GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Even though spring has officially sprung, many of us may still be having a tough time getting motivated to exercise after a long winter.
Dr. Amy Romandine Kratz, a primary care sports medicine physician for Prevea, says if you haven’t exercised in a while, take it easy at first.
“Start slow, maybe 15-20 minutes at a time. Start with low weights and then slowly work your way up based on your fitness level. That’s going to be different for everybody.”
Other suggestions to get you excited about your fitness path, may include downloading some helpful apps on your phone, like MyFitnessPal or getting an exercise partner.
“You can motivate each other. It’s also a lot harder to cancel on someone else, if someone’s expecting you to be at the gym,” said Romandine Kratz.
If you struggle with arthritis or low back pain, exercises like swimming or biking might be the best fit.
And what about the recent study that says a glass of red wine is equivalent to an hour at the gym. Dr. Romandine Kratz say although wine isn’t all bad, not all the numbers add up.
“What that study was looking at is resveratrol. It’s a substance that found actually in the skin of grapes and other dark fruits and berries. When you look at some animal studies they actually showed that when the animals were exercised, plus using the resveratrol, they had some benefits on muscle health, heart health, blood vessel health,” says Romandine Kratz. However, “A 5 ounce serving of red wine is 125 calories. You’ve got to spend a lot of time at the gym or doing some really strenuous exercise to burn that.”
If you’d like more tips on improving your exercise routine, go to www.preveahealth.com.
