May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, and this year the theme is “Move in May.” HHS.gov is encouraging everyone to use the hashtag #MoveinMay this year to promote healthy activity for people of all ages.
However, recognizing a need for fitness and beginning a regimen are two very different things. In fact, CDC reports that only 20% of American adults meet their physical activity guidelines, while 78% of adults try to get out and exercise – or would like to.
Regular exercise has many health benefits. It can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, battle depression, and more. But, it’s also another thing to add to the “to do” list. We at Flow National Health Care are here to help you get healthy and maintain your good health. That’s why we are providing several ways tips to help you get started or improve your routine.
Get Moving
We understand how hard it can be to get into the habit of exercising regularly. Here are a few ideas for starting out:
- Start slowly
If you haven’t been exercising, it’s essential to begin the process gradually. Here are a few ideas to use as you start your exercise routine:
- Set aside ten minutes when your day is least busy for a brisk, ten-minute walk.
- Get up and stretch every hour or so.
- Try using an online workout service that has shorter workouts and an intensity rating.
- Start taking the stairs instead of using an elevator or escalator.
- Make exercise fun by taking your child or a friend’s child to the park and running around with him or her.
When you’re just beginning to exercise, it’s vital to get your body moving and start using muscles that haven’t been used in a while.
- Set up a schedule
The number one reason people don’t exercise is they don’t have time. So, it’s crucial to carve out ten minutes or more for yourself. This self-care time is really important to your health and wellness. If you feel guilty about taking care of yourself or taking time out – remember that those who depend on you need you to stay healthy. Regular exercise is an essential part of your wellness as well as to your physical and mental health.
- Give yourself permission to fail once in a while
Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, we fail at something. If you bought a class and just couldn’t find the time to go or you ended up having a busy work week and are simply exhausted, it’s okay to take a nap or practice another form of self-care. Just give yourself the space to get back up again and restart your exercise routine.
- Set a goal
Many people need a little extra motivation to get moving. So, set an achievable goal. It could be that you’d like to lose some weight – or you may want to get outside more this year. Perhaps you want to improve your overall health and exercise seems like a good start. You may want to feel more self-confident when swimsuit season arrives. Define your goal and work to make it happen!
- Give yourself recovery time.
Post-workout recovery is important to your overall health and will allow you to bring up the intensity of your exercise. At Flow Natural Health Care, we work with patients to help them boost their performance with holistic techniques that benefit their whole-body health.
Get into the Habit
Many people begin to exercise for a little while and then end up going to their same old routine. That’s why so many people buy gym memberships at the start of the year, only to let their memberships expire.
Research shows that it takes anywhere from 21 days to 8 ½ months to form a habit, depending on how hard the habit is to maintain. Because people often find fitness challenging to keep up, we suggest you set yourself up to win by working toward forming a habit, rather than training for a specific venture only.
For example, if you’d like to try to run a marathon, but haven’t begun training until recently, sign up for a walk-a-thon and a couple of 5Ks this year – and the marathon next year. That will give you well over 8 ½ months of training time while also providing future goals to which you can look forward.
If you are planning to make exercise into a habit, be sure to visit Flow Natural Health. We can work with you to improve your overall health and assist you in achieving your wellness goals.
Tags: Flow Natural Health Care, holistic health, MoveinMay, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
