Benefits of Physical Movement That Aren’t Weight-Loss
In our culture, we can fall into the trap of viewing exercise or physical movement as a form of punishment because we had too much to eat the night before or as a check box for working to achieve the perfect body.
What if we didn’t view working out as this daunting thing but rather something that is joyful? What if we could view exercise as something that felt good or as something that provided us with a healthy heart or lungs rather than for the ~perfect~ beach body? Exercising for weight loss leads to burnout, and if you are burned out that is okay.
We associate exercise with health but we get lost in the thought that our body sizes=health. Errr wrong! You can be in a bigger body and have no health problems or in a smaller body with multiple health concerns. So, once we dissociate the two we can start to 1. Move our bodies for joy, and 2. Move our bodies for health benefits that aren’t weight loss.
So how do we reframe physical activity? Let’s dive in!
First off, what is joyful movement or intuitive exercise? Joyful movement is about finding physical activity or movement that brings pleasure to your body. An example of this would be dancing. A lot of people love to dance! They love the freedom, the beat, the connection with others, the art, etc. Secondly, intuitive exercise is almost the exact same definition but is about listening to your body in what movement sounds the best to make your body feel the best. An example of this would be yoga. Maybe you went hiking the day before and your legs were sore, so you took a moment to realize your legs were sore, decided not to go to the gym because that would only cause your legs to hurt more, and instead you chose to practice yoga and stretch, as that helps your sore muscles.
Viewing physical activity in this way allows us to free up some real estate in our minds and respect our bodies. You learn what activities you like and what activities you don’t. You listen to your body when you need a rest day and you give yourself that day without any negative self-talk or feelings of guilt.
Finding your why in exercise is huge! If you struggle with your relationship with exercise either because you feel that you HAVE to work out every day or because you literally hate exercise, then these journal prompts are for you.
So, if you exercise, why do you do it? Do you feel good while moving your body? Do you feel good after moving your body? Do you exercise because you solely want to burn calories? Does exercising clear your mind?
If you don’t exercise, why not? Think about your barriers? Is it time-related? Do you have access to a gym or workout facility? Are you nervous or anxious to go to a gym alone? Do you feel like you’ll look out of place? Did you have a bad experience growing up (felt out of place or awkward in gym class?)? Are you worried your exercise clothes won’t fit? Do you have tennis shoes?
Digging into these questions is a great place to start in evaluating your WHY. If you are extreme and work out every day because you feel that you have to, then scaling back could cause some anxiety and that is normal! Slowly realizing that your worth is not in your body or your workout routine is freeing. You get the flexibility to move your body when you want and how you want.
On the opposite end, if you don’t exercise, look into how you can take baby steps to overcome some of those barriers. Be realistic. Some barriers are more reasonable to overcome than others, and if you need help, motivation, encouragement, or all of the above, reach out! Exercising is so important to all aspects of health! So I really challenge you to incorporate some type of movement that feels good into your life.
It’s easy to forget about all of the wonderful benefits physical activity can offer us when we view physical activity as black vs. white, health = weight loss. Viewing exercise as something that can be fun or joyful completely shifts our mindset. So, here are some of the benefits of exercise that are not weight loss-oriented.
Physical activity can look different for everyone! Here I am failing at wakeboarding and that’s okay! This was hard and I was proud of myself for trying. So be patient with yourself when finding an activity that is fun and excites you. It may not happen right off the bat.
Increase balance
Improved sleep
Decreased stress
Lowering risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer
Increased energy
Increased mood
Increased bone strength
Increased muscle strength
So next time you have the thought that you SHOULD work out because you want to lose weight or as punishment for eating something “bad” (remember no bad foods), I encourage you to remember this blog and reflect on how you can change your thoughts on physical activity.
It won’t happen overnight, but continuing to work on your relationship with physical activity will lead to a happier you and I promise it is worth it!
Need more guidance? Reach out to me here!