Nutrition, hydration, & exercise

Your nutrition, hydration, and exercise goals may look different during treatment, but small changes could help. Find tips and resources that may help you navigate this moment.

Resetting your goals during treatment

You may notice changes in the way foods taste, how much energy you have, or how hydrated you are. During cancer treatment, try to keep up your strength with healthy foods, exercise, and hydration, even though it may feel hard at times. Remember, small changes could help. You can also ask your cancer care team to help you find a dietitian or nutritionist who can help you reset your goals and build a plan that works for you. Below are some ideas to help manage your wellness.

Changing the way you eat

Eat smaller, more frequent meals to help you stay nourished throughout the day, especially if you’re experiencing loss of appetite or nausea
Eat high-calorie, protein packed foods, like lean meats, milk products, eggs, and beans
Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, which naturally contain substances to promote better health

The National Cancer Institute’s Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment guidebook might help answer your questions along the way.

Exercising with cancer

Talk with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program. Ask about any physical limitations you may have
Start slowly and listen to your body. Your ability may be different than it used to be. Give yourself grace, and be open to making adjustments if you need to
Make a plan and track your progress to keep you motivated. You can use a fitness or steps tracker to help

This Moving Through Cancer resource might help you learn more and find tools for staying active during treatment.

Staying hydrated

Drink fluids often throughout the day. Talk to your doctor about how much you should drink. Make it a habit to always have a bottle with you and sip, sip, sip!
Limit caffeine, which can dehydrate you. If you want to drink something besides water, try a smoothie, juice, milk, or tea. You can also add electrolytes to your drinks to help you stay hydrated
Track your fluid intake. You can use a notebook or download an app to help you track how much you drink each day

Be sure to talk with your cancer care team about what is appropriate for you, taking into consideration your overall health, goals, and fitness level.

“Don’t be ashamed or worried to reach out to a patient navigator to help if you are struggling with nutrition. They can connect you with a nutritionist, case worker, food bank, or other resources they have available.”

—Hiker living with head and neck cancer

Market Research Participant

Maintaining your goals after treatment

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and staying active after treatment are important because they may help:

Lower your risk of getting certain other cancers

Lower your risk of certain serious chronic diseases

Where can I find support for covering food costs and other cancer-related expenses?

Support Near Me is a third-party website where people living with cancer can find local resources. These resources may help with the daily challenges of living with cancer, such as housing, food, transportation, and more.

Visit Support Near Me →