New Year, New You

New year, new you

Are you starting to evaluate your resolutions with the new year approaching? Well, you’re not alone! Many people take this time to reflect on healthy lifestyle changes heading into a new season, with the new year offering a fresh start. While many of us immediately focus on the negatives about our bodies, I urge us all to focus on what we can do to positively affect our health heading into 2022.

 Instead of focusing on weight loss as a resolution, let’s instead focus on mind and body wellness. There are many mental obstacles that can stack up when it comes to focusing on you and your health. You may have a family member or children that require your time and energy, a demanding career, a rigorous work schedule, or are simply lacking balance in all areas of your life. Whatever the reasoning, it’s important to take baby steps towards your goals. If you haven’t worked out in a while and are looking to get more active, don’t start with training for a marathon but rather focus on a type of workout that you enjoy and start doing that 1-3 times per week. Not everyone enjoys high intensity intervals, yoga/pilates, or running, so don’t force yourself to do something you don’t enjoy. Listen to your body! Start slow and work your way up to an intensity and frequency that feels manageable and sustainable for you and your lifestyle. 

Fill your body with real food. The more we restrict our diets by eating “low fat” foods and counting every calorie in and out, the more we are putting our bodies into a state of stress. This stress is not sustainable, especially on top of our daily external stressors and not to mention the internal ones. Instead, be kind to your body and fill up on whole foods. Fresh and organic produce, grass fed beef and butter, free range/ organic chicken, and whole grains. Increase your water intake to roughly half your body weight in ounces per day and reduce the amount of sugary or artificially sweetened beverages in your diet. If you need a small indulgence, have it. Bottom line, give yourself some grace and yet again, listen to your body!

Lastly, stop ignoring your aches, pains, or bodily inconveniences. If you’ve been struggling with persistent low back pain, hip pain, or difficulty holding back the stream of urine, it’s time to address it. Prioritize yourself by prioritizing your wellness this year. It’s hard to get motivated when you are struggling with persistent pain or the inconvenience of having to rush to the bathroom mid-workout or not being able to run errands without experiencing urinary leakage. Schedule an appointment with a pelvic health physical therapist and get to the root of the pain/ issue so that you can start enjoying your new, healthy lifestyle.  We offer a free, 15 minute phone consultation to answer any questions you may have.

Cheers to 2022,

Stacy Massey, PT, DPT