Get Fit with Chicken-sizing: Bonus Fresh Eggs!

In my 20s, I was an avid runner and fondly referred to it as “my Prozac.” Running 25 miles a week kept my spirits high and my heart in great shape. 

However, as I entered my 30s, running became problematic.

My back began to ache after both long and short runs, and one morning, I found I could no longer walk.

My body had decided it was done with running.

For months, I felt a deep sense of loss. I tried various other exercises, but my back rejected them all—from biking and yoga to pilates and zumba.

Each activity left me in pain for days. My spine seemed to be saying, “We’re done with all forms of traditional exercise.”

A New Perspective on Exercise

During this time, I was working as a global health reporter for NPR and started noticing that the concept of "exercise" was quite peculiar.

Around the world, people don't exercise solely to burn calories or get fit. Instead, they move purposefully—to reach destinations, hunt, forage, tend crops, or care for animals.

Esther Ngumbi, who grew up in rural Kenya and is now an entomologist at the University of Illinois, explained how her daily activities were inherently physical.

“From dawn to dusk, you’re always doing something,” she said. Gathering water, tending the farm, and collecting firewood were daily tasks that kept her moving and fit.

Ngumbi's purposeful movement included weightlifting—carrying heavy buckets of water several times a day.

This constant activity was rewarding because it had a clear purpose.

She noted that in the U.S., we've replaced these meaningful tasks with machines, leading to less movement and, often, weight gain.

Turning Exercise into Purposeful Movement

Inspired by this, I wondered if I could bring more purpose to my own exercise routine.

Could I transform my physical activity by giving it meaning beyond just fitness?

This led me to start “chicken-sizing”—a term I coined when I decided to raise chickens in my backyard.

I bought 15 chicks, two coops, and a guide on raising backyard flocks. Chicken-sizing turned out to be much more physically demanding than I anticipated.

Caring for the chickens required bending, squatting, and carrying heavy loads daily.

I tracked my activities for a weekend and found myself doing 20-30 squats and 1,500 extra steps each day, along with lifting and moving poultry water dispensers.

The Benefits of Chicken-Sizing

Chicken-sizing has significantly improved my fitness, offering several advantages over traditional exercise:

·         No Excuses: The chickens depend on me, so skipping a workout isn’t an option. Their survival requires my daily attention.

·         Routine Integration: Chicken care becomes a habit, seamlessly blending into daily life without needing to schedule exercise sessions.

·         Time Saver: No need for special workout clothes, saving time and making it easier to get started.

·         Companionship: My chickens provide motivation and companionship. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and taking breaks to cuddle them is a rewarding experience.

·         Fresh Eggs: Home-raised eggs are a delicious bonus that no gym can offer.

Ngumbi admitted that while she misses some aspects of her physically active upbringing, she doesn't miss the early morning cold.

Chicken-sizing offers a practical balance—providing purpose without the necessity of survival.

Finding Your Sweet Spot

Chicken-sizing has taught me that integrating purposeful movement into daily life can be both fulfilling and effective.

It’s about finding a sweet spot—balancing necessary physical activity with enjoyable tasks.

Ngumbi summarized it well, reflecting on her walks to fetch water as a form of meditation as well as exercise.

This blend of mindfulness and purpose in movement is something we can all strive to achieve.

Whether it's chicken-sizing or another form of purposeful activity, finding ways to incorporate meaningful movement into your routine can transform fitness from a chore into a rewarding part of life.

Source: wmra

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.