A Lifestyle Series: Exercise

Okay, so the intro title may be a bit misleading. I am not going to argue for you to continuously be doing some sort of physical activity. That’s crazy talk.
Plus, is that even possible? Especially if you’re following the advice from Part 1 about sleep. Most likely not a good idea.
What I am advocating for is a little more deliberate daily movement. You should definitely be doing some sort of physical activity each day (that is more than walking to and from your car). And in this day and age, unless you have a physically demanding job, you should also be implementing some real exercise everyday as well.

If you caught that, I said you should be doing some sort of physical activity and some real exercise daily…
Confusingly, these two are not the same. I’ll explain.
Physical activity is any movement of your body that uses energy. Including all movement during leisure time, daily routines, or work.
And exercise is a structured, planned, and repetitive subset of physical activity aimed at improving fitness.

Basically exercise is intentional/structured, and physical activity is all the movement you do, like chores around the house.

I want to begin with a problem that can easily be solved with a bit of daily exercise.
Its no secret we live in a society that doesn’t put much emphasis on exercise, manual labor, or really any friction type of physical activity. We spend the majority of our free-time in front of a screen and consider it the “norm”. So bad in fact, that those who have dogs barely even walk them more than a few feet from their house maybe what? Twice a day… if that.
What’s worse, these poor kids don’t have a fighting chance. Utilizing a screen to harbor attention, bottling up energy, and relying on influencers to mold their thinking. Then wonder why their kid can’t focus or listen.
Not only do you need to move more, so does your dog, and your kid (if you have either of those, of course).
Because we live in the society that we do, I’d say just about all physical activity can be considered exercise now. Due to going up a couple flights of stairs being considered a workout.
Okay, I’m not trying to point fingers. I am trying to say that we all do have a responsibility. What you do and how you do it matters.
I’m hoping you’re getting the point. This is actually serious. The obesity rate in the U.S.A. is almost half of the population at 40.3% as of 2026. Being higher in previous years, though the use of GLP-1s have seemed to bring it down a bit. Which is good at surface level. Meaning, this could have been dropped if people decided that self-control was a worthy trait to embody.
So what I’m saying is you need to exercise daily. Devote 30 minutes to and hour of exercise each day. This can be in the gym, your living room, a brisk walk outside, or joining a Jiu Jitsu class.

And trust me. I understand being tired after work. Most of the time it’s a mental drain from socializing, non-stimulating work, and redundant tasks. But your body hasn’t done anything but process too much caffeine. Many of us suffer from sleep issues. Before dumping a bunch of melatonin or whatever else down your throat… try some vigorous exercise for an hour or more consistently and see how well you start sleeping.
I’ll tell you right now, the nights after a crazy leg day or hard rolling class I always sleep like a baby… who just ran a marathon.

Anyway, with all that being said, please start exercising consistently.
I’m going to list the recommended physical activity guidelines and a few benefits you get form exercising.

Straight form the CDC herself:

-Guidelines for Adults: at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity (e.g., brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening activities.
-Guidelines for Children: 60 minutes or more of daily moderate-to-vigorous activity.

Physical Health Benefits-

-Weight Management: Exercise burns calories and helps build muscle, which increases metabolism.
-Disease Prevention: Regular activity helps manage blood pressure, boosts good cholesterol (HDL), and reduces bad cholesterol (triglycerides), lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic syndrome.
-Bone and Muscle Strength: Weight-bearing exercises build bone density and maintain muscle mass, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
-Enhanced Immune System: Exercise promotes the release of stem cells that aid in repairing and remodeling tissues.
-Improved Sleep: Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep.

Mental and Cognitive Benefits-

-Mood Improvement: Exercise reduces anxiety, depression, and stress by releasing endorphins.
-Brain Health: Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, supporting memory and reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
-Energy Boost: Regular exercise improves muscle strength and boosts endurance, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues more efficiently.

What makes this all happen-

Consistency is Key: Any amount of activity is better than none.

Get moving. Even if it’s for 30 minutes.

Or reach out here with any questions:
[email protected]