Are You a New Year’s Resolution Newbie, Master or Flunkee?

January 31, 2019 Tim@inhometherapygr.com

Turning the page on the New Year is a chance to wipe the slate clean—and to be better versions of ourselves. And when it comes to what we want to improve, goals that fall in the health and wellness arena top all other New Year’s resolutions. In fact, three of the top four resolutions in a 2018 YouGov poll were health-related: (1) eat healthier, (2) get more exercise, (3) save money and (4) focus on self-care, e.g., get more sleep.

There are three types of people who choose a goal from the health and wellness category as a New Year’s resolution: the resolution newbie, the resolution master and the resolution flunkee. Let’s see which category you most identify with—and how focusing on the right strategy can help you get healthier in the New Year.

Resolution Newbie

Maybe this is your first time making a commitment to your health and wellness. Good for you! Did a recent event like a health scare or loss of a loved one make you see the light? Or perhaps you want to be more active to enjoy activities with your grandchildren or to carry your own bag on the golf course. Whatever your goals are, taking that first step is a big one so you’ll want to be sure that you’re prepared for the challenge. Particularly when exercising for the first time or returning to an active lifestyle after a long hiatus, it is important to have the proper information and tools to be successful. This means tapping the healthcare resources available to you: Clinicians like nutritionists and physical therapists can make sure that your body is prepared to take on new challenges and work with you to a design a program that will help you achieve your goals.

Resolution Master

Perhaps you fall into a different camp: You vowed to get healthy in 2018 and you achieved it! For 2019, your resolution is to continue the work you’ve begun. After all, living a healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment; it’s not something you do for a while and then revert back to your former habits. As you prepare to embrace the New Year, are there any small tweaks you can make to advance your goals? Maybe you’re thinking about training for and running a half marathon, but don’t know where to begin. A physical therapy evaluation is a great place to start—physical therapists are trained to assess your movement patterns and identify any limitations or weaknesses. Based on that information, the physical therapist can design a personalized exercise program to help you safely and effectively prepare for the grueling half marathon course.

Resolution Flunkee

Let’s say your plan for 2019 is to get in better shape and improve your overall health (we support that resolution!), but this isn’t your first rodeo. Your 2018 resolution was pretty similar but it’s one year later, and you’re in the same place you were on New Year’s Eve 2017. What stood in your way—was it time? Affordable options? Access to healthy choices and activities? If any of these barriers sound familiar, then along with your resolution, you need an action plan. Without planning ahead, you’ll find yourself staring down the year 2020 with the same goal in mind. But let’s not focus only on the negative—what went right last year? Maybe you made sleep a priority, which in turn helped you to make better food choices at breakfast but by afternoon, you found yourself choosing to energize with a soda and candy bar when all you probably needed was an apple and a 15-minute walk. Take some time to think about the previous year—good and bad—and take with you what you need, and leave the rest behind.

After all, you can’t plan where you’re going without understanding where you’ve been. Which resolution type are you?

A Recipe for Total Fitness to Boost Your Strength

October 16, 2018 Tim@inhometherapygr.com

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Guest author, In Home Therapy of Grand Rapids

Staying healthy is an everyday effort. Just a few days of cheating on your diet and skipping workouts can throw you way off your rhythm, and it’s not always easy to get back on track.

However, it’s important for you to bounce back as quickly as possible with a routine that works for you. It should include measures that keep you in top form mentally and emotionally to deal with pressure from home or work. Here are some suggestions for total fitness so you can keep your body and mind in the game no matter what life throws at you.

Eat Smart

Ignore the dieting fads and stick with the basics. That means a wide variety of fruits, veggies, meats and grains, with some nuts, seeds and healthy oils thrown in for good measure. You can eat the things you enjoy, as long as you keep the portions under control with digital scales and measuring cups for proper calorie consumption.

Mix Up Your Fitness

For one thing, changing your routine keeps it engaging so you always look forward to hitting the gym. But there’s another reason more closely related to overall health: Your body needs cardio, strength-training, core workouts, balance and stretching to remain in peak form, says Healthline, and you can’t get all that with the same old workout every day.

Learn to Relax

That shouldn’t be too hard, right? All you have to do is kick up your feet, turn on the TV and zone out … except that doesn’t really work, according to a writer with Health & Life. In fact, relaxation is a mentally active process that rejuvenates your mind and body, which is better done through breathing exercises, meditation or listening to soothing music.

Declutter Your Home

Get organized or suffer the consequences, which include higher levels of stress. According to one study at Princeton, multiple objects within your vision compete for attention from your brain, and that’s a great scientific excuse to get decluttering. Discard items you no longer need, which will allow you to organize your home efficiently.

Be Mindful

Pay attention to the present and doing things with purpose. Mindfulness bears a strong association with meditation and yoga, though it could be just a matter of focusing your mind on everyday tasks. It helps you ward off stress while coping with anger and sadness in a healthy way rather than getting overwhelmed by your emotions.

Walk More

Think about how you get from place-to-place. Do you really need to take the car or would it be better to use your own two feet? Now, nobody expects you to walk 20 miles to work in the morning, but if it’s just a hop, skip and jump to your favorite eatery for lunch, the best decision is clear. Not only will walking help you to burn off a few calories, but you’ll also get some much-needed sunshine as well.

Have Fun

There are small ways you can make life a little more enjoyable and would give you a dose of energy to get through the day. Listen to some music or joke around with a colleague. It works wonders.

These tips help to cover fitness from all angles: physical, mental and emotional. Now you can be truly strong and move forward with whatever plans you have for the future, knowing that you can handle the pressure.

Thank you for reading the most recent blog. This edition was a special article written by Jennifer McGregor. In Home Therapy of Grand Rapids can assist you with your total fitness.

Jennifer McGregor
jmcgreg@publichealthlibrary.org
PublicHealthLibrary.org

Image via Pixabay.

The information contained in our website, blog, guest blogs, e-mails, programs, services and/or products is for educational and informational purposes only, and is made available to you as self-help tools. I strongly recommend that you consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program. You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the exercise.

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