Get Your Move On
How much movement do you get in your life?
Be honest! Lifting the wine glass does NOT count!
Some people LOVE to exercise. This is not me. Once I am at the gym or exercising, yes I absolutely love it. But frequently, my first thought in the morning is, “do I have to?” I have trained my brain to answer yes, albeit reluctantly.
I have friends that are athletes. My girlfriend is an ultra-athlete. This means she runs races of 50K. Damn; she is so impressive. I have two friends that are bikers. One biked from one end of the USA to the other. And he is over 70! Wow! Life goals!. The other bikes all over the world, bringing his bike with him. What a way to meet people and immerse yourself in the local culture! These folks impress me and inspire me. But I will probably never do what they do. However, when I think about the dedication and hard work that goes into what they do to accomplish their goals, it pushes me to meet my own fitness goals. We are each different and have different goals. You can either be inspired or be the inspiration for others.
There are so many reasons that fitness is important, especially as we age. No matter what your age is today, you are indeed aging.
Do you know that the number one reason someone has to go into assisted living? It is because they can’t get off the toilet by themselves. This is a huge motivator to do squats! Right now, stand up and start on those squats!
Why exercise?
Exercise is good for our bones, it keeps them strong and builds density which is important as we age.
Exercise builds muscle. Muscle burns more energy than fat. As we age, we lose muscle if we don’t work on building it. You don’t have to bench press a lot! Small hand weights are enough to make a difference or even just use your own body weight.
Exercise is good for weight management. While managing your weight takes more than just working out, it is an important factor.
Exercise keeps our bodies limber, our minds clear and our energy high.
There are many, many other reasons why exercise and movement are good for you. I going to guess that you don’t need to be convinced as to why you need movement. Perhaps, like me, you just need a little motivation. Let’s look at some ways you can get more movement into your life.
Find something you like
For me, this is the most important. If I don’t enjoy my workout I won’t go.
My current workout schedule is Lagree fitness 4 times per week; 3 days back to back with VersaFit. Intense and effective and I love it. I also practice yoga twice per week. While I am a yoga teacher, I practice yoga at a studio that has a vibration plate on which you stand. Talk about intensifying the poses! Wow, it makes balance poses extra hard and you really have to focus on the mind-body connection. This combination is good for me right now.
In the past, I have done many different things, including teaching fitness classes. I love teaching. You get paid to work out! That is indeed a motivator! Teaching isn’t for everyone, but if you decide to teach others fitness it is really rewarding and a great way to meet others. While I lived in Singapore and taught BOKWA I had the opportunity to meet so many fun people and participate in the Chinagy Parade. What an honor! And we had a blast doing it.
One of the things I really like about the studios I work out at is I am charged extra if I don’t show up. While I have been dinged a few times, this is a huge motivator for making me keep my commitment.
If your studio doesn’t do this, you can charge yourself. Keep a jar and deposit $15.00 each time you miss your workout. That’s how much I’m charged if I don’t show up.
Remember there are many different instructors, classes, and gyms. Just because you tried Zumba once doesn’t mean all Zumba classes are alike. Look for a place where you have a good fit, feel welcome, and have a good time.
The most important thing is that you like it and you're consistent.
Be Active
Allocating a specific time to exercise every day is important. You can put it on your calendar and block out the time. However, you can also get a lot of extra activity in your day. Do you have a dog? I bet your dog would LOVE going on a walk every day! If you live near the beach, take advantage of the beauty and walk at sunset. Plan a hike with friends on the weekend. If you have a bike, find a group to ride with regularly. If you have kids - or grab friends and go to the local trampoline park. There is skating, ice skating, skiing, surfing, ping-pong; seriously activities are endless. Finding ways to move your body are not only good for you but they are good for your social life too. Grab some friends or meet some new friends and try to be active every day.
Other things you can do are take the stairs instead of the elevator, park far away from the entry at the store or walk to that shopping center across the street instead of moving your car.
Move at home
You don’t have to join a gym or studio to work out. There are many workouts you can do at home with minimal or no equipment. There are many apps or videos that are free of charge and will get your heart pumping. Live somewhere that snowy? Shoveling snow is an amazing workout! Volunteer to do your neighbor's driveway and you will have a friend for life!
Bonus time
Do you have an extra few minutes while you’re brushing your teeth or waiting for the water to boil? That is plenty of time to do an exercise. Squats anyone? I like to do calf raises on one leg and then the other while I’m brushing my teeth. You can do stretches at your kitchen counter, balance challenges while you put your shoes on or tricep dips if you’re watching TV.
Try something new
When’s the last time you stepped outside of your comfort zone and tried something new? Have you always wanted to salsa? Be a ballerina? Learn tap? Pole dance? (hey your partner would love this!) Maybe you wish you had more strength. Or perhaps you have always wanted to be in the circus! Learning some of these skills can sound scary. But you don’t start any new skill at the end; you start at the beginning. If you want to walk on a tightrope you don’t start high overhead. You start with a line on the ground or an inch off the ground and progress as you build skill and confidence.
Give something new a try. Not only will you be more active, but you will engage your brain in a new way too. New synapses mean stronger brainpower too, so you’re not just improving your body, but your mind as well.
It’s easy to be a couch potato and get lazy. But if you challenge yourself to move more, you will see the benefits. You will feel more energetic, you will get those happy endorphins and your body will thank you by being more limber, better balanced, and stronger.
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Globally Delicious aims to provide information that is accurate and research-proven. Globally Delicious, Terrie Price, and any other affiliates and team members are NOT medical professionals. You should always consult your physician or other medical professionals before implementing any advice, information, or suggestions to change your diet or fitness regimen. All information contained on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical condition. Globally Delicious is not responsible for any medical conditions, health issues, or wellness problems that may occur before, during, or after using our advice. Participation at any level is at the risk of the individual. All content provided is for informational and educational purposes only. For more information, please contact Terrie at [email protected].
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