Adding the minutes on the hands of time....

    Changing the clocks twice a year seems like a huge waste of time, so to speak. It doesn't matter if we fall back or spring forward, I always feel like I've lost an hour. Even worse, I can't find it anywhere, no matter how hard I look.

    Time is a funny thing anyway; it seems to slip away when you're not looking. Add that pesky one hour time change and it's amazing how it gets away from us. It disrupts our schedule and our circadian rhythm. On the other hand, if one hour can mess us up, doesn't it make sense that one hour can work to our advantage?

    A lot of my clients tell me that they are simply too busy to exercise. Between work, family and other obligations, they just don't have the time. I know, and I understand. However, I explain that just a few minutes of exercise a day quickly adds up and can have a huge positive cumulative effect on their basic fitness goals. Certainly they can manage that.

    They usually look at me as if they don't believe me. After all, conventional wisdom tells them that they should go to the gym five days a week or at least get down on the floor and do an hour of tedious exercises to get into some sort of shape. But, small changes have a huge impact. And, they are easier to implement and result in longer lasting healthy habits. 

    If you exercise just ten minutes a day, six days a week, you'll log in an hour a week to get started on a path to fitness and better health. It might not seem like much at first, but it's a start. If you already have an exercise routine, try adding an additional ten minutes of light weights, core strengthening, stretching or balance training. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel, and that is a powerful motivator to keep going. It's worth a try. After all, the time is going to pass anyway. Why not make good use of it?

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

Move it or lose it....

    We have always known that a sedentary lifestyle has a negative impact on our health. But I recently read an article in the WSJ which described how sitting for more than three hours a day can decrease a person's life expectancy by two years. The article went on to describe that this decrease in life expectancy also applies to people who are physically active and follow a healthy lifestyle.

    What do you do if you have a sedentary job where you are required to sit at a desk all day long?  In the article, the author stated that when we are sitting, our leg muscles are completely inactive. That wasn't a big surprise; to me it seemed like an obvious statement. He recommended that people stand as often as possible during the day. However, I have a few additional ideas to activate those muscles and keep you healthy.

    1). Fidget. You know, that thing that we all used to do when we were kids until the adults told us to sit still. Don't sit still. Instead, move around in your seat, change positions, tap your feet, and swing your legs. While you are sitting, you can exercise your legs by doing ankle pumps, leg extensions, leg lifts and isometric exercises. Believe it or not, fidgeting also boosts your metabolism and helps burn calories.

    2). Pace. Pacing is a close relative of fidgeting, kind of like a mature older cousin. Pacing is a great way to work your leg muscles, get your circulation going, keep your ankles and feet flexible, relieve stress and burn a few more calories. Just in case you're still not convinced, many of my clients have reported that pacing helps them think better. So, if you are saddled with a problem and can't find a solution, try pacing.

    3). Don't just stand there, do something. When you are standing, shift your weight side to side. Add toe raises, mini squats, and small lunges to your routine. Try standing on one leg to improve your standing balance. The movements don't have to be big; small gentle movements done slowly and correctly has a huge positive impact.
  
    Just a few minutes of exercise during your work day can improve your health, level of fitness, increase your energy, and improve your concentration. The key to getting the maximum benefit from your exercise is not how many repetitions you do, but how you do them. The focus should be on the quality of your movement, not the quantity. You will also enjoy the additional benefits of strengthening your back and postural muscles, as well as a decrease in back pain and neck pain.

    Most of all, remember that if you don't move it, you will lose it. And wouldn't it be a shame to lose all that leg power? So, move it or lose it. Your legs will thank you!

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

Mid-March Resolutions.

    I drove past the local health club a few days ago and noticed their sign boldly advertising, "Resolutions? Join today!" That was strange, considering it is already mid-March. Maybe it was a mistake. A few days later, I noticed the sign had changed. It now proclaimed, "A New You in 2012!" Okay, so maybe it wasn't a mistake.

    But, it's the middle of March. It's St. Patrick's Day. The New Year's resolutions have long been forgotten. The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and people are coming out of their winter hibernation with the promise of spring. Everyone is dusting off their bicycles, pulling out their golf clubs, signing up for runs, pouring into the local parks, and dreaming about picnics and cookouts. Why in the world would anyone chose joining a stuffy old gym over the seduction of a beautiful spring day and outdoor activities? It seemed like an odd marketing and advertising strategy to me.

    Then I started thinking about it. Why do we set our New Year's resolutions on January 1st, anyway? Is it just because it's the beginning of a new calendar year? Or maybe it's because some of us are feeling  guilty about over indulging during the holidays. So, we set lofty goals that sound pretty good during the mad rush of the holidays, only to face the harsh reality of squeezing into spandex, braving the cold harsh weather and short dark days to get to the gym. As an extra bonus, we will be surrounded by those folks who kept their New Year's resolutions from the previous year. Yikes!

    It's a recipe for disaster, and almost a set up for failure. No wonder why we throw in the towel after a few weeks. But, I have another idea. Wouldn't it make more sense to hunker down, snuggle in, and slowly recover from the holidays and enjoy the long winter nights? Rather than setting unrealistic goals for ourselves, maybe we could take some time to nurture ourselves, and carefully plan moderate changes over the next three months. We can begin to implement these changes at a reasonable pace. Then, when spring arrives and the days start getting longer and warmer, we can address our resolutions with a renewed energy and enthusiasm. And, increase our chances of success.

    So much for my skepticism about the wisdom of the health club and their marketing strategy. This health club may be on to something. They certainly got my attention. The problem is, St. Patrick's Day Resolutions doesn't have the zip that New Year's Resolutions does. March Madness is already taken. April Fool's hardly seems appropriate. The truth is, it doesn't matter when you begin, as long as you start moving in the right direction. Remember, if it's physical, it's therapy!


Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

A New Year........

    As I was driving home a few days ago, I saw a sign in front of a local health club boldly advertising "A New Year, A New You"! I was struck by the implication that the "old you" wasn't good enough, and if you would join this gym, you would be transformed into the "you" that the health club thought you should strive to be. I started wondering how many of us made New Year's resolutions to join a gym (or actually go if you already have a membership), exercise more, get into better shape and transform ourselves into a stronger, healthier person in 2011.

    Here we are, already in the second month of the New Year. Our resolutions may have sounded quite reasonable during the festivities of the holiday season, but now it's February. The cold bleak weather, demands of work, family and the reality of time constraints may sabotage our efforts to achieve our goals. Perhaps we are even overwhelmed by our goals and have already given up.

    But here's another idea: why not change your strategy to make your goals more achievable? Start with small, simple changes at home and at work that could easily be incorporated into your daily routine. Just a few minutes of exercise each and every day can have a huge, positive impact on your strength, flexibility, overall health and fitness.

    Let me give you a few examples. Keep a set of light weights at home for your arms and shoulders. Do a few mini squats and lunges for your hips, thighs and buttocks. Sit and gently bounce on an exercise ball while watching TV to improve your posture, balance, stimulate circulation and strengthen your low back and abdominal muscles.

    While doing household chores, slow down and really focus on the quality of your movements as you move about your work. The simple act of cleaning the kitchen then turns into an opportunity to improve your gait, balance, strength, flexibility, posture, body awareness and body mechanics. And it surely makes cleaning the kitchen more interesting! The possibilities are endless. Use your imagination; be creative and design a program that is unique for yourself. Make it fun, playful and interesting.

    Remember, if it's physical, it's therapy, and every move counts!

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP