Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe it’s 2025. Time has just flown by, and it’s that time of year when we’re making those resolutions. We do it every holiday season, and every year I hear from so many folks about their New Year’s resolution to be more active and focus on healthy habits. Chances are you or someone you know has made that resolution before. For many of us, though, it doesn’t last long.
There are so many good reasons to make being more active a top personal goal.
Unfortunately, the statistics for adults in Delaware tell us that isn’t the case for too many people. Only 23.8 percent of adults in Delaware meet the federal guidelines for physical activity, according to the most recent data. Add to that the fact that one in three adults in Delaware report being obese, and you have a recipe for serious health complications.
Every health professional will tell you physical activity stands out as one of the most important factors in maintaining your health. It helps reduce your risk for a number of diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even some cancers. It is a crucial factor in controlling your weight and strengthening your muscles, joints and bones. Did you know it has a direct impact on your mental health, too?
As we age, physical activity helps us avoid losing our ability to do daily activities. In providing important protection for muscles, joints and bones, it allows you to maintain the ability to support your body and functional movement. Whether you want to go grocery shopping, pick up a newspaper, take a shower or even walk across a room, staying physically active maintains your functional health.
Simply put, it means you can go about your daily life. In fact, if you are already having trouble doing some of these basic tasks, exercises can help you with improved ability to do more.
And while we’re at it, let’s not forget the important role regular physical activity plays in reducing issues associated with health problems such as arthritis. Research has shown that doing about two and a half hours of moderate, low-impact aerobics activities every week will help manage pain and let sufferers perform everyday tasks and have a better quality of life.
No matter how you look at it, you get so much in return for what really works out to be a very small investment in time. The important question here remains: Aren’t you and those you love worth it?
The bottom line is that, regardless of your size or your age, you have an awful lot to gain by getting out of that chair and increasing your level of physical activity. It doesn’t take a huge amount of effort to benefit. With that in mind, let’s look together at 10 simple tips that will help you make positive changes.
Tip No 1. should be no surprise: Begin by talking to your doctor. It’s especially important if you have a health problem such as heart disease, arthritis or diabetes. Your doctor will help you with guidelines based on your condition. Ask your doctor to help you come up with a plan. You can also talk to a physical therapist to get a customized plan and a supervised program that will allow you to become more active safely.
Now that you have the plan, Tip No. 2 is: Don’t start cold. You need to do some basic warm-ups to prepare your body. Here, again, is something your doctor or physical therapist can help you with by providing some guidance on what makes sense based on your health profile.
Tip No. 3 is: Be aware as you go forward. If your new physical fitness program causes you to feel aches and pains, ask questions. Are you sure you are doing the exercises you’ve been given properly? Could there be something else going on? Talk to your doctor or physical therapist. Doing it right is half the battle to achieving fitness in a way that works for you.
Tip No. 4 is all about mindset: Don’t look at your new exercise program as a temporary plan to get on track. It needs to become a habit. You likely get up at about the same time every day. You probably eat dinner at about the same time every day, too. Your body expects those activities at those times because you’ve trained it. That’s a habit. Make exercise an accepted part of your routines. You may be surprised by how quickly you will adapt with just a little effort.
Tip No. 5 should make a lot of sense: Physical fitness is not a “one-trick pony” solution. If you have a weight problem, this is a good time to make some changes to your diet. You can ease into changes in your eating habits, but make the changes and you’re likely to see a real difference.
Tip No. 6 is another commonsense way to get yourself on track for better physical fitness: Exercise is great, but what are you doing the rest of the time? Don’t fool yourself into believing that your exercise plan is the total solution. It’s not. You need to add more movement as a whole to your daily routines. If you have mobility issues, ask your doctor or physical therapist to give you some input on movements you could do to keep your progress going.
Tip No. 7 is actually a way to incorporate social interaction with your exercise plan: Involve a friend. Maybe a friendly competition will work. You could also have a friend join you on a walk or in another activity that allows you to have fun, socialize and feel more motivated to add additional movement to your weekly schedule.
Tip No. 8 is about making simple adjustments so you’re multitasking. Do you like watching TV or streaming movies? Do you listen to podcasts? Have a favorite radio program? Try moving your legs or stretching your arms as you do, and it makes it a real “two fer.”
Tip No. 9 is all about self-kindness: Go easy on yourself. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? You’re not going to achieve your goals in a few days or a few weeks. Track your progress and celebrate your achievements. You’ve earned it. We all need positive reinforcement. It will help with your motivation.
Tip No. 10 is key: Stick to it. Will there be times when you just aren’t feeling well or up to it? Will there be times when you have plans that make it impossible to stick to your exercise program? Sure. It happens. But it’s what you do next that will make all the difference. Don’t use that as an excuse to let your exercise program become ancient history. Get right back to it.
I hope this is the year that you make that resolution to get more physically active stick. Commit to a healthier you in 2025. I look forward to seeing all of you here in the Coastal Point as we continue to make this journey together. Happy New Year to you and yours. My wish for all of you is that it will be a healthy one!
