Fitness, Cancer, and Finding Hope: Carly Fauth on Navigating Adversity

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, host Amy Stone sits down with Carly Fauth, a fitness enthusiast, coach, and cancer survivor. Carly shares her journey of being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, her decision to keep moving through treatment despite medical advice to rest, and how exercise played a vital role in her healing—physically and mentally. The conversation also meanders into personal stories about hobbies, porch dreams, and even eating bugs!

About the Guest:

Carly Fauth is a fitness instructor, ACSM-ACS certified cancer exercise specialist, movement mentor, and founder of FitFunCarly, a virtual fitness program that helps people get fit in just 15 minutes a day. A lifelong advocate for mental health through fitness, Carly’s passion for wellness deepened when she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in February 2024. As a survivor, she now uses her journey to inspire others to unlock their own extraordinary personal strength and overcome life’s obstacles.

During chemotherapy, Carly launched her podcast, Chemo Coffee Talk, straight from her infusion chair at Dana Farber. She continues the podcast from her home studio, offering hope, resilience, and real conversations to cancer patients and caregivers. She also wrote a book from her chemo chair called, "Pray for the Bear".

Main Topics Covered:

What it means to be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer
The lack of research on exercise during chemotherapy, especially for women
Carly’s experience advocating for movement through cancer treatment
How movement and exercise aid in physical recovery and mental health
The importance of listening to your own body over outside advice
Launching a podcast and writing a book during chemotherapy
The value of trying new things and building resilience through adversity
Fun detours into eating unusual foods, playing games (or not), and dream home upgrades

Quote from the Episode:

"I think there needs to be more emphasis on movement as well as rest." – Carly Fauth

Timestamps:

00:01:00 – Amy introduces Carly and the show’s theme
00:02:00 – Carly shares about her passion for exercise
00:03:04 – Explanation of triple negative breast cancer
00:07:38 – Carly’s lifelong relationship with exercise
00:13:30 – Exercising during chemo: what research—and doctors—say
00:24:00 – How Carly’s support system responded to her movement goals
00:28:29 – Carly’s podcast, book, and Fit Fun Community
00:34:15 – Final fun questions and wrap-up

Connect with Carly Fauth:

Website: https://www.fitfuncarly.com/
Podcast: Chemo Coffee Talk (Spotify & YouTube)
Book: Pray for the Bear (available on Amazon)

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