In this two part series, I want to address an important part of Health At Every Size—exercise, or as Linda Bacon so eloquently puts it, “finding the joy in moving one’s body and becoming more physically vital.” We all know that exercise, when done in a way that is appropriate, has many wonderful properties, including mood elevation, improved cardiovascular health, and increased strength and endurance, just to name a few.
Finding the exercise that’s right for you and that feels good to you can often be more complicated than just getting to the gym or popping in a DVD. For many of us, we have to get through loads of guilt (like guilt over our barely utilized gym memberships or languishing exercise DVD collections) or shame (like feeling like the fattest person at a gym or track, or third grade gym class, or being picked last, or feeling ridiculed for our athletic ability as children) or overly high expectations (like, in order to be worth it, I have to exercise every day for at least 2 hours and keep my heart rate at x and get really good sneakers and join the best gym, etc. etc. etc.). With all these thoughts swimming (yes, exercising!) around our minds, we often psych ourselves out of exercising long before we even begin.
To be honest, some of my clients don’t even like the word exercise. To them, it connotes all of the above guilt, shame, expectations and more.
So, in the first part of this two part series, I’m going to address how to move through some of the gunk that will make exercising just what it should be: moving your body in a way that feels good.
First, take some time to free write about what “exercise” means to you. (If “exercise” doesn’t have strong connotations for you, try other words, like “working out” or “body movement.”) Just write freely and let the words flow.
What negative experiences did that exercise bring up? Spend some time acknowledging those negative experiences, even taking a moment to feel the pain of those experiences. And then, let them go. Acknowledge the pain and then let it go, knowing that those experiences were in the past and that they do not control your present reality.
Next, take some more time to free write on exercise, remembering some positive experiences. Maybe you enjoyed riding your bike, swinging on the swings, dancing to the radio, or certain sports. Spend some time acknowledging those good times with movement and feeling the fun of those experiences. Take a special note on any of these things that you might want to try again. Also mark any activities that you haven’t tried yet and might want to try. Let the words flow, without judging yourself or stopping yourself.
Lastly, spend some time free writing on your assumptions about exercise. Do you assume that exercise is boring, hard, only for certain people, only for weight loss, etc.? Bringing your assumptions about exercise to light will assist you in determining and moving through your negative associations with exercise and will allow exercise to become what it should be: fun, healing and enjoyable.
Doing the free writes above will allow you to exorcise your negative feelings and assumptions about exercise. Then, next week here at the Body Love Wellness Blog, we’ll get down to the nitty gritty about how to find body movement practices that are right for you.
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About The Author
Golda Poretsky, H.H.C. of Body Love Wellness is a certified holistic health counselor with a degree in integrative nutrition from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Using Health At Every Size principles, she counsels women and men on how to get off the dieting roller coaster, give their bodies what they really crave, and love their bodies and themselves.
Valery Amador, Daily Venus Diva -- Daily Venus Diva.
Wow, this article smacked the nail on the head. Exercise, the word, for me means all of the negative connotations mentioned. And I’m working really hard at ignoring all those childhood voices and finding ways to move that feel fun and energizing, without focusing on weight loss and trying to ignore what others might be thinking about my large, uncoordinated body out there trying to move. Another problem I have, though, that I hope is addressed next article is that while yes, I used to love riding my bike and rollerskating, I’m too out-of-shape to do either now and I’m afraid to try…afraid I’ll hurt myself, especially rollerskating…though that was my absolute fave and I’m determined to try it again. Starting so very slowly is discouraging when I think back to when I used to fly around the neighborhood carwash, spinning and dipping and swerving with my friends, or riding my bike all over town…anyway, fantastic article and I honestly can’t wait to hear more. I need the support!