Let's Move! Journals Keep Patients on Track

Hopefully, your patients are hearing more about physical activity's role in disease prevention. Family medicine clinics have both an opportunity and an obligation to help patients get up and move more.

Many of your patients may be overwhelmed by the recommendations in the
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which recommend an hour a day of physical activity each day for children and up to five hours a week for adults. Remind your patients that any activity is better than none. Help them set realistic goals and track their activity level over time. Some beginning goals might be as basic as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking for 5-10 minutes after dinner each night. Help patients select activities they are likely to stick with.

The AIM-HI Food & Activity Journal is a practical tool patients can use to record their activity on a daily basis. Have patients bring their journals to their visits, and help them celebrate small successes. Emphasize that the purpose of the journals is awareness, not judgment. Reinforce that using a journal is a proven tool for changing behavior and successfully losing weight.