Physical Activity is Not a Choice
Physical activity is not a choice. Most people don’t seem to understand this. The consequences of reduced physical activity as a result of quarantine are serious and they are affecting everyone, including you and me.
I don’t believe in fear-mongering. I’m actually so against it that a bedrock principle of my work is to help people dismantle the harmful fears instilled in them by other wellness professionals about their bodies’s capabilities for movement. But I am genuinely deeply worried and fearful for our health as we continue to move even less than we already did. There have been almost 4 million people in the U.S. infected by Covid. But there are 320 million of us who are experiencing health degeneration from the physical inactivity resulting from quarantine. This is a big deal.
Back in March, I was immediately worried about the risks of staying at home as much as the risks of Covid and wondering why no one was talking about those risks. This is not a fitness conversation. This is not a weight gain conversation. This is a survival conversation. Physical activity is a biological need for survival, closely following our biological needs for food, water, and sleep. Physical activity is not an option. You may be thinking, “Well this seems exaggerated.” Please think again.
I read this paper recently which confirmed and detailed my concerns: "Impact of sedentarism due to the COVID-19 home confinement on neuromuscular, cardiovascular and metabolic health: Physiological and pathophysiological implications and recommendations for physical and nutritional countermeasures". Physical inactivity leads to muscle atrophy, neuromuscular degeneration (weakening of the communication system between your brain and your muscles), drop in VO2 max (a decrease in your ability to use oxygen efficiently), an increase in insulin resistance which throws off your metabolic cycle, and low grade systemic inflammation. Here’s the kicker. This all happens within just a few days!!! This paper doesn’t even begin to discuss the detrimental effects of physical inactivity on mental health.
I believe many of us have adopted various Covid coping mechanisms, some good, some not so great. And the not so great ones seem permissible because, well, it’s Covid! But while believing that the restrictions of this pandemic are temporary is of course psychologically soothing, it will hinder us from actually creating a sustainable way of life. The reality is, a return to normalcy is a long way away and will also be a slow transition, not a waking-up-from-a-bad-dream moment. It’s time we make efforts to rebuild a lifestyle that is nourishing within our new parameters, and a huge component of that for most people is increasing their physical activity.
Obviously, you can work with someone like me, a coach/trainer to not only add hours of movement to your week but also to help create a structure for you to continue to move throughout the day. But just as effective is to do things like start a walking club or find a friend willing to be your step-counting accountability partner. Surrender to Zoom yoga and workout classes, because I’ll tell you, those are here to stay. Give running another try, you can read this short blog by Todd Hargrove to motivate you. You can rearrange the furniture in your apartment to create some space that feels inviting to move around in.
I totally get that suggestions can be annoying to hear, because they’re usually far easier said than done. If that’s the case for you, reach out to me. Email me, text me, call me. There is no judgement, no shaming. No question or concern is insignificant enough to refrain from asking. I’m here to help support YOU in feeling better in your body, and I mean that wholeheartedly.
keep moving.
xoxo