Get Moving, Even For Five Minutes

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about physical wellness, a pillar of the eight foundational principles of wellness, part of the summer Vitality Revolution podcast series.

Dr. Shawn says, "We kind of get set in our ways and routines. It's good to have routine, if it's serving you. But we get stuck in these routines and these habits that aren't serving us. It's really amazing the small things you could do your routine and mindset — we talked about emotional health, mindset is everything. If you aren't in a space where you are ready to make those changes, then you're going to have that roller coaster of success and failures and you're not going to see the benefits.

What is physical wellness? Dr. Shawn says, "I've been a physical therapist for 26 years. My goal is to get everybody moving. It doesn't matter your capabilities, or your illnesses, or what we call co-morbidities. There's something for everybody and there's just so many reasons to move your body, even if it's 10 minutes, if it's 5 minutes. If you're not an exerciser or you feel like you can't, there's a way to move your body. Moving your body is so important. Think about all the things that it does. It helps your emotional wellness. But it's proven to reduce anxiety, to reduce depression, to relax, to help you sleep. It also helps with cardiovascular health. I don't care if you have to sit in a chair and march your legs, or if you're somebody who's over 60 and is still taking five-mile walks, it doesn't matter, you can improve your cardiovascular fitness by simply moving your body.

"I always say to start with five minutes. And it depends on the individual. You might be using a walker. That's ok. How about how many laps can we take around the house today? Let's start there. I've had my 75-year olds who are avid hikers and are really into fitness, and have been their whole life; well, I'm going to challenge them as well. "

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