Most of us don’t really appreciate being able to do even very simple movements until something happens and we’re not able to do them. If we’re younger we probably can’t really picture ourself being 80 years old, or if we’re slim we maybe can’t fully sympathize with individuals struggling with excess bodyweight, probably we can’t even imagine many of the challenges that they will face.
Of course maybe you don’t need to right now, yet if we don’t do anything now to prevent the possible outcomes that we might later be suffering then we will face those issues ourself, not too far in the future.
According to the dictionary movement can be defined as changing location, position or posture. Of course I am referring to body movement which we normally do in our everyday life. Longevity simply means a long life span. Although I’m sure everyone who wants to live a long life also wants to stay as healthy as possible too. How about when we are aged 80 or 90 if we can still go for walks, do our own shopping and cooking, and manage everything in our daily life without any help or with just minimum support?
Probably you are already aware that we are getting less active every day, people are staying more home, ordering food and supplies online, and of course due to Covid restrictions it has been really difficult to join in social activities too. The irony is that many people are loving working from home and are not missing the lack of social activities. In a way our life has become more convenient. And if we don’t have very good time management then it is easy to miss out on exercise too.
New studies, however, show that even if you’re not able to follow the regular recommendation for health and longevity and exercise for 30 minutes, five times a week, then you can get the same benefits from shorter but higher intensity exercises just twice a week. And this will actually also benefit your mental health while improving your physical health. This can be any type of activity, it is just important that you need to increase your heart rate for a short period of a time, rest and then repeat for around 8 to 10 times.
For example, if you are walking then you could try to increase your speed for a short period of time or try walking uphill or even running. Continue for a little bit and then rest or walk slowly, then repeat. This can be a lot of fun too, and you can apply it to many other activities.
Actually, if you are in Kauai and would like to go to a fitness facility to do this high intensity exercise then you can check out the new Smart Fit Studio that just opened in Kaloa Village. I’m not affiliated with them in any way but they have an interesting and inspirational story that you can read on their website, and it’s a great option for high intensity workouts under supervision.
As well as adding intensity to your exercise, just trying to stand and walk more or do some quick movement at intervals during your work or while studying or watching TV may help you to be more active during the day and can have enormous benefits. Every day is precious and will not come again, but we always have the opportunity to do something better today than the day before.
References:
• “Movement” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movement
• “The Secret to Longevity? 4-Minute Bursts of Intense Exercise May Help” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/12310/
• “The Smart Fit Method” https://www.smartfitmethod.com
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Ayda Ersoy is a nutritionist (Dip.C.N., Dip.S.N.); master trainer (CPT ACE, NCSF, CanfitPro); registered yoga teacher; founder, Health Angel Nutrition, Fitness and Wellness; and founder, SMS (Stability, Mobility Strength) Intuitive Training System.
