Tip #1: We start moving again
Before embarking on the practice of physical activity, you can already start by changing your bad habits: you get off at the bus (or metro) stop one station earlier, you avoid elevators and escalators for one or two floors, you choose to go buy your bread, your magazine or your fruits and vegetables on foot, etc. If you work sitting down, you get up to walk for 2 minutes every hour (if necessary, you put an alarm on your phone), go to the photocopier, the toilet, the parking lot, see a colleague… .
>> At home, keep moving, you will not be more tired, on the contrary! Everything counts, including unloading the 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, travel, 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 makes it possible to share the activity with others, to exchange, to support each other… in a good mood. It is often an additional motivation and the opportunity to develop new links with positive repercussions.
Tip #3: go to the doctor’s office
Before starting a physical activity, alone or in a club, consult your doctor who will ensure that you have no contraindications to the practice of the sport you have chosen. Moreover, since September 1, 2017, a medical certificate attesting to the absence of contraindications to the practice of sport (CACI) is mandatory every three years. For high-risk sports (mountaineering, motor 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: there is no question of scheduling 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 . Can be used once or twice a week activities that build muscle, soften the joints or seek balance.
>> The use of connected objects (bracelet, watch, movement sensor) and health sports apps, will allow you to automatically record your daily physical activity and monitor your progress over time, thanks to the applications that can be consulted on your computer or smartphone. Nothing like it to support his motivation!
Tip #5: have fun
Some prefer “gentle” activities such as tai-chi, yoga or Pilates, others are more attracted to running, golf, swimming, rowing, table tennis… few imported. If you are in good health, all these sports are equal and what matters most is the pleasure 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 physical activity outside the home, children and domestic constraints, strengthens the foundations of their love.
>> The goal is not to suffer, so as soon as pain appears, we stop and, if it persists for the following days, we consult. Physical activity must above all 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 oxygenate your brain even more. and be more receptive to everything around us.
I would love to get back to it, but…
I have poor blood circulation. No worries, 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 less heavy and less swollen, all your organs are better oxygenated.
- What sports? All forms of walking, aquagym, cycling, zumba… stimulate the arch of the foot and the calf which help to propel the blood to the top of the body and therefore lighten your legs.
I have pain in my back. With the exception of some sciatica, back pain generally requires no 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 make it possible, under the watchful eye of a teacher, to build up muscles gently and to untie the muscular contractions linked to stress and often responsible for neck or neck pain. lumbar. All activities in the water (swimming, aquabike, aquagym) also help to limit the pressure exerted on the intervertebral discs (especially in the lower back), since water reduces the effects of gravity and dampens movement.
I sleep badly and I’m tired. A sports session 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 sleep time increases, and in particular the slow-wave sleep phases which allow the most complete recovery. In addition, sport regulates anxiety, often a source of insomnia. You feel better when you wake up and throughout the day.
- What sports? Running, cardio training or rowing before 3 p.m. and yoga or aquapilates after your day’s work will allow you to slip slowly into the arms of Morpheus, when the time comes.
The right 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 out your sports sessions by 24 to 48 hours, to allow your body to recover.
- Don’t forget that a balanced diet and sufficient hydration also help you regain strength after exercise.
- Never go over your limits and have a mobile phone with you to call for help if needed.
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- Health of seniors: the 15 keys to longevity
