A couple of months ago I had Brittany Ford on the All Gussied Up podcast and she really rocked my world when she brought it to my attention that everyone should be getting in organic movement daily.
As in, your 30 minute dedicated workout is not enough. When she told me this, I was like…FUUUUUUUUCK. For most of my adult life, I’d gotten my workout in in the early morning for a good 45 minutes and then called it a day. HOWEVER. Recent research has shown that that is simply not enough. And living a mostly sedentary day is as bad for your health as smoking a pack of cigs. SAY WHAT?!
There’s no end to the studies that link the power of regular physical exercise—regular meaning throughout the day—to maintaining health, weight and a general sense of well-being. Conversely, more time spent sitting increases the risk for developing dozens of chronic conditions, from cancer and diabetes to cardiovascular disease, circulation problems, obesity and greater total mortality. {via}
Research Pandey has been involved with at University of Texas suggests people should exercise for closer to two hours per day—or break it up throughout the day—to decrease risk of heart failure. The U.S. minimum recommended levels of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week triggered only mild physical reactions in participants’ bodies. People who did two to four times more exercise lowered their risk of heart failure by 20 percent and 35 percent, respectively, the researchers found. {via}
So, let’s fix this, k? If you’re like me, you probably want to add in more movement throughout your day. Here are my favorite ways to add in movement on top of your ‘regular’ workouts:
♡ Yoga: There are so many kinds of yoga that are easy to incorporate into your daily life. Whether its restorative, HOT, yin, etc. – there is a kind of yoga practice for you. I love restorative and yin yoga because they both preserve joint mobility and center the mind. I now practice either form of yoga at least once per day. All you’ll need is a mat and a tiny bit of space.
♡ Fascial release: Using a foam roller for myofascial release can reduce muscle tension, which can help lengthen a muscle. Fascia is a webby tissue that starts in your skin and wraps around and layers deep into the body, organizing all parts and systems and building your body’s shape and form. But most importantly, fascia is an entire body system unto itself—which is why a daily ritual can be so nourishing. I like to roll once a day using this roller.
♡ Dance: Dancing is SUCH a powerful way to tap in to your physical and emotional well-being. It can be so therapeutic. I have always felt like such an awkward dancer but when there is no pressure put on you in a social situation, dance is so powerful. I personally love free-form dance and how it brings us to our fullest expression.
♡ Hourly jumping jacks: I saw an Instagram challenge recently where you do 10 jumping jacks every hour during every waking hour of the day and I have adopted this method of ongoing movement throughout the day. If you have a trampoline, you could do this instead. It’s really mood-boosting, too.
Off to do some twerking!
xx,
Lynn
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