NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION TO EXERCISE

Here are five strategies to maintain your resolution to exercise in the New Year. Many people start out the year with a bang only to give up their new fitness plan within a few weeks. Staying consistent with a new program can be difficult especially if the pace of the new routine is too intense. Don’t lose heart. You can make incremental changes that can grow and become part of a healthier way of life.

The following strategies can help you take steps toward a healthier you:

Strategy 1: Be realistic. Every day Physical Therapists hear patients say, “I used to …” Patients who were very active at one time believe that they can perform an exercise routine in a similar manner that they did when they young. If they attempt to do this, they will most likely fail or hurt themselves.

Don’t plan to return to a high intensity exercise routine the first day that you return to the gym. Begin slowly and cautiously. If you have not been in the gym in a long time, begin with a low intensity, short duration workout. The workout should include a cardiovascular aspect and a strengthening and stretching portion. You should plan to go to the gym a few days per week and be there for a short (1 to 1.5 hours) total time. The commitment will be more easily tolerated if you don’t feel like you are going to a required job and if you don’t hurt from a strenuous workout.

Strategy 2: Set goals. All programs in life need a “measuring stick” to assess progress. An exercise regimen is no different. Start out setting goals, but make sure that they are consistent with Strategy 1: make sure they are realistic. If you have not exercised regularly for years, the chances are slim that you are going to be willing to go to the gym every day. Instead, why not set a goal of going to the gym 2-3 times per week and a goal of doing home exercise 1-2 days per week? As you progress and get accustomed to the time commitment required to be successful with your exercise routine, you can adjust how much time and days you spend at the gym.

Strategy 3: Set a schedule. Most people are better off when they are on a schedule or have a deadline to meet. If you give yourself a definitive time of the day that you plan to exercise it will make easier to develop a routine. Put the exercise session on your daily calendar and treat it as if it were a business meeting. You won’t miss a business meeting. Getting started with an exercise routine is one of the hardest parts of the program, so schedule like a “must attend” meeting. You must convince yourself that you have the time to perform the routine.

Strategy 4: Get help. If you have not exercised for a long time (several years), chances are that you don’t remember how to do certain exercises. There is a good possibility that the gym equipment will also look and work differently. You should seek the advice of a professional that can guide you towards the proper exercise routine for you. Don’t rush into a program and perform the wrong exercises or do them with incorrect technique because you can injure yourself.

A Physical Therapist is especially trained to provide expert exercise advice. Their job responsibilities include creating exercise routines that are specific for a particular patient. They can assess your physical needs and develop an exercise regimen that will help you attain your goals without putting yourself in danger of injuring yourself.

A Physical Therapist is especially trained to provide expert exercise advice. Their job responsibilities include creating exercise routines that are specific for a particular patient. They can assess your physical needs and develop an exercise regimen that will help you attain your goals without putting yourself in danger of injuring yourself.

Strategy 5: Don’t give up. There is strong possibility that you will fail at maintaining your exercise resolution at least once in the very beginning of the year. You are attempting to change your lifestyle and it won’t happen overnight. You will have to be diligent and work hard at it, but if you miss a day or two don’t “beat yourself up” too much. You should be disappointed with your poor judgement to miss a workout, but you have to realize that very few people can change their lifestyle in a few weeks. This change will take months and years to master. If you miss day, forget it and move on to the next challenge.

Exercising is a great way to help you increase the quality of your life. You will feel better, experience less stress and have more energy. This will take determination to “make it happen.” Once you begin to see and feel the results, the desire to progress your routine will become second nature.

There is always a possibility of suffering an injury when you exercise. You might to try to do too much or perform an exercise with poor form. Regardless of the cause, you can seek help to treat your injury from a Physical Therapist. You do not need to see your doctor first. You can go to a Physical Therapist and be evaluated and treated by a licensed professional who is a specialist in the treatment of your kind of injury. If you need further diagnostic tests or treatment that is out of the realm of their expertise, the Physical Therapist will direct your care an send you to another specialist or doctor.

New Year’s resolutions are tough to maintain, but eliciting the above strategies will enable you to perform your exercise routine and stay true to your resolution.