First things first: your attention is your most valuable asset.
So the fact that you're here, reading this? That means something. I don’t take that lightly. My goal is always to bring you something worth your time. If this isn't valuable, please tell me what would be — because I want to make it better.

Today, I want to take a break from our usual “get moving” reminders and offer you something a little different: a thought experiment.

Imagine Living Like Your Ancestors

Whatever you believe about our origins, picture this:

You wake up with the sun. Everyone you love is under the same roof. The first thing you do is step outside and check for danger — a storm, a wild animal. Then your entire community heads out together to find food. You move all day, not for fitness goals or calorie burn, but for survival.

Here’s the kicker: even though they weren’t going for a run or lifting weights at the gym, our ancestors walked 20,000–30,000 steps a day. Every step mattered — and they still conserved energy whenever possible.

Because that’s how we evolved. To conserve energy.
Not to crush 60-minute HIIT sessions.
Not to hit 10K steps just because our watch told us to.
But to survive.

That means your biology is literally wired to tell you:

“Save your energy. Rest. Eat that high-calorie snack just in case you need to run from a bear.”

Fast-Forward to Today...

Now? We barely hit 5,000 steps.
We stare at screens until the moment we fall asleep.
We use apps to deliver food that’s ready faster than we could walk to the fridge.
We spend more time with coworkers than we do with our families.
And when we do see family or friends? We sit — at restaurants, in cars, on couches.

So yeah… of course we hurt.
Of course we have chronic pain, autoimmune issues, anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, burnout.
And no, it’s not your fault that you don’t “feel like” going for a walk after a long day.
It’s your nervous system doing exactly what it was designed to do: keep you alive by conserving calories.

But just because that’s your default, doesn’t mean you’re stuck.

What Can We Do About It?

We don’t need more motivation. We don’t need to “want it more.”
What we need is an environment that nudges us to move, and an identity that supports the kind of life we want to live.

This isn’t just my opinion — it’s backed by authors and researchers I trust deeply:

• James Clear (Atomic Habits)

• Daniel Lieberman (Exercised, The Story of the Human Body)

• Kelly Starrett (Built to Move)

• Katy Bowman (Move Your DNA)

• Dan Buettner (The Blue Zones)

• Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein (Nudge)

They all say the same thing in different ways:

Your identity + your environment > willpower.

So let’s start there.

Finish This Sentence:

“I’m the kind of person who…”
…values their health.
…loves their kids and leads by example.
…makes time for movement, even on busy days.

Got it? Good. Now let’s make it easier to act like that person every day.

My Top 3 Environment Hacks (That Cost $0)

These are simple changes I make in my own life to cue movement and nudge better habits — no extra willpower required.

1. Leave your shoes at the door.
Strengthen your feet. Give your arches and ankles a chance to work. Going barefoot at home is one of the easiest ways to train your balance, build resilience, and connect with the ground again.

2. Move your coffee table.
Clear a space in your living room. Sit on the floor more often. Getting up and down off the floor (and the movements it takes to do that) will serve your body for decades.

3. Walk in sips, not marathons.
Think of movement like water: it’s better to spread it throughout the day than to chug it all at once. Ten 6-minute walks > one 60-minute session. Try this:

• Park farther away

• Pace during phone calls

• Walk the outfield at your kid’s games

• Take the stairs

• Go outside for 10 minutes after each meal

• Carry groceries in multiple trips

• Move the remote so you have to stand up to use it (old school style)

Last Thing — Be Gentle with Yourself

Changing your habits is hard.
Changing your environment? That’s where the real magic happens.

Your body isn’t broken. It’s just trying to survive in a world it wasn’t designed for.
So set it up to thrive — one barefoot step, one walk, one floor sit at a time.

And if you’ve got your own hacks?
Send them my way — I love hearing how you move in your world.

Keep Moving,
Dr. Kelli
Dr. Coach Kelli, Physical Therapy
185 Fairfield Ave. 1A
West Caldwell, NJ 07006
Phone: 973-791-8318