New Year, New You ?
For many of us, exercise and nutrition are common for a New Year’s resolution topic. As an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, I hear these resolutions every January, we also see an influx of referrals both under medicare and with private clients with people that have the best intentions to make a healthy change in the new year. For this I give you a massive pat on the back, you have taken the first step.
Commonly we get people that are looking to return to the gym, but have had an injury or have a chronic health issue and just want to make sure they are doing the right thing or their exercise choice is safe, again another massive win as they see professional advice before they start (there is a reason the physios get smashed in Feb after people have been running or doing crossfit for a month without building up to it, but that’s another post).
Unfortunately, at times people are not successful here as they choose to go it alone, lack the discipline to update their plan and at times the accountability to stick with it when it becomes a little tougher. Some just fall back into bad habits as they haven’t addressed the underlying issues that got them to the unhealthy space to begin with.
If a healthier New Year is what you want, please remember, new habits are not born overnight; you have to keep working at them. Here are our top tips for a healthier you in 2022:
Start with something you enjoy
If you like dancing, join a dance class, Zumba, salsa, etc. If you like swimming add that to the list. Adding something you inherently hate, is not setting yourself up for success and you are bound to stop pretty soon. Just because you know running is a great exercise for weight loss does not mean it is right for you, if you enjoy it, the habit is easier to keep. Lifestyle change is the answer.
Set achievable goals
The most common mistake I hear and see is people saying I want to lose 50kg, that’s a great goal, but if you are going to beat yourself up after a month for not having reached it, then I think you need to re-evaluate. Maybe start with 10kgs, set a plan of loosing 0.5kg a week and then the timeline from there. This is a smaller and more achievable approach.
Something is always better than nothing
I hear the question all the time, “I only have 30mins in the morning, is it even worth it? Hell Yes! It is worth it!” You can get a lot done in half an hour and it keeps you in the habit of exercising.
Share your goals with the people you care about
Tell a mate, a family member or work with your accredited exercise physiologist. Having the support will inspire you and hold you accountable. Let them know when you are working hard to reach your goals and I am sure they will celebrate the success with you. You never know, your wife, husband or mum may even join you on the journey.
Celebrate Success!
Once you hit your goal for the week whether it be walking 4 times a week or completing a 10 minute job without stopping. Reward yourself for your hard work. Choose a reward that won’t undo your hard work: a beach day, a mani-pedi, a massage, some new fitness kit, or a movie date. Regular rewards planned into your goal can help you reach those milestones quicker and motivate you when you are finding it hard to stay on track.
Ask for assistance
Many types of exercise are not self explanatory. While your body knows how to walk without you having to think about it, it does not automatically know how to properly lift weights or use machines. If you are a member of a gym, ask a trainer to show you the correct technique.
It’s okay to be unsure, but don’t let that stop you
We are often afraid to try something new. This is normal, you are not on your own here, most of us are unsure about new things and this can make us feel uncomfortable or anxious even. There are ways around this if there is a group exercise class you have been curious about, but haven’t gone because you are nervous about it, ask someone for more information. We commonly get clients to come in for an observation session, free of charge, this way you can get a feel for our clinic, they way we do things and you can be mentally prepared when you have that first appointment. Also, we are confident once you meet our friendly team you will be both comfortable and keen to get started.
Remember, if you have any concerns about starting a new exercise program, always consult the advice of an accredited exercise physiologist. Our biased opinion would be to see the team at Prescribe Exercise, but to be honest, we are all in this profession to help, so if you are too far away from us, reach out to your local AEP.
Prescribe Exercise are your local exercise physiology specialists. We provide exercise rehabilitation to assist manage and prevent injury and chronic disease in the Wollongong and Illawarra area with clinics in Wollongong and Warrawong.
Our programs will assist to achieve personal excellence, we do this by taking the time to educate and empower you with the highest quality care and exercise best practice available. We genuinely care for our clients and want to make a difference in your life, we will help you to get better and stay better so that you can regain control of your health once again.
If you would like to book in for Exercise Physiology you can head on over to our online bookings by CLICK HERE
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