1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Oh hello, welcome to Healthy Ish. You have tuned into 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: our summer series. This, of course is your podcast from 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Body and Soul. I'm your host of Felicity Harley. 4 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 2: Yes. 5 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: To celebrate the hot season, we are dropping our top 6 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: Healthyish episodes in twenty twenty four. This one was a 7 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: good eye because I think all of us at some 8 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: stage feel the three pm slump. Well, a lot of 9 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: us every day. And I was joined back in February 10 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: by workplace wellness expert and ted X speaker Lizzie Williamson. 11 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: She's a certified PT and she's energized thousands of people 12 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: along her well career journey, and she joined us to 13 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: share fun micro moves to boost your work mood and 14 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: increase productivity, particularly valuable in this time of year, don't 15 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: you think anyway, make sure you're listening to Extra Healthy 16 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: Ish as well, where she shares more about the active 17 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,639 Speaker 1: work day advantages. It's a little philosophy that she lives by. 18 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: You can search for Extra Healthy Ish wherever you get 19 00:00:53,159 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: your podcasts. Lizzie, Welcome to healthy Ish. 20 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. 21 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: I was looking forward to interviewing today because I need 22 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: a bit of energy in my life and I feel 23 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: like you are just bursting with it. 24 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: I've got some tips and hacks for you. 25 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: Okay, good to bring it on, But let's talk about 26 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: specifically exercised, because I feel like this is this is 27 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: your sweet spot now. Sometimes, you know, we get to 28 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,199 Speaker 1: the end of the week, we look back and realize 29 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: we've done little or no exercise. We're like, what when 30 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: did I last go to the gym or go for 31 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: a run, or even go for a walk. And then 32 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: the next week comes and I mean, now we all 33 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: know how important exercise is, not just for our physical 34 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: and mental health, how do we fit it in? Why 35 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: do we first thing, why do we find it so 36 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: hard to fit in? 37 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 2: So many things get in our way. I mean, we 38 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: have got big lies going on. We have got times 39 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 2: where we feel so fatigued and we just can't find 40 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 2: that motivation. Sometimes struggling mentally and exercise can be really hard. Then, 41 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 2: but here's the thing. We have got so many rules 42 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 2: about what exercise has to look like, that it has 43 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 2: to be this certain hour or half an hour, it 44 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 2: has to be at this certain gym class or yoga class. 45 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 2: We have to be wearing our fancy active Where give 46 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: us these certain results. And so when exercise doesn't fit 47 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 2: into that box, into the rules that we think it 48 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 2: has to look like, then what do we do that day? Nothing? 49 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 2: And so when we are so stuck in that rules 50 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: and that mindset of this exercise has to be this 51 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,799 Speaker 2: separate thing and all of these rules, and if something 52 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 2: gets in our way of doing it, whether that's time, energy, motivation, 53 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: then it just all feels too hard and we think, Okay, 54 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 2: well we can't do this exercise thing today. 55 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: We'll do it next week and then next Monday, oh no, no, 56 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: the beginning of next month, oh no, no, next year. Yeah, 57 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: So we just procrastinate. How specifically can a lack of 58 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 1: exercise packed our workday. 59 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 2: Well, we know from research that sitting for long periods 60 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 2: of time, this prolonged sitting without breaks, can actually take 61 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 2: years off our life potentially, And the World Health Organization 62 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 2: has put workplaces at this high priority for breaking up 63 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: long hours of sitting with movement. It's in all our 64 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 2: government guidelines. It's everywhere we need to sit a bit 65 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: less and move a little bit more. So the impact 66 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 2: isn't just physical on our longevity, but also when you're 67 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 2: sitting there at work and your lower backs is really 68 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 2: kind of aching because you haven't moved for ages, your shoulders, 69 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 2: your neck, you're tight. That's not really very much fun. 70 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: And then you've also got the mental stuff as well, 71 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: and the mindset and the soul stuff, because when we're 72 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: not physically active, we just don't feel as great. We 73 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: get more lethargic, our body goes into sleep mode, our 74 00:03:55,520 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 2: brain doesn't operate in the way that it's designed to do. 75 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 2: We miss out in a way of all these incredible 76 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: benefits that physical activity give us in our day. 77 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: I love in the beginning that you said it's all 78 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: in the guidelines. It's in the guidelines people, it's there, 79 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: But are we actually doing it? No? So how can we? 80 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: Because often, you know, if you're in an office job specifically, 81 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: I mean a lot of people do stand all day. 82 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: Obviously you know, nurses and doctors and whatever. But if 83 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: you're specifically in an office job and you're sitting all day, 84 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: or you're sitting at home, you get into the flow 85 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 1: of work, or you think I need to bash this 86 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: out because a deadline is looming. You stress, you forget 87 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: that you should be moving, and then all of a sudden, 88 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: it's three hours and you're still sitting there. How can 89 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: we get how can we interrupt our workflow, our workloads 90 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: and get more movement in you know, those three hours 91 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: that we may be sitting still. 92 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: First of all, it's a mindset that we've got to 93 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: look at how these little things we do, these little 94 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 2: micro moves, micro breaks, how they actually are really important 95 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 2: and they really do count. There's this show that I 96 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 2: can't believe I've gotten into on Netflix called Drive to Survive. 97 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 2: It's about Formula ones. Have you seen it? 98 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: No? 99 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 2: Okay, I never thought i'd be into Formula one drivers, 100 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 2: But when I watch it with my family and I 101 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 2: see these drivers on the track and they are racing 102 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 2: to that finish line and every millisecond counts for them, 103 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 2: high performers, and yet they're called to box. They've got 104 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 2: to go and take this pit stop because their tires 105 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 2: are running out or something's happened with their engine or 106 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: their vehicle. And of course I imagine they're on that 107 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 2: track not wanting to get off. They just want to 108 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 2: get there, but they know that that is a thing 109 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 2: that they need to do to get their vehicle back 110 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: in this prime way to get them across that finish line. 111 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 2: It's the same thing for us. We think that, oh no, 112 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 2: we can't stop because we've got to get going. We've 113 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 2: got to keep going. We've got to get this dead undone. 114 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: So we've got some semblance of work life balance. But 115 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 2: if we were to take these little pit stops and 116 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 2: take care of our vehicle, which is our bodies and 117 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 2: our brain and our mood, then we would get to 118 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 2: that finish line in a much better way. 119 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 1: Actually, that's a great analogy. I was just I have 120 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: actually been in the pits during the Grand Prix down 121 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: in Melbourne a couple of years ago. I can't even 122 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: remember the driver at the time, but it was quite phenomenal. 123 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: How such a short stop and then all of a 124 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: sudden they're fueled off and I think the I can't 125 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: even it was Lewis Hamilton anyway, someone like that. It 126 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: was phenomenal experience. But that's a perfect analogy for just 127 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: taking that short break. Now you say there's a two 128 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: minute trick that we can do in our workday to 129 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: take that break. 130 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 2: What is it? Before I had postnatal depression fifteen years ago, 131 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 2: I always thought that the way that exercise had to 132 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 2: be and had to count and to make you feel 133 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 2: good was you know, you really have to get out 134 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 2: half an hour, an hour whatever. And the problem was, 135 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 2: at that time I could not get myself to exercise anymore. 136 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 2: And so what I started doing was just saying to myself, 137 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: just do two minutes. That's all you have to do. 138 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 2: Here on your kitchen bench, do a few push ups. 139 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 2: I used to be a dancer, so I do a 140 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: few PLA's And I tell you that two minutes still 141 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 2: felt really hard, but it really then made me feel 142 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 2: like I was achieving something. I was doing something for me, 143 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 2: And so then this ripple effect happened from that taking 144 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 2: this little two minute then meant that I was feeling 145 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: a bit more late in the day, Okay, maybe I 146 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 2: want to move again. Sometimes as the months went past, 147 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 2: that two minutes became more minutes. Just do two minutes 148 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 2: or less, because two minutes is so much better than 149 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 2: no minutes, because it helps to build that momentum. 150 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: There's a great quote that just came to me when 151 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: you were talking. It's from as I think it's psychotherapist 152 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: Emma Murray. She has a quote that motion chain into emotion, 153 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: and your two minute trick is that move it changes 154 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: how you feel, how you look. So what are some 155 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: little two minute moves that we can do in our 156 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: day without feeling ridiculous in front of our workmates. 157 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 2: So so kicked simple. You can keep this really really small, 158 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 2: and in fact, you can actually do a lot of 159 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 2: this stuff without even anyone knowing that you are exercising 160 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 2: or moving at work. So say, for example, you're starting 161 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 2: to feel a bit tight in your body. You can 162 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 2: feel it in your back. So imagine you've dropped a 163 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 2: couple of pens on the ground. Next you just got 164 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 2: to pick something up, or you got to plug your 165 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 2: charge in under your desk. You lean over to one side, 166 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 2: pick it on up, and lean over the other side, 167 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 2: and that just gets your spine out of that same position. 168 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 2: You reach up one arm and how great that is. Now, 169 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,079 Speaker 2: if you're listening, you can just reach up the other arm, 170 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 2: and how good that feels to just stretch out your 171 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 2: We're reaching, Yes, we start reaching. You can imagine what 172 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 2: is you're reaching for. Imagine if you are about to 173 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: come on a podcast with the incredible Felicity Hard, you're 174 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 2: feeling a little bit nervous, or you about have to 175 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 2: go give a presentation, the way we hold our body 176 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: makes a big difference to the way that we feel. 177 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 2: And then of course walking is super powerful. If you're there, 178 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 2: think oh, I can't come up with this idea for 179 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,199 Speaker 2: this email or this project. There's a study by Stanford 180 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 2: University that says that compared to sitting, walking increases creative 181 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 2: output by sixty percent, and those creative juices continue to 182 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 2: flow after you've sat back down. You don't even have 183 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 2: to go outside. It's all those little moments that may 184 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: not look like exercise as you know it, but they're 185 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 2: still getting your body physically active. Yeah. 186 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: Amen to the Lizzie, Thank you for coming Unhealthy, Thank you, 187 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to this interview. As part of 188 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: our twenty twenty four summer series, there are plenty more 189 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: awesome epps for your ears, both from Healthy Ish and 190 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,679 Speaker 1: our big sister podcast Extra healthy Ish. If you did 191 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: like this interview, please take equipment to share it with friend. 192 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,719 Speaker 1: If you do want any other info, head to bodyansoul 193 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: dot com dot you followus on socials. Any feedback please 194 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: dm me at Felicity Harley and until tomorrow, enjoy the 195 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 1: sun and stay healthy.