Spring training and that Summer Body
Spring time is here, and that means summer is coming!
Any time the weather warms up, and it's finally warmed up here in Atlanta, we start thinking about our "beach bodies." In 2014, the fitness industry employed over 500,000 Americans and brought in over $24 billion dollars of income. That's a lot of people spending time maintaining and improving our health. Another report showed, however, that only about 20% of Americans were paying gym dues during that same period. I can only imagine that with the crossfit and kickboxing craze sweeping throughout the US that the numbers are growing, but that doesn't change the problem that we have with obesity. We are still dealing with an epidemic in this country, and I want to talk a little about that today.
The top three reasons we don't work out
1. Not enough time
Let's face it. Americans are a busy, industrious lot of people. We spend a lot of time working and playing, but more often than not, our playtime isn't typically physically demanding. When was the last time you saw a cul-de-sac neighborhood in the suburbs break out into a pick-up soccer match?
In order to get fit, we have to find the time in our day. I am just as guilty of this as anyone else. I hate waking up early, so I try to sneak my workouts in on my lunch break or immediately after work before I eat dinner. Your solution might be waking up a little early, and that's great too. You just want to make sure that you find 30 minutes a day for yourself, and that's not too much to ask!
2. Not enough money
Getting fit doesn't have to be expensive. You don't have to have a personal trainer. There are so many apps and magazines with online articles and so forth that you can figure out what to do with a little effort if you just browse around online. Most resources will even have videos demonstrating how to do each exercise. You don't even have to belong to a gym. There are a lot of things you can do at home. And if you're really struggling and are very overweight, just start with walking at a brisk pace 30 minutes a day. Combine that with eating a more balanced diet that focuses on fruits and vegetables, (dark leafy greens, root vegetables and vine vegetables, and white potatoes mostly don't count here), and you'll be amazed at how quickly you start to shed weight.
3. Injuries
In the past, this is what gets me most often. I get excited about returning to a workout schedule. I actually really love working out, but I go too hard and I try to do too much too soon. This is where I come in as your chiropractor. Make sure you start coming into the office for wellness visits if you're planning to start a new workout. I can gauge how your body is responding to your routine and help you modify it is necessary so that you don't injure yourself and have to backtrack on all your wonderful new progress!
Regular chiropractic care can help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, (the soreness you get the day after a good workout), as well as help manage muscle strength and performance!
The moral of the story? Get back in for regular wellness care to make sure that your nervous system is operating efficiently so you can get the best possible results as you start trying to work towards that summer body!
Yours in health,
Dr. William