We're told by 'the experts' that to be fit and healthy we should raise our heart rate for 30 - 40 mins 3 - 5 times a week, depending on what we read and which experts we listen to. Seriously, that's it??? We have these incredibly complex machines called bodies that are primarily designed to move; to walk and talk, to run and jump, to lift and carry, to feed ourselves and prevent us becoming food for others. Most of us have 2 arms, 2 legs,a multitude of muscles, tendons, organs, numerous blood vessels and arteries, 5 fantastic senses that all work tirelessly together with the tools we give them, (nutrition in its many forms) to get us through life - mostly by moving. We are designed to keep moving in order to survive!
Don't get me wrong here; I have nothing against a good workout - to experience that feeling of having pushed oneself to exhaustion is to experience one of life's most exhilarating feelings, but it doesn't, (or shouldn't) stop there. What do the majority of people do if they can't make their workout? Honestly - most do nothing, reasoning that they'll make up for it tomorrow; the next class, the next run etc. "I know I'm fit so what if I skip a day or two?"
But step back in time a couple of generations and reminisce with me; my grandparents didn't go to the gym; actually my Grandfather boxed so he did but back then that's what gyms were for mostly - boxing. Women certainly didn't go to gyms and most men didn't have the time. Really didn't have the time, I don't mean our perceived lack of time the media is always so insistent on pushing on us! The men worked long hours, mostly in physical jobs while the women looked after the home. They washed and wrung clothes by hand, they cooked real food and washed the dishes themselves. My grandparents had a coal fire that needed cleaning out every morning, refilling with coal scuttled in from outside, (which as it happens was where the toilet was, at the bottom of the garden!) and relighting each day. The men walked to work and back, the women walked to the stores, different stores on different streets, the kids walked to school and spent their lives playing outside. Remember the days when you couldn't get kids to come in? Now you can't get them to go out!
I'm not trying to prove that those guys had a tough life and we have it so easy these days - it's all relative and in fact we have a whole different load of challenges to complicate our lives - causing far more stress than they ever had to put up with - but that's another issue altogether. My point here is that the generations of yesteryear, the ones that didn't suffer our levels of obesity and weight related illnesses spent their waking hours moving. They may have spent an hour in the evening sitting reading or listening to the wireless, (that was what a radio was called before mobile internet resurrected the long forgotten word!) but pretty much from dawn till dusk they spent their whole day using their bodies as nature intended!
And that, my friends is what I am suggesting we all should do - move! Let's not call it working out or even exercise, let's call it what it is - physical activity and let's make it part of what we do, not just an event three times a week. Yes, go to the gym and workout by all means, but think functional too; walk when you can, park away from the supermarket doors, don't drive to the next store down the street, leave the car and carry your shopping, it won't kill you - say hello to others as you pass them by, you never know who you might meet. Use the stairs - always! Play outside, take your kids or dog with you - borrow someone else's if you have to; just make sure you give them back - not all parents will come knocking on your door and you may just find yourself with more than you bargained for :-) Try not using the remote, if you can figure it out! Ever lifted a garage door? Try it... Stop watching all those TV commercials punctuated by brief moments of entertainment called programs. Cancel the lawnmower guy, the window cleaner and clean your own house/car/patio etc. Being able to afford to pay for others to do your housework is not a sign of success, it's a sign of laziness, of inactivity, a lack of respect for the amazing body you have - look after it and treat it well after all, where else have you got to live?
Use it or lose it, goes the saying. Strength and aerobic fitness are important, but flexibility, balance and endurance are just as vital. When was the last time you played 'hide and seek' in your own home? Go - now - move your ass!!!
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And just a reminder about my Fall Detox program starting on either 3 or 21 October. The 2 week program uses no pills, potions, supplements or special products just REAL foods and natural cleansing from the inside out! You can expect to lose weight, have more energy, less stress and better overall health, reduce your susceptibility to illness and disease, have healthier looking and feeling hair and skin and a marked reduction of cravings, old patterns and bad habits once and for all. Find out more HERE
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And just a reminder about my Fall Detox program starting on either 3 or 21 October. The 2 week program uses no pills, potions, supplements or special products just REAL foods and natural cleansing from the inside out! You can expect to lose weight, have more energy, less stress and better overall health, reduce your susceptibility to illness and disease, have healthier looking and feeling hair and skin and a marked reduction of cravings, old patterns and bad habits once and for all. Find out more HERE
Love this! I mean, who really wants to work out - it sounds like so much...well, WORK. And good choice on the blog post title! :)
ReplyDeleteIt is hard work, which can be just what you need when you're in the right mood for it. But let's be honest here; most of us aren't in the right mood all the time, so lets' just step it down a bit and keep things in balance :-)
DeleteThanks for your encouraging comment!!!
This is my favorite blog entry to date of yours. Thanks to you I plan on moving more every day. I loved hearing about your grandparents and I loved the whole theme of todays blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the kind comments, glad you enjoyed it; it truly means a lot to me that people like my posts :-)
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ReplyDeletemove; to walk and talk, us becoming food for others. Most of us have arms, multitude of muscles to run and jump, to lift and carry, to feed ourselves and prevent ,According to a survey, about 78 per cent of students in the United Kingdom are doing side jobs in order to manage their daily living expenses and tuition fee.
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