Exercise ideas and other ways to get active in the new year

Is improving your health on your list of New Year’s resolutions? If so, taking steps to get active is a great place to start.

You’ve probably heard it before—physical activities are important for a healthy lifestyle. Exercising regularly and moving your body more often can help you reach or maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk for many health issues.

The key to getting active is prioritizing movement every day. Easier said than done, right? LCMC Health is here to help. Whether you’re trying to get active for the first time, or you’ve been sitting out for a while, we have some creative ways to move more often.

Find exercise activities you enjoy

When it comes to movement, almost any movement is better than no movement. So, focus on physical activities you enjoy. For optimal health, you want to include both aerobic activities, which work out your heart, and strength activities, which work out your muscles. You can find both aerobic and strength training options at most gyms. But you can also try these activities:

• Bowling
• Brisk walking
• Cycling
• Dance
• Dumbbells at home
• Running
• Swimming
• Yoga and tai chi

Choose something that interests you and keeps you engaged, and mix up activities as needed.

Discover exercise ideas for older adults.

Ease into fitness activities and slowly build up the intensity

It can be tempting to jump into exercise and challenge your body quickly, but that’s not the best idea. Remember to allow your body time to gain strength and endurance. You may want to reach for lighter weights for muscle strengthening exercises. And instead of running at a fast speed right away, maybe start with regular, fast-paced walks until you work up to longer and faster runs.

To avoid injuries and burnout, start exercising at a pace, weight, or intensity that’s lower than you think you can do. Then increase the exercise over time as you’re able.

Break up physical activities into chunks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. That may seem like a lot, but remember—you don’t have to do it all at once. If you split the time up, it equals a little over 20 minutes of physical activity each day. If that still seems like too much to fit into your schedule, break up the time even more for smaller bursts of activity.

Mix up your routine with strength training and other exercises for your body

The best exercise routines include a combination of activities. Adding variety to your workouts improves your overall fitness and reduces your risk of injury. Work out different parts of your body with or without exercise equipment.

Try to find different glute, chest, core, aerobic, leg, and shoulder exercises, so all your body gets some love.

Add workouts to your calendar

It’s easy to talk yourself out of a workout, especially when you’re just getting started. To help lock in your routine, schedule your workouts on your calendar, just like any other appointment. And don’t cancel on yourself.

Consider the time a hefty dose of self-care. If it helps, make plans with a friend to work out. Doing something together may make it easier to follow through.

Take a manual approach for more movement

If you have a hard time fitting in scheduled workouts, see if there are ways to move more when you’re doing tasks you already do.

• Try gardening or raking the leaves by hand.
• Play upbeat music when doing chores around the house, so you work faster and burn more energy.
• Take the stairs each day instead of the elevator.
• Park at the farthest corner of the parking lot, or get off before your streetcar stop and walk a few extra blocks.
• Stand up during TV commercials, and try to use the farthest bathroom when needed, especially if it’s upstairs.
• Get in the habit of sweeping your sidewalk and scrubbing your floors.

Listen to your body

After working out, you may experience some soreness, including what’s called delayed-onset muscle soreness. This soreness is normal and should go away over time.

If you experience pain, however, or your discomfort lingers or is severe, it’s a good idea to check in with a medical provider. A quick and easy virtual care visit or primary care appointment can help identify the source of your pain and find relief.

Your primary care provider: A helpful resource

Are you due for a visit with your primary care provider? They can be a great place to start a journey toward better health. Find a provider at LCMC Health.