By Daniel Bayliss, MS, CES It’s that time of year again, that time where everyone renews their annual New Year’s Resolutions for the upcoming year. Many people “resolve” that they are going to lose weight and start exercising. Unfortunately, this resolution typically doesn’t last past 30 days or so. Research shows the following on how people usually stick with their resolutions: • Past the first week: 75% • Past two weeks: 71% • After one month: 64% • After six months: 46% It is possible for you to stick to the goals you set at the beginning of the year. Just because you have kidney failure doesn’t mean you can’t exercise. In fact, the benefits of exercise and physical activity on chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are plentiful. Research has shown that exercise helps reduce blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar levels and improves strength, endurance and how you feel. All these benefits mean you’ll be able to do your daily activities without getting tired as fast and will reduce your risk for heart problems. Here are a few suggestions on planning your New Year’s Resolution: A. Talk to Your Doctor Before Starting any Exercise Program Getting cleared to exercise by your doctors (primary physician and nephrologist) should be the first and most important step in starting any exercise plan. You need to make sure you do not have any physical condition that will put you in danger while exercising. It is also very important your blood pressure and sugar levels are under control. If there are other physical barriers to exercise, discuss with your doctor what exercises would be right for you. The more you know about exercise and physical activity, the safer you’ll be during the exercise.
B. Start With a Plan A New Year’s Resolution that includes exercise and physical activity is a GREAT way to start off the year. You should start with an activity you enjoy doing such as walking, swimming, dancing, yoga or whatever you like. It is human nature for people not to stick with something they dislike doing in the first place. Don’t set goals you probably won’t achieve. Set a series of small goals and as a result, larger goals will be met. See what is available to you in the community such as a recreation center, YMCA or rehabilitation programs. Shopping malls around the country sometimes open early for early morning walkers, so contact your local mall to see if they offer this in your town.
C. Set Realistic Goals If you’re interested in exercising more, don’t plan on running the New York marathon a week before the race! Start with what you can do, even if it’s just a few steps in your house. Add a few minutes every week to where you’re getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. The goal should be exercising 30-60 minutes most days of the week. For example, set a goal that you want to be able to walk around the block or to make it up the stairs in your house by next month. A series of smaller goals rather than long term goals are the type you want. Also, planning for setbacks is key because setbacks will happen even with experienced exercisers. Taking a day off or getting off your goal from time to time is normal. The key is to keep coming back. D. Keep a Log Of all the strategies for successfully reaching your goals, writing down your goals and how you are going to reach them are among the most powerful. When you write down your exercises, you can see your progress in terms of time and frequency to your goals. This makes for great refrigerator pin up material! A log doesn’t have to be anything special, just something you can easily jot down what you’re doing. The following is an example of an exercise log: E. Set a Resolution With a Group of Friends Encouragement from friends and family can have a huge impact on your ability to keep your goals, not to mention that they too will gain the benefits of exercise. Arrange a walking group or a dance night out, anything that can help you with sticking to your goal. The “peer pressure” of coming to such arrangements will be a big motivator for you. Groups provide real support and besides making new friends, you’ll be inspired to keep going and will have a group of people that can celebrate in reaching your goals! Let’s kick off the New Year with a physically fit bang! Daniel Bayliss is a clinical exercise physiologist at the University of Virginia Renal Services, University of Virginia Medical Center, Lexano, VA. Date Time Pre Blood Post Sugar Comments Pressure Sugar Type Time Pressure nutrition Reference Material Life Options Rehabilitation Council c/o Medical Education Institute, Inc. 414 D’Onofrio Drive Suite 200 Madison , WI 53719 (800) 468-7777 www.lifeoptions.org
National Kidney Foundation, Staying Fit With Kidney Disease 30 East33rd Street New York , NY 10016 1-800-622-9010 www.kidney.org
United States Department of Health and Human Services, Small Step Program 200 Independence Avenue SW Washington DC 20201 1-877-696-6775 www.smallstep.gov
This article originially appeared in the December 2006 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Magazine. |