But I’m on My Feet All Day…

But I’m on my feet all day…..

That’s what I hear from many people who have active jobs, and feel that they don’t need planned exercise to stay healthy. The truth is, a well planned exercise regimen is essential for all of us, whether we spend our days at a desk, out on the floors, or somewhere in between.

First, let's differentiate between exercise, and physical activity (PA). 

PA is the state of being active. It includes recreational activities like playing with your kids, doing yard work, or mopping the floors, and an active job - like nursing or warehouse work. You are being active, using your muscles and burning calories, but the movements and intensity are likely not intentional. 

Exercise, on the other hand, is very intentional and specific. We plan a workout for our core or lower body (strength), our heart (cardio), our flexibility (stretching), or some combination of all of these.  

Both exercise and PA are important for our health, and it's recommended that we regularly spend time doing both. As we age, a lack of regular exercise and PA significantly increases our risk for:

• Obesity

• Diabetes

• Hypertension

• Stroke

• Osteoporosis

• Cancers (several, including colon and breast cancer)

• Depression and anxiety

• Sleep trouble

• Cognitive decline

• Decreased balance 

• Accidental injury

• Debility

And let me be very clear when I say ‘as we age’, this starts as early as our late twenties!

Most of us recognize that being sedentary is bad for us. Sitting is the new smoking, right? But jobs that require long periods of standing, repetitive movements, lifting and carrying heavy loads, bending and twisting, etc, are exceptionally hard on our bodies. 

Repetitive movements, including standing, can result in overuse injuries, muscle imbalances, and increased risk of injury - especially low back injuries. 

Low back pain (LBP) was the leading cause of global disability in 2021. 

A properly planned exercise program creates a strong core, improved balance and flexibility, stability in our joints, and balanced muscle strength to safeguard against injury. Including cardio training in an exercise plan strengthens the heart, increasing our endurance and ability to sustain long hours of physical labor. Intentional exercise also helps produce stress relieving chemicals, and can improve our sleep- helping us recover from long days at work.

So whether you are sedentary, physically active, or a little of both, intentional exercise is still vital to your physical, and emotional health. And the great news is that you can achieve benefits in just five to ten minutes.

If you need more motivation, or workout ideas, consider subscribing to The 5/10/15. Here you will get planned workouts designed to create total body strength and cardio benefits, in as little as five minutes a day!

The 5/10/15         

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