We humans were made to move. As you move, you use blood sugar — so if you see your sugar going up, get moving. It doesn’t need to be a full gym session. Every little bit helps.
I used to hate any sort of physical activity and considered it a waste of time. I simply didn’t see the point. I would much rather read, write, or do some other mental activity. I was happily developing my brain but viewed my body as a mere container for my mind. The container handily included a set of tools for manipulating my environment, but I didn’t use these tools much. I didn’t understand that I needed to maintain my tools or they would deteriorate.
Reading became my favorite activity from childhood onwards. I’d eat while reading, mostly cookies that my mom bought “for guests” but really for us, and spend an enjoyable time stuffing my face while filling my brain. Somehow, I never managed to read about the body-mind connection. I wasn’t overweight until I got older.
Very young people can get away with this behavior, but the older you get, the more problems you’ll find. So I was getting heavier and heavier. Moving was hard so I moved less. The only thing that saved me was my dog. She needed to walk, and I loved her, so I took her.
And then, in a dog park, I met Ken, my future husband. He was heavy, but he was moving. He loved racquetball and his weight never slowed him down. He showed me how important moving was. When I met him, I didn’t even own a pair of sneakers.
Now I know moving is important, but “exercise” still isn’t my favorite word. I became more active when I was diagnosed with diabetes. It was like an ice-cold shower. I needed to do something in a hurry.
Moving vs. exercise
Moving and exercise don’t need to be the same thing. Moving is the general activity of staying active in your daily life, while exercising is a deliberate, structured activity you do to improve your fitness or work towards specific health goals. Moving your body is a natural part of being alive. Walking to the store, gardening, and climbing stairs all involve movement but don’t necessarily count as exercise. You don’t intend to focus on exercise; it just happens. You can stay active without a structured workout plan. If you make it fun, you might not even notice you’re getting fitter and healthier until one day it hits you on the nose.
In contrast, exercising is about intention. It doesn’t happen organically by itself and there’s nothing natural about it. Your goal is to improve your fitness and health. It could be going to the gym, doing yoga, running, lifting weights, or joining an exercise class. It often involves repetitive movements with a specific purpose. It also takes longer. For some of us, it’s a drag.
So which do you need, moving or exercise? Ideally, you should do both. If you haven’t exercised for a while, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program.