The definition of inertia is a tendency to do nothing, to remain unchanged. Are you doing nothing? Are you remaining unchanged? It is easy to do the same thing over and over again. You grow comfortable with the regularity and the consistency. Its nice to know what to expect and to welcome the routine of your daily life. Routine removes the potential of disruption and being out of your comfort zone. But, as you grow older are you really unchanged. You may think that everything is the same but there are consequences to growing older. Aging makes changes in your body that will eventually disrupt your routine. As you age your heart rate slows down slightly and your heart might become enlarged your blood vessels and arteries will become stiffer causing your heart to work harder. your bones shrink in size and density, they weaken making you more susceptible to fractures. muscles lose strength and flexibility and you lose some coordination and balance making it more likely for you to fall on those weaker bones. Your memory is less efficient which makes new learning more difficult and harder to remember what you already know. Your skin thins and is less elastic and you lose fatty tissue just below the skin making bruising more likely. Your muscle mass decreases replaced by body fat reducing the amount of calories you burn at rest which makes it more likely to gain additional fat. All these things have negative health and quality of life consequences. Do nothing and the aging process is a clear path of decline. So you are not remaining unchanged by doing nothing you are declining.
What can be done? Chose movement and you can battle the aging decline. You can improve your chances for a long good quality of life. Physical activity is the tool you can implement. Exercise is an important aspect of the strategic plan to deal with aging. Walking, resistance training, biking, swimming, gardening and all forms of movement will serve you well. The process of moving will help to offset the negative affects of aging. Strength training will build muscle, all forms of cardio exercise will build cardio respiratory function. More muscle means a higher caloric burn each day reducing fat and improving body composition.
If you have not moved towards exercise and have chosen to remain in your comfort zone of inertia, you will not remain unchanged. Nature has a different idea and the natural aging process will command you to move but unfortunately it will move you towards physical and mental decline. A second definition of inertia is a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line. unless that state is changed by an external force. You will not remain unchanged. Choose which external force that will act upon your inertia. Aging and the subsequent decline of quality of life or Exercise and movement which will improve your health and quality of life. Nothing remains the same. so choose wisely. If you need help I can be reached at [email protected].