Body Movement is the motion of all or parts of the body. Exercise is the physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitivie for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body used to improve health and maintain good fitness.

It’s no secret: Human life has become structured in a way that makes it very easy to avoid movement.We sit in cars on the way to work. At work we sit at our desks for much of the day. Then we come home and sit down to relax. That’s not what our bodies are built for, so creaky knees, stiff backs, and “I can’t keep up with my toddler!” have become the norm.

Sure, if you can’t move well, it may be a sign that you aren’t as healthy as you could be. But the quality and quantity of your daily movement — your strength and agility — are actually markers for something much more important.

As humans, we move our bodies to express our wants, needs, emotions, thoughts, and ideas. Ultimately, how well we move — and how much we move — determines how well we engage with the world and establish our larger purpose in life. If you move well, you also think, feel, and live well. It’s proven that healthy movement helps us:

• Feel well, physically and emotionally
• Function productively
• Think, learn, and remember
• Interact with the world
• Communicate and express ourselves
• Connect and build relationships with others

No matter where you’re starting, the more you move, the better your body will function. When we move:

• our muscles contract;
• we load our connective tissues and bones;
• we increase our respiration and circulation; and
• we release particular hormones and cell signals.
• All of these (and a variety of other physiological processes) tell our bodies to use its raw materials and the food we eat in certain ways.

Movement tells our bodies:

• to retrieve stored energy (e.g. fat or glucose) and use it;
• to store any extra energy in muscles, or use it for repair, rather than storing it as fat;
• to strengthen tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones; and
• to clear out accumulated waste products.
• And improved body functions ensure you’ll be able to move well and:

• climb stairs or hills
• step over obstacles
• carry groceries
• stand up from sitting down, or get up from the floor
• grasp and hold objects like a hammer
• pull or drag things like a heavy door or garbage can
• walk an excitable dog
• The more we can do confidently and capably, the fitter we’ll be. Even better, that means we’ll do more. That leads to more fitness. And this virtuous cycle continues.

Today, pay special attention to how you move. Be curious. As you go through the mundane activities of your day, notice how your unique body shapes your movements. How do you move… and how could you potentially move? Remember: You don’t have to “work out” or “exercise” to move. And you don’t need to revamp your physical activity overnight, either. Take your time. Do what you like. Pick one small new way you can move today — and do it.

At Aligning Within, we will show you demo videos on how body movement can help you. We will explore a range of physical activities that are easy and empowering, like yoga, body strength, and many others to enhance your body. You can find the demos on the Your Centering Place categories on the website.

~Diadel Kimberlee