Imagine this scenario: Like many Americans, you decided to set a New Year’s resolution to get in shape. You pushed through January and February, not letting your momentum slow you down while everyone else was giving up. You brought your lunch to work, adjusted your diet, visited the gym regularly, and even shoveled your driveway when the snow piled up. April arrives, and you’re still going strong. With the warmer weather, you’re even getting out more, and then, it happens. You experience a car wreck and immediately worry that you will lose all progress and momentum toward your health goals. What do you do next? The good news is that you don’t have to let an injury completely derail your momentum. Now, it will depend on the severity of the accident. There may be some serious instances where people are really unable to move much, but for most injuries, you can find ways to maintain your progress. However, you need to be safe about it to ensure that you don’t injure yourself further. The best thing you can do in this situation is talk with your doctor about your options. While you might not be able to continue the same workout routine and may even need to make some lifestyle changes, there may still be some opportunities for movement. You can even request a referral to a physical therapist who can create an entire exercise plan for you that helps you maintain momentum without risking further injury. When I hurt my tailbone this past year, I kept up my progress by doing less intense exercises. There were no weights involved, and I couldn’t lie on my tailbone, but as I saw improvement in my recovery, we started to add more weight. Although my gains backslid slightly, my motivation remained strong, and I could continue working toward my goals. Injuries do not have to completely derail your life and all of the efforts you’ve made to improve yourself and your health. While you shouldn’t dive right back into your normal exercise routine, you should consult your doctor and speak with a physical therapist to determine what you can and cannot do during your recovery. FITNESS AFTER AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY Don’t Lose the Momentum
Have a Laugh!
A light but satisfying soup with tender
Ingredients • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 5 small carrots, thinly sliced • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 1/4 tsp salt chicken, wilted spinach, and umami-rich miso.
• 9 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth • 4 cups cooked shredded chicken • 12 oz fresh baby spinach • 3 tbsp white miso • 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
Directions 1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil. 2. Add carrots and onion and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Stir in garlic and salt and cook 1 minute. 4. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. 5. Stir in chicken; cook 2 minutes. 6. Add spinach in batches, stirring until wilted. Remove pot from heat. 7. In a small bowl, stir 1/4 cup hot broth into miso until dissolved, then return mixture to pot. 8. Divide soup into bowls and top with scallions.
Inspired by EatingWell.com
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