Made to Move

Muscle Contraction is Medicine.

This is distinctly different from saying that exercise is medicine.

When you read the word exercise, what comes to mind? Do you picture a session of at least 30 minutes of activity that involves dedicated time, sweating, and a required shower afterward?

That’s not what I’m talking about here.

Of course, we all know that exercise is important and that’s why more Americans belong to a gym than ever before. Yet we’re also the most metabolically unhealthy we’ve ever been. Even if we’re exercising an hour a day, sitting for prolonged periods of time can still keep us from achieving our health goals.

You were made to move.

The great news is that moving throughout the day doesn’t have to take much time or effort and can fit into your busy life. With a little intentionality and creativity, we can improve our energy levels, overall health, longevity, mood, risk of chronic disease, metabolism, and more.

How Does Muscle Contraction Affect Your Metabolism?

Muscle contraction improves your body’s mitochondrial function by allowing glucose into the cells so that it can be used to make more energy (in the form of ATP). ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the energy on which your body runs. If your body was the U.S. economy, ATP would be credit cards.

How does muscle contraction achieve this amazing feat of blood glucose disposal? When muscle cells contract, receptors inside your cells actually move to the plasma membrane — the outside layer of the cell — allowing it to take up glucose.

By consistently moving throughout the day, these receptors stay on the outside membranes of our cells, giving them metabolic superpowers they were made for by turning them into glucose-disposing machines. Your cells use this intake of glucose to make energy, which also lowers blood glucose levels and improves your overall metabolic health.

Muscle Contraction is Movement

Muscle contraction is simply moving your body. Of course the greater the movement, the greater the effect. Whole body movements such as walking or squats and intense contractions such as weight lifting, have a more impactful effect.

Walking is a powerful glucose disposal signal. It improves your cells’ capacity to use your food and make the ATP your body needs to function, heal, and repair.

You’ve probably heard about the many studies showing the impressive benefits of getting at least 7,000-10,000 steps per day. The data is clear that walking at least 7,000 steps per day improves metabolic health and even reduces the likelihood of premature death.

So, if muscle contraction is simply movement, and movement throughout the day can have such a powerful effect on our metabolism, how can we add in more movement throughout our day without adding to our to-do list?

How to Increase Movement In Your Busy Life

If we could put movement into a pill, everyone would be taking it, right? Why not consider the following “prescriptions” to take advantage of a more efficient metabolism today?

Stacking Habits: Combine Movement with Daily Routines

In BJ Fogg’s book, Tiny Habits, he shares his research on using micro-habits as a technique for installing long-term lifestyle change. For example, he talks about his own habit of adding push-ups to his day by beginning with just one wall push-up after each visit to the restroom.

Stacking one small habit such as one jumping jack before sitting down at your desk, one downward dog before turning on the TV, or one air squat before pouring your cup of coffee can expand the possibilities of adding movement to your day and encourage us as we become more effective at fitting in activity.

While these new habits might expand into longer sessions, even if they don’t, you’re still adding muscle contractions into your day which will improve your metabolic health. These small steps taken consistently build momentum and often grow into more frequent activity as we gain confidence and a newfound identity.

Other ideas might include doing squats or wall-sits while brushing your teeth, taking a short (even just 1 minute) walking break during lunch, or doing one stretch during work phone calls.

Add Movement During Your Workday

Whether you work from home or in an office, with a little intentionality, adding movement while you work can be easy and even improve your productivity. Here are some ideas you might consider:

1. Try a standing desk

   Using a standing desk can help reduce the negative effects of sitting for long periods, such as back pain and poor posture. It also encourages more movement throughout the day, boosting energy levels and improving focus.

2. Sit on a ball or a ball chair

   Sitting on a stability ball or ball chair engages your core muscles (read muscle contraction), promoting better posture and balance. It also encourages subtle movements, which can help reduce stiffness and improve circulation throughout the day.

   

3. Use a walking pad (treadmill under your desk)

   Treadmill desks are becoming more affordable and increasingly popular as studies demonstrate their benefits. I am using one as I write this!

   One very interesting study showed that sedentary participants experienced significantly improved body composition (losing about 2.2 lbs of body fat and GAINING about 2.2 lbs of lean muscle) by using a treadmill desk at a very slow rate for 2.5 hours a day over the course of only two weeks. The participants also experienced improved mood and energy, with most of them stating that their productivity at work actually improved.

4. Try a desk bike

   I haven’t tried this option, but it would be great for those who don’t have a standing desk, prefer to sit during their day, or just love to bike. This model gets great reviews and has an adjustable height model to address the common problem of knees hitting the top of the desk.

5. Add some stretches or office exercises

   You don’t have to buy a piece of equipment to get moving at your desk. This DeskFit printable handout created by NASA lists 20 exercises and stretches that you could try right now!

6. Take a walking break instead of checking social media

   You deserve a REAL break today. Away from your desk. In the sunshine. Even if it’s just 2 minutes, you’ll feel more refreshed if you step away from your desk, walk to the nearest door, and step outside to see some grass, sky, and trees. Who knows, you might decide that you have a few more minutes for a short walk.

   This eye-opening study done by Columbia University exercise physiologists tested various doses of walking “snacks” during an 8-hour workday. They found that the most benefits come from a 5-minute walk every 30 minutes, which lowered blood pressure, improved mood, reduced fatigue, AND reduced glucose spikes by 58% compared to sitting all day.

7. Schedule more walking meetings

   Walking during meetings can be a more productive and healthy way to communicate and make plans with your colleagues. As a health coach, I encourage my clients to find ways to spend less time on Zoom, so I’m thinking of offering some walk-and-talk sessions to further that goal. This article on How to Do Walking Meetings Right shares some great tips on the topic.

Let’s Get Moving…

While regular exercise is important, it’s not enough to fully counteract the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle. The real key lies in moving consistently throughout the day—simple muscle contractions through activities like walking, stretching, or even desk exercises can have a profound impact on your metabolic health. By incorporating small, frequent movements into your routine, you activate your body’s natural ability to regulate glucose, improve energy, and boost overall well-being. The best part? It doesn’t require much time or effort—just a bit of creativity and intentionality.

So, whether it’s standing more, adding micro-movements, or taking a quick walk, remember that every little bit of movement counts. Your body was made to move, and these small changes can lead to big improvements in your health, longevity, and quality of life.