This four-week program is designed to help individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) navigate physical activity, nutrition, and overall well-being. The goal is to guide you in becoming more active and with a mindset to continue practicing healthy behaviors.
Before getting started, please click and review this short questionnaire that will guide you to which physical activity videos are recommended for you.
Week 1
Welcome to Week 1 to NCHPAD’s Plan to a Healthier YOU!
We are excited that you have decided to take this journey with us! If you are new to your injury or new to exercise, you have come to the right place to get started on the path to a healthier you. Your health is an important aspect of your life which plays a role in literally everything you do. Maintaining your health may help control your secondary health conditions like diabetes and heart disease, or it can even control your independence. Did you know that individuals with a disability are three times more likely to develop a secondary health condition than those without a disability? And most of the time, these secondary conditions can be avoided by placing a little emphasis on your health.
Lessons Learned
This four-week program is designed to help you navigate physical activity, nutrition and your overall well-being by breaking down the barriers and myths you might face along your journey. The goal is to guide you in becoming more active and with a mindset to continue practicing healthy behaviors.
Roadblocks & Challenges
The health decisions you make could have a big impact on your life. Gaining a few pounds for some might mean buying a larger pair of jeans; for others, it could mean a loss of independent transfers, mobility limitations, an increase in medication expenses and more. This program will guide you to healthy decisions so that you can be the best version of yourself!
What to Expect
Each week of the program includes valuable tools to help you lead a healthy, active lifestyle. It will include healthy recipes, nutritional information and physical activity guidelines as well as sample workout routines for you to try at home. We hope you find all that you need throughout this four- week program, but please contact us at NCHPAD if you need additional information and assistance. I hope you are as excited as we are to start. Let’s begin!
Week 1 Resources (click the levels to view videos)
Nutrition: Diet & Multiple Sclerosis
Recipe: Salmon Cakes with Tzatziki Sauce
Mind/body: Disability, Physical Activity, & Mental Health
Ned to know: Choosing a Fitness Center
Ned to know: MS and Exercise: The Importance of Staying Active
Our goal is that these four weeks will help you toward achieving the minimum recommendation for 150 minutes of physical activity.
With this long-term goal in mind, it is important to remember that each of you will progress differently based on your current activity levels and which stage of change you are starting.
Throughout the four weeks, we will provide various options to obtain aerobic exercise and suggestions on how to progress.
Listen to your body and refer to additional NCHPAD resources to understand if what you feel is appropriate for you.
Week 2
Welcome to Week 2 of NCHPAD’s Plan to a Healthier YOU!
Welcome to Week 2! Are you feeling better than you have in a while? Exercise can play a big role in how you feel, and we hope you are starting to reap some of those benefits. This week, you will learn about several other benefits you can gain from exercise.
Progress
It can be challenging to stick with a program, but remember you have one motivating factor others might not: your independence. Exercise can help you transfer independently and push your own wheelchair. Unfortunately, not all activity is created equal. This week, you will learn about exercise intensity to make sure you are getting the most out of your routine.
Lessons Learned this Week
This week, we have added several resources to help you be successful on this journey. Goal setting is key to helping you stay on track!
Exercise Routine
This week as you begin to move more, we want to tell you about the other great benefits of exercise!
Week 2 Resources (click the levels to view videos)
Nutrition: Water Wednesday
Recipe: Kale Salad
Need to know: Intro to Exercise Episode 2: Goal Setting
Need to know: Exercise is Important at Any Age
Remember, the goal of this 4-week program is to help you move toward achieving the minimum recommendations for physical activity.
Try to go for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity aerobic activity performed each week. You can even break that up into episodes of 10 minutes spread throughout the week.
Week 3
Welcome to Week 3 of NCHPAD’s Plan to a Healthier YOU!
Welcome back! How are you feeling on this new journey? Take a minute to stop and think about how your body has been responding. Are you sleeping better? Do you feel like you have more energy throughout the day? These are just some of the benefits of a healthier you. Have you been able to hit the recommended 150 minutes of aerobic activity in a week? If not, maybe this is the week you will do it.
Lessons Learned
This week’s new resources are for you to continue advancing to a healthier you. You will continue with your exercise video level recommended for you. For nutrition, we will discuss what a healthy heart plate is and focus on mindful eating. Be sure to check out our fun videos this week for further resources.
Safety Tips
Now that you are starting to exercise on a regular basis, here are some general safety tips to being active:
- Stop exercising if you experience pain, nausea, dizziness, light-headedness, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath or clammy hands.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Wear appropriate clothing – typically something that moves easily.
- Make sure your blood pressure and blood sugar levels are within appropriate limits before beginning.
Week 3 Resources (click the levels to view videos)
Nutrition: Healthy Eating for a Strong Heart Beating
Nutrition: The Deliciously Balanced Plate
Mind/Body: Mindful vs. Mindless Eating
Mind/Body: Mindful Eating with Mr. Chip
Recipe: Healthy Tex-Mex
Nutrition: CookingwithConfidence
Remember, it is common to take a step backwards occasionally. The goal is to realize what took place to make you take that step back and to find creative ways around those barriers so that it doesn’t happen again.
For example, maybe one of your goals was to lose weight and you were cautious of the types and amounts of food you consumed. Then a birthday celebration or a holiday came around and you slipped into your old eating habits.
As long as you acknowledge the slip and create a plan to minimize mistakes, you should be well on your way to accomplishing your goal.
Now is also a good time to adjust any of your goals if you noticed you have made any of them too difficult or too easy. Regardless, be sure your goals are right for you!
Week 4
Welcome to Week 4 of NCHPAD’s Plan to a Healthier YOU!
Congratulations, you did it! You made it to the 4th and final week of the program. While the program is ending, we hope this is only the beginning of your health journey. We hope you have found ways to overcome the barriers and are now equipped with some tips and tricks to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.
Lessons Learned
The prepared lessons this week will give you tips on choosing better food substitutions and tips on how to keep up your healthy lifestyle. We have also included a fun guide on how to stay active at your desk!
Principle of Progression
The Principle of Progression states that in order to continue to see improvements, you must continue to overload the body effectively. But you must do so without working the body too much to cause injury. To make sure you are progressing effectively, follow the 10% rule: increase your frequency, intensity OR duration by no more than 10% each week.
Week 4 Resources (click the levels to view videos)
Nutrition: Easy Swaps for a Healthier Diet
Nutrition: Snack Meals
Recipe: Spicy Veggie Tacos
Need to know: Explore Adapted Kitchen Tools & Utensils
Don’t think of this as the end; think of this as the beginning to a new healthier you! One that is active, confident and doing your part to decrease the risk of developing secondary health conditions.
This doesn’t have to be the end of NCHPAD either. Did you know that we have a whole website full of information to keep you on the right track? If you have enjoyed the videos in this 4-week program, you can find hundreds more on our YouTube Channel.
This is a great time to re-evaluate your goals and consider setting new goals that match your current fitness level.
You now have all the tools you need to be active and healthy. If along the way you hit another roadblock to health, reach out to one of our expert information specialists to help you figure out some strategies to overcome that barrier.
Take Care and Be Well!