Happy New Year!
The new year tends to be a time for starting fresh, setting intentions, taking a break from habits. Exercise is often one of the intentions.
Exercise is definitely something that I recommend for everyone – no matter what. But how much exercise is enough?
FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT
What does this mean? Functional movement is exercising within your capacity and not going beyond this.
How do you know you are doing functional exercise? Do the activity – no matter what it is – rest for 10 minutes and then do the same activity again.
If you CAN do the activity again with no issues, great, you are doing functional movement. You might even be able to take it to the next level. Try out adding a little more and if you can repeat it after a 10 minute rest, excellent!
If you CANNOT repeat the activity after the 10 minute rest, you are over-exercising and putting unnecessary stress on your body, physiology, joints, and muscles.
WHAT OVER-EXERCISING DOES TO THE BODY
I like using Chinese medicine theory to explain this.
When each of us are born we have a certain amount of pre-heaven essence aka prenatal jing. This energy is passed down from our parents and is in a defined amount unique to each person. Prenatal Jing determines your basic constitution, strength, and vitality and is stored in the kidneys. There is a specified amount and can’t be added to, you can only change how quickly it’s used up.
Whenever we push the body, whether it’s through exercise, food choices, energy expenditure, sleep habits, or thoughts, this uses prenatal jing. Over-exercising, going beyond functional movement, uses your prenatal jing and leads to the body breaking down in its function faster.
A western explanation of this is that your adrenals get pushed to the point of exhaustion. They can’t provide the necessary amount of hormones to keep your body functioning in harmony. Adrenal fatigue, adrenal exhaustion are the outcome.
Both of these examples translate into aging quicker and having increased health concerns. Inflammation, sleep issues, easily stressed, more infections, these are some potential outcomes..
EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT
Moving your body is one of my top treatment tips and a crucial part of healthy aging.
Doing functional movement is a key to longevity and healthy aging. It helps to keep your body in harmony, you feel good, and you can do the activities you love!
So keep moving – no matter what level of intensity – just make sure it’s functional.
