Long-time CrossFitters and avid fans of the methodology are probably already familiar with Greg Glassman, The Broken Science Initiative, and The CrossFit Book. Which means they probably caught their April Fool’s gag this year:
The Instagram post went on to detail that the US government approved “exercise and eating whole foods as prevention therapies for chronic diseases” to include diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, as well as mental health disorders like substance abuse, anxiety, and depression. It also stated that both Big Soda and Big Pharma are warning the public about the “dangerous side effects” of exercise and whole foods: “strength, improved quality of life, independence, and weight loss”.
Gotchya 😉
Yes, unfortunately, this was bullshit (as if we believed for one second our friends across the pond could be so forward-thinking), but what a great way to help more people understand how regular physical activity helps improve overall health, fitness, and quality of life.
– READ THE CDC ARTICLE HERE –
Getting physically active
Most of us see our CrossFit classes as our daily (or so) exercise. But activities such as a brisk walk, going for a bike ride, or getting the garden done are cardio or aerobic activities simply because they get us breathing harder and hearts working harder. Even carrying the “big shop” counts as exercise – it’s muscle strengthening after all!
To get what they “need”, adults should be looking at 150 minutes of aerobic activity and a couple of strength sessions every week, while kids could do with more like an hour’s moderate-intensity exercise a day.
Making physical activity part of the schedule
For those new to the concept, fitting regular physical activity into an already busy schedule may seem hard at first, but breaking it into chunks and into different types or amounts of exercise through the week really helps.
Yes, it’s easy for us to say join CrossFit DireWolf and book on to a class, but not everyone has the luxury of a free period three-to-five times a week to get to the gym, do the work, and get home. There’s a lot to be said for making time for yourself so you can enjoy the endorphins as well as the health benefits of exercise, but if blocking out that time is too much too soon, try these tricks for sneaking extra physical activity into your day:
Walk more: Super easy if you’re blessed with Man’s Best Friend – just take Rover a little further, do it briskly, add in a hill or even a little jog. Otherwise, you might try something like taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalators.
Question the car: Maybe you could take your bike. Or get off the bus a couple of stops early.
Desk break away: Instead of emailing or calling your colleague, take a walk to their desk. If you work form home, make time for regular breaks to stretch your legs, raise your arms, roll your shoulders, and even do some trunk rotations. You could try being “THAT GUY” and champion standing or walking meetings!
Shop ’til you drop: Stretch for items on the top shelf, squat for items on the bottom shelf, and sneak some bicep curls when you’re getting the milk, or calf raises when you’re queueing for the checkout.
Multi-task: Brushing your teeth? Do 10 air squats. Waiting for the kettle to boil? Do 10 push ups. Watching TV? Do sit ups in the ad breaks, or use the time to move through some stretches or mobility drills.
Exercise should be something you enjoy
Being active every day is one of the most important things you can do for your physical and mental health. And that’s why, even if you’re busy, you must plan some form of exercise to fit around your life – you owe it to yourself.
Physical activity isn’t a pleasure for everyone, we know that, but if you try to find a physical activity you enjoy, and make time to schedule it in, it won’t feel so much like a chore, and you”ll be far more likely to stick to doing it regularly.