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BITESIZE | The Benefits of Movement (and How to Get More) | Dr Daniel Lieberman #231

Jan 21, 2022 13m 7s 10 insights
One of the key ways to keep ourselves healthy is to stay physically active.   Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.   Today’s clip is from episode 128 of the podcast with paleoanthropologist and Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, Dr Daniel Lieberman   In this clip he explains why movement is so important for our immune system and our health, and how we can work with our biology to incorporate more movement into our life. Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ, US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/128 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Commit to 150 Minutes Weekly Activity

Aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, such as a brisk walk, to significantly improve health and lower the relative risk of dying at a given age by 50%.

2. Prioritize Activity for Healthy Aging

Continue to stay physically active as you age to slow down aging processes, decrease disease, and activate repair and maintenance mechanisms essential for healthy muscles, chromosomes, cells, and mitochondrial function.

3. Boost Immune System with Activity

Engage in moderate physical activity to upregulate key immune components, produce more immune cells (like natural killer and cytotoxic T cells), redeploy them to vulnerable areas, and improve antibody production and vaccine responses.

4. Align Movement with Necessity/Fun

To overcome natural instincts against exertion, integrate physical activity into your life by making it either necessary or fun, as these are the two primary motivators for sustained movement.

5. Find an Exercise Buddy

Partner with an exercise buddy to make physical activity more enjoyable and to provide mutual support and accountability, leveraging the social aspect of movement.

6. Start Small, Keep it Fun

Begin with manageable amounts of physical activity, remembering that ‘some is better than none,’ and prioritize making it enjoyable to foster consistency and gradual increase.

7. Prepare Exercise Clothes Night Before

Lay out your exercise clothes the night before to remove a barrier to morning workouts, making it easier to start your activity even when motivation is low.

8. Leverage Social Accountability

Implement social coercion or accountability mechanisms, such as public commitment or having others aware of your goals, to encourage desired behaviors like taking the stairs instead of an elevator.

9. Practice Self-Compassion for Exertion

Understand that the instinct to avoid exertion is normal and evolved, and do not feel guilty or ashamed about it; instead, work with your biology to find solutions rather than fighting against it.

10. Consider Daily AG1 Supplement

Take AG1 daily to support digestion, enrich the gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria, and provide food sources for these bacteria.