The Physical Energy Trap

If you’re interested in improving your health, you should be considering these five factors that have the biggest impact: Breathing, Eating, Sleeping, Thinking, and Movement (B.E.S.T. Me.). Originally highlighted by Paul Chek, these factors are the essential components to building a healthy human being. However, now more than ever we are shackled by societal constraints that disrupt our ability to apply these basic human needs for optimal health. One in Four Americans are working remotely through 2021, and an estimated 22% of the workforce will remain remote by 2025. This is not inherently a bad thing considering the average American has also saved approximately 40 minutes daily of commuting time due to this new work environment. This extra time could be spent integrating more movement into one’s daily routine. However, according to an analysis performed by famemass, people spend an average of 2 hours and 32 minutes per day on social media. Perhaps you were mindlessly scrolling along on one of these addictive platforms prior to stumbled upon this blog. Over the last decade, social media use has increased by 69% (over 1 hour additional each day). More free-time is not correlated to more productivity or better health. This is not surprising given that 73% of Americans are considered overweight by the CDC. Rather than fixing the health issues these people have, they propel them. They sit for long periods of time watching TV, engaging in social media, and working in a desk prison. 

Health paradigms could shift for these people if they engaged in a generous amount of movement instead. This is not a complete fix, but it does offer a great starting point. According to the mayo clinic, the average American walks 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day. This is considerably low. The human body is designed to move. Our body is comprised of a system of bones, muscles, and joints that work in concert to produce a variety of stimulating motions. We wouldn’t lock a dog in a crate all day where it loses the freedom to move. Most would consider this abuse. Yet, we lock our bodies in seats all day. You are abusing your body. When the total movement a body receives is subpar (3,000-4,000 steps and no regular exercise) you can expect a couple of problems to develop. Most notably is a phenomenon I refer to as the “energy trap”. 

A body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest. This principle, based upon Sir Isaac Newton’s philosophy, helps us understand why we struggle currently with an obesity epidemic. Let me walk you through the severity of this situation. Say a person born into an obese family (like I was) starts to grow up and by habit adoption begins to gain weight at a faster pace than normal (like I did). This person now faces ridicule for their size, although they had no active cognitive participation in making this choice. This leads to a make-or-break situation. In my case, I decided I wanted to change who I was. This meant shifting my habits, behaviors, activities, and quite honestly – my identity. I grew into a new person. This was the hardest shift for me to make and I still am not perfect by any means. I still binge eat, as a coping mechanism learned from my childhood. However, I can say with accuracy that I am worlds apart from that person who I used to be. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for my other family members. They all are stuck in the “energy trap”. As are most people who are currently overweight or obese.

The “energy trap” is defined as stagnation in your body’s ability to change, due to energy depletion (psychological or physical energy). To better understand this phenomenon, you must first understand energy. Energy, in physics, is defined as the capacity for doing work. Changing our bodies requires work. We must alter our lives to successfully reach optimal health. Here is where people become trapped. The physical energy trap occurs when someone has low energy due to low output. Think of it like an engine. Without the ignition key being turned the engine never gets going. Effort is required to produce more energy. The human body is very similar. In order for your body to produce more energy, you must start by engaging in an activity. We all have experienced a cold that put us on our butts for a couple of days. During this time we are stuck on the couch and do not move much. Considering how little you are moving you feel really crappy, you lack the energy or ambition to do anything. Your joints ache, your back is stiff, and your strength depletes. Although this is an extreme example (due to the introduction of an illness), it does properly illustrate the physical energy trap that most of us have incurred at least once even if we are fit and healthy. The body loses its vigor to do anything while we are at rest. The only thing our body is satisfied by after an hour on the couch is the continuation of rest. Think about when you go to the movies (back before COVID). You sit there and enjoy the film for 2-3 hours. Afterward, you stand up and feel stiff and heavy like a thick rubber floor mat. Your body would prefer to sit again, however, you are required to exit the theater. As you make your way out the exit and approach your car, you begin to feel more mobile and balanced. In this case, you are forced to move, but it doesn’t take long before this movement acts as a lubricant to your stiff joints. This example demonstrates how movement is essential to your body. 

If you find yourself low in energy due to the physical energy trap it is a simple fix. It just requires you to turn the key of the human engine. Stand up and move. It is actionable right away. This is why it is an easier place to begin. It requires a little effort to jumpstart the process but usually, you will find yourself better off for it. The goal should be to pursue a daily step amount. The daily amount will vary depending on if you are interested in losing body fat or if you are just looking to maintain your current fitness. As a good guideline for losing body fat, you should attempt to reach 12-15,000 steps a day. However, if you are just interested in maintaining your current level of fitness 8-10,000 steps seems to be a great place to hang out. These steps ideally are achieved without going on a piece of cardio equipment, but it may be required when it is freezing cold or you have a very busy day. The clients who I’ve coached always have better results when they reach their step goals. They tend to have less soreness, better mental states, and increased energy levels throughout the day. If you are serious about losing weight, know that having a coach to assist you in this process has been shown to produce between 2-3x more weight loss when compared to those attempting it on their own. If you need help, reach out via email at mattptcantrell@gmail.com and I would like to help you lose this weight permanently!