Words By Jason Shon Bennet
‘Take pleasure in physical activities. Find something you really enjoy doing and make it a daily habit’
The longest-lived, healthiest centenarians, simply move most of the time.
No gyms. No fancy shoes. No cool branding. They. Just. Move. Standing, lifting, walking, carrying, climbing, swimming and stretching. Daily movement is the most important thing as this is what distinguished your quality of life when older. If you have an aversion to the word exercise, then call it movement. Try to find movement activities which you really enjoy and don’t require too much mental effort. These could be things such as dancing around the house while cooking or cleaning, going for a walk with friends somewhere you love (bush, beach or park), swimming in the ocean and playing in the waves, kicking a ball around with young ones, playing group sports (tennis, cricket, football, touch, netball…), or simply standing while you work. Whatever activity brings you joy and satisfaction. Even a short 10-minute session of movement a few times throughout the day is fantastic. It could be as simple as walking around the block!
A wonderful way to start your day is with yoga
Stretching is so important, especially from your 30s onwards, as mobility is the most debilitating thing as you age. ‘Sun Salutations’ are a great way to help to wake up your digestive system and boost your metabolism. You can start at any age and improve at any age. Flexibility gives you better oxygen flow, a younger body, a calmer mind, better blood flow and circulation to protect your heart and encourage nutrients into every cell of your body! Just 10 minutes stretching or yoga each day makes a substantial difference to your health and energy levels.
Sitting is the real enemy
Prolonged sitting causes the body to turn off its fat-burning mechanisms so the longer you sit, the bigger you get. If you sit for an hour – walk for five minutes. You become what you do every day. If you work in an office and are not already set up at a standing working station, get up right now and stand. Even better, take a walk around the office and go outside for some fresh air before making your way back to your seat. We are not built to sit. We are built to stand and walk most of the time. Rearrange your working station so that you can be standing, looking directly at your screen with your arms bent at the elbow pointing forwards with a separate keyboard. Or just start making small adjustments like standing during meetings and standing every hour and walking around the office. If you don’t work from an office, it may be a little easier to find movement in your day. Not only will your brain be sharper and your mind more creative, but your body, muscles, neck, shoulders, head, wrists, back… will all be so grateful. You may notice pains, aches and problems which you have been battling with for years, disappear over a period of time, along with a few extra grams off the waist line.