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How to Start an Exercise Routine as a Family Caregiver

Posted: 5/31/2016 7:55 AM by Interim HealthCare

Beating stress means getting enough rest, eating right, and moving your body more. You'll definitely want to check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise plans, but these tips can help you to get started with a plan you'll want to stick with for a long time.

Keep Your Plan Simple
Sometimes people think that they have to have an elaborate exercise plan or join a gym that requires them to adhere to all sorts of scheduled activities. For a general healthy exercise plan, you really don't need any of that. You can start walking around your neighborhood, work out to exercise videos in your own living room, or just exercise during commercial breaks. You don't need an elaborate plan at all.

Challenge Yourself
Even though you don't need any fancy plans, it does help if you're ready to challenge yourself as you work out. When you do exercise, your muscles should feel it during the workout and later. You want your heart rate to go up and you want your breathing to be a little shorter than usual from the exertion. Stay within the limits your doctor recommends, of course, but you need to feel the burn a little bit.

Have a Goal in Mind
Ideally, there's a reason that you're working out. You may want to lose a few pounds, tone your muscles, or simply live a healthier lifestyle. It helps you to stay motivated to work out to look at your goal and to gauge how far away you are from achieving that goal. Figure out ways to keep your goal in front of you, whether that's journaling about your health goals or putting a sticky note on your bathroom mirror. You may have to change your goals as you achieve them and that's perfectly fine.

Exercise without Worry
As you start to make exercise a more common part of your daily life, you may find that you want to be able to commit to exercise without worrying that your loved one might need something while you're otherwise occupied. This is a perfect opportunity to bring in senior care providers throughout the week who can help your loved one and give you peace of mind while you're away.

If you or someone you love is in need of respite care please contact Interim HealthCare today!