The “good old days”
So really, when were the good old days? When we all did manual labor? I don’t think so!
It does make sense, however, that modern conveniences and changes like car ownership, modern appliances, processed and convenience foods, TVs, computers, video games, sedentary occupations, elevators, escalators, urbanization, loss of sidewalks, lack of safety in neighborhoods, and a million other realities of modern life have contributed to the lack of physical activity in most American lifestyles.
Just think of all the energy burned by chopping wood, fetching water from a well, washing clothes and hanging them by hand, plowing, planting, tending the crops, harvesting, and tending animals. It makes me tired just thinking about it, but all this was just part of a day’s work. No wonder our great-grandparents ate bacon, eggs, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy and drank whole milk right from the cow — they needed the calories for their work.
Thinking intentionally
I don’t think most of us want to go back to days quite that good (except for maybe the breakfast), but common sense physical activities are all around us if we just think about it a little. You may choose any physical activity/exercise that floats your boat; you just have to get moving. In my book, Made For Paradise, I talk a lot about walking and how to maximize this most common sense way to burn energy. I even look at flexibility and strengthening exercises that you can do if you are basically stationary.
If you have your doctor’s permission, you really have no excuse for not strengthening those muscles, no matter how old they are! Strengthening exercises builds muscles, and muscles burn energy. It’s that simple. That’s what they were made for. You may just need to remind them! The more muscle you build, the more energy you burn, even when you are not active. What a deal!
For physical activity/exercise, choose the following:
- Common chores
- Sports activities
- Aerobic activity (intentional)
- Flexibility exercises
- Strength or resistance exercises
- Added daily activity for 10,000 steps
Most importantly, just get moving!
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
