Get Motivated

There’s no one way to get in shape. So it pays to focus on activities that you enjoy.

“We tell the trainers to ask the expert. The expert is the person with the disability who has lived with the disability their entire life,” Rauworth says. “They know what they don’t like. Don’t ignore that. If they don’t like to get on a treadmill or they don’t like to get on a bike, then try to find another activity, maybe a group activity or something with a social component to encourage them to participate.”

Praise and incentives are also essential components to success, particularly for people with developmental disabilities.

Do It For You

Ultimately, physical activity is about more than health; it’s about independence and learning to make good choices, Rauworth says.

“If all the control is from the caregivers, then the person with the disability really has no buy-in,” Rauworth says. “They should feel empowered about their health promotion program and they should have a say in what it is that they want to be doing.”

So whether you’re making the gym an everyday part of your life or simply walking around during a commercial break, the important thing is that you do it for yourself.

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