Most people try to start off their New Year with at least one resolution to improve their lifestyle: start working out more, stop smoking, eat healthier. As good as these intentions are, diving right into a New Year’s resolution can easily lead to injuries and even leave you in worse shape than when you started.
New Year’s Resolutions Can Cause Injuries!
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to start fresh and make some changes regarding your health. However, when it comes to setting resolutions, it’s easy for someone to get a bit carried away. Some of the most popular resolutions that can lead to injuries include:
- losing a set amount of weight
- exercising every day
- starting a new strict diet
- starting a new gym membership
Resolution-makers who jump into these health goals most often suffer overuse injuries such as joint inflammation, sprains, and stress fractures. They can also make themselves sick from too much ‘healthy’ food all at the same time, or starting crazy fad diets that are actually harmful to your body.
Make Smart Health Resolutions
While there’s nothing wrong with someone wanting to improve their health, the biggest mistake people make with their New Year’s resolutions is starting too fast. Going from 0 to 50 when it comes to diet and exercise can put a lot of harmful stress on your body. Setting up a proper health plan takes time and patience, and the majority of resolution-makers fail at their attempts simply because they tried to do too much far too quickly.
To guide you towards safely improving your health in the New Year, try following these tips for making smarter health resolutions that will help you avoid starting off 2019 in a doctor’s office.
Don’t Overdo It
If you’re planning to start a workout program as your New Year’s resolution, start slow. Even if you have exercised heavily in the past, a long absence in physical activity causes your body to go through a number of changes that can be difficult for you to start where you left off.
Bellefleur Physiotherapy suggests starting off with shorter workout sessions in the beginning. Building up to longer sessions will allow your body to get used to the extra stress and to build the endurance needed to get you to the next level. When it comes to weight lifting, never start off with the heaviest set. Not only could you strain your muscles and joints, dropping weights is easy to do when your body is not strong enough to safely put them down.
Skip The Diet Plans
Some of the popular diet fads and cleanses not only don’t help you lose weight, they can actually make your body feel worse! If a diet claims to help you lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time, chances are it’s probably unhealthy.
Mayo Clinic advises anyone looking to change their diet to start slow and skip the crazy diets. Drinking lots of water, cutting down on munching, adding more healthy food choices to your diet every week, and eating a variety of fruits and vegetable are all excellent steps to take on your way to a new healthier lifestyle.
For more on diets to avoid, check out the 10 Worst Diets of 2018 rated by the U.S. News and World Report.
Consider A Personal Trainer
In 2012, over 450,000 people reported injuries from exercise and exercise equipment- and mostly because they didn’t know what they were doing! If you have never worked out before or are just not sure how to get to where you want to be physically, a personal trainer might be a safer option than jumping on random pieces of equipment at the gym. Personal trainers can evaluate your current fitness level and abilities to suggest exercises that are safe and beneficial. They can also help you avoid equipment injuries by teaching you how to use them correctly and safely for your body type and goals.
Consult A Doctor
When starting any new diet or workout program, it’s always best to consult a doctor first. Individuals with heart disease or other pre-existing health conditions can put themselves in serious danger by starting a workout schedule their body is not prepared for. Talking to your doctor about your health goals and staying up to date with your physicals can immensely decrease your risks of exercise-induced injuries and illnesses.
Start The Year Off Strong!
Don’t risk your health just to lose a few pounds. Start your New Year off strong by making smart and healthy resolutions when it comes to diet and exercise.
If you or loved has been injured in an accident, Jacobs & Wallace is here to fight back for you. Contact our expert team of personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation.
