(5/2020) Last month I gave several tips that you can do in your house to keep a healthy exercise program not knowing at the time I wrote the article that we would all be confined to our homes. I realize that many people prefer to exercise at the gym or with friends but in this unusual time which we find ourselves it is even more important to keep up our exercise program. Maybe you have been thinking of starting to exercise and now would be a good time to get started. Many of us are not working or working from home and find that we have extra time on our hands. Check out the apps, you tube channels, and whatever else is available to find the exercise that interests you.

Exercise is not only for our physical well being, it is also helpful in keeping our mood and emotions in a healthy place. I see how many neighborhoods and families have found ways to exercise in their house, yards and even on their street while still keeping a safe distance to protect themselves. This time of social distancing has also brought people closer together in mind and soul even though we keep our physical distance.

Doctors have long been prescribing exercise to help with mental and emotional diagnosis. Depression is just as debilitating as heart disease, high blood pressure or any other physical aliment. Exercise raises endorphins which lift your mood. When we are not feeling well physically or emotionally we can find ourselves sitting more, closing ourselves away from family and friends and feeling lost. Exercise can be as easy as going for a walk, playing with your children or any other activity that gets you moving. Starting out slowly and building up to more time or more movement is usually the goal. The important thing is to start. Checking with your doctor is always important and with the current situation of isolation, a call to the doctor would be a good way to get the doctors opinion of what you can do.

I know I miss working with my clients and have been checking in on them to see if they are doing something to keep moving. Many of them are walking as well as doing some of the exercises we did together. I'm proud of them for realizing how important it is to keep a routine. They will be in good shape when this situation is all over and we can get back to working together. They also know I will keep after them, so they want to be able to tell me they are doing their exercises.

I hope this time of isolation ends soon, but in the mean time take care of yourself and your family. Find new activities to keep you moving and bring you closer as a family.

Remember to keep moving! Especially now.