stayingactive

5 fitness motivation tips to get back into your routine after a break

5 ways to get back into your fitness routine after a break

Getting back into a fitness routine

For many of us, it can be challenging trying to get back into a fitness regime after a long break. For others, it could be a lack of fitness motivation. Explore the different ways of how to get back into your fitness routine after a longer break.

The early bird catches the worm

Don’t put off what can be done now. It is in our nature to fill up our days with a lot of things to do, often at the expense of things most important such as exercising. Being physical early in the day not only keeps the remaining day free, but also gives your body a great warm-up. If you’re sitting on the fence about starting a morning workout routine, it’s time to start now. There are many benefits of exercising earlier in the day such as boosting your energy throughout the day and avoiding fatigue, increasing alertness and focus; and putting you in a better mood for the day. Not only is exercise in the morning good for you but it also helps to keep you focussed as you have fewer distractions. On hot summer days, morning exercise is best as you can beat the heat. Struggling to wake up early? Here’s how to train your brain into waking up early.

Break them into smaller goals

If you’re feeling stuck and unmotivated, break your big goal into smaller steps or tasks. A good idea is to make an “Exercise Month Calendar” and fill 30 days of the month with small exercise challenges. For example, 15 squats on day one, 1,000 steps on day two or 10-minute walk on day three. Be creative with your challenges and mix it up. Each day, commit to ticking off the challenge and before you know it you’ve been active for 30 days in a row. Note that these challenges are meant as additional amounts of daily physical activity on top of what you normally undertake and not act as a replacement amount.

Keep it small, actionable and simple. It is easier for you to start building confidence and momentum. Ticking off that first challenge will bring you a sense of reward and motivate you to keep going. This is also a good tactic for forming new habits. According to research, it takes around two months or 66 days for a habit to stick.

Sneak exercise into your day

Whether it is taking the stairs, parking a bit further from the shopping centre or walking to local shops instead of driving. Any extra minutes of walking assists with keeping PA (Physical Activity) levels up and helps with any weight loss goals. Did you know walking burns around 330 calories per hour whilst sitting only 139 calories per hour? If you find it hard to remember to move and exercise during the day, set up a reminder on your phone or use smart technology to help you remember such as smart watch or Alexa. Need help with setting things up? ACH Group’s smart technology Occupational Therapist (OT) can assist.

Power in numbers

Seek your friends or family to assist. Getting back into fitness is always easier when you’re doing it with someone else. It will motivate you and give you a sense of accountability when exercising with a friend. By doing it with a friend or family, exercising can be more fun and social. There are many ways you can sneak exercise into a catch up with a friend. Instead of sitting down for a coffee, why not take a walk around the park or go for a hike? Exercising with friends offers many benefits to your mind and body. You are more likely to stick to your routine and work harder when someone else is doing it with you.

ACH Group offers health and wellbeing services, including exercise groups, Tai Chi, Fit Ball to help you stay healthy and active as you age. Joining exercise groups helps you stay active as well as socially connected.

Keep it fun

One way to help you get back into your fitness routine is to do something you love.

If you don’t like walking but love the beach, why not take a walk on the beach? There are many ways you can make exercise and staying active more fun for you such as dancing, bowling, hiking, bike riding, walking your dog, or swimming.

Find something you enjoy doing so it doesn’t seem like you’re exercising or a ‘chore’. If you find it repetitive doing the same thing all the time, diversify the way you exercise to make it more fun.

ACH Group Health Studio 50+

If you’re looking for a customised exercise program designed by a professional healthcare practitioner, check out ACH Group’s Health Studios 50+.

ACH Group’s Health Studios 50+ specialise in health and well-being for people aged 50+ by bringing together allied health professionals, exercise and wellness groups in a purpose-built facility with equipment designed for ageing bodies.

Here you can find a wide array of services to help you restore and maintain good health as you age. This includes allied health, exercise groups, wellness groups and much more.

Interested to learn more? Contact us today.

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In the swim

Exercising in water offers many benefits to people who are recovering from injury or living with a range of conditions, from mild to chronic. As well as its abilities to calm, relax and ease pain, water also supports our body weight reducing stress on joints.

Hydrotherapy benefits

“People are often surprised at what they can do in the water; when weight is dispersed across the body, it is so much easier. This means water exercise is a lot more suitable for those living with a range of chronic conditions such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS) and fibromyalgia,” said ACH Group Exercise Physiologist Daniel Peacock.

Daniel, who runs hydrotherapy and water exercise classes across ACH Group’s health sites, said water exercise is an ideal way to stay active for any age group.

Exercising in water

“By simply walking or moving in the water, you activate a range of muscles. For people who have found exercising on land too challenging or painful,

it can be great for confidence, giving people that little bit of hope and helping them in their recovery.”

Hydrotherapy is modifiable and exercises can be prescribed and adapted according to an individual’s goals or needs. Instructors are in the pool with the class to ensure exercises are done properly.

As well as building strength, water exercise can help people lose weight, manage pain and improve cardiovascular health or lung function, balance and mobility.

“Besides the physical health benefits, there are a range of mental health benefits from mood modification, a reduction in stress and anxiety, and improvements in sleep.”

Like any exercise, it’s always best to start slowly and not overdo it.

“One of the key things we tell people is not to go too hard in the first two weeks because when you’re in the water, you’ll feel great, and feel less pain, but you’ll feel it the next day when you’re out of the pool.”

Daniel has witnessed many ‘good news stories’ as a result of hydrotherapy including a customer who started classes as part of her recovery from a car accident.

“This customer was having trouble walking and struggled to get into the pool – now the steps are no problem and her walking is almost back to what it used to be,” he says.

Water wise

Lap swimming is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise and can contribute to the recommended 150 minutes moderate to vigorous activity per week for those aged 65 plus.

Water is about 50 times thicker than air and supports our body weight. Swimming in water can require four to six times more energy.

All ACH Group hydrotherapy pools are heated at 30 to 34 degrees Celsius and have hand rails for customers who are less confident in the water.

Water exercise provides an excellent alternative to land exercise for older people with the same cardiovascular, strength, balance and mobility benefits.

Project to create dementia-friendly pools

ACH Group is leading a project that aims to create dementia-friendly swimming experiences and environments.

Funded by a grant from Dementia Australia, the project has enlisted the help of people living with dementia, their carers, family and care workers, along with people who work at swimming pools, to find out what changes could be made that make swimming easier and more accessible for all.

Project Coordinator Fiona Telford-Sharp says online surveys and face-to-face interviews helped shape a series of fact sheets for swimming pool venues, swimming coaches, people living with dementia and their families.

“We know that swimming offers many health benefits and we recognised the need to raise awareness of the needs of people living with dementia and to take steps to create a welcoming and safe environment for all swimmers.”

To find a hydrotherapy or water exercise class near you call 1300 22 44 77.

stayingactive swimming

5 surprising health benefits of singing

When was the last time you caught yourself singing in the shower? What about humming along to a tune that gets stuck in your head? When was the last time your favourite song came on the radio and you couldn’t help but sing along?

We all know the positive effects of music to our brain such as stress reduction and mood improvement, even helping with stroke recovery. But how about singing? There are many health benefits of singing to your mental, physical and emotional health that you may not know. We’ve put together 5 surprising benefits of singing you may not know.

Singing can boost your immune system

Research has shown that singing helps boost your immunity, specifically choir singing. Moreover, singing has been proven to reduce your cortisol level (known as the stress hormone) which helps you feel more relaxed. High cortisol levels are not good for you as it increases your heart rate and blood pressure. By practicing singing, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce anxiety.

Singing is a natural mood booster

Not only does singing help boost your immune system, it also makes you feel more happy and uplifted. Have you noticed any change in your mood after singing? Singing is known to release endorphins, the brain’s “feel good” chemicals. There is also growing evidence showing that people feel more positive after actively singing comparing to passively listening to music. Mood change comes directly from the release of positive brain chemicals such as β-endorphin, dopamine and serotonin. It also releases an anti-stress hormones called oxytocin which can reduce anxiety.

Another research study has found that singing in a group setting makes our heart rates sync up. That explains why choir singing could feel like a guided group meditation. Participants reported to feel more relaxed and calm after singing in a group setting.

Singing improves communication skills

Singing has been proven to enhance social bonding and maintain positive social relationship. Creating social connections is human’s nature and singing can help facilitate a sense of “togetherness”, specifically in a group setting. Synchrony in large group requires emotional connection which results in much faster social bonding among participants. Further research has shown that singing groups and choirs give people a sense of belonging and helps boost their mood.

Singing is a good workout

Singing with proper technique could strengthen your diaphragm, the rectus abdomens, oblique and back muscles. The movement of singing is a good workout which requires lots of different muscle groups on your face which makes it a natural facial workout. Singing also helps with blood circulation due to greater amount of oxygen needed to project one’s voice.

Singing is also great for lung health. A 2016 study has proven that singing has positive impact on the lives of people with lung disease.

Singing helps reduce the risk of dementia

The diagnoses of dementia can have a huge impact on your life in many ways. Dementia could affect your ability to process information and therefore impact your lifestyle. There is currently no cure for dementia but you can live well with dementia.

Research has found that listening or singing to songs can support people who are living with dementia on both an emotional and physical level. Singing, especially group singing, has positive effects on the brain and helps people live well with dementia. Singing in group facilitates a sense of belonging and provides social support with people who are living with dementia.

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