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U.S. Acting Surgeon General RADM Boris Lushniak spoke recently at the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting this year. He made a bold statement declaring that, “…physical inactivity is a major public health issue in this country.” He went on to say, “we have regressed as humans from doing what we are meant to be doing—moving.
It is quite something when the nation’s top doctor proclaims that we, as a nation, just don’t move enough. He also stated that later this year, his office was going to issue a major public health message. I can’t wait to hear what it is. Perhaps, “Get off the couch and move!” might be one message.
Now herein is the conundrum. If someone hasn’t moved in many years, how do they get up the gumption to get started? A first helpful step is often at the urging of their physician. There has been evidence to suggest that physical activity be used as a vital sign during doctor visits. Physicians hold so much power to urge someone into living an active life. The ACSM has spearheaded their Exercise is Medicine™ program where physicians and fitness professionals can work together. They are calling all health care providers to, “assess and review every patient’s physical activity program at every visit.”
So if a physician gives a patient a prescription for exercise, what is the next step? This is where it gets tricky. We are bombarded by the media on the best type of exercise, the best equipment, the best program to follow and the best gym. Here is the good news: you don’t need the best of anything. You just need to move. If your doctor has recently told you to start exercising, here are 3 steps to help you get started:
- Figure out what activities you are willing to do. Is walking an activity you can try? If not, what is another activity that is easy for you to incorporate into your daily life?
- Think about when you can fit this activity in. Are you willing to get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning to go for a walk? Or can you go for a walk during your lunch hour? Or after work? Try to break down the day into segments.
- Focus on one week at a time. Try not to get overwhelmed at the big picture. Each week can be a way to discover something new about yourself.
The big message is to start slowly and gradually. The most common reason people stop exercising is that they do too much too soon. Physical activity is one of the hardest health behaviors to change so go easy on yourself. If you find that you are stuck and don’t know where or how to begin, give me a holler. You can download my eBook entitled, “How to Get Active and Stay Active: 5 Insights to Shift Your Attitude.” Remember, the key is to live actively from the inside out. Now let’s get going!