  
• golf
  
  
• table tennis
  
  
• tai chi
  
  
• walking sports (like walking basketball, walking cricket and walking football)*.

*Walking sports are non-contact versions of your favourite team sports – and like the name suggests, you walk rather than run. There are lots of walking sports out there. Find a group near you or read about walking football in our interview with Rhys Ratcliffe.

Moderate-intensity exercise – what counts?

Moderate-intensity activity should make you feel warm and a bit out of breath – enough that you can talk but you’d struggle to sing a song. If you’re new to exercise, then starting at a light intensity, where you can talk comfortably, is fine too. But aim to work harder when you can. 

If you’re already exercising at a higher intensity than this, keep going. Just listen to your body, as your response to exercise can change over the course of your treatment.

Here are a few examples of moderate-intensity exercise you can try:

• cycling (on flat ground)
  
  
• heavier gardening (like mowing the lawn)
  
  
• heavier housework (like hoovering)
  
  
• jogging
  
  
• walking quickly
  
  
• swimming (try a slow breaststroke)
  
  
• water aerobics.

Aim for 150 minutes over the course of a week. This could be 30 minutes straight for five days, but it doesn’t have to be. Building it up with a few minutes here and there also counts.

Wellbeing support that works for you

Prostate cancer can affect you physically, mentally and emotionally. Our Wellbeing Hub has support and information to help you take care of yourself. It’s for anyone affected by prostate cancer – whether you’re newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, living with side effects or supporting a loved one with prostate cancer.

VISIT THE WELLBEING HUB