So the silly season is done and dusted, summer is gone, the clocks have gone back and all the Easter eggs are consumed - for many of us it feels like 2018 has finally begun! This Autumn pause giving us all the opportunity to find a bit of that Monday to Friday routine and attempt to get into some good habits, namely exercise and eating right. Given my last meal was a white chocolate and berry muffin on Errol St, North Melbourne, I'm not sure I'm qualified to dispense any nutritional advice (remember I said 'attempting good habits'). However as a qualified Myotherapist, who has battled chronic injury as well as a busy lifestyle, I've got a few tips for finding the time and motivation to get going again;
Start small. If you haven't been for a run in months don't try 10km's first up. Start with a walk around the block! The simplest or shortest workout, is better than the one you don't have. So start with stretching out those muscles, blowing the cobwebs off your joints and getting the body moving again!
Make it manageable. The 21st century sees us facing more demands on our time than ever before. Work, family, friends - we’re bloody busy. So don’t sign up for three 6am PT sessions a week, at the same time as you’re taking Spanish classes or driving the kids to piano lessons. Try the swimming pool at the end of the street or close to work rather than that which is 15 minutes down the road. If it's convenient, its more like to be sustained.
Aim for consistency. As much as we are all wild, free and spontaneous beings, our bodies are also machines that appreciate repetition. Undertaking your chosen activity a few times a week is important for your body to adapt; stronger muscles and improved stamina, are a just a few of the key physiological changes that will occur. And remember point one; do lots of a little, instead of a little of a lot.
Find a friend. Someone to share in your pain and keep you motivated. Batman was nothing without Robin. Bono nothing without the Edge. Training or working out with someone will help keep it fun, not to mention give you that extra push to get you out of your comfort zone.
Look after yourself. Receiving regular Myotherapy treatments will be great for your musculoskeletal system, so include this as part of your program. However, looking after yourself extends to buying some new runners that don't hurt our feet, or sliding off the couch during an evening of 'Bachelor in Paradise' to do a few stretches. If you’re going to commit to a new healthier you, that means investing a little in your body.
Getting active can feel big, scary and all to hard but it doesn’t have to be. Rome wasn't built in a day, in fact the internet tells me Rome is actually still being built some 1,010,000 days later. So keep it simple, feel your way through and stick with it - you’ll be fitter and feeling better in no time.
