Why You Should Practice Saying Yes To Movement & How To Do It

There's a lot of talk about the Blue Zones, and for a good reason: Aiming to live to 100 is a great way to inspire healthy longevity practices. But with increased chatter comes plenty of misconceptions, one of which is that you have to partake in high-intensity exercise daily.

Surprisingly, many of the folks in these Blue Zones are more active in terms of movement cadence, not necessarily intensity.

On an episode of the Clean Beauty School podcast, nutrition and wellness expert Mona Vand, PharmaD, recommends saying yes to movement. Even when the opportunity seems small, it can make a big difference in your daily routine. 

For example: "Let's say I'm on the other side of the house. Instead of asking my fiance to get me something, I take my body for a walk," she says.

"It's a choice to get a little bit more blood flow," she adds, without having to dedicate too much time to the activity at hand. 

Vand also finds this simple mindset shift quite motivating. It's a mental override of sorts: If you commit now to saying yes to movement (when it makes sense, of course), then you'll be more likely to form a repetitive habit. 

Sure, it may not be a huge difference to your overall routine. But on the flip side, you never know how much a quick stroll to the door or walk to the mailbox might impact how you feel. 

Especially for those who work at a desk most of the day, getting up and stretching your body has benefits far beyond stimulating blood flow—it can help you regain focus and relieve stress. 

Even just reminding yourself of the physical and mental benefits of movement can make you more motivated to follow through with the movement break. "When you have that intention, you just look at these habits differently," Vand explains.

Still don't believe in the power of simple movement breaks like this? Let me illustrate it for you: Imagine you're about to head out for an eight-hour drive, and you have the option to take a quick break in the middle to stretch your legs… Would you take it?

I'd wager your answer is probably a yes.

While working at a desk for eight hours and driving in a car aren't the same exact situation, the significance of even a short movement break shines through. 

So if you're searching for a way to fold in more movement on a busy schedule, consider saying yes when the opportunity presents itself.