FiT Exercise Physiology » exercise physiology

WHY ARE YOU EXERCISING?

fitphysio-admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 06:15:09 +0000

The value of setting goals…

As most of us know, exercise can help with many things such as improving blood pressure and cholesterol, managing weight, improve pain and increasing strength. Additionally, exercise can also help improve your ability to perform every day activities, self-confidence, well-being, happiness and functional tasks.

As an exercise physiologist nothing beats hearing the positive feedback about the benefits my clients have gained from their exercise and lifestyle changes so I thought I would share a bit of what they have had to say.

This week I have had amazing feedback from a few clients who have set goals around upcoming holidays, events as well as their overall health. These are the type of goals that are important. Your goals need to mean something to you and not just reflect a number on a scale. When you start exercising it is important to know why you are doing it and what you want to get out of it.

Here is some of the feedback and comments I have received recently:

I don’t want to weigh myself as I am feeling great and at the end of the day it’s how I feel not how much I weigh.

I received an email from a client who is on a big trip through Europe who has reported the walking and hiking have been doing is much easier than they expected. To their surprise when faced with squat toilets they stated that at first they were a bit nervous about getting up and down but did it with ease as they felt their legs were strong enough.

Another client who set goals around being stronger for their holiday let me know that they were able to complete a bike ride through Europe with little pain and felt great doing it.

Having a goals that you value can change your whole outlook on exercise. Today we are surrounded by what people think we should be, look and feel but at the end of the day my goal is to encourage a love for exercise to achieve what is relevant to you.

Emma

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FiT. – APRIL NEWSLETTER

fitphysio-admin — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 11:21:10 +0000

Find out what is happening a FiT. Click here to read our latest newsletter.

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MEN’S HEALTH – 5 BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

fitphysio-admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 19:46:14 +0000

As we age, we tend to move less and sit more. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare nearly 40% of Australians aged 45 and over have two or more chronic diseases. The most prevalent chronic conditions include arthritis, respiratory conditions, back problems, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health conditions. Reduced physical activity levels, poor diet, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and sedentary lifestyles are all behaviours that can impact and contribute to men developing these conditions. On the plus side, these are what we call modifiable risk factors, meaning we can change these behaviours to reduce the risk of developing or having them progress further.

Five ways movement and physical activity can improve your health:

Regular exercise can help control your blood pressure and increases blood flow around the body.
Resistance training can increase the strength in your muscles to support your joints and reduce pain as well as reducing the risk of falling.
Physical activity helps control your blood sugar levels to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes.
Exercise can help with mental health conditions such as depression by increasing the good chemicals in your brain to promote an improvement in mood.
For those with respiratory conditions, exercise such as walking can help reduce breathlessness during daily activities.

Often working physical activity into your lifestyle and seeking help is a challenge. Due to the increased awareness around the benefits of physical activity, more and more men are starting to increase their activity levels. The important part is finding an activity you enjoy and surrounding yourself with people who can guide you to move in a safe and appropriate way.

If you would like more advice about starting physical activity speak to an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP). AEPs specialise in prescribing exercise to people with chronic and complex conditions. To find an AEP in your local area visit the Exercise and Sports Science Australia website www.essa.org.au or for more information about exercise and men’s health visit http://realmenmove.org.au/ or http://exerciseright.com.au/

References:

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: AIHW 2015.Australian Burden of Disease Study: fatal burden of disease 2010. Cat. no. BOD 1. Canberra: AIHW.
http://.realmenmove.org.au
http://exerciseright.com.au

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MENTAL HEALTH & EXERCISE

fitphysio-admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 23:09:21 +0000

It is Mental Health Week this week and specifically World Mental Health Day on 10^th of October. There is more and more research coming out about the benefits of movement and physical activity on mental health.

The current thoughts behind the way exercise can improve mental health are:

Releasing feel-good brain chemicals that may ease depression (neurotransmitters, endorphins and endocannabinoids)
Reducing immune system chemicals that can worsen depression
Increasing body temperature, which may have calming effects

How does physical activity help my mental health?

Improve your mood
Reduce stress and anxiety levels
Increases in confidence
Increase self-efficacy and self-esteem
Improves your sleep
Increase mental alertness
Reduces tension
Sense of achievement
Provides a focus and motivation
It can be used as a social activity

Tips on how to get started:

Begin slowly, split your physical activity up throughout your day – 10mins, 10 mins, 10mins.
Find something you enjoy – eg. walking, riding a bike, dancing.
Set realistic goals.
Organise to meet up with a friend.
Plan your activity for the week.
Seek advice from an exercise physiologist about what is the best exercise for you.

Some movement is better than nothing!

If you need some help on where to start with your physical activity please contact us or find a local exercise physiologist at www.essa.org.au

Where to get help:

Your doctor
Community health centre
Beyondblue Support Service 1300 224 636 www.beyondblue.org.au
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800

Morgan AJ, Parker AG, Alvarez-Jimenez M, Jorm AF. Exercise and Mental Health: An Exercise and Sports Science Australia Commissioned Review. JEPonline 2013;16(4):64-73.

Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD. Exercise for Mental Health. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106.

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8 ways to get out of an exercise rut…

fitphysio-admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 03:19:35 +0000

Last week I was in a rut. I had a great weekend, completing a fun run with great company but for some reason on Monday I just felt flat and low. I wasn’t sick but during the week I struggled to get myself out of bed, didn’t want to do any physical activity and had on and off headaches. All I felt like doing was lying on the couch and eating rubbish. As someone who should know better you would think that is enough motivation to get up and move?! By the end of the week I had successfully thought about going for a walk. Not even close to the recommended daily exercise guidelines.

Put your hand up if you have ever found yourself in this situation. This happens to people more than they would like to admit. So how did I get out of my rut?

I called on a trusty friend and booked in a time to catch up with a walk in the Dandenong Ranges (and managed to combine it with book club). It felt great! And now my energy and motivation has returned.

Although it may seem hard to get started or get back into exercise, it gets easier once you take the first step. You are not alone, there are many people who are in the same situation as you. If you are struggling here are eight tips to help you get your mojo back or to just get started:

Call a friend – its way more fun being active with a friend!
Take a step back and allow yourself to have some time off with the plan to start again
Enter an event to give you that little bit of extra motivation
Try something NEW! Getting out in the bush was just what I needed
Think about why you exercise, is it for your health? Blood pressure, cholesterol, injury? Does it make you feel good? Are you doing it because you enjoy it or because you feel you should? Make sure you are doing it for a reason you value.
Join a group or class
Set small goals to start and progress slowly. It will get easier.
If you are currently have or are returning from an injury or have a chronic condition or simply don’t know how to start, seek some advice from an exercise physiologist. They will be able to advise you how to safely start or return to exercise.

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23 and 1/2 hours: What is the best thing we can do for our health?

fitphysio-admin — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 04:32:33 +0000

This weekend when you have nothing to do and it is cold and rainy outside, watch this great video about how something so small can make such a HUGE difference to your health! In this day and age we tend to make things so complicated when really it can be as simple as you choose.

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I NEED AN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST AND SO DO YOU

fitphysio-admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 01:30:37 +0000

I need an Exercise Physiologist and so do you. I didn’t realise that my muscles had weakened as much as they had over the years. I accepted the fact that things would not be the same but it seemed to happen very quickly after the age of 50. The most difficult thing I was experiencing was the fast heart beat and discomfort associated with menopausal hot flushes.

I had read that exercise would help but I needed someone to decide what sort of exercise I should do. I have always been a walker but that didn’t help. After finding an Exercise Physiologist near my home and making an appointment, I kept changing the appointment for a variety of reasons. It took me a number of weeks before actually getting there. I’m not sure why I did that but I guess I wasn’t sure about what I was getting in to. I shouldn’t have put it off.

When I finally got there it was a very positive experience. With regular appointments and “at home” strength exercises she helped me to understand how much exercise my body needed, made me feel good about myself and reminded me that consistent exercise will improve my metabolism. It must have, because the symptoms associated with menopause were quickly forgotten. Flabby upper arms previously covered are now proudly exposed (no longer flabby) during the summer months.

A problem with my left knee has been an issue for a while. I did do the special exercises to strengthen the muscles around it occasionally but with recent encouragement to do them much more consistently – almost every day – there does not seem to be a problem anymore.

Due to a change in circumstance I now visit a different Exercise Physiologist every 3 months for reassessment and monitoring of my home exercises. Of course I don’t do as many repetitions or as often as suggested but it still works and I show improvement with most things whenever I go back. I don’t pay gym membership and can do my exercises whenever I feel like it. Every little bit I do, helps and it is the encouragement of the Exercise Physiologist that keeps me motivated to improve my strength and flexibility.

– Helen S

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