Your most basic habits have everything to do with your well-being

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

To excel is a lofty goal; one that may seem daunting for many of us. I can’t say that I excel in many, or maybe any, areas of study, lifestyle, or attributes. Does that mean to say I should not strive in any of these or other areas? (Rhetorical question!) Of course not! No matter what age, circumstance, or lifestyle you possess, we can all focus on habits which can, and will, make a difference in our quality of life; habits which are beneficial to our very independence.

I was thinking recently of habits I have tried to focus on as I reached middle age and then – beyond! These habits are not ones that we were specifically taught growing up or that we learned at any level of our educational achievements. Rather, these are more practical functions of our daily lives which make a difference in our overall physical and mental health. And, interestingly, these specific essential everyday habits are ones that we first learned as babies and toddlers when we first began to stand and walk. Realizing that our habits have been with us for a very long time in many cases, you may be skeptical about changing for the better, but believe me it is not only possible but essential to your well-being.

Let’s take a look. (Readers: please note that these suggestions are general in nature and not intended for those who have disabilities or illness which preclude them from using these movements as noted.)

To Sit

How often do you rise from a seated position without using your hands or arms to help push yourself up? We are hardly conscious of using our arms or hands to assist with a movement done many times each day for most of us. It is imperative that we work to stay as strong as possible as we age.

The optimal method of standing from a seated position is to stand without using your arms at all. First, plant your feet. Use your thighs, hips, and abdomen to power yourself up and down and you will find that you have improved stability and strength. In practicing this in my FlexAbility class, we extend our arms out front of our body so that we are not tempted to use them to assist our standing from the seated position.

To Stand

Your feet should always position below your hips. From that position the majority of your weight should be in the heels of your feet, with the remaining in the toe box or ball of the foot. This positioning will help you maintain your balance, a critical issue in keeping you upright as falls can be a debilitating issue. Using this proper stance, your body will allow you to keep your shoulders above your hips and pelvic area and using this method can offer you relief if you suffer from back pain.

To Walk

As I have mentioned in previous columns, most of us walk incorrectly, placing the balls of the feet down first as we step forward. This can through off the alignment of the body as the torso is pitched forward. Again, this can be an issue in keeping your balance. Place your heels down first, followed by the ball of your foot as you step forward. Keep your shoulders pulled back and swing your arms forward, making sure that the swinging arm is opposite the leg in front as you move.

To Breathe

I have written several times about the importance of breathing properly and will continue to remind my readers about replacing quick, shallow breathing with deeper belly breaths. This, like anything we wish to change, requires practice!

Sit, stand, walk, and breathe with intention and you will find your body responds in appreciation.

Sharon McMahon, CNWC

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace advice of your personal physician or licensed health professional. Please consult your physician for any issues you may have related to nutrition or fitness activity.