Hello and welcome to my blog – Just Keep Moving – Part Two. This week is part two for December, titled Just Keep Moving.
Last week I talked about sitting being a modern disease, and while it just not traditionally meet the criteria for a disease, it can become so normal for a person to sit down for a majority of their daily activities, that it can allow other health issues to develop.
How?
Because movement equals health, and the opposite of health is illness. Prevent it now and Just keep moving.
It is especially important that you, as a desk worker, moves regularly to stay healthy. I regularly recommend my clients that it is a good idea to set a timer every forty-five minutes to remind them to move, even if it is just to get a top up of water or for a comfort break! Set another timer for every thirty minutes and remember to stretch one part of your body each time it goes. Shoulders, back, arms, torso, hips, knees, and ankles. Move them regularly and eventually you’ll be doing it without even thinking.
Why is movement so important to human health?
Movement has long-term health benefits for all, regardless of age, gender, disease, or disability. On top of increasing and maintaining your muscular strength, physical fitness, and cardiovascular health. As your age advances, these benefits alone will allow you to remain independent and capable, as well as avoid falls and other issues.
In children, movement improves bone health, weight status and cognitive function – vital for brain development and learning skills.
Movement does not necessarily require effort, but it does require action. Walking is the most basic of all movements and is the first activity we all master as babies and is the perfect thing to embark on if you need to regain control of your health.
Walking
As mentioned last week, using pedometers and walking for 10,000 steps a day for health; walking is the basis of all health activities and is easy to master a regular regime, tracking your progress to keep you motivated.
Studies have been conducted to ascertain whether 10,000 steps are really necessary, and it turns out that it can be…. But there is a catch.
If you are already pretty active, aiming for 10,000 steps will be pretty easy and not a good target. Whereas if you have a sedentary job and/or lifestyle, aiming for 4,000 might be enough and increasing it gradually from there would make huge improvements to your overall health.
Just Keep Moving – Part Two
For example, when I am working, I average 11,000 steps a day, and when I am not, about 18,000 steps. On one occasion when I was ill at home, I still clocked 9,000 steps from pottering in between endless naps. These numbers are unusual for most people and would not be a good initial target. On the other end of the scale, someone I know with a chronic debilitating illness, decided to wear a pedometer and found that her average steps were about 3,000 a day. It has taken some time, but she now regularly reaches circa 8,000 steps a day and finds her health far more manageable (this will be different for everyone and is only one example).
If you partake in other activity, such as swimming, cycling, or weightlifting, aiming for a high number of steps could unrealistic because you are already active, but not in a way that counts towards a step count.
Next Week
Check back next week for more about movement and how you can use it to improve your health and lifestyle, and what are good first steps to take. In the meantime, there is a great local gym www.unitedsandc.co.uk to get you started, just £16.99 a month and includes classes.
If you are having trouble getting more movement into your day, or aren’t self-motivated, I run one-to-one Personal Training sessions, specialising in getting you away from a sedentary lifestyle and back into regular activity, and remedial training to overcome repetitive injuries and painful movement.
Please email [email protected] if you’d like to enquire about personal training, and if you wish to book a massage if sore muscles are stopping you from being active, book online at www.astralfitness.co.uk .
My prices are increasing on January 1st, however I am offering a locked in price for 1 year if you take out a Massage Membership with me before the end of the year. Check https://astralfitness.co.uk/benefits-of-regular-massage-part-four/ for more details and email me to register your interest.
Thank you for taking time to read this, See you soon,
Chloe