Move Your Body
When you move your body regularly is crucial for maintaining physical and mental health. For starters, physical activity can help strengthen your muscles and bones, which is especially important as we age.
Engaging in regular physical activity helps improve cardiovascular health, and blood flow. Also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer, build muscle strength and maintain healthy weight. Physical activity also helps reduce stress, anxiety and help combat depression by release of endorphins, which are natural mood-boosters.
But the benefits of physical activity don’t stop there. Regular exercise helps improve brain function and mental health, leading to better memory, focus and overall productivity. People who regularly move their bodies are less likely to experience age-related cognitive decline and can lead to a longer, healthier life.
Additionally, regular physical activity helps promote better sleep, boost energy levels, and reduce the risk of injury. It is important to find enjoyable and sustainable forms of exercise, whether it’s walking, cycling or practicing yoga, to stay motivated and consistent with your routine.
Several Ways to Move Your Body
There are countless ways to move your body that can yield health benefits, but you don’t have to be a gym rat to reap the benefits. Some of the most popular options include walking, running, hiking, swimming, cycling, weightlifting, yoga, Pilates, dancing, kettlebell, kickboxing and martial arts. Each of these activities offers unique benefits for your cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, balance, and overall well-being. However if you are a woman I would recommend two simple things: lift weights properly for about 30 minutes 3 x a week and get your steps in. Slowly work up to this plus 8K-10K steps per day. My favorite workouts are in Part 3 of Fueling Your Body.
Walking, for example, is easy to do, requires no special equipment, and is a low-impact way to improve your heart health and burn calories. And it is a beautiful time of year to move outside Meanwhile, weightlifting and resistance training can help you build muscle mass and improve your bone density, which is necessary at any age. Yoga and Pilates can help improve your strength, flexibility, and balance while reducing stress and anxiety. Martial arts and high-intensity interval training provide a full-body workout that can improve your cardiovascular fitness and help you torch calories.
Ultimately, the best exercise routine for you will depend on your personal preferences, fitness level, and goals. The important thing is to find an activity you enjoy and make it a part of your daily routine.
It Doesn't Have to Be All or Nothing
Remember you don’t have to move your body all at one time to see benefits for your health. Even small bouts of physical activity throughout the day can have positive health effects.
This is supported by research suggesting that accumulating at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Breaking up your exercise time into shorter sessions throughout the day can also be practical and more manageable for some people.
Furthermore, regular physical activity can help boost your mood, improve sleep quality, enhance brain function, and increase energy levels.
Therefore, every opportunity you take to move, even for just a few minutes, can provide health benefits. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, so just move when you can.
In Conclusion
I personally struggle with an all or nothing mentality when it comes to many things. Exercise being one of them. So, this is something many of us need to continue to work on. It’s also very important to find something you love to do. I love short but strategic weightlifting, as it is best for building muscle. Muscles are our bodies natural spanx.
You do not need to buy a bunch of equipment or buy a membership. There are six FREE workouts in part 3 of Fueling Your Body. The workouts will show you how to get the biggest benefit for your time with one of my favorite instructors, Dr. Kersten Kimura , a personal trainer and nutrition coach. If you are a beginner, she gives you options to modify your workout. And if you need to up the intensity, she’ll encourage you to up your weights, which is great for strengthening muscles.
Lastly just move your body get some steps in after each meal and enjoy your journey!
Share in the comments what is your favorite way to move your body?
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