Exercise Like a Tortoise!

I talk a lot about exercise in my book chapter ‘The Hare in the Tortoise’. One of the things about The Tortoise Diet that makes it relatively easy to follow is – as you probably guessed - you don’t need a lot of exercise. Exercise is not always the great thing everyone seems to think it is. Ever seen retired sportspeople? They’re often plagued with joint problems, pain and other health problems. You need to look after your body with mild regular exercise – not stress it with running, lifting weights and participating in barbaric ‘organised sporting contests’.

That said, tortoises get more exercise than many people realize. But, like the fable, it really is a matter of slow and steady wins the race. It’s not well-known that in captivity, tortoises often become quite obese – because they do get plenty of low-intensity exercise in the wild. They roam wide distances, dig burrows and enjoy the occasional splash in a pool or stream – although they are not good swimmers.

You should attempt to do the same. I recommend you spend at least an hour a day walking and have some gentle weight-bearing exercise a few times a week – a bit of gardening perhaps. And forget the gym and sporting field – it’s for suckers who want to burn themselves out (or people trying to burn off all the junk they put in their bodies) - not for healthy, centred folk.