You’ve no excuse for not moving
Believe or not, as humans we are designed to move. We are not built to sit behind desks at work, in cars in traffic jams, on trains with smart phones or in front of television sets smashing out a series on Netflix.
For many of us, eating has become more pleasurable than exercising, unneeded calories are stored as fat and we ‘‘get out of shape’’. The heavier we become, the more unpleasant exercise becomes and our mind begins to play tricks on us.
The excuse centre kicks in with thoughts of I am too busy, I have too many emails, I am too tired or it’s too much hassle. The more weight we plie on, the more our joints hurt, our lumbar spine is under more load, we can rupture a disc just by bending over and pain becomes an excuse.
As I circumnavigate New Zealand on my boat there have been plenty of excuses to not exercise. Stewart Island has one of the highest densities of great white sharks in the world (and I have seen them) so I was prevented from the occasional free dive while we were there. Push-ups, squats, resistance exercise with bands, yoga and lunges are all possible on the boat and are needed to maintain mobility.
The adage ‘‘move it or lose it’’ is so true. As an emergency department doctor, I see so many people with injuries from falls. Many have let the natural effects of ageing reduce muscle strength and tone and have succumbed to gravity and suffered injuries, some of which are fatal. The elastin gene in our body which gives us elasticity switches off when we are 30 and we are genetically programmed to start breaking down.
Using your muscles in whichever way you can helps slow down the ageing process. Bones lose less calcium and osteoporosis is slowed if you can put a healthy movement load on. The brain benefits from increased neurotransmitters and collateral circulation is improved to organs such as the heart. The only downsides of exercise are doing too much of it or doing it incorrectly and putting unnecessary strain on tendons, ligaments, discs and the heart muscle, to name a few.
On a crisp clear morning we are anchored in the Mill Arm of D’Urville Island, north east of Nelson before we head north to Taranaki. As the sun comes over the ridge, the mist lifts and the cicadas and tui are in full song. A few yachts are at anchor, their crew still asleep. I decide to go for a paddle on my inflatable paddleboard. The board begins to glide with each stroke and as I skim across the surface, it is like walking on water. I remind myself to engage my core and seek out those abdominal muscles long neglected from too much sitting.
I paddle a good 500 metres to the end of the bay and am rewarded by seeing squadrons of sting rays skimming beneath me. Schools of mullet, scared by my shadow, scoot across the shallow shoals seeking shelter. My arms stretch and my quads and other leg muscles contract and relax to prevent me falling in. My brain begins to glow with endorphins and the whole experience seems more vivid. Paddleboarding is such good exercise in so many ways.
As I sit to write this article Tom Mulholland my muscles feel good and the day is off to a good start. I am glad I had no excuses today. What is your excuse for not moving?
● kyndwellness.com
● drtomonamission.com
● healthythinking.biz
Dr Tom Mulholland is a GP with 30 years’ experience in New Zealand. He’s currently on a mission, tackling health issues around New Zealand.