- Summer of 2023 Was Hottest in 2,000 Years
- San Francisco Set to Ban ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Firefighter Gear
- More Studies Support Wegovy’s Long-Term Weight-Loss Benefits
- Americans With Private Insurance May Pay More for Hospital Stay
- Patients Over 80 Still Benefit From Treatment for AML Blood Cancer
- Why C-Section Babies Need 2 Doses of Measles Vaccine
- Vaping Rates Fall Among Teens, But Still Too High
- Science Shows How Night Shifts Help Bring on Disease
- Melanoma Can Strike Black Americans, Often With Deadlier Results
- Smoking During Pregnancy Could Raise Baby’s Odds for Obesity Later
How to Keep Your Fitness Goals on Track
The New Year’s resolutions many made to get fit have stalled by now. And one expert thinks that’s because many people set their goals too high.
“The point isn’t to become a marathoner in one exercise session or return to your high school athletic glory days all at once,” Dr. Jamy Ard, co-director of the Weight Management Center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, said in a center news release.
“The point is to get over the inertia that has taken root in your self-motivation world and remind yourself of why you value being active,” he explained.
You’ll improve your chances of success if you have a workout program that’s a good fit for you, Ard said.
“Physical activity not only needs to be simple and structured enough to meet your lifestyle demands, but also enjoyable enough for you to look forward to it,” he added.
Ard offered some advice about how to start and maintain an exercise regimen. It begins with finding something you enjoy, whether it’s going to the gym, starting a walking program or joining a running group.
You need to start slowly and have a simple plan. That could be a short stroll around the block or a 10-minute walk at work. Your plan should be so easy to do that it will be almost impossible for you to find excuses not to do it.
Keep challenging yourself by adding a little more to your fitness routine on a regular basis. If you’re more active today than yesterday, you’re moving in the right direction, Ard said.
“Seeing positive change can be extremely reinforcing, no matter how small. And maybe that will be enough to get you springing back sooner rather than later,” he said.
More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers a guide to physical activity.
Source: HealthDay
Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.