Fitness and Wellness: RWJUH Provides Tips on Getting Started, Keeping on Track

Editor's note: The following feature is courtesy of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

By Zenaida Mendez

Roshonda Randall is tired of climbing stairs and feeling short of breath after a few flights, nor does she like feeling as though she can’t quite keep up with her eight-year-old son, at least not the way she used to.

The mother of three isn’t overweight, has no desire to slim down significantly (other than to shed some leftover baby weight) and generally watches what she eats, but over the holiday season she reached a tipping point. She couldn’t keep up as well with friends and family during their annual dance off. Afraid of becoming the person who just sits on the sidelines, Randall, who is in her 30s, decided it’s time to start exercising.

“A lot of people, including myself, don’t see that exercise is important, especially if you’re not trying to lose weight,” Randall says. “I thought ‘I’m thin. Who needs the gym?’ instead of looking at exercise as important for my cardiovascular and overall health.”

The biggest and most common obstacle to establishing or maintaining a fitness routine and making dietary changes is typically motivation, says Family and Sports Medicine Physician Kinshasa Morton, M.D., Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

“Patients often have clear reasons to improve their amount of exercise or their diet,” Morton says, “but they may be discouraged because past efforts failed or they’re just not sure how to develop goals and stay on track.”

The benefits that individuals can reap – such as reducing or eliminating the need for medication(s), more energy and improved appearance – are worth finding that driving force and making the effort, Morton says. To start, identify motivation and establish clear, attainable goals, he suggests.

“For a patient who is somewhat hypertensive (has high blood pressure) and doesn’t want to be on medication, our goal could be for him to lose five to 10 pounds over the next two to three months,” Morton offers as an example. “Even a modest amount of weight loss can improve blood pressure, and this might even be enough to reduce or eliminate the need for blood pressure medication. To no longer need medication can be your motivation, and there are ways to accomplish that if the individual does the work.”

Feeling fatigued like Randall? A desire to have more energy can be your motivator to exercise, Morton says. “It seems they are two conflicting things – you’re so tired that you don’t want to exert yourself – but exercise will typically boost energy,” he says. Exercise also can help those experiencing a variety of other medical conditions such as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis or diabetes.

For those among whom there is an increased prevalence of hypertension, glucose intolerance and diabetes, particularly African Americans, Morton emphasizes that regular exercise and an improved diet are especially important. “We have to be extra vigilant in recognizing the risks and instituting measures to prevent and, once diagnosed, to control those conditions,” Morton says. “Take action: establish exercise habits; make sure you have a well-balanced diet that’s low in saturated fats, sugar and sodium (salt) and eat healthy snacks between meals so you stay satiated and don’t overeat.”

RWJ Assistant Director for Patient Service (Food & Nutrition) Jill Hanscom, M.P.A., R.D., says it’s also key to watch the quantity of fats and which foods the fat is coming from. “In general, keep away from fried or processed foods, which can contain a lot of sodium or hydrogenated fats, and try to avoid foods with a lot of simple sugar, such as desserts or packaged snacks,” she suggests. “The key is to eat healthy, meaning consume a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.”

To make healthier meal choices, Hanscom suggests making a list of groceries or meal ideas to pursue each week. “Plan breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks,” she explains, “and when you’re in the supermarket, read the labels. Limit products where the first ingredients on the label include sodium or sodium chloride (salt) or sugar.”

For help or guidance, rely on your physician as a resource, Morton says. “I will see a patient more regularly and ask that person to show and tell me what he or she has been doing to improve their diet and talk about their exercise routine because being invested in my patients’ success tends to result in more successful outcomes,” he adds. “That accountability is another small motivator.”

Change will not be easy initially, but stick to it for a few weeks, form new habits and anyone can be successful, he adds.

Randall is proof. She joined the Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Fitness & Wellness Center in New Brunswick in January, a convenient location that she can easily access at the end of her day shift. Her goals are to hit the gym three times each week and get in 20 minutes on the elliptical and 35 to 40 minutes of weight training each visit. In less than two months, she has lost seven pounds and, most importantly, feels more energized.

“I am having so much fun! I’m building stamina. I look more toned. Now I look forward to working out,” she says. “If you’re like me and have never joined a gym or exercised regularly, try it. It’s much better than the alternative. Who wants to feel tired all the time?”