Movement is a cornerstone of functional wellness, and Zoa dives into why it matters! Whether it’s a brisk walk, some yoga, or even bouncing on a trampoline, moving is about more than just breaking a sweat. Zoa shares how movement can boost your energy, support your mood, and help you feel fabulous at any age. Zoa chats about strength, flexibility, and the importance of keeping your body happy and healthy through everyday actions. So, let’s shake off the stiffness and get moving, because feeling better starts with a little bit of groove!
Takeaways:
Movement is not just about hitting the gym; it's all about staying active throughout your day!
Strength training is essential, whether you're lifting weights or just getting up and down from the floor.
Flexibility training is super important, not just for athletes but for everyone to stay limber and agile.
Cardio exercise helps pump blood and get your heart healthy; it's like a dance party for your insides!
Lymphatic movement is vital for detoxing your body; think of it as a spring cleaning for your insides.
Incorporating movement into your daily routine can help you feel younger and more vibrant, no matter your age!
The ass so you can take action every day to feel better, not older.
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Your lifestyle holds the power to change how you feel.
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And no matter your age or health issues, you are in the driver's seat.
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I'm your host, Zoa Connor, Functional wellness guide at Zen and Vitality with Zoa and retreat leader at Intentional Vitality Retreats.
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I'm here to help you figure out how to lower your stress, increase your energy, put yourself into a healing state, boost your drive and pleasure in life, prevent disease, and feel the best that you ever have with no regrets later.
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Let's go.
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In my work with clients so they can feel better, not older.
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We use the seven fundamentals of functional wellness.
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One of these fundamentals is movement.
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Now, movement isn't just exercise.
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It's actually any movement throughout the day.
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So for many people, when they think about movement, they think about cardio exercise, they think about strength training.
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I want to expand these thoughts.
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So cardio is important.
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It's strength training for your heart.
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It's encouraging good blood flow through the body.
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It's getting blood flow into your muscles and helps with your nervous system regulation.
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But there's lots of ways to do it.
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Another thing that's important for movement is, is strength.
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We love to feel strong.
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I don't actually know anyone that likes to feel weak, but strength means many things to many people.
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I like to think of strength as the ability to do whatever it is that you want to do in life.
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If that means lifting a 50 pound bag of chicken feed, then that might be your definition of strength.
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If that means rock climbing, then that's a definition.
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If that means lifting a certain number of pounds in a deadlift, then you have your own definition.
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And maybe it just means being able to get up and down off the floor and play with your grandchildren or your children or your dog or whatever.
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Cardiorespiratory exercise and strength are both important, but there's more.
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There's flexibility training.
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So if your goal is strength, then flexibility is the companion.
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A muscle that is strong can make things happen.
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Flexibility ensures that that thing can actually happen to the best of your ability.
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So if you're picking up something heavy and you want to be able to do it through the whole range of motion of your joint, through the whole muscle of your body, through your whole body itself.
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You need to be flexible and pliable enough that your brain will let you do that motion.
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And when you're stiff and tight, it's Hard to move.
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And so flexibility training is an important part of being strong.
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And, and it has to be more than just some stretches to warm up and some stretches to cool down.
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Flexibility training deserves its very own time slot in your day and in your week.
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And it could be something beautiful like.
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A practice of yoga.
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It could be a very conscious stretching component 2 every night before you go to sleep, to help release the tension from the day.
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The lovely benefit of flexibility work is that it also releases the emotional and mental stress that our body holds onto.
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So you can feel better by adding flexibility training.
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It's not a waste of time in any way, shape or form, even if it is perhaps underappreciated.
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Related to both strength and flexibility.
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And your cardiorespiratory fitness is the idea of lymphatic movement.
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So your lymph system is the partner to your circulatory system.
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The lymphatic system has its very own set of fluid and tubules that carry this fluid vessels and organs that help process the lymphatic fluids.
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And it's your body's way of getting rid of the trash that gets built up inside of your cells and in between them.
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So the lymphatic movement is designed to facilitate trash removal.
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When you have toxins and waste products from your metabolism stuck in your body, you tend to feel tired and weak and stiff and uncomfortable or painful.
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And so some gentle lymphatic movement can really help you feel better, not older.
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What does lymphatic movement look like?
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Maybe it is a short 10 minute walk where you're making sure to swing your arms, swing your legs, but it's not for the purpose of, of getting there as a destination.
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It's for the purpose of establishing a rhythm of movement through the whole body.
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Maybe your lymphatic movement is a little bit of time on a small trampoline or rebounder.
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And the lymphatic bounce on a trampoline doesn't have your feet come off the off of the trampoline surface.
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It's just a little bounce.
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It's enough to stimulate fluid flow through the body.
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Maybe your fascial movement is a fascially oriented class.
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I have one of those.
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It is offered once a week and sometimes more, sometimes less.
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But we use fascial relaxation and release props and movement and ideas to help make the body feel happy again.
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And that addresses all of the joints and your breathing.
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And it's not about exercise in the way that you think of for getting stronger or faster or more agile, but it is fascially oriented exercise that makes you stronger, more stable, more comfortable and safer in your movement and it helps to detoxify.
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So no matter what your exercise plan looks like, make sure that you incorporate whole body movement, strength oriented, flexibility oriented, cardiorespiratory ended, fascially oriented, lymphatically oriented and its whole body every day stress relieving and supportive.
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This is only one of the fundamentals of functional wellness and I would love the chance to help you figure out what is missing to your days and weeks so that you can be balanced with your movement and have all of your needs met.
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If the Sustain your Vitality podcast is.
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Helping you understand what you need to.
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Feel fabulous in every way with the least amount of effort, please share the show with someone who also needs it.
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Sharing is easy, just use the sharing.
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Link in the show notes the Sustain.
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Your Vitality podcast is a gift from Zen and Vitality with Zoa LLC and Intentional Vitality Retreats based in the State of Maryland, usa.
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All the podcast things planning, recording, editing, producing have all been done by me, Zoa Connor, Ph.D.
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even though you can call me doctor, I'm not a medical professional and your safety is your responsibility.
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By listening to this podcast and understanding that any movement, nutrition, lifestyle or health protocol is discussed, you are agreeing to take full responsibility for your actions.
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Zen and Vitality with Zoa are not responsible for any injuries or issues that may occur.
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This podcast is intended for education and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical, wellness, nutrition, lifestyle or movement and fitness advice.
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Always practice any fitness or movement related activities in a safe environment.
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I make no claims about the effectiveness of the techniques or protocols discussed for you or any specific results that you may achieve.
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I recommend you consider with your healthcare professional before changing your diet, exercise, routine or healthcare plan.
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Zenin, Vitality with Zoa and the guests of this podcast are not liable for any injuries or health problems that may arise from following the information presented.
