Amanda Wilde (Host): Today, we're diving deep into the world of movement with Cassie Casatelli, a physical therapist with Memorial Hermann. We'll be discussing the benefits of incorporating movement into your daily routine, even if you have a busy schedule. From simple desk stretches to quick home workouts, Cassie will share practical tips and specialized advice to help you get moving. We'll explore how regular movement can boost your energy levels, reduce stress, improve your mood, and enhance your overall well-being. So whether you're a seasoned fitness enthusiast or just starting out, this episode is for you.

Welcome to Every Day Well, a health and wellness podcast brought to you by Memorial Hermann Health System. Tune in for the latest tips and information about healthcare topics that matter most to you. Cassie, thank you so much for being here. Welcome to the podcast.

Cassie Casatelli: Thank you, Amanda. I'm so excited to be here.

Host: Well, answer me this age-old question. I mean, most commonly, people don't have the motivation to exercise because they don't feel like they have the time or the energy. So, let's talk about that. What are the biggest time-related obstacles people face when trying to fit in an exercise?

Cassie Casatelli: I think it's work. I mean, most of us work like an eight-hour day. So, it's really difficult to kind of get to the gym early in the morning. You may have to wake up earlier than you want to, or you have to go after a tough day at work, and that's always hard, finding the energy to do that. Also, if we have kids, we have to fit to their schedule and revolve around that. So, I think that's often difficult, and people don't find the time as much to go to the gym as they would want to.

Host: And how does that lack of energy impact people's motivation overall to exercise?

Cassie Casatelli: Yeah, it's really tough. I mean, feeling fatigued at the end of the day, you have maybe, like, brain fatigue, you're tired from work or school, and having to kind of go and now use your physical activity and really get your heart pumping, it can be really difficult to get through that fog and really motivate yourself to go. But you know that it's probably going to be good benefit for you to be able to go and get your heart rate up, get a sweat in, something after work to kind of release that stress. So, I think the benefit outweighs that kind of fatigue at the end of the day.

Host: And sometimes we just never learn to have fun with it or we're not around people who do it. It's something we think of as a chore.

Cassie Casatelli: For sure. I mean, it's often like, "I should do this because it's good for my health," but you don't always want to do it. And I think that's always kind of the barrier or the difficulty that people have with it each and every day.

Host: But it really does reduce stress and improve mood. And how does exercise positively impact mental health? And can you also explain the health benefits of even short bursts of physical activity?

Cassie Casatelli: I think physical activity really impacts your mental health in a positive way. It can reduce stress too in several different ways. So, increasing your heart rate with exercise and physical activity results in the release of endorphins. And so, these are chemicals released by the brain. They're endogenous opioids, so they reduce pain in your body and they just make you feel good. So when you feel good, you aren't as stressed. They combat those stress-related hormones that are being released.

I also think that body image is really important, and a lot of times that's another reason people like to be active and go to the gym. So, your attitude towards your body can influence your mood. So if you look good, you feel good. We often think of exercise as being something as tiring, which it can be, but it also can help boost your energy levels and your mood. Sometimes you can use it as a refocus. So, during the day, if you change your scenery, you go on a walk, it'll help your mental focus again when you come sit down for work or school, whatever you might be doing.

Host: Well, how can people incorporate movement into their work day or school day, even when they have a sedentary office job?

Cassie Casatelli: I love this question. I get this from my patients too. And I think it's easier than most people think. So, I know sometimes with a sedentary job, we can't always get up and go on like a 30-minute walk, and that's fine. If you can do that, that's great, but you can do many seated exercises in your chair. So, you can do cat-cow in your chair. You can do some lean backs. You can do different stretches and exercises to get out of that posture, that forward kind of lean that we're in often. Also, just getting around and maybe doing some squats, like some sit to stands while you're waiting for the page to load or you're studying. Taking those different breaks. If you drink a lot of water, obviously that's good for us, you'll have to go to the bathroom. So, often getting up and just having that be something that can simulate you getting out of your chair more often throughout the day. Just again, finding those times to maybe take the stairs, parking further away from whatever your destination is, so you have to get a few more steps in, I think are all really easy ways that we kind of forget to add some more movement into our days.

Host: Yeah. So, anywhere you can do that. Walk instead of take the elevator and things like that. I know one thing people sometimes worry about, especially as we age, are getting injuries from exercise. What are some specific exercises or stretches people can do to prevent common injuries?

Cassie Casatelli: Yeah. I think always having a good warm up. So, you don't want it to be too long, but making sure that you're able to get your body prepared for whatever movement it's about to do. So if you're about to lift, maybe doing some squats, doing some core exercises, just real quick and getting your heart rate up, maybe with like a bike ride for like a couple minutes, just to kind of prepare for the exercise.

I do think that strength becomes super important as we age, we lose muscle mass a little bit more frequently as we age. So, making sure that you're adding a strength training program is super important. And then, obviously, we all are going to have back pain at some point in our lives, but the extent of that intensity of that back pain depends on how active you are. So really, we just need to stay active through our lives. Doing some core exercises. Planking is great. We don't live in a sedentary or static state with our core. So, making sure that you add those dynamic core exercises as well, it's going to be really helpful for reducing any risk of injury.

Host: And you mentioned warwarm-up and cool-down routinese important. How do you suggest they get incorporated in the busy schedule? And when I hear you talking about it, I think, "Well, that doesn't sound like it takes very long."

Cassie Casatelli: It really shouldn't because, again, you don't want to be too tired for whatever your exercise or your regimen is going to be. So, I mean, often like I'll do maybe like a three to five-minute cycle or walk or jog, whatever fills your cup for the cardio aspect. And then, if I'm going to squat that day, like back squat or do any like strength training, I might just do some banded exercises really quick. Just a couple of exercises again to kind of get my nervous system to be ready for whatever weight I'm going to lift or whatever exercise I'm going to do that day.

Host: You know, another motivator for a lot of us is being able to track progress. What are some easy ways to track your progress and celebrate your achievements?

Cassie Casatelli: There are many apps that you can use. There's free apps. There's also different ways that you can maybe just write down your achievements or your progress, like, "Oh, I was able to do this weight today." You can keep that in your phone, so it's easy to look back at.

And then, to celebrate your achievements, I think that, for me, sometimes it's planning a trip or getting a new article of clothing, something like that. Research says, if your goal is to lose weight, then you may not want to reward yourself with food, but I think it's all about consistency. And so, if you're able to control yourself and give yourself that win for that one meal, and then you kind of get back on track, I think that's fine.

Host: Yeah, consistency is key. Even if you do more some days and less others, you still have to do. That's the consistency part. What advice would you give to someone who's struggling to stay consistent with their fitness routine?

Cassie Casatelli: It's really tough, but it takes a minimum of six weeks to build a habit. So, just remember that. And always start small. You want to have obtainable goals. If you can't make it to the gym four times a week, don't try to make your goal four times a week if you know you physically can't do that.

You want to set yourself up for success, because you want to know that you can keep doing this. You can also get people together to keep you accountable. So, my clinic this year, we did like a Squatober. So, we all showed up at 4:00 a.m. And I'm telling you right now, I did not show up every day at 4:00 a.m., but I was there at least one or two times a week. And then, I did the exercise program on my own as well, on my own time, so that I could keep myself accountable.

Other things that I think about is like having a plan. I set my workout outfit the night before. And then, I tell myself, "Okay, if these machines are available at the gym today, these are what I'm going to do. I'm going to at least spend 20 minutes here." And you just set yourself up for success. So, you have a plan. And whenever you plan for something, typically, you're going to try to go through with it. And make sure it just fits into your schedule. If you're inconsistent one week, no big deal. It doesn't matter as long as you pick up again and try the next week.

Host: Support yourself. Be your own good friend as you set yourself up for success, and have achievable goals, is what I'm hearing. That is so, so helpful. Thank you so much for all this great information and these really practical tips.

Cassie Casatelli: Yes. Thank you so much for having me.

Host: It was great to speak with you, Cassie. To learn more about Memorial Hermann Rockets Sports Medicine Institute, visit the Memorial Hermann website at mhhs.org/physicaltherapy. If you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels, and be sure to check out the entire podcast library for topics of interest to you. Thank you for listening to this episode.