Staying active is an integral part of leading a healthy life. Yet, exercise can be intimidating, particularly if it hasn’t been a personal habit or if an individual lives with certain medical conditions. The MyFitRx program at Riverside Healthcare was designed to help individuals get started on a fitness program—and then continue those efforts throughout their daily life.

Nicole Kilpatrick, Medical Integration Manager at Riverside Health Fitness Center, shares what the program involves and who might benefit from enrolling in it.

MyFitRx Enrollment

MyFitRx is an eight-week program, with 10 different pathways; each customizable to the individual. After an initial consult, which involves a pre-assessment, health history, and baseline measurements, individuals receive a personalized exercise plan—which is guided by certified and accredited within the field of exercise science.

“A fitness specialist will go out onto the gym floor with you and show you some exercises to get started with. From there, you’re going to have two one-hour supervised exercise sessions each week. You’ll also have full membership access to our Riverside Health Fitness Center, including the pool and all of the group exercise classes,” explains Kilpatrick.

Once the program is complete, individuals receive a summary of their efforts. Individuals also benefit from a waived enrollment fee, if they fulfill the program’s parameters. Enrolling in MyFitRx does require a physician’s referral, but that is typically a seamless process.

MyFitRx Program Goals

MyFitRx aims to increase one’s physical activity, but the program also works to uplevel participants’ confidence in performing physical activity. Instilling confidence early on in the program helps ensure individuals will continue with their efforts once the program timeline is complete. Kilpatrick credits Riverside’s friendly and supportive environment for achieving just that.

“Riverside Health Fitness Center is such a friendly community. One member will stop me and ask, ‘Have you seen so and so lately?’ And I’m like, ‘I can’t tell you where they’re at or what’s going on, but they’re fine.’ So, They are a great support system within themselves, too.”

Another goal is to improve activities of daily living (ADLs)—translating exercise into things people need to do in their daily lives. For example, leg exercises help individuals to better navigate stairs. Balance is another key area of focus.

“We want to reduce the need for patients returning for a same issue. If we can reduce reoccurrence by introducing them to a healthier lifestyle, that’s going to be huge,” states Kilpatrick. “My overarching goal is to establish that foundation of healthy habits. In the grand scheme of things, eight weeks is a short amount of time. But, we have seen overall improvements in increased strength, endurance, and body composition as well.”

For more information and enrollment details, visit www.riversidehealthfitness.com or phone 815-929-1200. Referring physicians can fax the facility at 815-929-1300. “You can always come into the fitness facility for a tour. We’ll always accept tours, so you can see what we have to offer,” concludes Kilpatrick.