Dear all,
It’s a new year and with each new year, we all know what some of our common resolutions are: eat healthy and exercise. Its safe to say that as much as these are excellent and always present in our goal lists, sticking to them is another story. Today we shall look at some easy steps you can follow to keep moving throughout the year and not fall off the bandwagon.
1. Make it simple- I always tell my patients this. Don’t be too overzealous with your workouts, start with the simple stuff first like brisk walking everyday for 30 minutes or even less and build on it from there. A few days ago, I met a patient who due to the scare of Diabetes woke up and did a 7km sprint. Good for him but is it sustainable??? Burn out is eminent once that fear settles.
2. Track your workouts- with all the apps available this is easy. Some phones come with inbuilt workout apps to track your steps. This will help you with accountability and motivate you to push forward
3. Get a work out buddy- I like exercising alone but for most people I know, group exercises really motivates them. Even 1 person can be of tremendous help and you can motivate each other during those low days. Sharing activity logs and setting goals together will not only be good for you but it’s also fun.
4. Change it up- if you get bored walking near home, pick another place such as Karura forest in Nairobi during the weekends. Or completely switch up your exercises be it in the gym or at home. Include fun activities that can be regarded as a workout such as dancing or a hike with family and friends
5. Have fun- this is key. If you do not enjoy being stuck in a gym, most probably you shouldn’t pay for that membership. Focus on what you like, some people prefer the treadmill others prefer walking in nature.All in all, remember to celebrate small achievements and understand that you will have days you wont exercise due to various reasons. The key is to be positive and pick yourself up the next day. Happy new year everybody.
Kind regards:
Dr.Salwa Shahbal
CEO,DMC
Kommentare