The practice of exercise is a strangely regional phenomenon, according to author and NPR correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff. Take Esther Ngumbi, an entomologist who grew up in rural Kenya, for example; movement and “exercise” are simply a necessary part of life, from fetching water to farming at home.
“Every day you’re doing something from dawn to dusk … I had to carry a bucket of water from the river,” Ngumbi told NPR’s Doucleff, adding that she was essentially “weightlifting” without actually going to the gym.
Her framework of functional fitness with active purpose inspired Doucleff to start an unconventional movement routine in her life: “15 chicks, two coops, and a book about raising a backyard flock.”
If you struggle with habits and the routine of working out, ‘chicken-sizing’ might be the perfect exercise trend for you.
While daily walks, dancing at the club, or getting a furry companion are more common ways of exercising without the gym routine, Doucleff instead opted to raise chickens in her backyard to simulate a routine similar to the one Ngumbi recalled from her childhood.
Caterina Trimarchi | Shutterstock
With modern amenities, replicating Ngumbi’s functional routine was essentially impossible, especially given the infrastructure in many of our nation’s cities. But structuring her own movement ritual was simple.
Her family loved eggs, animals, and learning — why not raise her own chickens?
“To be honest, chicken-sizing is harder than I thought it would be,” she admitted. “Way harder. Taking care of flightless birds does tone your core and thighs. Because it requires bending, squatting, and carrying heavy loads around your yard.”
Raising her own flock ended up being more fulfilling than simply providing a daily outlet to move her body. Not only did she end up with more eggs (like way more eggs), but she also experienced a kind of responsibility and companionship other exercise routines lacked.
Eliminating the ‘reward-punishment mindset’ of traditional exercise practices, ‘chicken-sizing’ focuses on a ‘purpose-driven’ routine.
Similar to adopting a dog or getting another pet, her chickens relied on her compassion and movement every day, without fail.
“Failure is not an option,” she wrote. “You cannot make up an excuse not to work out. You can’t put on your chicken-sizing clothes, sit around for 30 minutes, and decide, ‘Oh, I’ll just do it tomorrow.’ These ladies depend on you.”
Of course, this kind of responsibility doesn’t have the same negative tone as the punishment-centered workout routines thousands across the nation rely on.
Moving your body can feel like a burden — a punishment you incur for the rewards of self-indulgence, a “positive” body image, or toned thighs. But, as Doucleff and Ngumbi showed, it doesn’t have to be that way.
By opting for something more tailored to your lifestyle — maybe it’s a chicken coop or something else entirely — you’ll not only be more likely to stick to the routine, but you’ll actually look forward to it.
While ‘chicken-sizing’ was born from one person’s vision of a daily routine, the trend can be adapted in a million other ways, depending on your lifestyle.
“So maybe chicken-sizing is so great because it gives me purpose, but I don’t actually have to do it,” Doucleff admitted. “My family would still eat if I forget to close their cage one night and a skunk comes to decapitate them.”
She acknowledged that this practice of daily movement is out of pure necessity for many people — not a choice they willingly make to get fit or improve their mindset. “In other words, maybe chicken-sizing is a sweet spot between moving all day because your livelihood depends on it and moving only because your body sits down all day.”
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While it’s enjoyable in many ways — relaxing outside, growing eager with responsibility, and simply moving your body without time intervals and reps — it’s also something you just do. There’s no motivating gumption you need to hit the gym. It’s just your lifestyle.
Figure out what makes the most sense in your life. Maybe it’s planting a garden to tend to, fostering a high-energy animal, or, like Doucleff, picking up the practice of “chicken-sizing.”
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.
