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Move to Thrive: A Personal Trainer's Guide to Boosting Daily Movement
Last Saturday, I had the great pleasure of being invited to the Burntwood Wakes Summer Festival. There, I spoke alongside other health professionals (Yoga teacher, Nutrition Therapist, Hypnotherapist, and Massagist) about the crucial role of physical activity in our lives and overall health.
I would like to summarize for you, what I talked about and share my knowledge with you.
Today, experts have proven that our physiology has not changed when it comes to the movement of our bodies. Physical activity remains essential for maintaining our health and overall well-being. While we have created comfort in our lives, and we can all agree that comfort is nice, pleasant, and lovely, it is, unfortunately, the opposite of what our bodies need. This means that comfort often equates to unhealthy living.
In today's world, more than ever, due to the comfortable lifestyles we lead, we need to find ways to stay active and mobile for the sake of our health. Mobility determines how well and how long we live. Our bodies haven't changed physically, so we need to stay fit and mobile. However, our brains still operate on a survival instinct, preserving energy for crises (like being chased by a tiger). When there is no immediate need to move, our brain cleverly signals us to conserve energy, making us less inclined to move.
This is why many of us struggle with staying active. As we continue to create and rely on more conveniences that reduce the need for physical effort in our day, we develop fewer reasons to move at all. Therefore, it's crucial to consciously recreate ways to incorporate movement into our daily routines to maintain our health and mobility.
Physical activity has a significant impact on our health, stress levels, hormonal balance, and longevity. Regular exercise can prevent type 2 diabetes, reduce visceral fat (the dangerous fat surrounding our organs), lower inflammation, decrease LDL cholesterol levels (the bad kind), and prevent cardiovascular diseases. It also helps maintain bone and muscle density. And here is how to incorporate exercise into our lives in an easy and manageable way, so we can thrive every day without turning our lives upside down.
Before though a little bit about the Evolutionary Perspective.
From an evolutionary perspective, humans evolved to be active hunters and gatherers. Movement was integral to survival, with physical activity embedded in daily tasks such as hunting, gathering food, making food and building shelter. This inherent need for activity has shaped our physiology, making movement crucial for maintaining our health.
But what about our Body Functionality?
Movement is essential for maintaining cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal health as mentioned above. Regular physical activity supports cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It can help manage weight and prevent obesity, while improving muscle strength and joint flexibility. Furthermore, movement is vital for chronic disease prevention, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and osteoporosis.
Chronic Disease Prevention and stats.
Engaging in regular physical activity significantly reduces the risk of chronic diseases. For instance, a study has been conducted that people who transitioned from being unfit to fit over a five-year period experienced a 44% reduction in the relative risk of death compared to those who remained unfit( National Institutes of Health (NIH) in March 2006). Additionally, physical activity has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease mortality by 28% to 38%, as reported in a study by the American Medical Association (AMA) in January 2024. Which bring a great comfort to see how much is actually in our hands.
So who can today raise comfortably hand up and say that they prefer to sweat in an challenging exercise routine over a comfy chair? Our modern lives are comfortable, and we have fewer opportunities to move. This is why it's natural to prefer sitting in a comfy chair over slogging through a sweaty workout. Even though we know exercise is beneficial, our instincts protest. But we can overcome this with the right mindset and strategies.
Making exercise fun:
Schedule Exercise with a Friend: Pair training can be really fun.
Exercise in a Group: Join an outdoor bootcamp or a CrossFit class.
Make It a Game: Play volleyball, tennis, football, or dodgeball.
Sign Up for a Race or Event: Training for an event can be motivating.
Designate a Friend or Relative as a Check-In Partner: Choose someone you admire or fear to keep you accountable.
Not everyone loves to exercise, and that's okay. Start by moving more and creating a purpose for your movement. Here are a few ideas to help you move more:
Go Shopping by Foot: Leave the car at home, especially for smaller shopping trips.
Implement the 5-Minute Rule: Commit to doing some form of exercise for just 5 minutes each day, whether it's running, speed walking, weight training, stretching, yoga, Pilates, HIIT, or Tabata. Often, 5 minutes will turn into 20, 30, or more with the time.
How about Buffett's Rule of 5/15:
Write down your 15 physical activity goals in order of importance or enjoyment.
Cut them down to 10
Eliminate the remaining 5. Fifteen goals are too many to focus on; start small, 5 is plenty!
Write It Down:
Record how you feel after physical activity, motivation is great for a week or two, the feeling you'll remember for years.
Note every single exercise, walk, step, and heavy shopping trip.
Celebrate each step and write down how proud you are of yourself and your achievements.
People who write down and track their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them.
What has Harvard Study discovered:
84% of people have no goals.
13% have unwritten goals.
3% write down their goals.
By incorporating these strategies and tracking your progress, you'll find it easier to make physical activity a regular part of your life and enjoy the numerous benefits it brings.
Happy physical activity time everyone!
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