Get back to exercising without pain with these tips

Looking for ideas on how to get back to exercising?  Start off right in a healthy and pain free manner. By following these simple tips, getting fit is easier than ever before.

Exercise Benefits

Exercise benefits the body in multiple ways, and it’s never too late to get started. As far as physical health benefits, exercise helps maintain and lose weight, reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease, and enhances strength, mobility and balance in seniors.

In addition to physical health, exercise enhances mental health as well. By improving sleep, boosting mood and self-confidence, and being all around good for the brain, exercising helps you fall asleep more quickly, leaves you feeling strong and more confident about yourself, and it has even shown to help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Key Target Areas

In order to achieve the success needed to starting off a healthy and fit program, there are a few important areas that require focus.

Strengthen: Consult your Doctor, Physical Therapist or Fitness Instructor prior to beginning a strength training program.  In general, ease into a routine with light free weights, resistance bands and/or balls that can be purchased at any fitness store. You can even use every-day items that are weighted, like soup cans.

1. Body-weight Resistance: A Physical Therapist or qualified fitness professional can help design a program that leverages your body weight for even greater physical gains. Examples include bridges, modified (easy) planks, wall push-ups and lunges.
2. Flexibility: By practicing breathing techniques combined with stretching, you can improve your range of motion and easily limber up.
3. Endurance: A great way to build endurance is through pool-therapy and swimming programs. Also, by using the stationary bicycle, treadmill or elliptical if available. If you do not have access to machines, try to get outdoors to walk as much as possible.

 Easy Tips to Get Started

1. Keep a log: recording your daily activities not only holds you accountable, it is a reminder of your accomplishments.
2. Stay inspired: Following sports programs and reading fitness magazines remind you how great it feels to take care of your body.  Just remember to exercise at commercial breaks.
3. Get support: By taking a class, or exercising with a friend, exercise is easier with an ongoing support system.
4. Safety first: Use common sense and do not exercise if you are ill or injured. Nothing disrupts an exercise more than an injury.