Real Talk on Exercise, Aging & CF
- rebecca5521
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
CF Senior Saturday Meet & Greet September 2025 Event Recap
For many in the CF community, the idea of working out isn’t always as simple as “just get moving.” Fatigue, aching joints, weight fluctuations, changing bodies, and the effects of modulators can make fitness feel distant or even overwhelming. That’s why September's breakout session — Fit When It’s Tough: Real Talk on Exercise, Aging & CF — focused on meeting ourselves where we are and finding realistic ways to keep moving.
We were honored to welcome Colin Butler, MS, CSCS, ACSM-EIM, GEI as our guest presenter, with Georgia Brown, MA as moderator. Together, they created a space full of practical strategies, honest conversation, and encouragement to approach fitness on our own terms.
Real Strategies for Real Life
Colin’s presentation offered down-to-earth, science-informed tools to make movement sustainable, even on low-energy or high-pain days. A few key takeaways:
Consistency over perfection: small, regular efforts beat sporadic, all-or-nothing workouts.
“Exercise snacks”: short, 5-minute bursts of movement that can easily fit into daily routines.
Stoplight system: green = go, yellow = modify, red = rest. This simple framework helps adjust activity levels without guilt.
Mental health matters: exercise supports not just our lungs and muscles, but our mood and resilience too.
Make it yours: choose activities you enjoy, track progress in simple ways, and celebrate every small win.
Colin also shared bodyweight and minimal equipment workouts along with video demonstrations, tips for progressing exercises, and a stoplight system handout to help participants tune in to their energy levels.
View presentation slides below
Community Conversation: Movement Through Life’s Realities
During the group discussion, attendees shared personal experiences with exercising through hospitalizations, transplants, pain management, and changing energy levels.
Several participants spoke about:
Using fitness trackers to stay motivated and accountable.
Finding creative ways to build movement into daily life, like walking with a neighbor or using gentle resistance training to support bone and lung health.
Learning to modify or rest when needed — and letting go of the pressure to keep up with what their bodies “used to do.”
Georgia highlighted several CF-specific programs, including CF Yogi, wellness classes, and the Breathestrong community program, which offers fitness grants and a free accountability initiative called BreatheStrong+.
BreatheStrong+: Earn Rewards While Taking Care of Yourself
Staying active doesn’t have to be complicated — or unrewarding! With BreatheStrong+, participants can earn points for simple daily wellness habits like drinking water, eating well, sleeping at least 7 hours, and exercising.
Each habit is worth 25 points, adding up to 100 points a day. Once you reach 1,000 points, you’ll earn your very own BreatheStrong+ T-shirt.
Check out the resource: How to Earn Points with BS.
CFRI Wellness Classes – Flexibility & Mobility Class
CF Yogi – A virtual yoga studio designed for the CF community.
Glucose Goddess – Practical tips for reducing glucose spikes.
Looking Ahead
Aging with CF brings unique challenges — but also opportunities to rewrite what wellness looks like on our terms. Movement isn’t about perfection; it’s about presence, adaptability, and community support.
A big thank-you to Colin and Georgia for leading such a meaningful session, and to every attendee who shared their story and strategies.
Your next small step counts. Whether it’s a stretch, a five-minute walk, or simply listening to your body — it’s movement, and it matters.
Download At-Home Workout Guides
A Breath of Fresh Age: Redefining Growing Older with CF
On Friday, October 24th, the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) will feature a session on aging, available to watch virtually.
As people with cystic fibrosis live longer, fuller lives, we must adapt to the evolving challenges and opportunities that come with growing older with a chronic condition.
Dr. Ahmet Uluer will discuss longevity science as it applies to CF and describe holistic strategies for managing CF through the decades, moving beyond pulmonary considerations. The importance of establishing healthy habits will be explored by Dr. Karen von Berg, emphasizing the role of exercise in promoting musculoskeletal health, preventing disease, and supporting long-term physical function throughout life.
The speakers will further advocate for proactive and personalized care strategies, integrating preventative care and regular screenings into treatment plans, and fostering an approach to health management that supports both physical and mental well-being as the CF community grows older.
Learning objectives:
Describe the evolving health needs of people with CF as they age and the impact on various body systems beyond the lungs.
Discuss the importance of an active lifestyle and the role of exercise, muscle development, bone health, and disease prevention to promote healthy aging.
Identify personalized, proactive approaches to growing older with CF, including preventative measures, regular screenings, and collaborative approaches to enhancing health outcomes and quality of life.