Let's Get Healthy

By The Team at Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy

Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy

More Weight Control, Nutrition & Exercise Articles

Let's Get Healthy

We all say that we want to lose weight. What we should be saying is that we need and want to get healthy. Getting healthy often results in losing weight, but it will give you the tools to keep weight off and find your highest level of personal wellness. To reach your personal wellness goals you will need to find the right balance between exercise and nutrition that fit into your daily life.

Exercise is one of the key elements for getting healthy. In order to exercise you have to be able to move. If you have pain when you move, you are not going to want to exercise. However, if you can move and exercise pain free, you are more likely to stick with your exercise goals.

Usually pain is an indicator that there is something not right. It could be that you have a new injury, are irritating an old injury or that your body has other issues that need to be addressed by a licensed health care provider. Physical therapists and certified athletic trainers are licensed health care providers.

Physical therapists have a minimum of a master's degree or doctorate and are able to diagnose and treat your condition. This means they can do an evaluation and help you find ways to move pain free or at least with less pain. If your condition requires treatment that cannot be offered in a physical therapy office, such as injections, medications, or possibly surgery your physical therapist will happily refer you to a doctor.

Certified athletic trainers will be able to evaluate the way you move using a functional movement screen. By utilizing this system, they are able to find your areas of weakness that often cause your pain, and create an exercise program that will strengthen your body.

Nutrition is another key element to getting healthy. Nutrition is not code for dieting or giving up the foods you love. It is making better choices and understanding how those choices will fit into your daily life. It's important to focus on eating real whole food and not eliminating any one food group to help manage your weight.

A registered dietitian will not say “count calories” or “limit grams of fat,” but instead will lead and support you in developing a healthy relationship with real, whole foods. A healthy lifestyle should not leave you feeling hungry. It should help you feel energized and satisfied.

Success comes one step at a time. Do not be afraid to take the first step.