Health: Why Movement should be your number one priority.
Hey girls, get your beautiful body moving! We all know that life, as we know it, has become structured in a way that makes it very easy to avoid movement – and as a result, most of us are not moving anywhere near enough each day. So, this time around, we are not referring to your structured exercise sessions – we are talking about how much you move OUTSIDE of your structured exercise regime…
Think about this – most of us are no longer working physically hard to get from A to B, to achieve daily tasks or to farm our own foods! We sit travelling to work. At work, we sit behind desks for most of the day. We drive home, sit down for dinner and then get on the couch to relax for the rest of the night. That’s not what our bodies are built for, so creaky knees, stiff necks, sore backs, and “I can’t keep up with the kids!” have become the modern societal norm. And our overall health is suffering!
Of course it makes sense that our bodies were made to move, and move often. But with increased efficiency in our modern lifestyle – we are moving less and less – because we just don’t need to! Sitting for extended periods of time causes your body to shut down on a metabolic level. When your circulation slows you use less blood sugar and burn less fat – increasing your risk of heart disease and diabetes. When we are sedentary for a long time, everything slows, including brain function. Yikes!
But, why is movement so important in this equation? When we move – our muscles contract; we load our connective tissues and bones; we increase our respiration and circulation; and we signal the body to use its own energy sources. Moving muscles pump fresh blood and oxygen throughout the body, including the brain and trigger the release of all sorts of brain- and mood-enhancing chemicals.
“The more we can do confidently and capably, the fitter we’ll be. Even better, that means we’ll likely do more. That leads to more fitness. And this virtuous cycle continues” (Precision Nutririon). Isn’t that just brilliant!?!
While the grandiose statement that “Sitting is the new smoking” might have you feeling a little sceptical, sitting for too long has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity and even depression.
So let’s summarise…. your daily movement is a big deal. Movement makes a BIG difference to your overall health. Introducing more movement into your day will positively impact your health. And, as with everything that we discuss, girls, it is really all about awareness. Perhaps it is time to critically look at your own movement patterns? Maybe you are not moving as much as you thought you were or could be throughout the day? Do you think that you could add in a little more? No – then, well done, but if you answered yes, then it might be time to get up and move. Then move some more. And then keep moving. Everyday.
If you aren’t already, it’s really time to focus on what you are doing outside of your structured exercise, as this seems to matter just as much when it comes to your health. And its accountability that you are after, its not too late to join us for Steptember, where we have committed to 10,000 steps per day, for 28 days straight to raise money for Cerebral Palsy. As with everything – start small and see where it takes you. Join the movement against inactivity – and let’s move more – together!
Anna & Em xo
Like this? We would love you to forward it onto anyone that you think might like it too. This is a topic that we feel SO passionate about – so there is more of this to come. Please leave us some feedback if you want more, or if you have any other topics you want us to explore.
