Exercise is Health Podcast

Listening to podcasts during cardio is something I like to do when the intensity is low-moderate. I came across this wonderful podcast by Muscle Activation Schaumburg founders and co-owners, Charlie and Julie Cates. During this morning’s cardio session (20 minutes on a stair climber at low-mod resistance), I was reminded of the importance of exercising for the health and function of the body. As discussed in the podcast, too often exercise programming unintentionally compromises the health of the body when focus is on external factors (e.g. time of completion, covering a certain distance, achieving a target weight, etc). Working out below or above capacity can end up being more harmful to overall functioning than intended. Exercise programming that is guided by internal health factors, such as the heart, muscle size and strength, and flexibility, leads to sustainable health and function of the body. This way of thinking about exercise programming aligns with my values as a mind-body therapist: making decisions that aid in our ability to live a healthy life.