Gentle Movement - Feel the difference
Diet Culture tells us that we're "good" if we obtain physical activity and are living in a smaller body, and that we're "bad" if we don't. None of which is true. ALL bodies are good bodies - YOU ARE WORTH SO MUCH RIGHT NOW IN THE BODY YOU ARE IN- whether you move your body or not. Not one of us is obligated to focus on your health. This is your body and you are in charge. With that being said if you would like to move your body more todays blog is all about moving with joy the 9th principle of Intuitive Eating.
WHAT DOES "EXERCISE - FEEL THE DIFFERENCE" MEAN?
This principle of Intuitive Eating revolves around the idea of tuning into how your body FEELS when you obtain physical activity - and selecting movements that feel good to your body, are fun, and help you feel empowered. Moving well. Additionally, this principle emphasizes moving your body for the sake of your well-being versus for weight loss.
Let’s put weight loss in the back seat and focus on how movement feels and only then will we feel more energized, be extra happy, and promote heart health. When we find the joy that stems from movement we will be more be motivated to move on a regular basis.
How to find your personal joyful movement:
Think about which activities make you happy and feel good to your body. In Intuitive Eating, joyful movement includes a wide range of activities. Joyful movement refers to any type of movement. It refers to more than simply the traditional activities that you might think of as exercise, such as group fitness classes or going to the gym. Movement can be anything from gardening, dancing around the kitchen, cooking, walking, whatever feels good to you and motivates you to move a little more.
Match your favorite forms of movement with your current level of fitness -If your passion is gardening and its been awhile now is the time to jump back into the activity and hobby you love. Remember to take regular breaks to stay hydrated and rest your body.
Note how you FEEL throughout the entire process. Tune into how you feel before, during, and after your joyful movement. Does the activity that you're participating in energize or deflate you? Does it help you decompress or cause anxiety? Do you look forward to it or dread it? The point of asking yourself these questions is to find a few activities that you actually look forward to doing - because they add some happiness to your day and maybe help you feel more alert or energized. And if a traditional fitness experience is what you are looking for, try participating in it without wearing a fitness monitor, like Apple Watch or Fitbit. Stay present throughout the class and see how your body feels to move, to get breathless and to challenge itself.
Be flexible. Let's say you hope to fit in 30 minutes of activity into a day. You can always divide that up throughout the day or be patient with yourself if life gets in the way. Allow time for distractions and be okay with missing a day if life gets in the way. One day will not make or break you, so be flexible. Think about why you didn't complete the 30 minutes. Did you not feel well? Were you tired? Did an emergency come up? Did the thought of obtaining physical activity feel like a chore?
Honor your well-being by resting your body. Give your body some rest! Reduce the risk of injury by taking a day off. While moving your body regularly is encouraged, if you find that your feeling really tired or you don't feel well - then this might be a good time to skip the joyful movement that you were planning. The key is to listen to your body - and rest it adequately.
If you find yourself exercising as a from of punishment from eating a “forbidden” food or to get your body to be or look a certain way, one way to honor your health is to refrain from exercising - and heal the root cause of compulsive exercising. If you're in this situation, you deserve to heal! It could also be helpful to start enjoying other activities - which are not related to exercise - that you've been passionate about in the past. Listen to your body is key ALWAYS!
Remember, each person's body has a history - including a story with movement. No one body is the same. Honor the phase that you're in and your body's story by doing what feels right to YOU. If this means obtaining joyful movement, make sure that it feels good to your body and adds happiness to your life! And avoid comparing your now body and self to the past body. Your body now is amazing and capable of doing amazing things so respect where you are today.
Here's the thing. Self-care should not feel like a bother. If your heart isn't it, take a break and get back to joyful movement when the time feels right. Again, you're more likely to move your body more regularly when you enjoy it! Remember, joyful movement includes a wide variety of activities. So just move when and how it feels good to you!
