Move it or Lose it

Written by Dara Sweatt

You’ve probably heard the saying “move it or lose it”, I know I did a lot growing up.

My grandpa, who’s now 84 years old, would tell me that’s why he continued playing tennis and working out even as he was aging because he didn’t want his body to stop, just because he did. 

I never understood what he meant by that until I started to get a little older myself. He is so right!

Although my recent knee surgery was a minor one, I still had to stop doing a lot of things the way I normally would and spent a lot of time in physical therapy working on micro movements to help the muscles and tendons around my knee heal and get their strength back. 

“You have to keep up with these movements, or you’ll lose progress and your recovery time will just take longer,” is something the therapists would tell me and the other patients in the office. 

So, I would do what they told me and do my “homework” at the house and continue to do the movements and stretches required to ensure my knee’s safety and stability. 

Moving your body regularly and regularly is a key to good health. Notice how I just said ‘moving your body’, not ‘high intense workouts’ or ‘running everyday’ or anything specific. I just said MOVING your body.

That can look different for everyone, but to ensure you’re working good movement in daily, here are some tips:

• Make movement part of your morning routine

  • Take a more purposeful walk with your dog, take your coffee for a walk, or do a ten minute yoga flow.

• Work out over your lunch break

  • This can mean going to a group fitness class or taking a long walk around the building. 

• Take mini breaks

  • A friend of mine takes 3 10-12 minute walks around her company’s building daily to take a break from the computer screen and get some fresh air and movement in.

• Make movement the reward for completely your work day

  • As soon as the clock strikes 5, pack up your things and get to the gym or go on your walk. 

    • I work late sometimes, but I still stop work at 5pm to make the 5:30 class at my gym and then if I still need to work, I will, but getting that movement in is so important to me. A lot of the time, work can wait. Your health is more important. 

I realize that everyone’s schedule is different and you have to find what works for you, but if you don’t move it, you lose it. 

You got this!