Are You Doing All That You Can?
Over the years, my perspective on exercise has changed quite a bit. When I was young, exercise was simply a means to improve my athletic ability on the soccer field or the basketball court. As I got a little older, my participation in organized sports diminished while at the same time, my consumption of empty calories increased, training became a way to look better on the beach and maintain a healthy weight. When I hit my forties, my focus shifted to maximizing the long-term benefits that exercise can have on my overall health. Who knows what the next stage will look like, or when it will begin...
Throughout my life, and at each one of these stages, exercise has played a significant role in my health. Each stage brought about a significant change in how I approached my training.
Earlier this week, I read a quote from Peter Attia, a medical doctor who specializes in longevity. He said:
“Exercise is by far the most potent longevity ‘drug.’ No other intervention does nearly as much to prolong our lifespan and preserve our cognitive and physical function.”
This quote came from his recently released book entitled Outlive, The Science and Art of Longevity, which was quickly added to my reading list! Dr. Attia's podcast, The Drive, has been filled with a wealth of knowledge over the past several years and can frequently be heard coming from the speakers in my car as I drive to work.
Let's talk about how you use exercise for a moment. In order to get the most from your training program you must ask yourself a simple question.
"Why am I exercising today?"
Once you understand "why" you are exercising that day, it becomes much easier to put together the right plan for you. Are you still competing in sports or other events? If you are, then your approach to exercise will likely be different than mine. Are you recovering from an injury? Your plan will definitely look different than mine.
Everyone is approaching exercise from a different place, and that is why it is so important to know your "why." That being said, everyone should keep the idea of prolonging our lifespan and preserving our cognitive and physical function in the back of our minds, and let that idea play a role in how we train, regardless of your "why" at that moment in time.
Movement is my medicine,
