Over the past few weeks many of my patients have mentioned how they started January off well with their new year’s resolutions but have begun to lose all motivation. I have put together some ideas and personal experiences to try and help you keep going with your resolutions when there are so many temptations out there.
1) Keep in mind the long term health benefits of exercise
Firstly from a health perspective, there is no denying that exercise is good for you. We know that those who perform a moderate amount of exercise on a regular basis are considerably less likely to suffer from diseases such as: diabetes, stroke and heart attack, whilst also benefitting those experiencing insomnia.
Exercise can help the elderly maintain their independence and is one of the most effective methods of weight management (a growing problem in western societies). It is also very important for our psychological health, exercise has been shown to stimulate the release of endorphins, which are natural pain killing chemicals that can also improve our mood.
Exercise can help the elderly maintain their independence and is one of the most effective methods of weight management (a growing problem in western societies). It is also very important for our psychological health, exercise has been shown to stimulate the release of endorphins, which are natural pain killing chemicals that can also improve our mood.
2) Be Patient
Some people, myself included, become a little disenchanted when the exercise they do doesn’t have the desired effect. Be patient! It usually takes 4-6 weeks to start noticing the physical changes and health benefits of exercise. This is one of the reasons why New Year resolutions and trying to lose weight 2 weeks before a holiday often ends in frustration.
3) Consistency is Key
Try to choose exercise that you enjoy. You will be more likely to keep it up, which is important if you don’t want all that hard work to go to waste. Joining classes and exercising with a group can also help to keep your motivation going and can be a great way to socialise and meet new people. I have found joining Abshot Country Club a brilliant way to do this, the variety of classes on offer has helped to keep my motivation going.
4) Set goals and work out the best way to achieve them
As a general rule, if you are trying to build muscle, the most effective method is to use a weight which you can manage to lift 8-10 times before the muscles fatigue. If you are looking for stronger, leaner muscles, a weight programme based upon 20 repetitions would be more appropriate. Getting appropriate instruction on the best and safest techniques to use is very important to prevent injury (Atlas Gym, has some brilliant staff that are willing to help create programmes and can provide gym instruction and personal training.)
If you are trying to lose weight, cardiovascular exercise can be very beneficial. Cardiovascular exercise basically means anything that gets your heart rate up such as running, swimming, dancing or football. For this type of exercise to be most effective, it should be performed at 60 – 80% of your maximum heart rate, which is a lot less strenuous than you might think (Subtracting your age from 220 will give you your advised maximum heart rate. You can buy a heart rate monitors from most good sports shops or online to monitor this).
However, building muscle can also help to help burn fat by increasing your metabolism; therefore a routine that contains both of these elements is advised.
If you are trying to lose weight, cardiovascular exercise can be very beneficial. Cardiovascular exercise basically means anything that gets your heart rate up such as running, swimming, dancing or football. For this type of exercise to be most effective, it should be performed at 60 – 80% of your maximum heart rate, which is a lot less strenuous than you might think (Subtracting your age from 220 will give you your advised maximum heart rate. You can buy a heart rate monitors from most good sports shops or online to monitor this).
However, building muscle can also help to help burn fat by increasing your metabolism; therefore a routine that contains both of these elements is advised.
5) Include Rest Days
It is important not to train every day; the body needs time to respond to the strain of the training. It is during the recovery period that muscles can repair and grow. It is quite usual to experience delayed onset muscle soreness (sometimes referred to as DOMS) after exercise. This stiffness/ soreness is a normal process and usually lasts up to 24-72 hours. If however you are experiencing pain after that threshold do get in contact and we can assess to see whether there is something I can do to get you back on track.
But how much exercise do you need to do to be “healthy”?
If you are aged between 19 and 64, the NHS choices website suggests that you perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise each week plus muscle strengthening exercises on at least two separate days of that week.
The good news is that this exercise does not need to be all in one go and activities such as walking briskly to work, if your journey is more than 10 minutes, counts as part of the total. (If you want to know more about what would class as moderate or vigorous exercises, or if you are outside of this age group, there is more information on the NHS choices website
at:http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx)
The good news is that this exercise does not need to be all in one go and activities such as walking briskly to work, if your journey is more than 10 minutes, counts as part of the total. (If you want to know more about what would class as moderate or vigorous exercises, or if you are outside of this age group, there is more information on the NHS choices website
at:http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx)
About me
My name is Hannah Ramsay, I am an Osteopath based at The Osteopathy and Injury Management Centre in Abshot Country Club, Titchfield, Hampshire. During my consultations I will take the time to understand you as a patient. Everyone presents with their own unique combination of symptoms, medical history and lifestyle. Understanding you helps me to make an accurate diagnosis of the causes of the pain or lack of function you may be experiencing rather than solely addressing the site of the condition. Together we will formulate a treatment plan to help you to get the best out of your body.
For any help or advice feel free to call me on 07908 415 376 or leave a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as I can. To book an appointment call 07908415376 or use my contact form on my website: www.hbosteopathy.com but don't forget to ask for Hannah.
For any help or advice feel free to call me on 07908 415 376 or leave a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as I can. To book an appointment call 07908415376 or use my contact form on my website: www.hbosteopathy.com but don't forget to ask for Hannah.
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