If you could bring Hippocrates to our modern time, you’d end up explaining that we’ve become more fast paced while also becoming more sedentary. He was said to be an enthusiast of proper exercise and considered it the key to health; he might balk at the idea that, in this age of modern medicine, we’ve created a new health crisis in an effort to coordinate our lives with the least effort possible. I can imagine him saying (in perfect English, of course, because I don’t know ancient Greek) “you have medicines to quickly fight fevers, but you’ve forgotten how to move enough each day?”
In his time, Hippocrates and his constituents used lifestyle medicine to aid in healing from various diseases. For me, I think it’s important to remember that we have all the tools we need to exercise with us, each day, at every moment. Calisthenic work, or using just your own body weight to exercise, is my favorite form of exercise. It can also be the most fun because it can take so many different forms; using small changes in your lifestyle to incorporate it into your day with little disruption.
If you’re anything like me, the idea of taking out an hour or more to do only exercise feels like time you can’t afford to lose, even on something as important as your fitness. Maybe you have kids, or are the primary caretaker of a disabled adult, or have to use your limited energy (hi, fellow Spoonies!) on the most important tasks which leaves little time for focused exercise. Calisthenics can be worked into your daily chores/routine and provide the right amount of exercise for your health.
Sitting up with strong posture, pumping your legs up and down while you sit, fidgeting, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, dancing while you cook, clean, or do other standing tasks are all ways to fill your day with movement. Most of these ways blend in with your tasks in an enjoyable way and might even become second nature. Incorporating them into your moments of fun, such as playing video games, reading, or working on a hobby, creates a fun and ever-changing source of exercise. What you choose to do is limited only by your imagination and physical ability. Make Hippocrates proud by adding more movement to your daily life and have fun doing it.
Lock, Stock, and Spoonies™ 