| Spring
Activity
If going to the gym, using exercise equipment, or playing sports are activities you enjoy, incorporate them into your daily routine. While these are great options, there are also many other ways to get exercise and with some creativity, physical activity can be accomplished almost anywhere. With the arrival of spring comes the opportunity to get outside when it is nice out. Walking down the driveway, around the block, or up the road is a great start. Five to ten minutes of physical activity a day is a great place to start. Work your way up to 30 minutes 5-6 days of the week as you build stamina. On days when the weather isn’t as favorable or if leaving your home is difficult for other reasons, don’t let yourself go without any activity. Many exercises don’t require any equipment. Some ideas include doing leg lifts, wall sits, or ab workouts. By using canned foods as weights, most arm workouts can be completed without purchasing weights. Stretches are important for maintaining flexibility and can be done on your carpet or on a towel. During commercial breaks, consider walking to the other end of your home or standing up and sitting down ten times. Being physically active can help you be able to continue to do the things you enjoy for years to come and improve the quality of your life. If you are already active, keep it up. If you are just starting to consider how physical activity might fit into your life, start with one of the ideas discussed. Don’t intimidate yourself with lofty goals. Now is as good a time as any, to spring into activity! Tara Mertz-Hack, MD, is a resident physician completing her family medicine training at the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho Magic Valley Rural Training Track in Twin Falls and Jerome. She completed a rural rotation at St. Mary’s in March. As a part of her rotation, she took part in the Targeted Rural Health Education project, aimed at promoting positive health outcomes in rural communities. |
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