Why You Don't Exercise Even Though You Know You Should. And Strategies To Get Over the Hump. | Katy Bowman

Overview

This episode dives into the reasons why many people struggle to exercise despite knowing its benefits and offers practical strategies to overcome these barriers. Biomechanist Katie Bowman introduces the concept of movement as nutrition, emphasizing the importance of integrating diverse, natural movements into daily life. The discussion covers psychological, logistical, and cultural obstacles to movement and provides actionable advice for creating a sustainable movement diet.

Notable Quotes

- Movement is for every body. It’s a biological imperative. – Katie Bowman, on the universal need for movement.

- No one has ever actually died of embarrassment, but many people will have negative impacts from the things they avoid because of it. – Katie Bowman, on overcoming shame and self-consciousness.

- When everyone around me is annoying, it’s usually my body telling me I’m undermoved. – Katie Bowman, on recognizing movement as a remedy for emotional states.

🧠 Movement as Nutrition

- Bowman explains that movement is as essential to the body as food, sunlight, and other nutrients.

- Movement impacts cellular behavior, much like dietary nutrients, and a lack of movement can lead to predictable physiological issues.

- She introduces the concept of a movement diet, which includes diverse types of movement (e.g., walking, squatting, hanging) to nourish the body holistically.

- Bowman distinguishes between movement, physical activity, and exercise, encouraging a broader view of movement beyond structured workouts.

💡 Overcoming Resistance to Exercise

- Motivation: Bowman emphasizes aligning movement with personal values, such as productivity, connection, or service, to make it more meaningful.

- Discomfort: For those who dislike sweating or find exercise boring, she suggests exploring non-sweaty, enjoyable activities like gardening or walking.

- Embarrassment: Strategies include broadening your perspective, strengthening your so what muscle, and desensitizing yourself to perceived judgment.

- Consistency: Bowman highlights the importance of weaving movement into daily life and social connections to make it sustainable.

⏳ Finding Time to Move

- Bowman introduces the concept of stacking your life, where multiple needs (e.g., movement, family time, errands) are met simultaneously.

- She challenges the perception of time scarcity, suggesting that even small movement breaks (e.g., stretching, walking around the block) can add up.

- Practical tips include reducing screen time, using movement-friendly environments, and reframing pseudo-busyness as a cue to move.

📱 Tackling Screen Addiction

- Bowman advises practical steps like using a separate alarm clock to avoid morning phone scrolling and setting app limits.

- She suggests leveraging technology positively by using movement apps or preloading short exercise routines.

- Recognizing the diminishing returns of screen time can serve as a cue to switch to physical activity.

🌿 Ancestral Movements and Environment Design

- Bowman advocates for incorporating ancestral movements like walking, squatting, and carrying into daily routines.

- She recommends modifying environments to encourage movement, such as using low seating, hanging rings, or choosing labor-intensive tasks like chopping vegetables.

- These natural movements help nourish the body politic, ensuring all tissues and systems are engaged and supported.