If there is one thing I would prescribe to almost everyone, it would be
exercise.
Not because everyone needs six-pack abs.
Not because everyone needs to become a bodybuilder, marathon runner, or spend two hours a day in the gym.
I recommend exercise because movement affects almost every area of your health.
And as we get older, our ability to remain strong, mobile, and physically capable becomes increasingly important.
Exercise because your life depends on it. Because in many ways, it does.
Muscle Is More Than Something That Looks Good
I love strength training, but my interest in muscle goes far beyond aesthetics.
Muscle is metabolically active tissue. It plays an important role in glucose regulation, insulin sensitivity, physical function, and how well we maintain our independence as we age.
Being strong means being able to carry groceries, pick something up from the floor, climb stairs, travel, play with your kids or grandkids, and get yourself out of a chair without assistance.
Those things may sound simple when you're 30 or 40.
They become much more important later in life.
That's why I want my patients to
build and protect muscle.
Your Heart Needs Training Too
Strength isn't the entire picture.
I also want you doing cardiovascular exercise.
Walking, cycling, swimming, running, hiking, rowing etc.. it doesn't have to be complicated.
Your heart and lungs need a reason to become more efficient.
Regular cardiovascular exercise can support blood pressure, circulation, metabolic health, endurance, and overall cardiovascular fitness.
I like both.
Build strength and build an engine.
You Don't Need the Perfect Workout
This is where people sometimes get stuck.
How many days should I train?
Should I do cardio before or after weights?
What heart-rate zone should I use?
What's the perfect workout split?
Those can be useful questions eventually.
But if you're currently doing nothing, we don't need to optimize your workout.
We need to start moving.
Walk for 20 minutes.
Lift weights twice a week.
Take the stairs.
Go hiking.
Ride your bike.
Find something you actually enjoy enough to keep doing.
We can improve the program as you become more consistent.
Exercise Is Preventive Medicine
When I think about prevention, I'm not only thinking about lab testing, supplements, medications, peptide therapy or the newest longevity protocol.
I'm thinking about what we can do today to make your body more capable tomorrow.
Exercise can positively influence blood pressure, glucose regulation, body composition, cardiovascular health, bone health, mood, sleep, cognition, and physical function.
That's a pretty impressive return on investment.
When it comes to your health, exercise is part of the conversation because I don't only want my patients living longer.
I want them capable of enjoying those years.
You don't need to become an athlete.
You need to give your body a reason to stay strong.
Exercise because your life depends on it.
- Dr. C
