Let go of the armed struggle. Try it for yourself and see what happens. It’s time to shift your focus from the calorie-burning benefits of exercise to how it feels to move your body. To get out of bed for a morning jog or to hit the snooze button, think about how you feel after doing exercise, such as invigorating.”
It is now dubbed Movement – Feel the Difference to make it clear that movement is good in any form and to shift the attention away from exercise, which is typically equated with hard, intense, excessive and/or the quantity of calories it burns.
If you don’t like or appreciate a particular form of exercise, don’t engage in it just for the sake of “doing the right thing” or for the sake of losing weight quickly or burning the most calories. However, there are other advantages to moving your body that are unrelated to your size or form! When people begin a new fitness regimen and don’t see immediate or significant improvements in their bodies, it is all too common for them to become disheartened. As a result, they may conclude that “this isn’t working” and stop exercising altogether.
Keep in mind that the term “physical activity” does not refer just to sports or exercise. Playing, gardening, domestic chores, dancing, walking, and recreational activities are also included.
In order to get the most out of your workout, you don’t necessarily need to do it all at once. Sitting less in your everyday routine is an excellent first step. Setting a timer to remind you to get up and walk around every hour can work for you. You may squeeze in some squats or push-ups in between meetings or while you’re catching up on your favorite show on television. When it comes to reaping the rewards of regular physical activity, even a little bit goes a long way.
The forms of physical activity you enjoy are also something you should investigate. A painful, miserable, or any other bad adjective is not necessary for you to be able to move your body. It’s possible to have a good time and even enjoy it! It’s an amazing idea!
The Intuitive Eating Workbook includes questions like these to help you figure out what kinds of physical activity you enjoy:
- Do you have a favorite type of food? Does it make a difference to you whether you work out by yourself or in a group? Inside or out?
- What’s your current level of physical fitness?
- What kinds of activities would you most like to try?
- After a workout, how do you hope to feel? Calm? Energized?
In today’s society and diet culture, it’s all too common to simply go to the extremes. Either completely eliminating carbs from your diet, or completely consuming them. Not exercising at all, or exercising every day in a very strenuous manner. The middle is a wonderful place to be! Trying to go from 0 to 100 sometimes causes us to feel exhausted or overwhelmed. As opposed to gradually increasing our everyday tasks, we may gradually build up to where we want to be by focusing on what feels good to us.
Simply MOVING for 30 minutes most days of the week (and it can be split up—such as moving for 10 minutes 3 times) reduces your risk of heart disease by half!
Focus on how you feel and tune into the things you and your body enjoy.
