Movement is an amazing health tool - so why avoid it?
The choices and actions people make are integral to their future health outcomes.
As humans we tend to make the quick fix lazy choices.
The long term ‘strengthen for prevention’ headspace, is still less palatable than when it breaks, fix or cure it. We are an instant gratification society and technology feeds this. With the click of a button or swipe of a screen, we can fool ourselves we look different because we think we should.
Often we create stories that let us off the hook to take responsibility for ourselves.
‘Oh I’m not a morning person’ or ‘you are so disciplined and I’m just not’. The truth is it comes down to the choices and priorities we make for ourselves. Controlling our own reactions and responses to life is all we have. Our reasons and our why, are the biggest commitment and hope factors, our actions grow from. Simple as that.
Yep shit happens . . . to EVERYONE, no matter how rich or poor, young or older, big or small you are, it just does, it’s called ‘life’.
As we age, movement/exercise has the greatest impact on either avoiding or improving chronic health conditions.
It’s never too late to start and to move well to BE well. I am not just talking bodies, muscles and joints. I am talking, brain health, heart health, gut health, mental health - ALL aspects/pillars of our health & well-being!
As a Health & Fitness Professional I have thought a LOT about WHY people DON’T move enough. Especially as they age and avoid being active - this includes exercise, sport, dance, playing, gardening, house work, just moving for joy.
20 reasons why people don’t move:
Self conscious
Think you will be judged by others
Ashamed of your body
Don’t think you fit in
Not competitive
Not ‘good’ at sport or deemed yourself un-co-ordinated
Had a shaming experience in childhood you haven’t let go of. Eg. A teacher yelling at you or falling over in the dance concert.
You find moving painful and uncomfortable so you do it less and less - avoidance becomes a habit.
Don’t have the ‘right gear’ or latest activewear
Feel overwhelmed by the athletic youthful images the fitness industry is represented by most of the time.
Think you are too old and past it
Too tired
Time poor
Paid for a gym membership and never went
Waiting for motivation and lose weight to start (excuses)
Did a couple of classes, felt really sore and stopped
Got a sore back or knees or something you are nervous to move with - might hurt you more.
Haven’t found a trainer you feel really comfortable with and trust (well that’s a good story anyway)
Too much info on google - overwhelmed what to do
Exercise is punishment to lose weight - really I don’t WANT to do it.
So why WOULD you start moving more in your life?
Research has shown mindful movement breathe focussed practices, bring these healthy benefits when done consistently. These include BODYART, Pilates & Yoga, with a counter balance of Functional training.
18 Healthy benefits, attitudes and outcomes of moving:
Helps boost immune system activity
Reduces stress
Improves muscle tone & strength
Diminishes & eliminates pain - think back, knee, shoulder pain or planta fasciitis
Improves heart & brain health
Stronger bones - keeping away or improving osteopenia & osteoporosis
Moves and releases myofascial tissue
Improves mobility and range of motion safely
Creates confidence and good self esteem
Develops inner strength & calmness which leads to making positive changes and decisions in life
Community for social interaction and support - if you look forward to seeing friends & community, it’s accountability and a driver to go.
Someone who believes in you - ‘sees’ you and ‘hears you’ - care and kindness all humans crave and thrive on!
Feeling OK to be your authentic self without judgement or comparison, is again imperative to our health & well-being
Feeling ‘safe’ and having choice is both a form of self learning and empowerment
Being able to ‘talk’ openly about what you are dealing with - normalising and sharing - not feeling alone in that.
Do what you enjoy - not what you think you should. Much more likely it will stick and you will keep on going with it.
Having a laugh with others = gold!
Little and often consistently, is far more effective and do-able, and has the best outcomes - see article on my APT FB Page ‘What is the least amount of exercise you can do to stay fit and healthy?’
Choices and actions outcomes.
Here are 2 story scenarios I both witness & hear about in my work as a Health and Fitness professional of over 14 years.
Let’s name her Gloria 1 & Gloria 2.
Scenario - Gloria 1
Gloria is a 52 year old non-active woman with a sore back. To get through her days she starts taking pain killers and moves less to avoid the pain. Her back pain worsens, so she goes to the Physio. The Physio gives her some support and relief. But she feels lethargic, forgets to do the recommended exercises and starts to experience pain in her legs as well. She takes more pain killers and is losing sleep from the pain. When walking, her range of motion has diminished, her feet are sore and as a result her balance is less steady.
One day she is walking to the train station and trips, loses her balance and falls over. Her leg and back pain is causing her to be quite unsteady. She seriously injures herself and ends up in hospital needing an operation costing a lot of $$$.
Rehabbing from the operation is slow, laborious and painful and her sore back and leg pain worsen. She is again taking pain killers and losing sleep. Here general health is declining and now she is dealing with menopause as well. She feels depressed and lacking in energy. Gloria goes back to the doctor who prescribes anti-depressants . . .
Scenario - Gloria 2
Gloria is a 52 year old non-active woman with a sore back. Gloria is finding pain killers are only masking the problem and she is aware are causing some gut issues. She decides to investigate improving her mobility, posture and self awareness with a Personal Trainer. She has heard some positive chit chat from her friend who raves about her PT. She is quite nervous but delighted to find a PT specialising in the 45+ age group plus Womens health & wellness.
She starts gently and is amazed within 3 weeks, her postural awareness and mobility starts to ease the back pain. She finds it refreshing she can make informed choices for herself and is encouraged and cheered on for what she CAN do. She is already having small victories in her daily life eg. standing on one leg easily to put her pants on to dress.
Gloria starts to enjoy her pro-active knowledge of self. She finds the sessions are adjustable to how she feels on any given day. Armed with good foundations from her one on one sessions, she adds a couple of regular weekly classes both online & face to face. She meets some other clients she enjoys training with. Gloria is surprised in a group session, everyone may be doing something different and the Instructor applauds this.
Gloria was encouraged to have her pelvic floor checked and has been to a Pelvic floor physio. She is confident to put that knowledge safely into her choices in the classes & know she is exercising safely. She looks forward to seeing and interacting with her new community in person and online.
Gloria learns some really surprising other new things. The orthotics she has worn for years, were actually inhibiting her movement. The shoes she was wearing, were causing major constriction of her feet and toes, which affected her whole body including her back and balance. She finds barefoot training quite challenging to start with, but starts to notice that niggling foot pain she had put up with, is slowly going away.
As time progresses Gloria notices her energy levels have improved and she is sleeping better. She decides to invest in some further knowledge and education about keeping herself active as she moves into menopause. She undertakes the EVEolution™ online education, inspired by her Trainer who has done it. Her trainer is very helpful, well informed to support her and understands peri-menopause she had been going through.
Her general mobility and strength continue to improve and she realises that she is feeling better now than she has in many years. Though she has her ups and downs, movement & healthy sustainable training is part of her life. She enjoys the balance of her classes, which include lovely relaxation as well as active strength, cardio and mobility training. She enjoys being part of the friendly community and the support and ongoing guidance from her trainer.
Gloria feels really grateful she took the pro-active choice for her back AND her health. So she doesn’t decline the way she watched her own very inactive mother, lose quality of life in her last 20 years.
One day Gloria is walking to the train station and trips, she stumbles a little, regains her balance and feels relieved she was able to stop herself falling. She recalls the balance exercises and ways she trains that have kept her mobility & proprioception active. As she continues on her way to the train station to go to work, Gloria smiles to herself.
It’s exciting that more research is proving to us, how effective sustainable regular movement is.
There is excellent expert trainers and knowledge available that are value for every dollar spent & more, to give us healthy quality of life. In my view this is actually priceless - after all your health is your wealth.
World leaders in movement, such as Gary Ward (AiM) and Robert Steinbacher & Alexa Li (BODYART) have created methods that enable bringing us back to centre. Plus effectively sharing the load evenly through the body, to reduce joint pressure, wear and tear as we get older.
APT created the unique Mobility Matters method. Seeing a gap in the Fitness Industry that did not educate and create a gentle accessible way to gain & maintain mobility. For people who are not getting on the ground or kneeling, yet mobility is integral for their health and independent confidence.
In essence and to repeat:
‘As we age, movement/exercise has the greatest impact to either avoiding or improving chronic health conditions. It’s never too late to start and to move well to BE well.’
Now I wonder what you will choose & action after reading this blog?
Andrea Gaze 27.8.22
Read current client Sharon’s life changing story with APT here
More info on Movement methods HERE
Learn more about EVEolution™
