Transcript: We're All Gonna Die Anyway: Why Mortality Should Motivate Your Fitness
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Ashley opens by acknowledging recent personal losses and existential questions that have been weighing on her, connecting those thoughts to a reflection on how six months ago she was merely surviving — not living — because of how out of shape she was.
What's up, you guys? Famous Astro Grant here.
Welcome to More Movement, Please, the podcast
where I hope to inspire you to move your body
more. Today, I want to talk about something a
little bit depressing, and that is that we are
all going to die. Oh, what a way to open a podcast,
right? But I guess the thing is, mortality has
been on my mind lately because I've suffered
some losses, and I've just been... Having like
those existential crises lately where what are
we doing on the planet? What's our what's our
point of being here? What's our purpose? Blah,
blah, blah. And it's been heavy on my mind that
just six months ago, I wasn't really living.
I was surviving. And it's because I was so out
of shape. It was because I was so physically
unfit. It was because I. I was not enjoying the
quality of life that. I am now because of the
fact that I had let myself get so out of shape.
So my big message today is that if we're going
to die anyway, shouldn't we do everything that
we can to be as healthy as possible while we're
still here? Shouldn't we do everything that we
can to take care of ourselves so that someone
else doesn't have to pick up the slack? So we
don't have to be a burden on others. I feel like
if I had kept going on the path I was on, I would
have had a heart attack in just a matter of years.
I mean, even my doctor called me a ticking time
bomb. And recently I had to go to the doctor
Ashley shares that her doctor once called her a ticking time bomb, and contrasts that with a recent visit where her blood pressure was normal for the first time in years.
for something. And she said that for the first
time in as long as I can remember, she said my
blood pressure was normal. That's big for me.
I remember so clearly how painful everything
was six months ago. And don't get me wrong, I'm
in pain right now, but that's because I'm the
moron that took five classes yesterday. So of
course I'm going to be in a little bit of pain
today. But the pain I'm feeling right now is
so much better than the pain I was feeling six
months ago. It feels so much better to be in
pain from exercising. than it did from just standing
up. When I tell you that getting up from my chair
was painful, walking from my chair to the bed
or the bathroom or the kitchen or whatever, when
I tell you that was painful, that is not an overstatement.
Ashley describes how six months ago she was in significant pain just standing up, walking to the bathroom, or lifting a Brita pitcher — and contrasts that with the soreness she feels now from taking five exercise classes in one day.
That is not an exaggeration. I really was having
significant pain just existing. I don't want
that anymore. And I don't want that for you.
So with the years I have left in my life, I want
to make my body as fit as possible so that I
can handle the years I have left in my life.
So I can feel strong and confident that I'm not
going to end up having a heart attack or having
high blood pressure and needing medication so
that I can feel. confident knowing that I'm okay
I can lift groceries without help that I can
lift even the picture of of the Brita picture
of water without help I mean it was even getting
that bad guys like I I was having so much trouble
lifting anything I was having so much trouble
like walking it was ridiculous it was absolutely
ridiculous and I just, I guess that's why I'm
so passionate about sharing this. If we're going
to die anyway, let's live our lives as best as
we can and get more life in our lives. So if
you're listening to this and you haven't started
moving, start. If you're listening to this and
Ashley makes her core case: since death is inevitable, she wants to make her body as fit as possible for the years she has left, and urges listeners — whether they haven't started moving yet or already do — to add more movement to their lives.
you're thinking about moving, start. If you're
listening to this and you already move, great.
Keep going. Keep doing it. Add in more movement.
More movement, please. Because the more we move
our bodies, the more that we are enhancing our
bodies. We're strengthening our bodies. We're
taking care of our bodies. I want that for you.
I want that for all of us. Onwards and upwards,
my friends. Have you worked out today?