Find What Moves You

Getting the right amount and type of
exercise is important.

Beyond working out

Exercise plays an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Did you know that exercise may help increase lung function? It also may help increase strength and endurance.

Different types of exercise

There are so many ways to exercise. Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises make your heart beat faster and lungs work harder, while weightlifting and other resistance workouts (like using resistance bands) work your muscles.

Tips for avoiding weight loss and fatigue

People with CF need to be extra careful that they are getting enough calories and nutrients when exercising. Work with your CF care team to find ways to exercise safely. Here are a few suggestions to support your body’s needs:

  • Eat more during the day
  • Pair exercise with high-calorie snacks
  • Stay hydrated with water or sports drinks
  • Eat salty foods before, during, and after exercise

Check out the chart below that lists how many calories certain exercises burn per hour. You can use it to match the calories of your snacks to the burn rate of your workouts.

Calorie Cost of Physical Activity
(Estimates based on a 110-lb person exercising for 1 hour)
Activity Calories Burned
Baseball 240
Basketball 384
Beach Volleyball 384
Biking 336
Bowling 144
Canoeing 336
Dancing 264
Football 432
Gardening 216
Golf (carrying clubs) 264
Hiking 288
Activity Calories Burned
Mowing lawn (push) 264
Running 480
Skateboarding 240
Skating 336
Skiing, snow 288
Skipping rope 480
Soccer 336
Swimming (moderate) 288
Swimming (vigorous) 480
Tennis 336
Walking 216
*Source: Cedars-Sinai Calorie Burn Rate Tool, 2024

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

It’s easy to become dehydrated during workouts, which can be especially dangerous for people with CF. You can combat dehydration by taking sips of water all day and drinking water or sports drinks during your workouts.

If you forget to drink water, try setting alarms in your smartphone to remind yourself throughout the day. And for some fun, get a special water bottle and personalize it with your favorite stickers.