Staying Physically Active: In a previous blog, we discussed the importance of getting enough exercise. Physical activity can reduce the risk of disease and help you maintain your weight, which is even more important if you’ve just undergone weight loss surgery.
Simply starting is one of the biggest obstacles to improving your level of physical activity. Here are a few tips to help you get off the couch and on your way to a healthier lifestyle:
Staying Physically Active: Choosing
Choose an aerobic activity that works for you. You need not buy an expensive pair of new running shoes or join a gym to get physically fit. Walking, dancing or even gardening are easy but effective ways to increase your heart rate and build strength in your
heart, lungs, and blood vessels.
Strengthen Your Muscles
Add activities that strengthen your muscles. Balance your aerobic activity with exercises that make your body’s muscles work harder, which in turn makes them stronger and more efficient. Examples of muscle-strengthening exercises include sit-ups, push-ups, resistance band exercises, and lifting weights.
Start Slowly
While experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise a day, you don’t have to do it all at once. If you haven’t exercised regularly in a while, you’ll want to begin slowly to avoid a possible injury (it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program). To begin with, start by doing increments of 10 minutes of activity at a time. Gradually, you can start increasing the duration of your workouts. Moreover, the initial success of completing 10 minutes of exercise will likely provide the motivation needed to continue. As you continue to make progress, you will gradually want to incorporate more intense levels of activities into your exercise routine.
Staying Physically Active: Track Your Progress
Tracking progress through an exercise log boosts motivation to stick with a workout routine. Additionally, a simple chart broken out by week allows you to track each activity you’ve done and for how long. Consequently, over time, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come!
This guide from Health.gov provides additional tips and suggestions that will keep you moving on your path to better physical fitness.
If you’re looking for other ways to lose weight and stay physically active, consult the experts at IBI Healthcare Institute.
