Move your way to a better life
Move your way to a better life
I recently had some time to watch something other than The Grinch and Frozen – I do realise this is a rare privilege with two toddlers in my house. I came across an interesting documentary series called Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones – those areas where the world’s healthiest people live. These blue zones are places that not only have high concentrations of individuals over 100 years old, but also clusters of people who have grown old without health problems like heart disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes. I have written about my fascination with centenarians (people who live above the age of 100) before, but I promise to share a bit of a different angle this time. I do realise a lot of what one sees on such series designed for entertainment is filtered and edited for entertainment purposes. But I don’t think it is wise to discredit it all.
I am not an extremist at all, rather I am a firm believer in the 80/20 rule, the rule of disciplined moderation if you wish. Perhaps this is why I am so intrigued by these blue zones and the commonalities they share. I want to share some of my thoughts on how we should perhaps be considering at least some of these learnings in creating more sustainable, healthier and enjoyable lives.
One of the most important learnings from these blue zones is about exercise. As you would know, if you have been following our newsletter for a while, both PJ and I really enjoy our training. That being said, I have been struggling with injuries and it has really forced me to start evaluating my definition of what exercise really is. The idea that exercise needs to be a struggle, that it needs to be pain and potentially a little suffering (the no pain, no gain approach), has become so strongly embedded in our belief systems. It is no wonder most people struggle to create a habit of exercise. Why would anyone want to do something that is painful and not enjoyable on purpose?
This brings me to the first commonality found in the blue zones. People who live in blue zones tend to walk more per day – they walk to see their friends, they walk to go to the store, they walk to work, they walk to church and often they walk up and down steep inclines. Most of the time because of the location of these cities/regions (Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; Ogliastra Region, Sardinia; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece). Walking is exercise. And when you walk up and down inclines you tend to burn more calories. If we are serious about increasing our health span (how long we stay healthy and not just alive) we need to be walking more.
The next commonality: they don’t automate household chores. They do things manually. They sweep, they mop, they garden and harvest, they cook, they bake bread from scratch. We don’t, we live for convenience. I think we need to stop seeing it as chores and rather position it as a form of exercise. Gentle, low-intensity activity. I had to change my view on exercise when I was pregnant and I was reminded of this when I faced injuries – all movement is exercise. One doesn’t have to train at super high intensities to get the longevity and health benefits of movement (not saying I don’t enjoy a good CrossFit workout though).
The third point: enjoying exercise is key. The people of these blue zones make a lot of time for connection, dancing, laughing and fun. They don’t even realise they are exercising because dancing (for most of us except PJ) is fun. Laughing burns calories. They ride horses. They cook together. They walk together. I think a key to enjoying these exercises lies in connecting with others. When we do things together it makes it more enjoyable. It keeps us committed because we have a sense of accountability toward each other. And I think when we do fun things with people whose company we enjoy, it makes it easier. Connection is the antidote to loneliness which is another key to longevity.
Lastly, blue zones have a very strong sense of purpose. If you cannot connect your lifestyle and exercise habits to a greater purpose or a meaningful personal why, chances are it won’t stick. You need a personal reason to take care of yourself other than just yourself.
In closing, take the stairs, park in the farthest parking space and enjoy the walk, stretch for a few minutes a day, play outside with your kids, and join or create a community around your lifestyle changes – good habits are contagious. Start finding enjoyment in movement – you may just live longer because of it!
We aren’t called Purposeworks for no reason – if you would like some help exploring your why and goals we would love to chat. You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
