06
Make Your Move
Moving through Daily Life
Let ’ s be real . The activities of our lives and the areas in which we live may not encourage exercise . Desk jobs keep us sitting all day . TVs stream shows , one after another , without pause . Bike lanes may be few and far between . Online , rather than in-person , shopping is the norm . It ’ s no wonder it can be tough to build movement into your day and make exercise a habit .
“ Everyone knows you need to exercise . So there can be a stigma if you don ’ t . I ’ m still looking to come into exercise at the level I need to . I know the powers of exercise . I ’ ve seen it in other people . But I ’ ve yet to experience it myself . I ’ ve never gotten a ‘ high ’ from exercise . I ’ ve never been a big exercise person . We ’ ve been frenemies for a long time .”
But that doesn ’ t mean you can ’ t . There is a lot you can do , whatever your relationship with or approach to exercise . The first steps are figuring out what keeps you from moving more and learning all the ways you can exercise .
As you begin , let go of any guilt you may feel for not exercising as much as you know or think you should . Congratulate and be kind to yourself as you move forward . And set reasonable expectations for what you want to achieve in the weeks , months and years ahead . Any positive change is a good one and every step , however small , makes a difference .
Larry Gifford
Living with PD , Larry Gifford looks at all aspects of the disease , including exercise , through a podcast he hosts with his wife Rebecca , “ When Life Gives You Parkinson ’ s .”