Sylvester Launches Weight Loss Program for Cancer Survivors
Summary
- Sylvester is launching a 12-week lifestyle medicine program to support safe weight loss for cancer survivors.
- Cancer survivors receive personalized exercise, nutrition and metabolic assessments.
- Multidisciplinary experts lead the program through the Survivorship and Supportive Care Institute.
Cancer treatment can leave the body feeling out of sync, as if its “notes” have changed, its tempo has shifted and familiar cues no longer land where they once did.
Many survivors describe the months after treatment as an unexpected “retuning period,” when metabolism slows, weight gain becomes common and physical stamina feels off beat. To help survivors regain harmony in their bodies, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth – University of Miami Health System, is launching a new lifestyle medicine program designed specifically for safe, sustainable weight loss after cancer treatment called RENEW (Restoring Energy, Nutrition, Exercise and Well-being).
The 12-week, oncology-specific weight management program blends nutrition strategies, individualized exercise plans and behavior-change support into a coordinated experience that helps survivors gain control over their health. Rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all routine, the program is personalized, structured, deliberate and designed to meet each survivor where they are. It addresses weight management for those who are out of initial treatment and not following a medically prescribed diet.
“Cancer and its treatment can disrupt the body’s normal balance, leaving many survivors feeling like their metabolism and energy no longer work the way they once did,” said Tracy Crane, Ph.D., RDN, co-leader of the Cancer Control Program and director of lifestyle medicine, prevention and digital health at Sylvester. “This new program is designed to help survivors achieve meaningful weight loss in a supportive, evidence-based way while improving their overall health and well-being.”
The program does not prescribe a specific diet. Instead, it educates participants on whole-food strategies such as the Mediterranean diet, portion control, prolonged overnight fasting, mindful eating and hydration to support weight loss after cancer treatment.
“Survivorship is a crucial journey that brings both challenges and opportunities together,” said Frank Penedo, Ph.D., associate director for population sciences and director of the Sylvester Survivorship and Supportive Care Institute (SSCI). “Through our institute’s comprehensive and expanding programs, survivors receive highly personalized care that supports their physical, emotional and social well-being. We are dedicated to helping each person on their journey from recovery to healthy living.”
Jessica MacIntyre, D.N.P., M.B.A., APRN, who leads clinical operations for SSCI, noted that the program helps patients move forward with the support they need to live healthier lives.
“Maintaining a healthy weight after cancer treatment is not only about feeling better day to day. It is a vital strategy to reduce the risk of recurrence and other chronic conditions,” said MacIntyre. “Our role is to make healthy weight loss safe, realistic and personalized so survivors can protect their long-term health.”
A Personalized Plan for Weight Loss After Treatment
The program opens with a detailed assessment of diet, physical activity, weight history, body composition and treatment-related changes. Many survivors experience weight gain because of reduced activity, steroid use, hormonal shifts or metabolic disruption. Rather than viewing this as a setback, Dr. Crane’s team treats it as a starting point.
From that baseline, survivors receive a customized plan aligned with guideline-concordant recommendations that gradually increase intensity and build endurance, with tailored approaches to cancer type (for example, less red meat for colorectal cancer survivors). The core components include:
• Nutrition strategies designed specifically for weight loss after cancer treatment
• 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week
• Two days of strength training to regain muscle lost during treatment
• Strategies for managing treatment related side effects
• Balance and stability exercises to prevent falls and improve mobility
“We help survivors rebuild their strength,” Dr. Crane said. “Eating a balanced diet and strength training helps restore the muscle that supports metabolism, aerobic work raises the body’s energy output and nutrition helps bring the full composition together.”
The program also includes classes offered by supportive care lifestyle medicine services, providing survivors with a coordinated team of experts to guide their progress.
Assessments include VO2 max testing for cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition analysis and the Veggie Meter™, a noninvasive tool that measures patterns of vegetable and fruit intake. Dietary intake is self-reported to identify potential deficiencies.
Inspired by Believe in You
Sylvester’s Believe in You (BIY) program, a 20-week initiative that trains survivors to walk, run or ride in the Dolphins Cancer Challenge, the NFL’s largest philanthropy event, is the inspiration for this new weight loss effort.
The new program adapts the successful BIY model to focus on weight loss, metabolic health and restoring the body’s balance after treatment.
“This is an important first step,” said Dr. Crane. “Our vision is to build a comprehensive program that can grow with survivor needs, expanding class offerings, partnering with trained kinesiology students through our SOCKS program to serve as coaches and bringing in specialists for focused support. Survivors deserve access to the full range of services that can help them recover and thrive.”
Sylvester Oncology Care with Kinesiology @ School of Education (SOCKS) is a three-semester program that certifies exercise oncologists. It launched in January with its first cohort of eight to 10 students, providing both classroom study and hands-on experience.
The new weight loss program’s lead coach, Bryan Mejia, will oversee training progression, with assistance from kinesiology students who contribute energy, motivation and technical skill.
“After cancer treatment, many survivors aren’t sure how to start or begin exercising again,” said Mejia. “This program isn’t about pushing people to extremes. Rather, it’s about creating a supportive space where survivors feel knowledgeable, confident and understood.”
Participants will receive a hands-on workbook, weekly group sessions, personalized plans and pre-/post-assessment data so they can exit the program with an enhanced sense of what to do and how to do it.
Creating Harmony Through Multidisciplinary Care
Dr. Crane’s team also recognizes that not all weight loss challenges can be addressed solely through exercise and nutrition. Some survivors face complex metabolic changes that require a more medicalized approach.
To support these patients, Dr. Crane and her team will collaborate with UHealth’s weight management clinic to create a seamless referral pathway for survivors who may need additional evaluation, guided medical therapy or surgical consultation.
“Weight loss after cancer is not one-size-fits-all, and many survivors benefit from specialized support beyond lifestyle changes alone,” Dr. Crane said. “By partnering with experts in weight management, we’re creating a more seamless continuum of care.”
This model reflects Sylvester’s philosophy as an integrated cancer center, where research, clinical expertise and community programs dovetail to help survivors access the support they need without navigating multiple systems.
A New Movement for Survivorship
Dr. Crane sees the new program as a pivotal movement in Sylvester’s survivorship program, one that helps survivors feel more aligned and capable as they transition beyond treatment with lifestyle medicine.
“Finishing treatment is the biggest win,” she said. “The next chapter is about rediscovering strength and health. Weight loss is a big part of that. That’s exactly what RENEW program is designed to support.”
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Tags: Believe in You – You Are Living Proof, cancer and exercise, cancer research, chemotherapy, Dr. Frank Penedo, Dr. Tracy Crane, lifestyle medicine, Newsroom, RENEW, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, weight loss
