One of the things we can all easily take for granted, is our ability to get shhhhhyyyyyizz done, until..BAM, sickness, seeeeeee ya energy. then we say ‘I can’t wait to have my energy back and to get back to my normal day to day stuff’.

However. what if you were constantly running on low energy everyday, without even being sick and thinking that was normal, as well as being more vulnerable to more serious illnesses down the line, without knowing? All the while, there’s something extremely accessible and easy to do, to reduce that.

Many people don’t associate the importance of health and fitness to quality of life until some kind of breakdown, an illness, a mental breakdown, or being told by the doctor.

The reason? Because, eating hyper palatable foods, alcohol, staying up later, watching excessive TV etc are all short term ‘better feel goods’ compared to making your muscles burn, getting out of breath, sweating, getting all red like a lobster and not ‘relaxing’…In the isolation of the moment, yes. Cracking open a bottle of beer whilst watching the latest Netflix series with your favourite snack may be more appealing than working out. But is it though, is it really? Even in the short term? No, don’t hit me with ‘moderation’…doing that consistently whilst over looking your health isn’t moderation, or whatever the action of procrastination is that is being prioritised over your health.

When these patterns repeat, ruts are made, more energy is taken to ‘get out’ because the action of procrastination is becoming a draining staple habit….’I must have my bottle of wine after my super long day‘…then we as humans end up actually anchoring to the short term feel good of that action in association to our happiness, but deep down, we know it’s not helpful in anyway shape or form and we end up complaining about ‘being tired’, ‘run down’ and ‘not having enough time’, all the while procrastinating with the time that we do have, I say ‘we’, because that was once me…

The things we procrastinate with? stop doing them? No, in context and actual moderation…YES, do them because they are clearly enjoyable. I like beer, cake and netlfix among other things. It’s about moving away from the excuse based version of moderation that destroys your health and mental health! That’s the key with anything, moderation, even with exercise, you don’t have to be a ‘Spartan warrior/warrioress’ and live in the gym. What if the actions of procrastination are increasing your possibility for cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes ultimately leading to premature death?

The reason for all of this, the ‘why’ beyond the short term.

Regardless of your occupation (if you are super busy with work and you have to be inventive with time, still…do it, it’s even more crucial for you), and whether you are ‘sporty’ or not, some kind of targeted consistent exercise on a weekly basis, that is realistic and achievable for you to do, WILL IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE, productivity and happiness.

The caveat, there’s probably some kind of learning to go through, some self-reflection, ownership, planning and a smidge of discipline…Oh yeah, it’ll take energy to actually do the exercise, once you GET GOING though, you’ll go from strength to strength enabling you to consistently perform at a higher level because you are a better version of yourself…across all dynamics of your life.

“Yeah mate. I know that exercise will benefit me…duuuuhhh”…I hear you say.

But do you know why? And why are you not doing if you know how important it is?

“Yeah it’ll make me fitter, and ***insert excuse***”..

Is that a strong enough reason to make time to go and exercise when you can’t be arsed? When there are short term emotional ‘feel goods’ luring you away from your workout clothes that represent ‘energy you don’t have’? Probably not, unless you have a fitness based goal like a competition to prepare for.

There you go, that’s it! A genuine understanding and an actual why with a meaningful goal.

Here’s the why.

Exercise:

  1. Produces more mitochondria…This is the part of our cells where we make ATP (iddy biddy energy molecules, Adenosine Tri-Phosphate), ATP is our energy source, the quality of energy and the amount of mitochondria that we create,  is determined by our choices in rest, nutrition and HOW ACTIVE WE ARE…More exercise, more mitochondria, more mitochondria, more energy. Have you heard of, ‘spend money to make money?’ It’s the same with energy, expend energy to make more energy. As always, in context…because, making time to exercise takes planning, it’s important to accommodate exercise within the balance for the rest of your life and other commitments.
  2. When we make energy (ATP), our cells consume oxygen, this creates a bi-product called ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species), different people make ATP at different rates subject to oxygen and food consumption, equally, we produce different amounts of ROS during this process. However, we don’t make too many or have them hanging around so long because ROS can cause cellular damage including damage to our DNA (gene expression, higher risk for disease). This is a natural part of energy processing, Scientists once believed that the that more oxygen we consumed, the more ROS we generated… but this was found to be inconclusive, which makes sense because that would mean, the more we exercise etc the unhealthier we would become through more mitochondria production, more ATP, more ROS, bigger risk. not true….So, People with less-efficient mitochondria DO make more ROS per unit of ATP (increased risk of disease, lethargy and premature death), contrary to that people with more efficient mitochondria make fewer ROS per unit of ATP  (increased potential for a longer, healthier, happier life full of energy).

Exercise = more mitochondria, this = more ATP production, this = more energy, the efficiency of this process though activity = a reduced possibility for cellular damage protecting us against disease etc,

More energy, more vitality, a better quality of, more confidence and ultimately a better version of you. Happy days.

Like anything to do with the human body, there’s an element of genetic context, especially with mitochondria function…BUT it is strongly effected by how we live our lives through HOW ACTIVE WE ARE and what we eat and drink.

Takeaways….Not that kind.

  1. You do absolutely have the power to alter the potential of your biochemistry to live longer and more comfortably (pill free and mobile).
  2. It’s in your control to do so through your choices (exercise, nutrition, sleep, recovery, balance in lfe)
  3. You are not destined to be a couch potato with a sealed fate of life long lethargy
  4. There are many many many reasons as to WHY taking care of your health is important besides ‘looking good’.
  5. Find yours, because when you do, your life will be to a higher standard, physically, mentally and in duration (in genetic context of course),

So, when are you going to exercise? What does that look like? How long for? What else do you have to do to make the time? Really, what’s stopping you? What’s the opposite to that? Stop making excuses, I will get you.

More energy served Sir/Madam, enjo

.

Paul Cleaver