Breaking Free

Why Weight Gain After Cancer Isn't Your New Normal

Breaking Free: Why Weight Gain After Cancer Isn't Your New Normal

Cancer blindsides you. One day you're living your life, and the next, everything's different. That was me at 46 - fit, active, and thinking I had it all figured out. Until I didn't.

Just two chemo treatments was all it took. My period vanished, and suddenly I was navigating chemically induced menopause when I’d barely considered perimenopause yet. The changes hit fast and hard. Weight piled on around my middle. My right arm barely moved after lymph node removal. I felt weak, terrified, and completely unlike myself. The mirror reflected a stranger - not the vibrant woman I'd been before.

The Conversation That Changed Everything

I’ll never forget sitting across from my oncologist, desperately seeking answers. She looked at me with what I now recognize as defeat, not wisdom.

“It’s normal,” she said with a shrug. “Look at me. I’m in menopause and overweight too. That’s just how it is now.”

Her words left me cold. Was this really it? Was I supposed to accept this new body, these new limitations, this unfamiliar version of myself? When advice comes from an authority figure—my Ivy League trained doctor—it carries enormous weight. Doctors wield far more influence than friends. And these words, these incorrect words, could have landed me back in the hospital if I’d internalized what she was telling me.

Something inside me refused to believe her. I couldn’t accept that “getting used to it” was my only option

The Hidden Danger Nobody Talks About

Here's what my doctor didn't mention - and what every woman deserves to know: post-cancer weight gain isn't just about how you look or feel. It's a serious health risk. And it doesn’t have to happen.

Research shows that weight gain after treatment, including those of us thrown into chemical menopause, can significantly increase recurrence risk. Those extra pounds create the perfect environment for cancer cells to thrive again - exactly what we're fighting to prevent.

So why don't more oncologists emphasize this? Why aren't we given tools instead of resignation?

There's Another Way

My oncologist was wrong. Dead wrong. There's so much you can do.

I dove into the metabolic arena and functional medicine, approaching my body as an interconnected system rather than just focusing on the disease. I discovered that post-cancer weight gain has specific causes we can address: hormone chaos, inflammation, metabolic disruption, and emotional trauma.

My Roadmap Back to Myself

I started with my hormones, which chemo had completely scrambled. Through targeted supplements, nutrition shifts, and lifestyle changes, I began feeling glimpses of my former self.

Inflammation was also a target. It was driving not just weight gain but also my bone-deep fatigue. Anti-inflammatory, whole, low carbohydrate foods and specific supplements became non-negotiables in my daily routine.

Movement came next, even with my limited range of motion. I started small, honoring my body's new boundaries while gently pushing them outward. I cried when I re-joined the gym – I was scared out of my mind. Gradually, my strength returned. And with it, the weight began to shift.

Perhaps most importantly, I faced the emotional aftermath. Cancer doesn't just attack your body - it shakes your foundation. Learning to manage stress, confront recurrence fears, and rebuild confidence became essential parts of my healing.

This Isn't Just About Me

If you're reading this in the aftermath of your own cancer journey, feeling betrayed by your body and wondering if this is just "how it is" now - please hear me.

You don't have to accept weight gain as your new normal. You don't have to resign yourself to increased recurrence risk. There are evidence-based steps you can take right now to reclaim your health, your strength, and your confidence.

Your body has weathered a storm. It's normal to feel lost. But with the right approach, you can find your way back - not to who you were before, but to someone even stronger.

I'm living proof that there's a different path forward. The weight gain story after cancer doesn't have to be your story. Together, we can write a new narrative - one of resilience, vibrant health, and the fierce determination to thrive, not just survive.

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Marji Keith is a Certified Metabolic Terrain Advocate through the Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health and Dr. Nasha Winters, as well as an ICF-accredited Positive Psychology Coach and Holistic Health Coach. Her journey into this work began after a breast cancer diagnosis at age 46, when she chose a proactive path that included therapeutic fasting, terrain-based testing, and lifestyle interventions to reclaim her health. She believes that taking empowered action during treatment was lifesaving.

Today, Marji supports others facing cancer or working to prevent recurrence, using evidence-based tools such as lab testing, genomic insight, and personalized nutritional and metabolic strategies. She specializes in fasting, the ketogenic approach, exercise, and mindset—translating complex information into practical steps clients can confidently take.

Before entering the world of integrative health, Marji had a successful career on Wall Street in New York and Milan, then ran a vacation rental business and taught windsurfing in the Caribbean while raising three children on her own. A lifelong learner and adventurer, she brings warmth, wisdom, and a global perspective to her coaching. She speaks French, Italian, and Spanish.