We have a disconnected relationship with movement!

MOVE!!!! We are designed to.

As defined by culture, exercise seems to be an "extracurricular" activity that the abnormal partake in during planned times of the day. Yes, I said abnormal. Not to mean something is wrong with this group. What I do mean is that these people make up a small part of the population that engages in the one activity that we are designed to do. MOVE.

Our human anatomy and physiology are a testament to this. We have limbs that have built within it a strong power of intention. When this intention is activated via our central nervous system, we are able to lunge, squat, throw, push, pull, twist, extend, and manipulate objects in our immediate environment. What's more is that our metabolic systems are made to consume energy and convert it into a form that we can use to move. Our heart pumps blood to essential parts of our bodies, our lungs exchange air, our endocrine systems regulate hormone production, and our musculoskeletal system provides integrity and structure for all processes to operate. Everything down to the most fundamental process supports movement, and yet we have lost touch with this. We have a strange relationship with our bodies. So disconnected. So out of control.

Lets back it up from the science and take a look into your childhood. Do you remember when you were 5 years old? When you saw that playground and thought I'm going to go to town on these monkey bars! Ok maybe you didn't think that. But you felt that.Your whole body gravitated towards the slides, the bars, the seesaws, and ladders. There was no thought. Just an intuitive sense to experience the world through playing.

Even further than that, take a walk down into our primal ancestry. We walked to travel, ran, hunted and gathered, labored, fought, and had sex. If we didn't move to perform these activities, we died. Our genes didn't survive to be passed along to the next generation. It was abnormal to be overweight, sedentary, or to have faulty posture and muscular imbalances.

The times sure have changed. The normal is the overweight, sedentary, and faulty postured individual. We no longer possess the control and empowerment over our bodies. Culture has shaped our society to where everything is convenient. There is no demand for movement. At least not until we develop "dis"-ease, or "dys"-function. The infamous use it or lose it reverberates in my mind as I write this. Lose it, and slip into depression, loss of vitality, fogginess, loss of function, and pain. Engage in it, and maintain the capacity to pursue what you really want in life.

Want to travel? Want to play with your kids? Play that sport you love? Hang out with friends? Pursue your dreams and passions? Exist?

MOVE.

much love,
              Sumair

Drop what you're doing and take care of yourself!

"The greatest wealth is health"-Virgil

We live in a culture where going a 100% all the time is rewarded. If you stop, you are missing out on doing the next BIG thing. We hear things like "I was working all night on this project....I got it done though!", "Man I'm busy!", "I don't think I have time, I have too much to do", " I don't have time to eat...or workout... I already do enough!". The question is enough of what? Is it the endless To-Do list that we have created for ourselves? The consistent giving to our families, friends, bosses, careers, and loved ones?

We get to a point where we have nothing left to give. There's all this energy going outward, but less and less directed towards building ourselves up. We need energy going inward to continue giving and contributing to the world around us. I'm not just talking about taking in energy through food, but also the simple act of breathing. Breathing into the things we enjoy and breathing out into physical movements our body is designed for. Lets not forget stretching and relaxing into the recovery that we need to keep moving forward. That's key!

Don't get me wrong. There's a time and place for massive action in our lives. Especially, when you are stagnant and not growing as a person. However, there is a time for tending to our own health and well-being. So DROP what you are doing right now. Yes you. Drop into the subjective sensation of what your body feels like right now. If you feel sick, tired, depressed, and unmotivated, take a step back. Re-evaluate how you are prioritizing your life.

Is it your family, work, and others that come first? It's not all these external factors that come first. It's you. You need to be there for yourself before you can be there for the world!

Here are some steps to prioritizing your health and feeling more like yourself:

1) Whether it is meditation, going on vacation, spending time with your hobbies, or trying something new, do something you enjoy at least once a week.

2) Start going to the grocery store more often and spend less time eating out. When you get there, spend more time shopping around the perimeter of the store rather than the middle aisles.

3) Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). If you live in and around the Austin area check out CSA to get in on an awesome health investment

4) Develop a workout routine or consult a professional that can help you develop one safely and effectively. Check out my new webpage to find out more: Lifestyle Transformation Fitness.

5) Find 5-10 mins to stretch during your day. If not, then stretch while you are at work and be conscious of your posture! Faulty posture leads to muscular imbalances and the infamous "I feel tight" comment.

6) Surround yourself with people that maintain a positive atmosphere and support you in your journey to being a healthier version of yourself.

7) Sleep at least 6-8 hours a night. Make it a habit and set a time where you shut your laptop off, minimize the light in your house, and just catch some ZZzzzzs.

Remember before you start finding the next thing to do: You are not your job, you are not the car you drive, and you are not the contents of your wallet. The best person you can be is when your mind and body are in sync. When you health is your greatest wealth. When everyone can be around you because you are yourself.

Much love,
              Sumair