67. Stand Up, Walk Around—We’re Made to Move.

You see, I feel GREAT talking to you about this right now. . . because I’ve been taking my own advice. My muscles are (somewhat) pleasantly sore from lifting weights, I’ve just finished sprinting/walking on the beautiful trail next to the creek in Georgetown. I feel ALIVE. I’m even firmly convinced that my thoughts are better and clearer because I have the blood pumping through my veins, and oxygen is flowing through me right now.

I’ve already mentioned this at the top of this piece of advice, but it is SO, SO true:

We are made to move.

The human form is made for motion. But as we have “evolved,” we sit a lot more. We stare at glowing screens all day. We wake up from laying down. We sit while we eat. We sit in our cars as we’re going to our jobs or school . . . where we SIT. I am certain that we aren’t supposed to spend so much time just sitting and being sedentary. But unfortunately, that’s how most of our days are designed. Everything is designed for comfort, to make things easier.

As we know, though, too much ease makes us soft and fragile. It’s a lot better to make ourselves at least slightly uncomfortable, because otherwise we’ll just get used to being coddled all of the time. So, go walking in the rain, and be a little cold or hot. You can take it. Honest.

In fact, our ancestors I’m certain were a lot more “fit” and functionally stronger than we are now. Our older ancestors didn’t even have chairs. Maybe a big rock here and there, but to “sit” they often had to squat and could do it for really, really long periods of time—and now, it’s tough for all of us.

Have you tried to squat for a while lately? I’m up to doing it for three minutes at a time, and it’s hard! They also couldn’t lie down too easily. No feather beds or foam mattresses for them. And here we are complaining if we have to sleep on an uncomfortable bed now. I’m getting off topic, but the big thing is that as a race, we used to MOVE a lot more. They walked more, they sprinted to get out of danger (when’s the last time you all-out sprinted?!), and they had to lift their own things.

I’ve also watched as some friends and family members have gotten older, and they move less. As they move less, the aging process seems to accelerate. It is literally a “use it or lose it,” function for us. If you stop moving, the moving becomes harder and harder . . . and it’s a downward cycle.

But !

The good news is that you can start a new program of moving more at any time, and like anything, we get better as we practice.

So, my advice is this: make a concerted effort to MOVE a lot more in our lives.

Don’t necessarily jog or go “running.” I don’t really think that we were made to run for long periods of time, either. I’ve done a marathon, and the training for that was super hard for me, and I’ll dare say unnatural. 12

But go walking. A LOT. Make it a part of your daily routine, and increase the distance. And something else I’d add to that is called HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training. That means for short intervals, do something with all of your effort. So that means while walking, throw in some all-out sprints—don’t worry about how you look! That’s a lot more natural than long periods of sustained jogging (at least that’s how it seems to me). Also, sprinters look a lot better than long distance runners. Google those images and see for yourself.

Aside from walking, maybe the most important thing you can do is to take breaks from any desks or sitting that you may be doing. Get up and move at regular intervals. Try to walk around during the day and make it a part of your everyday habits. Set a timer, and every once in a while, stand up (if you’re not already at a standing desk, which I also recommend), stretch, move, walk, squat, do a few pushups or even burpees. I did that at my real estate office and LOVED the weird looks that I got. I wore them like a badge of honor.

Sure, it looks weird. But I’d much rather be weird and RIGHT than be like the masses of men that go about life doing what everyone else does without some critical thought as to whether or not their behavior makes sense. Does that make sense to you?

Thank you for reading this, my sweethearts. I hope this has helped and put a seed in your mind to have a more active life.

Advice in Practice:

• If you have a chance, get a standing desk where you’re going to working a lot. I really dig the new “variable” desks that will raise and lower themselves to allow you to stand and/or sit. I understand that you may have to sit sometimes. Just stand a lot more, k?
• When you find yourself sitting a lot at the job or at school, even while you’re eating—set a timer. Maybe using the Pomodoro technique (twenty-five minutes ON, five OFF), to get up and move at regular intervals. Just ask your phone to remind you to set the timer. It’s magical. And if you do it for your work, you’ll find yourself focusing more during those other twenty-five minutes.
• Put it in your calendar, right now, to WALK. Set a time for it. I LOVE walks. At the beginning and end of the day, even during the middle. They are so awesome. Now, that you set a time in your calendar, put it on REPEAT!!!
• Do a HIIT Walk/Run as a part of your Miracle Morning that we talk about in another piece of advice. Even if it’s for a quick ten minutes in the morning. That’s plenty to get your blood moving and your brain functioning a lot better. I like doing it right before journaling and planning my day, so my brain has woken up, and I’m in an appreciative state.
• Consider walking on a treadmill while doing work or talking on the phone if you aren’t able to get outside—although outside is MUCH, much better. Even if the weather isn’t as great. Maybe that’s even better as it teaches us to be tougher.
• Squat once a twice a day. Seriously. Just go down on your haunches and hang out there for a while. Yes, it will look a little strange. But do it in honor of dear ol’ Dad. If anyone asks, you can say I told you to do it. I think I’ll challenge y’all to a squatting contest tonight, hahahaha! I love you. But you knew that, right?