Shifting into Movement. Do You Have The Guts Ep. 12

How we move can affect how our bodies function from hormones to immunity to metabolic health. Creating a functional body requires movement.  Our bodies require certain inputs and movements for health and longevity. We have the most sedentary lifestyles in the history of humanity.  We also have the most disease – and diseases that are preventable. Our genes and DNA expect us to move consistently.  When we do not, our body makes adjustments on the inside.  The way we move and exercise is based on what our physiology and biology is perceiving that we need.  Rebuilding a foundation for exercise is difficult because our bodies have to re-learn how to function optimally.  It’s also 100% a way to feel so good once you are moving because…let’s dive in.

Do you have the guts to get moving?

There are two MAJOR processes driven in our bodies based on our movement.

1.   Uptake of nutrients – The assimilation of nutrients is different when you are a sendentary person vs a mobile, exercising person. We get a higher uptake of nutrients into our cells when we are moving.

2.   Flushing lymphatic system- The elimination of metabolic waste products happens when our lymphatic system is flushed.  This helps the body process and detox certain areas and systems, cellular processes, and eliminate metabolic waste products. Our lymphatic system DEPENDS on us to move to flush itself out. 

If you can picture the anatomy of our  human body and the circulatory system or the nervous system…it looks like vines extending through our body. The circulatory system is remarkable and it has a pump to move everything through our body. Our heart!  The efficiency of our hearts is UNREAL!

Our lymphatic system has a similar view point – it is also like vines branching throughout our bodies and we have 4x more lymph than we have blood!  Our lymphatic system is like an extra cellular waste management system.  And our processing plant doesn’t move unless we move.  It doesn’ have a pump.

If the waste of our lymph system becomes stagnant, it becomes polluted and it can get nasty. The outcome is disease and disfunction of all kinds.  It varies from one person to the next.  One person might develop obesity, another person heart disease, or even cancer.  Ultimately our immobility creates disfunction in our bodies. This leads to conditions where disease is likely. 

These two incredibly important processes are why exercise and movement is so critical to our well being. Exercise is a newer invention to get movement that was once part of our everyday environments. Not too long ago our way of life was incredibly different.

Excercise does not have to be one way or another.

Get over black and white.  An all out sweat session is not needed to incorporate movement into you routine. It does not have to be all or nothing. A 10 minute walk is leaps and bounds better than not having one at all.

WALKING is number one exercise for any and all of us. We don’t want to lose the ability to walk, so doing it on a regular basis is essential to maintaining the skillset (which we will talk about) and handling the two main points we just covered!

Walking can improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. I’ve learned recently that a 10-15 minute brisk walk after a meal can cut your insulin spike in half! Just 15 minutes timed just right can change your metabolic health!

Walking increases lipolsis which is the release of stored fat to be used for energy, and that is one way it improves overall metabolic health

If you don’t use it you lose it.  If we’re not utilizing movements, our bodies ask does my human really need this? If not our bodies will store that energy instead, and our muscles can lose memory and more. Movements are ingrained in our bodies beyond the muscle we build. That intricate system is lost when we give up a movement entirely and our bodies forget how to do it. This is one reason getting back on the exercise wagon can be painful and difficult! We have to teach our bodies how to move again. Flexibility is a great example of this. Also, if you have not been down on the floor in a few decades and you fall down, will your muscles remember how to get you back up? This is serious business as we age.

If we are not doing the thing, we are going to lose our ability or capacity to do it over time. 

Protein Intake

Our bodies are comprised of a lot of water and a lot of protein. Hormones are proteins.  Enzymes are proteins. This speaks to how important protein is.  Our tissues are built from the proteins and foods we take in. As we age our bodies absorb only half of the protein they once absorbed, so eating protein becomes even more important as we age. Here are a few protein facts to support the idea of taking in more of this essential macro. 

University of Kansas Medical Center discovered that “having more protein for first meal of the day decreases the signals in the brain that stimulate appetite and lead to over eating.”

Published in the Journal of nutrition, “Increased protein intake led to enhanced weight loss and reduced blood fat levels in study participants.”

Copenhagen American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed over 5 year study no macronutrient reduced the amount of belly fat more than protein.

Do you have the guts to make a decision to move around to the point of exercise and unleash your potential for health and well being?

We’ve covered several topics on WHY moving and exercising is important, and why protein is important overall. I hope this message has resonated with you and that if you have not been moving and you desire a shift in your health that you will be inspired.

Until next time, stay curious!