Reframing Exercise into Enjoyable Movement

Many of my clients have developed strong emotional aversions to physical activity, a sort of exercise phobia. They simply can’t even consider it. I get it. They associate physical activity with dieting and painful, punishing workouts or a terrible experience they had trying to workout in the past. I say the word “exercise” and they think of difficulty breathing, pain, soreness and general misery. “No pain, no gain” is what we always hear, right? Nope! Exercise can and should be moderated to meet your level of fitness, enjoyable and convenient.

Humans are born to move. That’s our biological norm. As infants we wiggled until we became mobile. As children we did not stop moving until we had to. It was fun and enjoyable. Somewhere along the way, we became sedentary and some of us learned to associate movement with punishment or feeling inadequate.

I work with clients on reframing exercise into enjoyable movement and a form of self-care. We work on finding an activity that brings joy, calm or clarity. Exercise does not have to be punishing or even about changing our bodies. This area of wellness is essential and linked to all of the other areas of wellness. It has an enormous impact on our mental health and is deeply connected to hormone balance, healthy sleep and our overall energy levels. Our bodies need movement to function optimally and feel good. All movement counts. Find something you enjoy. Take it easy at first. Breath deeply and connect with the sensations you feel throughout your body. Notice how you feel after this exercise and give yourself some gratitude for taking this time for yourself.

For myself, I choose running. I don’t run to change my body.  I run to process all the hard things in life.  I discovered the power of running after my mom passed away. Every run lifted the weight of my grief for a little while at least. I got addicted to the open mental space I had while I was running and the bit of euphoria I felt after. I learned I could run off my pain, frustration or any uncomfortable feeling. I never stopped running. There is nothing else I do that brings me so reliably back to my center. It opens up a space in my mind, like the eye of a storm, where I can watch and process my thoughts in peace. Deep cleansing breaths match my rhythmic footfalls. I am present and open and calm. I crave this time for myself. You don’t have to run to achieve this. Find a physical activity that brings you calm or peace or clarity.  You’ll sleep better, have more energy and feel more peace in your mental spaces. The physical health aspect is just a bonus.

For an in depth coaching session regarding enjoyable movement as well as all the other elements of wellness, schedule a consult with me or download my NourishWell Workshop.