Today is day 3 since my last chemo session. With each new chemotherapy, the fatigue from the toxic drugs will accumulate, but the nausea will stay more or less the same. The fatigue that is felt by patients does not simply go away with rest and sleep, instead experts suggest that people on chemotherapy try to exercise as much as your body allows, without over doing it.

Over the past weekend I decided to take on the 30 Day Squat Challenge, where everyday I would do an increased number of squats. It is the lastest socialmedia craze.

Today I decided to start a simple work out routine that I used to do a few years ago in my bedroom. The routine is simple and lasts for 20 minutes. It is basic and effective! I also added the my Squat Challenge into my routine.

I started off with 60 squats. 20 squats 3 reps.

Next I did 20 Bicep curls on each arm, using a 5lbs Bally’s Fitness weight ball

Then, I moved on to a bicep curl with a press using the 5lbs Bally’s fitness weight ball. I did 30 total with 15×2 reps. As I did the bicep curl, I extended my arm over my head turning my wrist to face the mirror infront of me.  I brought the weight back down and twisted my wrist so that it was facing my bicep and brought it back down to my hips.

For the next routine I did 30 over head tricep extension, basically holding the ball over my head with my arms extended I would bend at the elbow and bring the ball behind my neck. 15×2 reps.

As you can see I am not putting much weight onto my arms and the exercise is somewhat modified. After the mastectomy I have to be careful and gradually build up my strength  It is not advised to do the same exercises as I did before the procedure.

Moving onto my abs. I did 20×3 for 60 total crunches while holding the 5lbs ball. During this crunch, my arms and legs would crunch up together and extend back down together, making sure my lower abdominal muscles were also activated.

For my last abdominal work out, I would do crunch and alternate the sides from right side crunch, to straight crunch to left side crunch. Pulling my arms towards the side I was aiming for, also my shoulders would come off the matt every time I crunch up and my head would touch the matt every time I came back down. In total I did 30×3 reps while alternating sides (each side had 10 crunches). This can be done in between rests of the regular crunch from above.

I finished with 30 forward lunges. And now I feel great!

This will be my routine for the next week or so. The only thing changing would be the number of squats from the Squats Challenge!