Returning to Exercise After Taking a Break

As a physical therapist, I love exercise! I have so much fun teaching my clients exercises that will help them recover and get stronger. Personally, I also love exercising, because I feel my absolute best when I am doing it consistently. 

I think that we all know that exercising regularly is good for us. If you need to be convinced, we can talk specifically about the incredible benefits for your cardiovascular system, bone strength, and neuromuscular system. But today I want to talk about some practical associations of exercise and to just encourage you. 

I know that many of us have been in a season where we are extremely busy. Maybe we are caring for elderly parents, or in the throes of raising kids, waking up throughout the night to comfort them. Maybe you were injured while exercising, and this has made you fearful to return back to it. Or maybe you have just never found the activity or exercise class that really makes you excited. I would love to encourage you that in all seasons of life your body and mind can greatly benefit from exercise! If you are in a stressful season, it is even more important that you can commit to moving your body throughout the week. You cannot adequately take care of others if you are not a healthy and strong version of yourself.

So, how do you actually fit these exercises into your life?? In the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, the author describes something called “habit stacking” that has completely changed the way that I look at daily exercise.

Starting a new habit is extremely difficult. We have every excuse, and adding something to our day can feel overwhelming. But if you are wanting to return to exercise, (or maybe to get your home exercises completed because you know your physical therapist will ask you about it!) then “habit stacking” is a great way to get started. 

Think of something that you do regularly throughout your day. If you work in an office, this can be every time you receive an email. If you are a stay at home mom, it can be every time you pick your baby up from the floor. If you drive often for work, it could be every time you come to a red light. When these things happen very routinely throughout your day, you can let those habits become a reminder to do a few repetitions of an exercise. If you stack these habits, it becomes much easier to actually incorporate them into your life. At a red light, you can easily do 10 repetitions of the chin tucks that your PT taught you. There is no need to grab a dumbbell, just pick up your baby, and they are the perfect weight to use to do five squats!

If you have been nervous to exercise because of a previous, current, or potential injury, that’s where physical therapy can help.