Get Up, Get Out & Move

The Importance of Moving
From The Fit Room & Kim Salisbury




  I have the awesome opportunity to spend time with many different people throughout my work week.  They come to me to get healthy and fit.  Some have physical injuries, serious health concerns, rehabilitation instructions from a recent surgery, overweight and obese issues and persistent aches and pains that won’t go away.  Some have issues that aren’t as visible and obvious like anxiety, heartache, loneliness, depression, chronic stress and fear.  Thankfully I am an expert on movement and I am able to help all of them with one simple basic prescription…….GET MOVING & KEEP MOVING!!!!!!!!!!

Why is it so vital to move?

*  Movement helps reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other diseases

*  Movement improves your chances of living longer and living healthier

*  Movement helps protect you from developing heart disease and stroke or its precursors, high blood pressure and undesirable blood lipid patterns

*  Movement helps protect you from developing certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer, and possibly lung and endometrial (uterine lining) cancer

*  Movement helps prevent type 2 diabetes (what was once called adult-onset diabetes) and metabolic syndrome (a constellation of risk factors that increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes; read more about simple steps to prevent diabetes)

*  Movement helps prevent the insidious loss of bone known as osteoporosis

*  Movement reduces the risk of falling and improves cognitive function among older adults

*  Movement relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety and improves mood

*  Movement prevents weight gain, promotes weight loss (when combined with a lower-calorie diet), and helps keep weight off after weight loss

*  Movement improves heart-lung and muscle fitness

*  Movement improves sleep  

Specifically in relation to the brain……

“Physical activity is crucial to mind and body alike,” said neuroscientist Lise Eliot.  “The brain benefits as much as the heart and other muscles from physical activity.” 

“We’ve found exercise has broad benefits on cognition, particularly executive functioning, including improvements in attention, working memory and the ability to multitask, “said researcher Charles Hillman, a professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  

“Atrophy of the hippocampus in later life is generally considered inevitable,’ said Kirk Erickson, professor of psychology at The University of Pittsburgh.  “But we’ve shown that even moderate exercise for one year can increase the size of that structure. The brain at that stage remains modifiable.” 


My Own Experience

     I have experienced with my own body and those of my clients that doing “nothing” does not make you feel better.  If you have been active or participated in athletic pursuits throughout your life as you age there are going to be little aches, pains, nagging muscle and joint issues.  The absolute worst thing you can do is be sedentary.  Yes, sometimes it is uncomfortable to get moving but as you continue to move your body begins to feel better.  Moving in multi planes, using multi muscle groups and multi modes of equipment and styles of training is the very best medicine that you could ever give yourself. 

     I have often been heard saying that exercise for me has been my psychotherapy.  My running shoes were my therapist.  My sweat was my tears.  There is a tremendous mental benefit from getting off the couch, putting on your workout gear and getting sweaty.  Many a days I head outside for a run or lay down on my yoga mat with much on my mind and heart and miraculously after an hour of using my muscles, breathing, sweating, and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone I feel calm and ready to take on the world.  It does not mean that my problems are solved but my mind frame is balanced and able to cope and strategize about what needs to happen next.  


Inspiration…..

What seems impossible today will one day become your warm up. 

Sore?  Tired?  Out of breath?  Sweaty?  Good….It’s working!!!

The only bad workout is the one that you didn’t do. 

As always BE STRONG!  Get outside and move!  Please connect with me if I can help with any of your health and fitness needs. 

Much Gratitude,
Kim

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