photo credit: Ed Yourdon via photopin cc
Here is a sign of the times – leaving the doctor’s office with something new – a prescription for exercise. The time has come to use our physical abilities as another tool in the toolbox to combat degenerative health conditions including high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease and diabetes. In addition to helping these and many other conditions, exercise has one advantage over medicine – it’s free.
There is a push to educate health care providers on how to exactly prescribe exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine’s Exercise is Medicine® Program is making it easier for physicians to prescribe patients the activity, intensity and duration of exercise that best suits each patient depending on their particular health condition. Kaiser Permanente has been using exercise as one of the vital signs which is entered in medical records. Doctors can then identify those patients who may need health coaching to increase their activity.
We all know intellectually that we should exercise; but there is something about being told by a doctor that exercise will help lower dependence on drugs or prevent a disease from developing that can push us into action. I see many clients who are finally motivated to get active following the urging from their doctor.
If you have been told by your doctor to get moving, here are 3 questions to ask yourself when navigating your way toward a more active life.
- Why do I want to get active? Be clear on why you want to change. To realize success, the number of reasons to change must outweigh reasons to stay the same.
- How can I set up my home and work environments to support my desire to get active? Simple things like having your walking shoes in the car or packing the gym bag the night before can make it easier to get going.
- What are 3 things I can do/think/remind myself when I am not in the mood to move? Think about your reasons to get more active or how much better you will feel after your walk to get you over the hump of lazy talk.
Answering these questions will help jump start your path to activity. Start slow and go easy on yourself. Be aware of negative thoughts and how they can block your good intentions.
Miriam Nelson, PhD, Director of John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention at Tufts University succinctly states, “We’ve yet to find a disease where exercise isn’t helpful.”
Take your medicine – your own spoonful of sugar – and get active. Remember, anything you do is better than nothing at all.