It blows my mind how unnatural, robotic and disconnected our lives have become.
This realization consumed me early one morning at Planet Fitness. I was mindlessly running on the treadmill when I glanced around and was struck by the absurdity of what I saw. On one hand, it was inspiring to see men and women of all ages and fitness levels taking time out of their schedule to pursue health. But what gnawed at me was the feeling like I was trapped in a science fiction movie.
We were reduced to a long row of zombies perfectly lined up running and walking on machines going nowhere. Our earbuds were firmly in place to trap us in our own world and protect us from having to communicate with each other while staring at the endless row of enormous television screens hanging from the ceiling. It all seemed so SURREAL!
Don’t get me wrong. I love and value the gym environment where everyone is working out and pursuing their goals. It’s inspiring to train alongside others — even if we never acknowledge each other. But it’s kind of crazy when you think about it, because of what it says about our daily lives. In order for us to have a healthy, strong, mobile body, we (people in general) have to schedule it in and then hope we can follow through. Our daily lives have become so sedentary that we don’t actually USE our bodies unless we intentionally make time. How many of us simply skip exercising altogether due to lack of time? Our individual and collective health is suffering as a result.
Throughout most of history gyms didn’t even exist. We didn’t need them. People worked their bodies doing physical household chores, tending gardens, building things, playing games outside, and relying on walking as our mode of transportation. Our bodies were created to move, and when we lived a more simple and natural life, we were strong and had endurance just because we were constantly moving and using our muscles throughout the day. We didn’t need to schedule in time to work our muscles, or set a reminder to get up and actually move.
There are often days when I’ll spend an hour working out, but then turn around and spend the next eight hours sitting. I noticed the past two summers when we traveled around the country in our RV with many long days on the road, I basically rendered my left glute and hamstring useless because of the way I sat. It’s taken me a long time to get those muscles to activate again and I notice, especially when I travel in the car, when I sit for an extended period of time those muscles suffer.
Have you seen the latest research declaring Sitting Is The New Smoking. (https://news.sanfordhealth.org/heart/sitting-is-the-new-smoking-truly-a-silent-killer/ ) since it has such a negative effect on our health and increases our risk for countless chronic health problems? Obviously working out in a gym, or anywhere for that matter, is beneficial to our health and it’s definitely better than doing nothing. Building strength and cardio is crucial for preventing disease and increasing longevity and quality of life. Research proves this. But for many of us the only active part of our day is the time we spend in a gym.
That’s not what we were designed for, especially since we end up on machines zoning out in our own world like zombies, not even interacting with each other. Yes, we are making positive steps in regards to our health and for many of us, the gym may be the only option we have. But we’re missing out on so much more.
As much as I love the gym for inspiration and access to really great equipment, it doesn’t compare to meeting up with a group of people to run outside or running outside alone. Fresh air, natural light and movement through our natural environment invigorates me and brings me peace like nothing else. We weren’t created to spend so much time indoors exposed to so much ARTIFICIALITY. Our bodies need movement throughout the day, opportunities to use our muscles, and connection with not only the environment, but with actual people face to face.
Think about how much better you feel on vacation. How many of us love the beach? We are outside in fresh air and sunlight with our bare feet touching the ground for connection. The rhythmic sound of the waves cleanses our soul while the warm breeze soothes us. Even on a frigid winter day activities outside can have similar effects. I love how the cold air invigorates me on a run while the sunlight warms my face. Just noticing the trees and sky gives me a sense of peace. Going to the gym feels like “getting it done” while running outside feels more like an experience for my entire being.
We’ve strayed far from our natural tendencies. We move as little as possible, stare at screens all day, stay home and communicate online instead of getting real connection in person, take the path of least resistance, say we’ll start tomorrow (but it never comes, or if it does it never lasts), have minimal contact with nature or our environment, replace nature with skyscrapers, and mindlessly stuff ourselves with food-like substances we can’t even pronounce. And we wonder why so many of us are sick and depressed!
While going to the gym is absolutely a step in the right direction, let’s make sure we still move throughout the day, get fresh air and sunlight, lift heavy things,interact with people and eat natural foods. The next time I hit the gym (which will be often this week due to freezing temps.) I’m going to remind myself to be grateful for the access. But perhaps I’ll cut it short to walk around the parking lot for fresh air, or leave my earbuds at home, so I’m more likely to speak to someone. I want to take more steps to get back to nature and escape this sci-fi world we’ve become so accustomed to. I always feel much better when I do – even if it’s just a small step.
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