Tidbit Tuesday - Low-Level Activity vs Dedicated Gym Sessions
Hello,
Welcome to another Tidbit Tuesday where we aim to teach you something new about health, nutrition, lifestyle, training, and so much more, every week!
Today we are talking about the difference between low-level activity all day vs one short, dedicated session per day.
When the goal is longevity, and not necessarily peak performance, our level of daily activity becomes far more important than making time for dedicated workout sessions in a gym.
The way you should think about it is this: unless you are a professional athlete or one of your prime goals in life, your own personal Mt. Everest is to train for and complete a triathlon, an obstacle course race, a CrossFit qualification, or some other modern-day equivalent of a warrior training for battle, visiting the gym by the end of the day should be an option, not a necessity.
And if you are seated for 8+ hours of your day, then it almost doesn't matter if you make it to the gym for an hour.
We need regular activity throughout our day!
If we look to the "Blue Zones" where populations have a higher than usual number of people living much longer. Including reporting the highest number of centenarians, people over 100!
Centenarians live continually active lives, yet rarely set foot in a gym.
Instead, they've cultivated a lifestyle that involves regular daily activity. Things like getting plenty of walking, farming, gardening, being in nature and completing tasks with their hands instead of machines.
Rather than dedicating time in a gym to intense bouts of exercise they engage in regular activities and social settings that allow them to get in high intensity movement.
Taking part in things like structured sports, hiking and other outdoor activities, yoga, or tai chi, and not just grinding through an hour on a treadmill.
One other secret that they incorporate is the use of routines!
As a matter of fact, I don’t know any successful people who do not have some kind of a relatively structured and occasionally elaborate daily routine.
Developing a routine that works for you and your schedule is imperative to making any progress, in any field.
It’s important to understand that any new routine can initially feel intimidating and confusing until it becomes an automatic habit. But after two to four weeks of launching into a routine, it takes about 21 days for a new habit to stick, you’ll begin adopting automation for the habits you’re putting into practice.
You just need to stick with it each day until your new ritual, or any add-ons to your existing ritual, become automatic and even subconscious.
The beginning. Deciding what to prioritize.
That is the hard part, sticking with a new habit long enough for it to become subconscious.
The easiest things to change are the ones that will disrupt your current routine the least.
Something like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking more often, choosing to stand instead of sit, and occasionally cooking your own healthy meals.
I highly recommend starting with just one or two new habits at a time. Practice them, daily, until they are a natural and subconscious part of your routine, then look to add another.
Some of the benefits from a daily routine that involves low level activity all day include:
• Reducing the risk of metabolic disease.
• Supporting, and even improving cardiovascular health.
• Boosting energy levels.
• Improve productivity.
• Burn extra calories without "trying".
• Improve your mood.
• Helps you achieve that "toned" look.
• Improves posture.
All of this without actually having to step foot into a gym or performing a dedicated "workout".
Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?
But the truth is, we are a product of our environment.
That is, we are what we do!
If you spend most of your time inactive and eating processed foods, then you will reflect that.
Or,
If you are constantly busy or on-the-go with daily tasks and habits, moving and putting your body into plenty of different positions, than you will reflect that.
In a study that looked at nearly 300 subjects who were able to lose a significant amount of weight, and keep it off, the habits that were most frequently reported were:
• Regular weighing/tracking body composition via photos and waist measurement.
• Calorie/portion tracking.
• Meal planning and planning ahead for social settings.
• Having a relapse protocol.
• Continually reassessing goals and adjusting accordingly.
It only takes about 20 minutes of sitting stagnant for our metabolism to slow to a grinding halt.
How often are you seated for 20 minutes or more?
It is important for us to get up and move on a regular basis to keep our metabolism firing.
Even just standing as opposed to sitting, fidgeting and moving about, or setting a timer and performing a "mobility minute", where you move every joint through a full range of motion, once every 20 minutes will help you to move the needle in the right direction.
So, start today by adding one or two new habits into your routine and watch your transformation begin.
Re-evaluate on a regular basis and continue to push your limits, slowly creating a daily routine of low-level activity, and you'll undoubtedly increase your life span and quality of living!
Happy Moving!
Your friend in health & fitness,
Coach Sean
