Ready to hit the gym?

Ready to hit the gym?

(or at least get out of your chair?)

 

So we have discussed periodization, strength, lifestyle and running, now let's get moving. Just take the first step. If you are the person who is motivated by the voices in your head saying "Move!" then come back tomorrow. If you are the person who is looking for those motivating words that will make you move, here they are: "Premature Death." Not moving, or inactivity, leads to premature death. It is not quick and painless; it generally pretty slow and painful.

 

When you move you help to flush toxins from the muscles. Moving, whether for exercise or another reason, helps to send fresh oxygenated blood into the muscle fibers and take away carbon dioxide that is in the blood stream. I am not certain exactly why these toxins build up in our muscle cells, but it may be so we don't sit on our keisters all the time and get fat. So it is know wonder that you feel crummy when you don't get out and move. 

 

There is no pill that is going to make you fit and there is not one in the FDA pipeline either. There are pills that can help you lose weight faster, but there are still no pills to help. You can go to the doctor and get pills to combat the effects of not moving but they all have side effects.

 

Go move while you are able. For that matter go move BECAUSE you are able. Do what you can today and then challenge yourself tomorrow to do a little more. There are people in hospitals and war torn countries who wish they could go play. If you need extrinsic motivation, do it for them. If you need intrinsic motivation, do it because that pain you are having might go away if you move.

 

Start with basics, like the push-up and the squat. These may be slightly harder than walking for 10 minutes, but they are basic movements that everyone should be able to do. Let's face it you squat every day and if you were to fall down, being able to do a push-up is awfully helpful in getting back up.