Movement Snacks: What do you value?
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Hey Reader, I was listening to a podcast recently which was trying to figure out why more people don't move their bodies regularly, even if they know that exercise is not just good for them but a huge factor in their physical health now and in the future. The guest on the podcast, an expert in exercise science, said this, " The number one reported barrier people will say, will be time. But the truth, in my interpretation of that, is that (they) don't value the activity enough to make the time to do it." Both hosts and the guest clarified that there can be many other factors, often related to the social determinants of health, that can be very real barriers to exercise. And I agree with them, on both fronts. Social determinants of health, as well as very real health issues can prevent people from moving their bodies for exercise. But also, movement simply might not be high on the priority list. I have theories as to why this is the case. And it's complex. This leads me to my movement snack for the week. I think one of the big issues is that we legitimately believe we don't have time because we believe our workouts are supposed to be a certain length. Or that shorter workouts are insufficient for health or fitness benefits, so why even bother? Both of those beliefs are untrue and a single response can address both: Consistency matters more than anything when it comes to movement and as a result, it's better to do shorter workouts or movement practices if that's what you have time for, than to skip it altogether. Because staying consistent with movement, no matter how you choose to move, is what will ultimately give you the benefits of better health in the last 20 years of your life. Are there some it might be useful to prioritize? Yes. But it's still better to do a little bit of movement everyday (or most days) than get hung up on the AHA requirements. That can be intimidating and unhelpful when simply trying to establish and sustain a movement practice. To to help make quick, daily movement a little bit easier, I have 2 YouTube playlists to share. The first is yoga-focused. Some are flows, while others are not, but all of the videos are 15 minutes or shorter. You can find it here. The second is strength-focused. Some of the workouts use handweights, while others use no weights. They're all between 6 and 20 minutes long. You can find it here. If you don't want to dig through those 2 playlists, I have 2 easier ways to help you get moving more consistently with quick, accessible movement practices. The first is my online studio, MOVE with Naomi. I have 3 tiers of membership available, including MOVE Plus, in which I build a personalized movement plan for you every month. Get more info about MOVE with Naomi here. The second is my app, Strength in Midlife: A Daily Movement App for Aging Well. The app will create a movement plan for you based on your needs and using the videos, as well as structure, I programmed into it. Get more info about Strength in Midlife here. If you have questions about either my online studio or my app, please ask! And as always, membership in either, helps me continue to do this work. Thanks for being a part of my community this year. I am so grateful for you. Warmly, Naomi Want to stay in touch during the week? Here are a 2 easy ways: Follow me on Instagram, where I share movement inspiration 3x a week as acts of resistance, connection, and strength. Follow me on substack, where I write about the intersection of movement, perimenopause, and the culture that we are all moving through. Or better yet, subscribe so you have immediate access to regular essays, including my most recent substacks. There are many ways to support my writing on substack, which focuses on women's health and motherhood during perimenopause through an anti-diet and pro-science lens: 😍 Become a free subscriber And I also had an article published on Fit Bottomed Girls about how to progress your squat from the very most fundamental version to a squat using a barbell. You can read and watch videos, here. |