Andy D’Addario, LPC

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At Home Family Physical Fitness Ideas (during COVID-19 and beyond)

As many families continue to shelter in place together, they are finding it challenging to beat the stress and stay in shape. Exercising as a family is one-way families can accomplish both of these goals! And the good news is, there are plenty of ways families can exercise without the need of going to a public gym.

Make Fitness a Game

Take a pack of regular playing cards and turn them into fitness cards. Hearts stand for crunches, clubs push-ups, diamonds for squats, and spades for jumping jacks (or any other exercises you may want to substitute). Have each player take turns selecting a card and doing the activity. So for instance, if someone draws the five of hearts, they need to do 5 crunches.

Go for a Bike Ride

Strap on your helmets, hop on your bikes and take the kids for a nice bike ride around the neighborhood. You can also decide to bike to the library or to the park for a picnic. Just be sure to pick a route that is safe and isn’t too much effort for your child.

Have a Dance Party!

Decorate your living room with a disco ball or other fun string lights, turn on some good tunes, and have a dance party. You can even choose to record yourselves and share your dance party with others on Youtube.

Play Classic Outdoor Games

Chances are over the years your kids have begged you to play certain games like hide-and-seek or kickball. Now is the time to embrace these requests and head outside for some family fun. There is also tag, jump rope, dodgeball, and kick the can.

A Timed Scavenger Hunt

This game will get everyone moving to get some aerobic exercise. Take turns and split the family up into 2 teams. Team A will start by hiding objects around the house or yard. Then team B has 10 minutes to find them all. This means they’ve got to really RUN around looking for all of them. Then swap so Team B hides items and team A has to find them. The team that finds the most items wins and doesn’t have to do the dishes that week.

Go for a Family Walk

Walking is such a great form of exercise and an equally great way for families to connect. Try and build walking into your daily schedule. Maybe after dinner take everyone out for a walk around the neighborhood. If you have dogs, take them, too!

 

These are just a few ideas you can try with your own family. Get creative to come up with some ideas of your own. While Covid has definitely made our lives more stressful and challenging, the silver lining is that it has helped many of us reconnect with our families. Take this time to do the same and stay fit at the same time.

 

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How to Say “No” to Feeders

“What are you going to do, eat nothing but salads for the rest of your life?”

“You’ve got to eat more than that!”

“One slice isn’t going to kill you.”

People mean well, but many just don’t understand how unhelpful it is to try and get you to eat unhealthy foods when you are trying to eat well. These people are called “feeders” or “food pushers.” They can be your mom, your aunt, coworker, or best friend.

The problem with feeders is, even if they aren’t intentionally trying to sabotage your health journey, the pressure they put on you can cause you to cave and make poor food choices. After all, you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and, well… maybe they’re right. Maybe one slice of cake isn’t that big of a deal.

See how easily that happens?

So how do you say NO to feeders?

Be Honest

Tell your loved ones about your weight-loss goals and that you are 100% committed. Assure them that if and when you say NO to them, it is not to offend them. But you must be the one who is in control of what you eat, and they must respect that.

Stall

Even though you have asked everyone to leave you be, there will still be those stubborn people (we’re talking to you mothers) that think they know best. No matter what you say, they will not leave you alone. So how do you deal with them?

Well, you use some strategic stall tactics. As an example, when dessert starts coming out of the kitchen, you simply say you are stuffed right now, maybe later. If they still won’t let up, say you’ll take your dessert home, then give it to someone else.

Practice Being Assertive

Sadly, there may be those people in your circle of friends or family that really ARE trying to sabotage your weight-loss efforts. It may be they are threatened by you losing weight because of their own weight issues.

You are going to have to practice being assertive, which is not the same thing as being aggressive. Get into the habit of saying no and MEANING it. The good news is, the more you say it, the easier it gets!

Losing weight is often challenging. But sometimes we don’t recognize where the biggest challenges will come from. If you find yourself surrounded by feeders, use these tips to manage as best you can.

 

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Heat VS Ice: When to Use One Over the Other

Injuries happen. There are those injuries that are severe enough we instantly know a trip to the ER is necessary. And then there are those times we twist an ankle or knee and a trip to the ER doesn’t seem necessary, and so we decide to treat the injury ourselves.

Usually, after an injury, a person, or their loved one, goes to the freezer to get ice to put on the affected site. But is this ALWAYS the way an injury should be treated?

No. The truth is, there is a time and place for icing an injury. But there is also a time and a place for using heat on an injury. And it’s important to know when to use what to ensure you can recover fully and as quickly as possible.
Let’s take a look at when to use ice and when to use heat.

Icing an Injury

Ice treatments should be used in the case of an acute – or sudden – injury. When you twist that ankle, it is going to begin to swell. This is because the body uses acute inflammation to heal the wound. While inflammation is important for the healing process if left unchecked, an acute injury can be incredibly painful and lead to disability.

It is usually recommended that within the first 48 hours of sustaining an injury, you ice the area to reduce swelling, pain, and alleviate muscle spasms. It should be noted that ice can also be beneficial in treating chronic conditions such as tendinitis and bursitis. “Itis” on the end of a word signifies inflammation, and so ice can work to decrease inflammation with these conditions as well.

To ice an injury safely, never place ice or ice packs directly on the skin. Always use a cloth barrier such as a thin towel or T-shirt. Don’t hold the ice in one area for too long, but move it around the area every few minutes to avoid frostbite. And finally, never ice an injury for more than 15 minutes. Ice, then leave it alone for an hour or so, then ice again, and repeat like that throughout the first 48 hours.

Heat Treatment

Heat is typically used to treat a chronic condition such as muscle strain. The heat helps to relax soft tissues and stimulate blood flow to the area. In general, heat should be used for what is called an “overuse” injury, not an acute one. When you overuse your back or shoulders or neck, you are left with tight, strained muscles.

To use heat safely to treat muscle pain, you may use a heated towel or electric heating pad, or one of those microwaveable bags filled with rice. Be careful not to overheat the item, moderate heat works best. And do not use heat for extended periods of time. 15-20 minutes will work wonders.

When Is It Time to See a Chiropractor for Your Injury?

There are those times when a twisted ankle or a strained back takes a long time to heal. If you have suffered either an acute injury or have a chronic injury from overuse, then it is time to see a chiropractor. A chiropractor will evaluate your injury and determine what the underlying reason may be that the injury just isn’t healing. Ongoing treatments will help to not only heal the injury but reduce painful symptoms.

If you are currently suffering from an injury and would like some relief, please call or stop by our office for a free evaluation.

 

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How Counseling Can Help You Reach Your Goals in the New Year

If you struggle to set goals, let alone reach them, you are definitely not alone. In fact, it is thought that roughly 92% of the population has found it hard to stick to goals. This constant cycle of trying to set beneficial life or health goals, but never quite reaching them, can ultimately lead to depression.

That’s because reaching goals is empowering and helps us feel we are in charge of our life. When we don’t reach goals, we feel powerless and even hopeless that our lives can change for the better!

How Counseling Can Help

Just as you must follow a recipe to the proverbial “T” to end up with something edible, there is a formula that must be followed to the “T” to set reachable goals. This formula is often used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help individuals set and reach goals that will help them change behaviors and better their lives.

Goal setting has actually been shown to be a useful tool for those suffering from depression according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. The study found that individuals suffering from depression had more trouble setting goals and were far less likely to believe they could reach them.

The study found that those who were depressed had more difficulties setting goals and they were also less likely to believe they would achieve those goals. The participants also tended to set avoidance goals rather than approach goals.

An avoidance goal is one you set to avoid a negative outcome. “I want to lose weight so I don’t develop type 2 diabetes.” An approach goal, on the other hand, is one that you set to ensure a positive outcome. “I want to lose weight to have more energy!”

The study shows that counseling can help people with depression set and achieve realistic and achievable goals as well as help them stay on track mentally in pursuit of that goal.

The goal-setting formula used by most CBT therapists is as follows:

  • Identify your goal.
  • Choose a starting point.
  • Identify the steps required to achieve the goal.
  • Take that first step and get started.

A therapist can help you with each one of these steps. From ensuring you select realistic goals that are approach goals, to helping you identify where you are in relation to your goal, breaking down the goal into smaller, actionable steps, and helping you take that very first one, a counselor or coach will be in your corner, helping you every step of the way.

Make 2021 the year you reach those goals that will help you live your best life. If you’d like some help getting there, please get in touch with me. I’d be more than happy to discuss how I may be able to help.

 

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Wayland, MI 49348

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