SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING. SITTING KILLS. SITTING IS A DISEASE

I like to think of our bodies like a big department store, and in my case, John Lewis which is my mothership. If ever I was on Desert Island Discs, I would be asking Lauren if, for my luxury item, I could take a large branch of John Lewis with me. If I have had a difficult time, a wander around my mothership is guaranteed to soothe.

Think of our bodies. All the many systems - cardio (heart) vascular (circulation, arteries, veins) endocrine (hormones), digestive, muscular, skeletal, reproductive, nervous, lymphatic (immunity) urinary… and that is before we head to however you want to consider the emotional system, brain and all things related.

 In my mind, the brain and mental systems are all on the top floor of the department store, behind glass and stainless steel doors, with thick pile carpet and soft lighting  while the muscular system is way down in the basement with steam and non stop noise and machinery banging away! 

In an ideal world, each department does what is required of it and alongside all the other departments, harmony exists. I am sure we all know that isn’t the case, both in our bodies or in the department store. As far as I am concerned, while soft furnishings are ticking over and meeting expectation (much like most systems working automatically) , head up to women’s hosiery and you will almost certainly meet an overachiever (she is always small and she is, in my mind the hamstrings! Or maybe some rotator cuff muscles ) who runs round like a whirling dervish trying to locate some charcoal Wolfords in a 100 denier despite you saying it really doesn't matter and she can stand down, while if you head to “The place to eat” anytime after 4.30pm, you are met with a stoney stare and sighs and there ( in my mind) are your glutes! Right there… there is work to be done but MY GOD they will do all they can to avoid it. They are the teenagers of the team - moody, avoidant and lazy while their colleagues in the surrounding departments go above and beyond to make up the shortfall while quietly seething and building up resentment. 

That is how my weird mind works and it amuses me to think of all the departments having to support each other while realistically, several departments do as little as they can get away with, some work far harder than they need and some are almost ignored and totally taken for granted. That is why we end up imbalanced, compensating and carrying injury. We are hard wired to survive - no matter what departments are collapsing, burning to the ground or on a power cut with no return, our little department store will do everything it possibly can to stay open and keep business going to the very bitter end. We are phenomenally strong and no matter, we fight to the end.

We therefore have a responsibility to address those different departments. Maybe sometimes take time to appreciate what is working well despite any care or attention, while trying to balance out who does what and how hard. Even at Grey Gables (The Arches!!)  they are job shadowing so that they can experience what each department has to do and help appreciate them- what a super idea! 

I bet if you give it thought, you could think of some departments in your own body that work harder and some that you tend to take for granted.

So why am I sharing my weird imaginings with you? Well, this ties in a little with last week’s post about the most common questions around exercise. 

WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING? 

MOVING. That is what you, me and everyone should be doing. While we spend fortunes on labour saving devices, we meet ourselves coming back round the other way with gym memberships (or online with me, of course!). and trying to fit in how to exercise. 

 2 generations ago, people walked, took the bus, scrubbed the floor, beat the carpets… ok, while we don’t necessarily need to return to some of those behaviours, screens, working from home, binging on box sets… it is all leading to sitting down and SITTING KILLS. 

So if in doubt, JUST MOVE. Tennis, swimming, walking, golf, cycling, kicking a ball, walk instead of drive, walk to work, walk to the shops, … all are super, relevant and ideal ways to move. 

Throw in lifting weights twice a week (and we are only talking 15 - 30 mins each time) which will keep those bones strong and build lean muscle. Pilates of course, for everything! 
Mobilise and stretch which will give time to recover and keep those joints well oiled, those muscles stretched out and mental time out.

(and let's be fair, all this is more fun than scrubbing floors and beating rugs on the washing line)

Keep it simple to keep it going.

Just remember to think balance. Get those lazy team members to make more effort, give thanks to soft furnishings for always tidying, folding and never complaining , and for heaven’s sake let the lady in bras and hosiery have a sit down and a cuppa!