I just read a very cool study that came out this month. Researchers took human volunteers and had them exercise one leg only—each person exercised one leg while the other leg remained sedentary. Then they measured mitophagy in each leg.
Now, mitophagy is a type of autophagy that’s specific to the mitochondria. It’s the process by which the body prunes damaged and malfunctioning mitochondria, leaving behind primarily high-quality mitochondria that work well and function optimally. Just like autophagy removes damaged cells to promote better overall health, mitophagy keeps your energy production and utilization up by getting rid of the slower mitochondria.
Turns out the exercised leg showed elevated markers of mitophagy, while the sedentary leg remained unchanged. This was after a single bout of exercise—just a few sets. Now imagine a lifetime of this, of training in the gym, playing sports, running and jumping, climbing the stairs, and generally using your body. Then imagine a lifetime of the opposite: of sitting on the couch, watching TV, and slowly trudging to your car to drive to the mall or fast food restaurant. Imagine how each scenario would impact the quality and function of your mitochondria over the short term and the long term.
What you have to realize is that this is the greatest law of the universe: use it or lose it. Particularly in human biology, it is a constant battle to prove to your body that you are indeed using it. If you don’t do anything with it, your body deteriorates. Why would your body perform the costly and energetically expensive fight against entropy if you’re not even going to use it for anything?
This battle is playing out on every level of existence. It’s happening on the cellular level, on the genetic level, and on the macro level. Hell, it even happens in the economy.
Anything you do is either eliminating harmful parts of your life or tolerating them, and every day we get a chance to make the right or wrong decisions.
Do you get up and move, lift, run, walk, climb, and fight against gravity and entropy?
Or do you say “I’ll do it tomorrow” and take the day off?
Every day counts. Every day moves you closer to or farther from where you want to go.
Let me know if you read the study and what you think over on Instagram or Facebook, Instagram, or X. 
