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If I could summarize this whole blog post into a short phrase it would be this: Movement is energy expressed. Therefore, if you aren’t moving you aren’t expressing energy and you’re on an expedited road towards death. 

But for real, the importance of movement is underrated. Not just the fact that humans need to do MORE of it, but they also need to do it WELL. When you are eating like crap, not recovering well, constantly living in an oxygen deprived/stressed state, and don’t know the fundamentals to moving well…you are bound to hurt yourself (even doing something as simple as picking a piece of trash up off the floor). Then what happens? You think to yourself…”well I guess I should rest more & move less to avoid getting hurt”. Suddenly all of your energy systems begin shutting down. So, you start getting fatter and more unhappy. You go to your doctor and tell them you are overweight & depressed and before you know it you are in and out of big pharma’s revolving door the rest of your life. 

UNLESS you learn a different way and CHOOSE to go down another path. The problem is…most people are unaware that another path exists. It’s been so purposefully and well hidden by the powers that be and so unintentionally clouded by every health influencer out there (each with a different opinion) that you don’t even know where to begin. You are overwhelmed, confused, drugged up, and have so many health symptoms you’re beginning to wonder if you will ever feel better. Or at least most people are. If this is you (or even if it’s not) and you want to know the best way to get the energy systems in your body running well again…then stick around for this. 

A guy I follow on Instagram, Tommy John, says something that I love and tell clients all the time. “Human? Move. Older human? Move more. Injured human? Move most.” This is contradictory to what most doctors will tell you to do as you get older or if you get injured. But it makes so much sense when you think about what movement does for the body and how it helps you heal!

For starters it helps with circulation of your blood which helps prevent issues like high blood pressure and heart disease. The vast majority of oxygen in the body is bound to hemoglobin and transported to your body’s tissues. If blood isn’t circulating properly, you will eventually see organs become stressed because they aren’t getting oxygen. 

Movement also prevents lymph fluid from being stagnant. Your lymphatic system helps with pushing toxins out of the body and is critical for a healthy immune system. When it’s in a constant state of stagnancy you can expect to see toxins accumulate and your immune system become compromised. 

When you move you are also helping the body regulate hormones. For women it can decrease excess circulating estrogen, which can improve estrogen dominant health problems like PCOS. It also prevents an excess of stress hormones like cortisol from being released which can cause both mental and emotional health problems if not corrected.  Little side note: don’t get movement confused with high intensity exercise. Too much of high intensity workouts while remaining in an undernourished and overstressed state can cause many issues including a trashed HPA axis. 

So, you may be wondering where to begin in order to experience the mental and physical benefits of movement. And if you are not being guided on proper recovery, nutrition, supportive supplementation, and lifestyle habits (especially as you begin to cross over into your 30’s, 40’s, and beyond) you don’t want to just jump down to the nearest HIIT studio, bootcamp, or crossfit gym. You would just be asking for tanked adrenals paired with an injury. And that’s just the beginning. 

What more people need to be focusing on when it comes to movement are three things:

1. LISS. Low Intensity Stead State. This is aerobic movement done at a moderate to light pace. Think brisk walking, hiking, biking, or swimming. Moving at a leisurely pace. This is something most people may do but for only 5 minutes a day. on their walk from the office to their car. If you want to see your overall health improve increase the amount of LISS movements (preferably outdoors where you can get sunlight and fresh air).
2. Strength Training. And I’m not talking about heavy deadlifts as many times as you can in a 10-minute time frame. I am talking about quality movement patterns that are intentional and efficient. Strength training in this way will increase muscle mass, strengthen bones, improve hormone function, and lead to optimal health.  
3. Mobility & Flexibility. The chances of injury are much higher when you have limited mobility (or if you are hyper mobile in one area and weak in another). Learning the ins and outs of mobility and incorporating it into your routine will not only reduce the chances of injury but will also increase muscle gain when done strategically. Researchers have found that stretching the specific muscles used during a strength training session actually caused an increase in lean muscle mass. This is due to the increased blood flow, stretching of the fascia, and the faster flush off the toxins. 

If you are someone who lives a more sedentary lifestyle it is so important to take breaks throughout the day to walk or stretch and get things moving again. 

It’s also worth mentioning that if you don’t sweat consistently through avenues like strength training then I would also add an infrared sauna to your routine. You can even purchase one for your home. The large wooden ones can get pricey and take up a lot of space, but there are some affordable ones like the Higher Dose infrared blanket that can also be easily transported and stored in small spaces. Sweating is one big perk of working out and not just for reducing body temperature so you don’t overheat but also so that you can eliminate toxins. 

So, there you have it. All of these things will help the body with turning energy on in the cells. And remember…energy is life. The minute you stop moving…you have put a halt to the energy systems within. In the near future I will be doing more detailed posts on some of the things I discussed today, but I hope this sets you up with some tactical things you can begin doing TODAY to optimize your health.