By: Sheila Borgen, PT
All the turkey and ham have been consumed. The mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese are gone. The last few apples have been scraped out of the pie dish. What is left?
The five pounds of food hugging our hips and rounding out our stomachs, of course!
If only we could enjoy the holidays without gaining a few pounds! So now what? How do we get rid of that unwanted weight? Unfortunately, we must do something about it. Here it comes. The dreaded word…..exercise.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t wake up each morning and think “Yay! I get to exercise!” On the contrary, I wake up realizing that I NEED to exercise to stay healthy, flexible, and able to participate in life to the degree I desire.
Understanding the NEED to exercise is the first component of a healthy lifestyle.
The second component is not feeling the need to be obsessed with exercise to the point that you despise it. Many people jump on the “get fit and healthy” bandwagon at the beginning of a new year. They work out consistently and diligently for two to three weeks and then are over it. They have become tired of the new routine and give up.
Why do they give up? Going from no workout regimen to 4-5 days a week of working out will burn out even the most motivated individuals.
What can you do to remain committed to the new routine? PACE yourself. Add in two days a week of exercise. If you do well with that, you can always add another day. Also, give yourself a variety of exercises to do so as not to get burnt out.
The third component of a healthy lifestyle is doing it with others. Join a class where you can be amongst other people with like-minded goals. Invite a coworker to join you at the gym. Go someplace enjoyable like a park or the mall to window shop while you walk and talk with a friend.
What if you don’t have a friend who can work out with you, and there are no classes that interest you at your local gym? Then, consider Age Fit PT and Wellness. Not only will you have someone by your side to encourage you, but you will also have the skills of a qualified therapist to design a program to target your specific needs. That sounds like a win-win to me!
Whatever your method, I encourage you to ease into increasing your activity level in the new year. Formulate a manageable plan, and do your best to stick to it. If you miss a day, then don’t get down on yourself and give up. Just resume on your next scheduled day.
Start of 2024 on the right foot. I promise that you will feel better physically and mentally!
Sheila Borgen, PT, Author
Sheila is a freelance writer for physical health, mental health, and parenting. She has four exceptional children, one adopted from South Korea. She lives in Alabama with her husband and children. Sheila enjoys cheering her children on at archery tournaments, soccer games, and color guard performances. She has over 25 years of experience as a physical therapist with a special love for the senior population. Learn more about Sheila at WriteInventive.com.