Get Up And Move!

As I meet with people one on one and in groups, I find that many are under the mistaken belief that if they just exercise they can eat anything they want. Exercise is a very important piece of the puzzle, but it is not the entire puzzle. Approaching health and wellness from a holistic standpoint will provide a more well-rounded way for your body to heal and achieve its most optimum state. I have found over the years of meeting with people that optimum health begins at the E.N.D. (exercise, nutrition, detoxification.) If we routinely and regularly give attention to these three areas of physical health, we will significantly impact our energy, sleep, weight management, and every other area of our lives for the better. These three “pieces of the puzzle”, not just one, are critical.

When it comes to exercise be careful not to limit yourself to a gym or fitness club. Yes these facilities can offer a nice variety, but they are not the only way to be active. There are endless ways to attain the benefits of exercise outside the walls of a gym. Walking, hiking, rollerblading, rebounding (mini-trampoline), tennis, swimming, mountain biking, and exercise DVD’s are just a few ideas. Just do something! Get up, get out, and move. Some of us have become paralyzed because of years of petty excuses. Start small, be realistic, and most importantly, find forms of activity that you enjoy. If you hate it, you probably won’t keep it up. Also, learn to incorporate a variety of ways to exercise instead of only one. This will keep you from getting bored and burning out.

The scientific evidence is crystal clear. If you regularly exercise you will improve every area of your life. High blood pressure, fibromyalgia, insomnia, depression, fatigue, and every other disorder and disease out there are greatly impacted when you get regular activity. Exercise promotes the release of natural chemicals in your body that directly impact the health of not only your physical body, but your mental health as well.

One of my personal favorites is rebounding or using a mini- trampoline. Because of the gravitational pull you experience at the bottom of a bounce, you are literally challenging every cell of your body with equal resistance, unlike most forms of exercise that use only certain muscles for movement. When every one of your trillions of cells are challenged, they become stronger and more resilient. Because of the gravitational pull, the cells of your liver, heart, kidneys, and every other organ are strengthened, not just your muscles. Even moderate bouncing on a re-bounder will provide tremendous benefit. Most people are surprised to see how winded they become from even just five minutes of jumping. A decent re-bounder can be purchased any where from $25-$125. The other benefit is you can do it right after rolling out of bed in your underwear if you want. It doesn’t get any more convenient than this and nothing fancy is needed. Re-bounding is low impact on your joints so whether you are young or old you can enjoy the benefits.

For those of you who have been pretty much motionless for a while, be sure to start off with the baby step approach. Deciding to begin running 4 miles a day after years of doing nothing is probably a good recipe for failure. Instead, start by walking a mile a day for the first 30 days and build from there. As you do, you will begin to immediately notice short and long term benefits for sure.

Best of Health,