Movement is Medicine

Our lives today involve a lot of sitting. We sit in cars, at our desks, on the couch and beyond. However, our bodies are designed for movement, and historically people moved much more than we do now.

Our ancestors walked, ran, climbed, crawled, dug, and carried heavy items, but human life has evolved in ways that make it easy to avoid movement. This sedentary way of living is linked with many diseases and conditions, such as obesity, hypertension, back pain, stiff joints, cardiovascular disease and even depression. The good news is that movement is still programmed into the human brain as a critical aspect of how we engage with the world. Our bodies want to move!

It’s been proven that movement helps us feel better physically and emotionally. Moving can stimulate weight loss, boost energy levels, increase mobility in joints and tendons, burn calories and assist with better body functioning overall. And movement does not just mean going to the gym to work out — it also means moving regularly, like walking or doing light activity, whenever possible.

Many of us have fitness trackers or phones capable of recording our daily steps. Studies have shown that 10,000 steps, roughly the equivalent of 5 miles, are the amount of steps needed in a day to reap the benefits of movement. Benefits include reduced risk of death, heart disease and cancer.

The number of steps you aim for in a day should be based on your goals. However, it’s important not to become too fixated on that number. It’s more essential you are moving more than you have been to improve your fitness. You should strive to take 500-1,000 more steps per day than your current average if you want to increase your fitness level. Even small intervals (1-5 minutes) of light activity to break up periods of prolonged sitting can improve your fitness.

Contrary to outdated beliefs, you don’t have to exercise for hours in a gym or a fitness facility to enjoy the benefits of movement. Low-impact and aerobic activity throughout the day are the keys to a healthier lifestyle. Listed below are simple-yet-effective ways to add movement to your daily life:

• • • Use a standing desk and alternate between periods of sitting and standing
    • Take a walk at lunch
    • Skip the elevator/escalator and use the stairs
    • Walk on a treadmill while watching TV
    • Dust your furniture
    • Vacuum your house
    • Walk your dog
    • Dance
    • Garden
    • Incorporate activity into your social life — play pickleball, walk around the mall, go for a hike
    • Park farther away from store or office entrances; enjoy the extra steps

The bottom line is to move more frequently! Your body and mind will thank you.

About the author

Caitlin Kemmerer

Ms. Caitlin Kemmerer has been a fitness staff member and group fitness instructor at USLI's Slainte Fitness Center since 2004. Caitlin enjoys playing paddle tennis, tennis, hiking, walking her golden retriever and spending time with her family.