While an hour a day in the gym is helpful, it does not undo all the adverse effects of a sedentary life.
No one type of movement is capable of sufficient nourishment of the tissues with complex and diverse needs. Specific exercise regimens may train certain body parts to amazing strength, BUT they might leave other areas in atrophy (weakness). These imbalances between one strong tissue placed next to weak tissue can invite injury or distress.
Today, little movement is required. We have our in-home robots turn on the lights for us; we have Postmates bring food right to our front door, and we drive 0.5 miles to the grocery store without even blinking an eye! These have all radically altered the way humans pass their time.
Bowman says it well: “our lack of movement input is slowly suffocating us on a cellular level”.
Movement is important for an INFINITE amount of reasons, but I wanted to call out its assistance with immunity and ability to fight off sickness.
Lymph is a fluid that carries nutrients, oxygen, hormones, and immune cells to the body's tissues while collecting waste products, cellular debris, and excess fluid. It eventually returns the filtered and purified lymph back to the bloodstream. During exercise, lymph flow increases by a startling 2 –3 times compared to when the body is at rest. One can think of their contracting muscles as the ‘heart’ that helps to circulate the lymphatic fluid (Weatherby).
IDEAS TO INTEGRATE MORE MOVEMENT
- Use a standing desk
- Going on a walk with friends rather than out to dinner
- Carrying groceries to the car instead of using a cart
- Finding a topic or book you like via audio version (podcast or audio book) and taking it on a stroll with you
- Grab a pair of ankle weights and fold your laundry wearing them on your wrists.
- While you wait for dinner in the oven stretch your limbs!
- Schedule movement/exercise throughout the day, utilizing reminders and triggers.
- If a reminder is needed, try using a smart phone alarm or kitchen timer.
- Utilize a repetitive event in the day as a trigger and attach a healthy movement habit to it (brush teeth, fill water bottle).
- Utilize an external cue as a trigger for movement. For example, every time a commercial comes on TV stand up for 3 minutes and move dynamically.
- Do neck rolls every time a red light is reached while driving.
- Do ankle rolls when going to bed.
- Make a concerted effort to floor sit occasionally, if possible.
- Bike to work.
WHAT IS NEAT WORKOUT?
