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Health
��f you quit exercising during
the pandemic and are staring
at your swimsuit, then
you might want to think about
resuming—or starting—an exercise
routine. Like returning
to daily life, however, going
back to working out--no matter
how fit you were—should happen
slowly, says Asad Siddiqi,
DO, sports medicine physician
at NewYork-Presbyterian
Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
and Assistant Professor of
Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine
at Weill Cornell Medicine.
“As we emerge from the past
year, recognize that you may
not be the same person you
were physically, mentally, or
spiritually,” Dr. Siddiqi says.
“Be kind to yourself.”
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If you were a regular exerciser
before the pandemic, you
might be surprised—and disheartened—
at how easy it is to
fall out of shape. Fortunately,
you can reclaim your fit self. But
diving headfirst into your prepandemic
routine puts you at
risk for overuse or overtraining
injuries that may prevent you
from getting back into shape.
BREAKTHROUGHS IN EYE HEALTH! Professor of Ophthalmology NYU
COURIER L 18 IFE, JULY 16-22, 2021
“The biggest mistake we are
seeing is in people expecting to
pick up where they left without
ramping up,” Dr. Siddiqi says.
“To think that you’re going get
back there in a few days of even
weeks is to set yourself up for
failure and disappointment,”
he says. “People who make a
gradual return to physical activity
are the ones who seem to
get there quicker.”
For a faster and safer payoff,
return to exercise slowly. “Try
to avoid comparing yourself
to where you were when you
stopped exercising. Instead, establish
a new baseline and use
that as your benchmark,” he
says. And, he adds, “Be grateful
for the opportunity to be
physically active again and be
proud of the gains you make
day to day.”
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The physical and psychological
benefits of regular aerobic
exercise are well known. In addition
to preventing and managing
heart and pulmonary
disease, diabetes, cancer, blood
pressure, weight, depression,
and other conditions, it fosters
social engagement, which people
need now more than ever.
Aerobic exercise is any activity
that elevates your heartbeat
above its resting rate. For
most adults, at least 150 minutes
of moderate intensity aerobic
activity, or 75 minutes of high
intensity aerobic activity per
week is recommended. Dr. Siddiqi
notes that these are only
guidelines; “Ideally, you should
have a medically informed conversation
with a health and exercise
professional who can personalize
an exercise program
according to your medical and
injury history.”
Running, bicycling, and
swimming, typical high intensity
activities, can be done moderately.
“Moderate intensity exercise
is any activity performed
at an intensity where you can
comfortably hold a conversation
but might have some difficulty
singing a song,” he says.
But aerobic activity is only
part of a comprehensive fitness
regimen. “Resistance, flexibility,
balance, and functional
movement training all play important
roles in maintaining
good health, independence, and
a high quality of life, especially
as we grow older,” he says. Tai
chi, for example, is great for
helping elderly individuals preserve
balance and avoid potentially
devastating falls.”
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Starting an exercise regimen,
especially if you haven’t
previously been physically
active, can be overwhelming.
Dr. Siddiqi suggests ‘mentally
priming’ yourself by
dedicating time each day to do
something physically active,
whether it’s walking, joining
a group exercise class, doing
calisthenics or chair squats at
home. “By scheduling time in
your day, you signal to yourself
that this is an important
undertaking that is worthy of
your time and effort.”
Next, think about the kind
of the exercise you want to do
and its setting. You might prefer
the privacy of your home,
or a class so you can benefit the
motivation of peers or coaches.
“Find what works for you and
maximize it.”
Finally, set a clearly defined
exercise goal. “These
goals should be meaningful
to you, and do not need to be
related to weight, physical appearance,
or clothing size,” Dr.
Siddiqi says. “If those are the
things that motivate you, those
are fine goals to have, but other
types of participation goals
like achieving a specific number
of minutes or doing a specific
number of repetitions are
just as valid. Know what motivates
you, and make sure your
goals reflect that motivation.”
To make an appointment with
Dr. Siddiqi or to learn more about
the sports medicine at NewYork-
Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist
Hospital, please call 718-246-8700.
This article originally appeared
on weillcornell.org
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