You’re Not Over the Hill, You’re in the Valley: Why Exercise Must Increase With Age

Katy offers an aging reframe: in middle age, you are not “over the hill”—you are actually at the bottom of a valley, and staying strong and healthy means choosing to go uphill on purpose. Katy and Jeannette unpack the difference between chronological age and biological aging, why modern life may be speeding up the aging process, and how movement and exercise positively influence the cellular “hallmarks of aging.” They explore why exercise needs to increase with age (even when life gets busier and energy feels lower), and how reframing discomfort can make consistency possible—so you can extend not just your lifespan, but your healthspan, too. Katy also speaks with Pack Matthews of Ikaria Design (creator of the Soul Seat) about “active sitting” and why our rest positions matter as we age. Pack shares his personal origin story—using floor-sitting and dynamic postures to counter arthritis. They also preview the upcoming Soul Seat Mini for the smaller people in your life and explore its role in dynamic classrooms. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 00:03:00 — Flipping the visual: “over the hill” → “in the valley” 00:04:00 — The Dynamic Collective 00:06:00 — Chronological age vs biological aging & lifespan vs healthspan 00:08:35 — What may be accelerating aging: obesity, diet, sedentary behavior, stress 00:12:00 — How “biological age” is measured + hallmarks of aging 00:18:00 — Why exercise must increase with age: choosing uphill (progressive overload) 00:36:00 — Listener question: handedness across humans, animals, and even plants 00:47:00 — Interview: Pack Matthews (Ikaria Design) on the Soul Seat + active sitting LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED Handedness in Animals and Plants Ikaria Design Soul Seat Instagram Soul Seat Facebook CONNECT, MOVE & LEARN Movement Advent 2025: 24 Ball Exercises to Balance Tech Stress Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS: My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA . Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10 . Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT . Venn Design: Stylish ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting—featuring in our 2025 Movement Advent! Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment— save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10 . Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus. Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.com Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits

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You’re Not Over the Hill, You’re in the Valley: Why Exercise Must Increase With Age is an episode from Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman by Nutritious Movement.

This episode is 75:05 long.

This episode was published on Dec 17, 2025.

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