Arm Chair Inertia

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with Math.  We’ll talk Physics instead, lol.

What is Inertia?  Well according to the fabulous internet, it is this:

• Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to any change in its state of motion, including changes to its speed and direction. It is the tendency of objects to keep moving in a straight line at constant velocity.

Basically, a body in motion tends to stay in motion while a body at rest tends to stay at rest. You can thank a guy named Newton for that Scientific premise.   Well, actually Galileo came up with the theory of Inertia and then Newton refined it and appropriately gave Galileo credit.

So what the heck does that all mean and why do we care?

Have you ever had a child wake up in the morning insisting that they did not feel well and did not want to go to school?  I know I have.  Heck, I use to BE that child.  Most savvy moms will make that kid get up and get moving, unless they are wicked ill with obvious ailments.  Usually, once one is up and about, dressed, fed, etc. ~ suddenly they are okay ~ and able to face the day.  They may or may not be smiling, but they are moving.

If you are sitting on your couch, all comfortable-like … and there is no outside force to get you moving … you’re likely to continue in that exact spot, position and frame of mind.  A body at rest tends to stay at rest.  Until you have to pee.   Or someone rings the doorbell. SOMETHING makes you get up.   Take that opportunity, and that moment of motion, to KEEP moving.   A body in motion tends to stay in motion.  It’s true, I promise.

My Chair

Most folks know, I work from home.  It would be oh so easy for me to sit in my big fat comfy arm chair with my laptop, and my dog, and not move for hours.  Except I have to pee a lot.  Yeah, I drink a lot of fluids 🙂 Well, I have a small mini trampoline in my living room (which doubles as my office).  I have small hand weights and resistance bands and various other gadgets.

SO, every time I have to get up to use the potty, or put clothes in the dryer, or print something, or whatever … I make sure to turn that into intentional movement. I’ll jump a few jumps, lift some weights, twist and bend my body, hike some stairs, whatever. In this house, we have our laundry area upstairs.  I’ll use that as an excuse to go up and down the steps.  I also have a powder bathroom downstairs, very close to my big fat comfy arm chair. However; every time I have to pee .. I usually hike the stairs and go use the one in my master bedroom. Why?  Extra steps. Extra movement.

When the weather permits, I’ll use my ‘Up’ time and go hike around the block outside and come back.   None of this counts as my actual ‘workout’, I do that at the gym, but this is how I keep from being a complete loaf all day long.   Because, believe me, if I did not make a focused and concentrated effort to move, push, pull, bend and twist my physique throughout the day … it would not come naturally.  I do squats in the shower.  I do lunges in the grocery store.  I bend and stretch in public all the ding dang time.  People can think I’m a loon, I don’t care.  I’ll probably be doing such antics in the old folks home too.  At least then, they can blame it on senility.

Inertia is an amazing thing.  It can be powerful in your favor – – or not.   If there is no outside force to stop you from being a loaf, well then you’re probably just going to keep on being a loaf.   But man oh man … when you’re on the right path, the straight and narrow, going strong, solid habits in place, eye on the ball … moving forward … nothing can stop you. That’s the stuff dreams are made of! That’s what you want right there.  Gotta get ya some of that inertia juice I tell ya.  If I could bottle it up and sell it, I’d be rich.

But I can’t, and I can’t do it for you.  I cannot light your fire.  That must burn from within.

As always, make champion choices,
The Healthy Habit Lady