It is not always easy to go from a sedentary life due to teleworking to the regular resumption of physical activity. How do you go about not flinching and keeping your good back-to-school resolutions?
Tip # 1: start moving again
Before embarking on a physical activity, you can already start by changing your bad habits: get off at the bus (or metro) stop one station earlier, avoid elevators and escalators for one or more. two floors, you choose to go buy your bread, your magazine or your fruits and vegetables on foot, etc. If you work seated, you get up to walk for 2 minutes every hour (if necessary, you put an alarm on your phone), go to the photocopier, to the toilet, to the parking lot, to see a colleague ….
>> At home, keep moving, you will not be more tired of it, on the contrary! Everything counts, including unloading groceries from the car, vacuuming, hanging out the laundry or mowing the lawn and, of course, going for a walk or playing ball with the children, playing a game of badminton or mölkky.
Tip # 2: establish a routine
What matters is regularity, because the benefits of physical activity only last for 24 hours. You wouldn’t think of brushing your teeth 5 times on Sunday and not doing it the rest of the week! To last over time, the chosen physical activity should not involve too many constraints (schedules, trips, equipment), otherwise you risk giving up quickly.
>> It is often preferable to join a club or an association not only to benefit from the advice and support of a professional, but also to establish a certain routine. In addition, being part of a team, a club or a sports association allows you to share the activity with others, to discuss, to support each other … in a good mood. It is often an additional motivation and an opportunity to develop new bonds with positive repercussions.
Tip # 3: go through the doctor’s office
Before starting a physical activity, alone or in a club, consult your doctor who will make sure that you have no contraindication to the practice of the sport you have chosen. Moreover, since September 1, 2017, a medical certificate attesting to the absence of contraindication to the practice of sport (CACI) is mandatory every three years. For high-risk sports (mountaineering, mechanical sports, scuba diving, caving, rugby, etc.), it must even be issued by a doctor authorized by the federations.
>> Over 35 for a man and 45 for a woman, he will also prescribe, depending on your state of health, various assessments, including an electrocardiogram, a stress test, in order to detect any cardiac abnormalities.
Tip # 4: set realistic goals
If you decide to start a sporting activity, you take the time to progress at your own pace by setting reasonable goals: no question of planning a marathon or a cycling race for the next month!
The ideal is to combine activities that allow you to develop all your cardiorespiratory capacities. Endurance activities (cycling, walking, jogging at low speed) work on the volume of the heart: they help to make it gain volume until the end of growth and beyond, they solicit the myocardium and regulate the heart rate . You can combine it once or twice a week activities that strengthen bodybuilding, soften the joints or even seek balance.
>> The use of connected objects (bracelet, watch, movement sensor) and sport and health apps, will allow you to automatically record your daily physical activity and monitor your progress over time, thanks to applications that can be viewed on your computer or smartphone. Nothing like it to support his motivation!
Tip # 5: have fun
Some prefer “soft” activities such as tai chi, yoga or Pilates, others are more attracted to running, golf, swimming, rowing, table tennis … little imported. If you are in good health, all these sports are equal and what counts is the pleasure that you will find there.
You can also simply choose to practice this activity with friends or as a couple. These shared moments are often precious, as are the positive emotions they arouse. For many couples, the common practice of a physical activity outside the home, children and domestic constraints, strengthens the bases of their love.
>> The goal is not to suffer, therefore as soon as a pain appears, we stop and, if it persists the following days, we consult. Above all, physical activity must allow a return to well-being: a walk, a hike at your own pace allows you to appreciate your environment, to awaken your senses, to take advantage of the outdoors to further oxygenate your brain. and be more receptive to everything around us.
I would like to go back to it, but …
I have poor circulation. No problem, on the contrary! Physical activity creates a pumping system, it dilates the arteries and promotes blood circulation (phases of vasoconstriction then vasodilation). The vessels regain the ability to dilate, the risk of thrombosis decreases, your legs are lighter and less swollen, all your organs are better oxygenated.
- What sports? All forms of walking, water aerobics, cycling, zumba … stimulate the arch of the foot and the calf which help to propel blood to the upper body and therefore to lighten your legs.
I have pain in my back. With the exception of some sciatica, back pain usually does not require more than 2 days of rest. It is important to strengthen both the spinal muscles (in the back) and the psoas directly connected to the five lumbar vertebrae, in order to form a kind of “protective corset”.
- What sports? The slow movements of yoga, tai chi, qi gong or Pilates allow, under the watchful eye of a teacher, to build up gently and to untie muscle contractions linked to stress and often responsible for neck pain or lumbar. All activities in the water (swimming, aquabike, aquagym) also help to limit the pressure exerted on the intervertebral discs (especially in the lumbar region), since the water reduces the effects of gravity and dampens movements.
I sleep badly and I am tired. A workout during the day, at least 2 hours before bedtime, accentuates the thermal variation between day and night and thus reduces the time it takes to fall asleep and the number of micro-awakenings. The total time of sleep increases, and in particular the phases of slow sleep which allow the most complete recovery. In addition, sport regulates anxiety, which is often a source of insomnia. You feel better when you wake up and throughout the day.
- What sports? Running, cardio or rowing before 3 p.m. and yoga or aquapilates after your working day will allow you to slide slowly into the arms of Morphée, when the time comes.
Good reflexes before, during and after sport
- Remember to always warm up before, to hydrate yourself regularly with small sips of water during the effort and to stretch at the end.
- In case of intense physical activity, space your sports sessions 24 to 48 hours, to allow your body to recover.
- Remember that a balanced diet and sufficient hydration also help you regain strength after exercise.
- Never exceed your limits and have a cell phone with you, so you can call for help if needed.
Read also :
Subscribe to the Top Santé Newsletter to receive the latest news for free