It is the tail end of a week of not just rain but long periods of pummelling rain and wind here in Vancouver. Does not entice even some of the more die-hard fresh air types to take the dog for a hike. Daisy, my dog, will go out in anything, though, so that makes me move outside and own a decent rain jacket with a toque underneath. Regardless of how many plants you aim to eat in a day or week, part of living a healthy lifestyle (be it vegan or pre-vegan or committed omnivore with a open mind) is not just about food.
We all know that exercise, movement, training – whatever your preferred term – has physical and mental benefits. While diet is probably 90% responsible for general body composition and weight loss or weight management, exercise comes into play for other factors. It doesn’t matter if you are an elite level athlete, a professional with a 60 hour week or a home-based parent. You are training for life.
Eating a whole foods plant-centric diet will keep your body (gut, organs, brain, skin, joints etc) healthy and give you the best odds of preventing disease.
Moving your body will help you prevent muscle and bone deterioration, maintain flexibility and keep you moving functionally. Muscle mass can be lost fast. I know this from my own injury and being off training for 18 months. I lost 7 lbs of muscle on a 116lb frame. That is very hard to get back at age 48 but necessary to try. The most a 40+ female can hope to gain with weight training is about 0.5 lb per month. Exercise must be weight bearing and include some strength work.
Moving functionally means being able do the day-to-day things that you may take for granted now but that an injury can seriously impede. For example, if you have no functional mobility (core strength, muscle strength and flexibility), you could easily put your shoulder or hip or back out doing something as basic as sleeping wrong or jumping out of your chair too fast or reaching for something on the high shelf. Your recovery/physio is much slower as you have more than just the injury to rehab, you need to build all the surrounding supports in the body. And most people are not disciplined enough to get on their floor and do the 20-30 min of rehab work daily that this entails. A downward spiral or a vicious circle – both are detrimental to your long-term health.
What is movement? For each person this is different based on where you are at now, what you love to do or will actually get out and do, and the season. In winter it can be hard but can also be a chance to try something new or renew something you used to do but fell away from. As a general guideline, here is what you should be looking at doing (from the Guardian newspaper)
19 to 64-year-olds
The main focus in this age group is aerobic activity to reduce the risk of disease and premature death, and strength training to support “activities of daily living” such as carrying heavy shopping bags.
– The minimum recommended exercise length is 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week (brisk walking, water aerobics, tennis doubles) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (running, hockey, uphill cycling), or a mixture of both. (NOTE: I think this is a bit low – people of all ages should aim for an hour per day 6 of 7 days or alternate with 30-40 min of high intensity work one day and longer, slower the next. Varying the exercise you do is also a really good way to build overall functional mobility.
– Moderate or vigorous activity should be complemented with strength exercises at least twice a week, such as heavy gardening, lifting weights or yoga
– The more activity you do and the higher the intensity, the greater the benefit (My caveat to this one is that higher intensity should be done with advice from a coach or trainer and when you have slowly built up to it)
Don’t be turned off by trends, fashion, or gear when it comes to sport or movement. Yoga classes are not typically filled with lithe, young bodies in the latest lululemon. Or if they are, find another class that suits you better. Yoga is a great way to build strength and flexibility but also to learn to breathe and take time to just be. Until I took yoga teacher training, I would never lie more than 10 seconds in Savasana for fear of missing first shower. Plus lying down in the middle of the day??? Now it is the best part of class. Time to sink into the mat, let the floor hold you up, let all muscles go (jaw included). When I practice asana, I can look forward to these minutes of calm when the postures get hard to hold for even one more breath! The shower will be there when I get there…
Hiking or walking-with-intention in nature, in all weather (save for extreme wind when it could be dangerous), is also a mind clearing, body strengthening and triggers creativity or ideas. Same can be said for cross country skiing. Walking-with-intention is keeping up a brisk pace, arms moving or with poles.
Water running. I don’t always like to go outside to run or have an injury that precludes running. Put a floatie belt on and stay deep enough that your feet don’t touch the bottom to mimic running as you do on land. It is interesting and efficient and works certain muscles, like hip flexors, even more than a land run. You can do a speed workout in 30-40 minutes (intervals, fartlek) and maintain your running speed and endurance when you get back on dry land. Allowing the water to support you feels good. Finish with a few laps with the kick board to flush the legs and bring some mobility to the ankles.
Cycling. Not always the best in the wet, cold weather unless you are geared properly and, if on the road, ideally have fenders. But there are many indoor studios that bring both a workout and camaraderie while allowing you to turn circles. Like yoga, you can find the studio that best suits your needs. Referrals from friends or colleagues that are similar to you are best. Some like a spin class to be like a club scene that is more of a fitness-type class on a bike. Others like to focus on cycling strength both aerobic and anaerobic that will translate to being back on the bike in better weather.
Pick up your local rec centre catalogue. You’ll be amazed at what is offered for adults. Everything from learn to classes (dance, yoga, weight room, swimming) to indoor racquet sports to rehab facilities including sauna and steam. Classes are usually comparatively inexpensive and/or have low drop-in fees.
At home, a yoga mat, a roller and a lacrosse ball can work wonders for self care or a home practice. Sites such as Gaia.com offer short to long yoga or pilates classes (as well as guided meditation). Apparently a mini-tramp is a fantastic workout that helps with balance and spatial awareness (being in the air on every bounce). Put your road bike on an indoor trainer and watch some Netflix. Just don’t forget to pedal and ideally have a workout plan that varies cadence and power (how fast you turn the pedals and how hard the gear is).
Finally, and this will not come as a surprise, any form of exercise when done consistently 3-6 times per week can prevent or reduce the symptoms of depression, which debilitates so many today. Stress, too, is a fact of 2017 and can impact psychological and physical health. Moving your body is a proven way to reduce stress. Humans are the great internalizers and physical activity can be the best release and doesn’t require a pharmacist.
In short, moving your body, especially in the dark months of a Canadian fall and winter, is the best complement to a whole foods plant-based eating plan. If you are exploring eating more plants, explore one new physical activity and see how well the two work together. Aging is not something to take lightly. We all want to be that man or woman who is living at home, exercising daily, participating in community and helping others well into our 90’s.
Here are some words to leave you with this weekend: Leafy Greens. Yoga. Coffee (I love coffee). Bikes. Forest. Water. Mountains. Life. (and maybe some wine but not whine).
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