This is the time of year that I often see patients start showing up in the clinic as a result of being overzealous in their efforts to get back in shape.
I applaud people that set New Year's resolutions. Even if they don’t achieve everything, or for that matter anything, on their list, the fact that they are making an effort is to be recognized.
Making a list and trying and failing are better than not trying at all.
So, here is my advice to help you succeed: Slow down and pace yourself.
Avoid the natural tendency to burst forth out of the starting gates in an effort to transform your body in 30 days.
If you have been fairly sedentary for a while, resist the urge to make up for lost time by trying to ramp your fitness level up too fast.
Whenever a patient tells us that they want to lose weight and increase their activity level, one of the things we emphasize is to determine your present physical capacity. If you have significant deconditioning issues, also known as being out of shape, it is a mistake to start too fast. Injury is likely.
Start from where you are and be patient with yourself. Think about this perspective: What is your actual desire? To rush through a fitness program too fast and end up getting injured or giving up too soon?
Try working with a plan to accomplish your goals in a way that minimizes risk of injury and ensures success over the next few months.
I have repeatedly seen that when a person advances too fast on a fitness kick, injury stops the progress and delays the eventual success, if not preventing it altogether.
It is human nature to be excited about positive changes in our lives. To add fuel to the fire, human physiology tends to react in ways to stimulate hyper-exercise.
If you begin a fitness program today, you may be sore and fatigued for the first several days. Within a week or two, you begin to feel better and will likely feel an increase in energy levels.
With that new energy comes a feeling of accomplishment. Many people on a new fitness routine have experienced the“high” that accompanies early success.
However, even though the muscles are responding nicely, the supportive tissue including ligaments and tendons do not respond so quickly.
That is where the problem arises. The new fitness buff feels the muscle start to respond favorably and wants to kick it into high gear. But, the ligaments and tendons often cannot handle the additional stress, resulting in injury. Even the connective tissue within the muscle tissue is vulnerable, so those injuries are not uncommon.
Although doing a warm-up routine and dressing properly can minimize the risk, there is no better protection than patience.
By being intentionally slow to ramp up the activity level, the workout enthusiast increases his or her chance of eventual success. Taking shortcuts only slows the progress down if it leads to injury. |
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