Did you know that the average person sits for 8 hours a day … and it’s killing us! That’s a lot of time being sedentary. 

Our bodies were made for movement and one of the best things you can do each day for your own well-being is to move – to engage in some form of exercise. We are at our best when we are active and taking in plenty of fresh air. When I was dealing with some lower back pain a few years ago, my physiotherapist said to me, “Motion is lotion!”

Some of you might enjoy playing a sport, running, riding a bike, or working out at a gym. I played basketball for many years. But even if you’re not into intense exercise or cardio workouts, one thing we can all do is walk. And it’s one of the best forms of exercise. 

You can watch this episode on video on the Soul Food YouTube Channel.

Nicole and I have a pet dog – a cute little pugalier named Nikki. We love her company but we also love the fact that she needs us to walk her a couple of times every day – rain, hail, or shine. We love to get outside and walk to the nearby park together. Walking clears the head, gets our bodies moving, and gives us the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation at the same time.

When you walk, it’s a good idea to take a different path from time to time. Get out into nature. Find a local park, creek, or forest. Wandering or meandering into new places and unknown spaces is good for the brain and it’s been proven to prevent dementia.

Let’s recap our main points:

  1. We spend way too much time sitting each day. Stand up and move around every 60-90 minutes. 
  2. Our bodies were designed for movement. 
  3. Walking is one of the best exercises we can engage in.

That’s all for today. This has been Episode 11 of Soul Food with Mark Conner. See you next week!

P.S. There are many excellent resources and books about exercise. One book that I recommend is Eat, Move, Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes by Tom Rath.

For a simple daily exercise plan, consider the 5BX, or 5 basic exercises. It was developed by Dr. Bill Orban for the Royal Canadian Air Force back in the 1950s (the original video can be watched on YouTube). It requires no equipment and takes a maximum of 11 minutes a day. There is a separate progressive plan for men and for women based on your age group.

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