Over the past 30 years, obesity has more than doubled among preschoolers and more than tripled among children in elementary school. Overweight children have a 75% chance of becoming overweight adults. It comes as a surprise to some families that exercise is important for their family member with a disability. You can be disabled and healthy at the same time.A major problem for people with disabilities on the reservations is obesity. Being overweight often comes from not having enough exercise.
The same advice that applies to any exercise program relates to people with disabilities.
Set reasonable goals. If you have never exercised before, don’t start out thinking you are going to start walking ten miles a day. Even if you some how manage to walk those ten miles, you are going to be so sore that you will hate walking and not exercise again for six months. Maybe you want to start walking half a mile. Do that every day for a week. Increase it to three-quarters of a mile the next week.
Stretch. Increase your flexibility as well as your strength.
To benefit from exercise, you need to do it regularly. You are not going to exercise regularly unless you like it, or, at least, don’t hate it. If you try walking and it bores you to death, try biking, or try walking with a friend.
Exercise with your family. Walk with your child. Do sit-ups together. Go swimming at the casino.
Change your workout. You can walk some days and bike other days. Some days you might want to take a half-mile jog and other days a slow one mile walk.
Get exercise as part of your regular day. Do sit-ups during commercials. Go for a walk at lunch or on your coffee break.
Putting exercise in your child's daily routine