Movement Starts Where You Are - No Need To Go All Out

In fact, I was the one who wore jeans on P.E. day just to get out of running laps or playing anything, really.

If there was an excuse to sit with a notebook instead of sneakers, I took it. And honestly, I’d still rather be writing than running.

But physical activity isn’t about being sporty. It isn’t about pushing yourself through intense, exhausting workouts or following a plan that feels like punishment.

Physical Activity is about honouring the one body you’ll ever get.

It’s about keeping yourself alive and well enough to live the life you actually want. To not rely on others to move you around when you get older. To be there for your grandkids. To keep your house, your energy, your dignity.

And the good news? It doesn’t have to look like exercise as you’ve known it.

🧠 Movement Sharpens Your Brain.

Physical activity directly boosts blood flow to your brain, delivering vital oxygen and nutrients. It helps feel good AND it improves your ability to focus, think clearly, and retain information. Regular movement has been shown to reduce "brain fog" and make your mind more resilient, which means better mental wellbeing for you.

🔋 Movement Gives You Energy.

It sounds backward, but using your energy actually gives you more of it. Moving around makes your heart and lungs stronger, so they can get oxygen to your muscles more easily. This means you won't get tired as quickly during the day, whether you're climbing stairs or just trying to get through a busy afternoon. It's like upgrading your body's battery.

💪 Movement Preserves Muscle and Bone.

As we get older, our muscles and bones can start to shrink. But when you move, especially with strength training (at your own pace and rhythm), you're telling your body to keep those muscles and bones strong. This helps you stay steady on your feet, avoid injuries, and keep doing the things you love without feeling weak.

…and this is new to me, so mid-2025 is when I bought my first set of dumbbells and started doing HIIT training from home, with my “Down Dog” app! I tried signing up to the gym but I HATE going to the gym!.. We try, we learn, we readjust! Now I’ve got little muscles starting to show -yay!

🛡️ Movement is a Shield Against Chronic Disease.

Moving your body is one of the best ways to protect yourself from serious diseases. It helps keep your blood sugar and blood pressure in check, which lowers your risk for things like heart disease and diabetes. It also gives your body's immune system a boost, helping it fight off other illnesses.

🧠 Movement Protects Your Long-Term Brain Health.

Regular exercise is a long-term investment in your brain's health. It helps keep your brain strong and healthy, which is crucial for protecting your memory and thinking skills as you get older. It's a key way to reduce your risk for memory loss and conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

This is where most of us trip up. We think it has to be an hour at the gym, or nothing at all.

But the truth is that almost everything counts. Of course I am a coach, not a qualified health practitioner, but what I know is that if you do what you like, you will do more of it, and THAT will show in your health, energy levels and mood.

• Walking while your podcast plays.

• Stretching when you first wake up.

• Dancing in the kitchen.

• Gardening, cleaning, running errands

• Pacing while you’re on the phone or in a meeting

Movement isn’t one thing. It’s anything that keeps you from being still for too long.

You don’t need a perfect plan. You don't need to be top-shape, healed, kid-free, and have all the time and the best environment to get started. It feels like it, but you don't. You just need to start.

• 5 minutes, then 10, then more. Making incremental, sustainable upgrades is the key.

• Anchor it to a ritual or routine you already stick to easily: maybe after breakfast, after work, before bed. Or on specific days.

• Add visual clues around the house and at work, like posters, dumbbells or a skipping rope here and there, to remind yourself to move.

  Keep it light. Keep it doable. Keep it joyful.

So maybe today we make a promise to ourselves: no more guilt, no more "I don’t have time" - we start doing physical activity - we start moving our bodies more.

We move because we can.
We move because it makes life better.
We move because this body is ours, and it deserves to be lived in, not just carried around.

And from there, we trust that everything else will ripple out.