Above all, focus on fun to help keep patients engaged in their activities. Social support introduces the element of accountability into exercise patterns. Going public with the commitment to exercise is important. Patients should be urged to tell people who care about them about the exercise plan so that they can routinely ask their loved ones about their progress. Linking exercise to measurable health parameters can help patients maintain their exercise resolve.
Physicians can help patients link physical improvements to exercise.
Keeping an exercise log is useful if it helps patients to monitor how they feel and allows them to track and observe improvements in their pulse and blood pressure. It's helpful for physicians to adjust how they view patient relapse into sedentary patterns. Relapse to old habits is so common that it can be expected and presents an ideal opportunity to learn what worked, what didn't, and what life events broke the pattern. Usually, something in the patient's life, such as work or family, becomes a greater priority. Illness is a notorious reason for relapse.