9 Effective Tips to Improve Your Health
It’s not always easy to be active. We’ve all been there – letting the dumbbells collect dust in the garage, throwing the yoga mat in the storage closet, constantly walking by the running shoes without a second glance. However, once you get in the habit of being habit, it becomes much easier. With these 9 simple tips, you can achieve an active lifestyle even with your busy schedule!
1. Trick yourself into exercising
It can be hard to find the time to exercise throughout the day – so try sneaking it in! Physiotherapy often prescribes small changes to a person’s routine, in order to make the adjustments manageable. Some simple ways to be more active during your daily tasks include:
- Opting for the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.
- Exiting the bus one stop early and walk the rest of the way.
- Parking farther away from your destination and walking the extra distance.
- Maintaining your yard – raking leaves, shoveling snow, mowing the lawn, etc.
- Taking the dog on walks with the whole family.
- Walking up and down the field while your children are playing sports.
2. Keep any workout equipment in your line of sight
Put your yoga mat or your 5-pound weights under your bed or in an area you walk into often. Hang your resistance bands on a hook in your kitchen or laundry room.
This way you’ll see them when you walk into that room and you’ll be more likely to do a few reps and exercises while watching TV or waiting for your food to cook!
3. Invest in an interactive tool.
There are a variety of products on the market that will encourage, inspire, and track your physical activity. Research shows that utilizing such products may have a favorable impact on your levels of activity. The key to success is to establish daily, weekly, or monthly goals that are easily tracked within the tool and to follow consistent strategies, such as:
- Writing down your goals. A common goal that people set for themselves is 10,000 steps per day. However, it is worthwhile to check with a medical professional, in order to avoid overextending yourself.
- Using the tool every single day. Consistency creates habits, which by nature are notoriously difficult to break.
- Engaging in activities that you enjoy. While tools come with limitations — namely the activities that it measures — it is extremely helpful to choose a tracker based on the activities you enjoy. If you are doing something that interests you, it will be easier to maintain over time.
- Encouraging your friends and family to use the tool with you. Many trackers have interactive features that allow you to measure your progress against someone else’s. Most of us also benefit from having a workout buddy, so this informal type of comparison can really serve as an effective motivator. Plus, you’ll have someone to hold you accountable for reaching your goals.
4. Sleep, sleep, sleep
We’ve all heard it before: “You need a good night’s sleep in order to perform your best.” But do we stay true to this? For most of us, the answer is “no,” whether it is intentional or not.
It is no secret that sleep is vital for the proper functioning of the body; however, sleep disturbances occur in approximately one-third of the US population. Physiotherapy can help you achieve better sleep, which can also help you achieve a higher degree of activity in your waking hours. Physiotherapists are trained in areas that are critical to sleep, such as pain modulation, tissue healing, cognitive functioning, and cardiovascular health. A physiotherapist can also provide suggestions for how you can integrate sleep health with overall wellbeing.
5. Stand while you work
You might be thinking “A standing desk? But don’t all desks stand?” A standing desk is a desk that allows you to stand up while you’re working! It’s much healthier to stand in place and work than it is to sit for 8 hours a day in front of your computer.
You burn more calories, you hunch less (eliminating shoulder and neck pain), and your fitness levels are boosted significantly. This is because your blood sugar will remain more steady after a meal, which encourages more movement.
There are tons of brands out there that sell standing desks as well as collapsible extensions you can place on your regular desk when you’d like to take a break from sitting all day.
6. Walk to lunch
If you’re at work, choosing a healthy restaurant or marketplace for lunch instead of going to the cafeteria is a great option. Pack your lunch? No problem.
If there aren’t any eateries around, go on a short 15-20 minute walk before you return to your brown-bag lunch. For those of you working from home or retired, taking a walk around your neighborhood or to a local grocery store to gather ingredients for lunch is fine too.
Living out in the country or the suburbs? Pretend that your daily walk is the “fee” you have to pay in order to get into your kitchen and make that sandwich.
7. Maintain a healthy diet
Maintaining a healthy diet doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to spoil yourself with treats every now and then. Nutrition is all about balance – so just make sure you balance those treats with some healthier choices. This includes:
- Snacking smart. It is good to snack! – as long as it’s healthy. So instead of those pretzels, try grabbing some peanuts. Snacking keeps you at your best so that you can sustain your energy and stay positive.
- Avoiding “meal skips.” Many people think that dieting includes “eating less,” but skipping meals can be just as detrimental to your nutrition as over-eating. Eating consistently provides your mind and body with the fuel necessary to help you get and stay active. It also helps you avoid your blood sugar dropping, which can lead to nervousness, irritability, and a whole host of other problems.
- Implementing Uncle Sam’s recipe for health. “What is this?” you may ask – it is essentially the following: lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products; some lean meats or meat substitutes, including beans, eggs and nuts; and minimal saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.
8. Positivity goes a long way
If you go in with a positive mindset, exercise and eating right will become significantly easier. Research shows that a positive attitude can boost your immune system and increase your energy levels. Even if you aren’t really excited about getting up to go for a run, your body will believe what you think. Essentially, “fake it ‘til you make it” – because that mantra really works!
9. Consider physiotherapy!
According to The National Institute of Health, being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. It may even help you live longer. If you find yourself avoiding physical activity because you’re in pain, know that there’s help out there for you.
Physiotherapy can address your various aches and pains that are keeping you from getting the right amount of exercise you need.
Many physiotherapist sessions are considered a work out themselves because of all the stretches and exercise your therapist will have you complete. This can also help you meet your weekly cardio or endurance goals.
Your physiotherapist will also give you daily tips for changing up your everyday habits for a healthier, more active lifestyle.
He or she will review your normal routine and offer advice on how you can incorporate more fitness activities and exercise into it. If you suffer from chronic pain, your PT can show you how moving in certain ways can reduce or even eliminate your physical challenges.
Contact us today!
No matter what age you are, our physiotherapy treatment programs can help you get up and moving. If you’re looking to improve your health, strength, and physical activity, don’t hesitate to contact Lake Country Physio today! We’ll get you started on a plan that will help your life your life to the fullest.
Sources:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/physical-therapy-exercises-4013311
https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/95/10/1433/2686492
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-analysis-shows-americans-are-pain