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Is There Anything Better Than Movement For Transforming The Way That You Feel: Best of 2019 #90

Dec 28, 2019 40m 9s 9 insights
Over the past 2 years, I have had the privilege of talking with some of the most influential and insightful voices in the health and wellbeing space. To celebrate, I have released 3 very special compilation episodes at the end of 2019, which happens to also be the end of the decade! In my new book, Feel Better in 5, I split up health into 3 main areas: Mind, Body and Heart. I covered ‘Mind’ and ‘Heart’ in the past 2 episodes of the podcast and in today’s show, the theme is ‘Body’ - we all know that moving our body each day is crucial for our health and our wellbeing - it give us more energy, better creativity, improves our sleep quality and so much more. In today’s episode, you are going to hear some of the best clips on this topic from my podcast. You will hear from the inspirational radio presenter, Vassos Alexander, on just how unfit he was a few years ago, why he started to exercise and how he has quickly become a really experienced and accomplished runner, the medical doctor, Mithu Storoni, who shares how regularly moving throughout the day helps you to buffer the effects of stress, the neuroscientist, Shane O’Mara, who explains how sitting around all day is exhausting and how movement actually energises us, and how walking can reverse aging in the brain. Then you will hear a clip from one of my most enjoyable conversations so far, with the filmmaker, Sanjay Rawal, who shares how we can approach running and, in fact, all movement, in a completely different way and use it as a pathway to transformation. I then share clips from the science journalist and author, Linda Geddes, on how going out for a walk every lunchtime helps you to strengthen your own circadian rhythm and helps you be more alert, Tony Riddle who shares his view on why humans are currently living in conflict with their evolutionary heritage and why he made the decision to remove all of the chairs from his house and finally, the inspirational, Ross Edgeley, who explains why the most important component for any movement practice is adherence - and why choosing a movement that you ENJOY is so important in terms of sticking to it in the long term.  I hope you will find this an inspirational episode as we move from one decade, into a brand new one. Enjoy! There are a wide variety of 5 minute movements in my brand new book Feel Better in 5 - 5 minute bodyweight strength training workouts that require no equipment, 5 minute yoga flows, 5 minute HIIT workouts, 5 minute playful ones and so much more. You can order your very own copy now - Feel better in 5; Your Daily Plan to Feel Better for Life.
Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize Enjoyable Movement

Choose a movement practice that you intrinsically enjoy and can adhere to, as consistency and intrinsic motivation are more crucial for long-term success than the specific type of exercise.

2. Integrate Daily Micro-Movements

Incorporate low-to-moderate intensity movement intermittently throughout your day, even in 5-minute bursts or 15-minute walks, to buffer stress, boost energy, and achieve big results through daily consistency.

3. Walk for Brain Health

Engage in lots of aerobic exercise, particularly walking, as it materially affects the volume of the hippocampal formation, improving memory, attention, and functionally reversing brain aging.

4. Practice Ground Rest Positions

Consider removing chairs from your environment and explore a variety of ground rest positions to nourish your physiology, open locomotive joints, improve posture, and build physical strength.

5. Reframe Running as Transformation

Approach running not for performance, miles, or body shape, but as a pathway to self-discovery and transformation by connecting with your breath and spiritual heart, free from external metrics like GPS watches or music.

6. Move Outdoors Daily

Get outside for exercise or walks during the daytime, even for short periods like a lunchtime stroll or by walking the last 10 minutes of your commute, to brighten your day, strengthen circadian rhythms, and increase alertness.

7. Transition to Barefoot Shoes

Wear barefoot or minimalist shoes as much as possible for daily living and walking to allow your body to slowly adapt, feel more connected to the ground, and kickstart your movement practice.

8. Start Running Gradually

Begin your running journey with small, manageable steps, such as alternating short running paces with walking, and progressively increase duration, focusing on consistency over speed or distance, regardless of your current fitness level.

9. Consider Whole Food Supplements

If you are unable to obtain all your nutrition from food, consider taking a nutrient-dense whole food supplement each morning as an insurance policy to meet your nutritional needs.