To all my well-intentioned but over-scheduled friends...

People need tune-ups, just like cars do. Many of our patients understand that coming back in for physical therapy is a healthy decision to make before and after they deliver their baby, before going back to work/school, or when they start to feel a twinge or ache somewhere. The single most common theme I hear upon return to therapy is, “I stopped doing my exercises.” Maybe there’s no more time with the baby. Or major life changes got in the way. I get that.

​So I took a small poll with our patients that seem to have found a rhythm in doing their exercises not only consistently, but with ease! Here are the top 3 things they said helped them plug that time in for exercise:

[#1] Pre-schedule the workouts for the week. Schedule the day around the exercise to ensure it gets done. This moves exercise up on the priority list.

In my own family, my middle daughter regularly completed full exercise sets because COVID led to online gym classes. She knew the schedule ahead of time and welcomed exercise time when she was able to prepare for it. This video shows her in action.

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[#2] Partner up! Part of what makes going to the gym appealing is the social environment of like-minded people working out at the same time. The same can be said when you find a walking partner or someone to attend gym classes with. That’s accountability. Maybe you won’t be consistent if you work out for yourself, but you’ll do it if you have to answer to someone.

​In my family, I was only able to get my middle daughter to practice her jiu-jitsu exercises by getting my littlest one to join in. As you can see in this video, they're definitely getting tired as they go through them but at least they're doing it. Please don't mind the house mess :)

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[#3] Pair activities together. Similar to getting a workout buddy, pair exercise with another activity. My kids don't use this particular strategy, but I know I do! It could be as simple as, I tied my exercise band to the bottom of the stairs (maybe not if you have little ones at home!), so every time I go up the stairs I do a set of exercises. When my kids still napped, I always did exercises while they fell asleep, then creeped back in to put a little blanket on them. 
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For example, drive the route that ensures you pass the gym. Finish the online yoga class as a reward before you normally read your book or watch your favorite TV show. 

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Cement in new habits by choosing one of these strategies, or develop something else that works for you. Make exercise a part of your daily routine, instead of something extra. ​